Abstract: In a friction clutch for motor vehicles the pressure plate is connected to the clutch housing for common rotation about the common axis by a plurality of leaf springs which are tangential with respect to the common axis of the clutch housing and the pressure plate. The clutch housing has a predetermined direction of rotation which results from the sense of rotation of the combustion engine which is to be connected by the respective frictional clutch to the gear box of the motor vehicle. The leaf springs have--with respect to the predetermined direction of rotation--a leading end portion and a trailing end portion. The leading end portion of all leaf spring elements are fastened to the pressure plate and the trailing end portions of all leaf springs are fastened to the clutch housing.

Abstract: In a spring clutch having a power input endpiece carrying an input hub, the input end of the helical clutch spring is permanently bound to the endpiece at the hub base by press fitting the coil into a circular groove at least partially surrounding said hub.

Abstract: A clutch control system and clutch assembly utilizing same includes a comparator (10) for receiving a signal (A) corresponding to actual engine speed from a sensor member (6) and a signal (D) corresponding to desired engine speed from a sensor member (8) to provide an output signal (A-D). Signal (A-D) is provided to a summer (16) as well as a differentiator (14) which operates upon (A-D) to provide the differential with respect to time ##EQU1## which is received by summer (16) which provides the function signal ##EQU2## to an actuator (2) which utilizes the functional signal to control clutch (4). The functional signal may also include one or more weighting factors such as (K.sub.1) to control the magnitude of signals (A) and/or (D) and/or (A-d) and/or ##EQU3## in the manner desired.

Abstract: A decoupling device for gear motors used in cargo conveyor belt systems in which a coupler member is free to move axially on the output shaft of the gear motor to cooperate with the final gear of the gear train in the motor housing. A spring member maintains the coupler in engagement with the final gear via the corresponding jaw structures. Disengagement of the respective jaw structures is accomplished by axially moving the coupler member along the output shaft by means of a self-securing pivotally mounted yoke which engages the coupler for transmitting axial motion thereto. The yoke is pivoted by means of a cam follower device mounted for pivotal movement exteriorly of the gear housing to thereby rotate to one of two positions, thus connecting or disconnecting the aforementioned respective jaw structures on the output shaft.

Abstract: A fail-safe device for preventing undesired rotation of the output as the result of bearing failure and seizure is shown according to the teachings of the present invention in its most preferred form for use with a clutch engagable in a single driving position. In its most preferred form, the output includes a hub portion which is rotatably mounted to the input of the clutch by a bearing. The output of the clutch further includes a collar portion for receipt upon the hub portion and forming a break away connection therebetween. The driven portion of selectively rotationally interrelating members of the clutch, i.e., teeth in the preferred embodiment shown, is located on the collar portion of the output. Under normal operation and without bearing failure, the collar and hub portions of the output have the same relative rotational position and rotate as a single unit.

Abstract: A clutch is interposed between the driving gears of a grinding mill and the driving motor to protect the gears from damage by mechanical overloading. The clutch is set to slip at torques below those required to structurally damage the gears yet higher than design load and the clutch released and the mill is shut down after a preset degree of clutch slippage occurs.

Abstract: A coupling clutch is shown in its most preferred form as including first and second hubs having first and second splined interface discs received thereon. The first interface disc is biased away from the second interface disc and is movable towards the second interface disc by a piston reciprocally mounted to a housing and rotatably mounted to the first interface disc by a bearing mounted therebetween. The splines between the second interface disc and the second hub allow the second interface disc to cant to compensate for axial angular misalignment of the first and second hubs. The housing is further rotatably mounted to the second interface disc. A radially extending, annular lip is provided on the housing which is axially captured between a shoulder and a retaining ring provided on the first hub. Bushing bumpers are provided between the lip and the shoulder and between the retaining ring and the lip. Thus, axial movement of the housing is prevented with respect to the hub.

Abstract: A clutch/brake apparatus for alternatively connecting a driven shaft to a driving member and to a stationary member which distributes the mass of its components to maximize the effective rotational inertia of the driving member and to minimize the effective rotational inertia of the driven shaft. Sets of interleaved brake plates are respectively mounted to the driven shaft and the stationary member and sets of interleaved clutch plates are respectively mounted to the driven shaft and the driving member. A clutch operator for urging the clutch plates together when it is moved in a first axial direction is connected to rotate with the driving member and a brake operator for urging the brake plates together when it is moved in a second axial direction is rotationally stationary and is connected by a bearing to move axially with the clutch operator.

Abstract: The hydraulically operable clutch release for a motor vehicle friction clutch comprises a housing part (3) of substantially ring form and an annular piston (9) guided displaceably in sealed manner in the direction of the ring axis on the housing part (3). The annular piston (9) together with the housing part (3) forms an annular hydraulic pressure chamber (15) and comprises a stop face (29) facing axially away from the pressure chamber (15). A release bearing (19) guided both axially and radially movably on the annular piston (9) has a non-rotating race ring (23) supportable radially movably on the stop face (29) of the annular piston and a rotating race ring (21) constantly abutting in radially movable manner on a release device (37) of the friction clutch. Between the housing part (3) and the annular piston (9) there is compressed an axially acting compression spring (31) for the permanent supporting of the rotating race ring (21) on the release device (37).

Abstract: A control system for a double clutch of a power-shiftable motor vehicle transmission, in which both clutches are hydraulically actuated by an electro-hydraulic control system which is controlled by an electronic control apparatus according to a predetermined program responding to the signals of a speed selector lever. For starting, the control system is adapted to be additionally manually influenceable by a clutch pedal which acts by way of a hydraulic transmitter cylinder and a receiver cylinder on the control slide valve member of the control system.

