Abstract: A freewheel clutch includes a ladder-like guide band, and a cage for receiving and retaining a group of wedging gripping members in an annular space between a pair of concentric races, preferably the cage is formed from a flexible flat strip having windows defined therein including supports and resilient biasing lugs formed by the edges of the windows and having radially extending supports all unitary with the strip, opposite end windows being over-lappable and interlockable with each other to form an annular cage, the guide band may be formed of a rubber-like material or a combination of a molded material and wire, or by a continuously coiled wire defining a group of adjacent coils alternately joined by their ends forming spacers for the gripper elements.

Abstract: A starter decoupler automatically responsive to occurrence of failure of an overrunning clutch to decouple the clutch from an output shaft to prevent overspeed of the starter.

Abstract: A toothed drive gear is provided with a concentric resilient element having corrugations engaged by the teeth of the gear. Rotation of the gear wedges the resilient element into graduated traction with the bore of a concentric annular driven member. The driven member can overrun the drive member in either direction of rotation.

Abstract: A one-way clutch assembly having an annular outer race and an annular inner race, and a plurality of sprags spaced circumferentially within the space defined by the outer and inner races adapted to connect the outer and inner races during relative rotation thereof in one direction and to permit relative rotation thereof in the opposite direction. The sprags have camming surfaces at opposite ends thereof formed on arcs having their centers located within the profile of the sprag, while the terminal portion of at least one of the camming surfaces is formed on an arc having a center point outside the profile of the sprag.

Abstract: A sprag clutch assembly which comprises an inner and an outer race, sprags between the races, a sprag retainer having its cross bars closely adjacent the inner race and contracting garter springs surrounding footed portions of the sprags. The assembly finds particular use in indexing applications where the indexing rate and the accuracy required are high.

Abstract: Spring 1 having principal undulations 2 inside which are formed windows 5 for the passage of cams 10, and secondary undulations 4. The cams are wedged between the edges 6 and 7 of these windows. The swinging of the cams is caused by the action of the swinging tongue 15 having a flat portion 17. An improvement in the synchronization of movement of the cams and a reduction in the wear of the device is obtained.

Abstract: An overrunning clutch is disclosed wherein drive and driven clutch members are engaged by means of sprags which frictionally engage the clutch members in a locking position but which permit relative rotation of the clutch members in a freewheel position. The sprags are part of a sprag assembly including a pair of spaced cages, one frictionally biased to one clutch member and the other frictionally biased to ground. The sprags are symmetrical and provide for double-acting, direction-sensitive operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is an overrunning clutch particularly adapted for "holdback," stand-by drive and "creep" drive applications. A one-way clutch means, preferably in the form of a sprag clutch provides selective drive between a normally driven member and a normally passive member. The "passive" member may be retained against any rotation or may be driven at any speed less than that of the normally driven member. In the illustrated embodiment the normally driven member comprises a sleeve adapted to accept a shaft. The sleeve is drivingly connected to the outer race of the one-way clutch. The inner race of the overrunning clutch is fixed to a housing for the assembly and serves as the passive drive member. Means are provided thereon for connection to a stationary member or an auxiliary drive. The passive member is supported on the normally driven member by a pair of bearing means one on either side of the one-way clutch.

Abstract: A slipping clutch which comprises a first sliping clutch section and, coaxial therewith, a second slipping clutch section pivotably journalled to a counter-bearing. An annular bearing part is coaxial with the second slipping clutch section so as to allow said section to pivot freely. This part comprises two 90.degree. offset pairs of bearing points, the bearing points of each pair being diametrically opposed, one pair engaging the second slipping clutch section and the other pair engaging the counter-bearing.

Abstract: A free-wheel clutch having centrifugally disengageable wedging members carried by a cage, in which the cage is frictionally coupled to the overrunning race by means of a resilient retaining ring. Various forms of the invention are shown including connections to the inner as well as to the outer race.

Abstract: A one way clutch in which the tiltable sprags rock away from contact with the outer race upon its overrunning of the inner race and to so remain until the inner race revolves in the same direction as the outer race whereupon centrifugal force acting on the sprags rotate them into full engagement with both races and couples the races together.

Abstract: A radially wedging, frictional overrunning sprag clutch has an inner ring defining an inner sprag track and an outer ring which is concentric with respect to the inner ring and defines an outer sprag track. While varying the ring thickness ratio of at least one of the two clutch rings in the sense of a maximum of the quotient driving torque/angle of rotation, the radius of the inner track is determined by subtracting from the nominal radius of the inner track the extent of compression of the inner ring, at the location of contact with the sprags, caused by an assumed normal force. The radius of the outer track is determined by adding to the nominal radius of the outer track the extent of expansion of the outer ring, at the location of contact with the sprags, caused by an assumed normal force.

Abstract: A radially wedging, frictional overrunning sprag clutch has an inner ring defining an inner sprag track and an outer ring which is concentric with respect to the inner ring and defines an outer sprag track. The nominal radius of the inner track is corrected by subtracting therefrom the compression of the inner ring, at the location of contact with the sprags, caused by a maximum transmissible torque. The nominal radius of the outer track is corrected by adding thereto the expansion of the outer ring, at the location of contact with the sprags, caused by the maximum transmissible torque.

Abstract: A sprag clutch utilising the principles of U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,908 has an improved energising spring arrangement in which the individual sprag energising springs are mounted on intermediate portions of bars forming part of the sprag retainer assemblage. The bars define with end ring parts of the retainer, separate compartments, one for the outer end of each sprag, end portions of the bars acting to position the sprags circumferentially, and the energising springs extend inwardly from the bars. The arrangement allows more sprags to be accommodated in a given diameter and, conveniently, the retainer is made in two identical annular parts which clip together.

Abstract: A combination of a sprag clutch and a deep-groove ball bearing has a cage ring made of two identical radial halves. Each cage ring half has circumferentially spaced first recesses each accommodating and pivotally supporting a spring-biased sprag; circumferentially spaced alternating pockets for captively holding a bearing ball; and second recesses each nestingly receiving a bearing ball. The number of pockets and the number of second recesses in each cage ring half each equals one half the number of bearing balls in the ball bearing. The two cage ring halves are staggered with respect to one another to the extent of one bearing ball pitch, so that with any pocket on either cage ring half there is axially aligned a second recess