Abstract: A method of controlling the starting of a vehicle having an engine, an automatic clutch and an electronic control system which detects the extent of depression of an accelerator pedal and determines the speed of operation of a clutch actuator based on the detected extent of depression of the accelerator pedal. In particular, the method includes detecting a load on the engine due to a change in the condition in which the clutch is engaged, and stopping connection control of the clutch when the detected load on the engine is increased, to prevent an engine stop. In addition correction is made to vary the speed at which the vehicle starts linearly with respect to the extent of depression of the accelerator pedal.

Abstract: A vehicle drive arrangement in which a drive shaft (10a) is coupled with a first hollow driven shaft (12) and a second driven shaft (11) within hollow driven shaft (12) by first (14) and second (13) coaxial clutches respectively clutch (13) which is adjacent flywheel (10) is operated by a force transmitting path in the form of pins (17) located outside both driven shafts and passing axially through the central portion (24) of clutch (14). This produces a more compact arrangement since the force transmitting path for the operation of clutch (13) does not pass around the outer periphery of clutch (14).

Abstract: A centrifugal type friction clutch for motor vehicles, which include: a disk serving as an output member and provided with a number of frictional coupling element support means in outer peripheral portions thereof; a drum serving as an input member and provided with a frictional coupling surface on the inner periphery thereof in coaxial relation with the circumference of the disk; and frictional coupling elements respectively supported by the frictional coupling element support means and displaceable radially outward according to the rotational speed of the disk for engagement with frictional coupling surface on the drum.

Abstract: A coupling clutch/brake is shown in its most preferred form as including first and second hubs having first and second splined friction discs received thereon. The first friction disc is movable between the second friction disc and a stationary friction surface mounted to a housing by a piston reciprocally mounted to the housing and rotatably mounted to the first friction disc by a bearing mounted therebetween. The second friction disc is substantially prevented from sliding on the splines with the second hub. The splines between the second friction disc and the second hub allow the second friction disc to cant to compensate for axial angular misalignment of the first and second hubs. In its most preferred form, the housing has a unique construction and specifically includes three generally hemispherical components. The open ends of the first and second shells abut together to form a volume for the first and second friction discs.

Abstract: A viscous fan clutch which employs a dynamic blocker ring positioned inside of the clutch between the pump plate and the clutch plate in such a manner that the fluid flow path is directed and not left to chance. The blocker ring, in effect, hydraulically separates the drive portion of the clutch from the pump and viscous fluid storage portion. The divider ring due to its location will provide support outboard of the bearing providing optimized durability.

Abstract: A direct-coupling controller for a torque converter direct-coupling clutch in an automatic transmission. The controller can include a feedback pilot oil pressure operated reduction valve with a throttling orifice in the signal line and a pilot oil pressure switched vehicle speed response valve in parallel with the reduction valve. The vehicle speed response valve bypasses the reduction valve when vehicle speed is above a predetermined value. Alternatively, the controller includes a single valve which is pilot oil pressure switched depending on vehicle speed which in an open position directly feeds oil pressure to the clutch and which in a closed position feeds the oil pressure to the clutch while throttling the oil pressure through an orifice and permitting some of the working oil to pass the drain through another throttling orifice.

Abstract: A transmission with free-wheel capability comprises a bolt slidingly mounted in a bell-housing integral with a driving shaft, adapted for engagement in a cage provided with rollers and mounted in the bell-housing for movement between two positions in which the rollers and the bell-housing are in abutment so that a driving and a driven shaft are coupled to rotate together. The bolt maintains the cage in a middle position in which the driven shaft is disengaged and allowed to free-wheel, when the transmission is in forward travel and not in any braking condition. An electromagnet draws the bolt into the cage. This device ensures the free-wheel setting of the vehicle in forward travel up to a predetermined speed. At higher speeds a safety system automatically couples the driving and driven shafts together again.

Abstract: A multidisk clutch comprises an external bell member adapted to be coupled to a driving shaft and an internal ring member concentric with the bell member adapted to be coupled to a driven shaft. A plurality of disk members are disposed between the bell member and the ring member. Certain of these disk members are constrained to rotate with the bell member and the remainder with the ring member. A lubricating and cooling liquid is fed into the interior of the ring member, and can reach the disk members through a plurality of holes in the ring member. A generally annular scoop member is rotatably disposed within the ring member. It is constrained to rotate with the driving shaft and has a cylindrical peripheral wall disposed between the liquid feed means and the ring member. Its dimension in the axial direction is substantially the same as that of the ring member.

Abstract: An automatic clutch control system including a clutch, a clutch actuator for controlling a clutch stroke, a plurality of solenoid valves for controlling the clutch actuator, a clutch stroke sensor for measuring the clutch stroke, a control unit for feeding back a stroke signal detected by the clutch stroke sensor and for controlling the solenoid valves to control clutch engagement and disengagement. The control unit includes a learning control section for storing a full clutch engagement point upon saturation of the stroke signal in a clutch engagement operation and storing clutch contact point upon start of rotation of an engine input shaft in a clutch engagement operation following a clutch disengagement operation. Based on the full clutch engagement point and clutch contact point, the control unit judges a clutch operation range for control of clutch engagement and disengagement.

Abstract: An improved electric parking brake system for a vehicle capable of controlling the brake-applying and releasing operations of a parking brake in an optimal manner in accordance with the gradient of the road on which the vehicle is stopped.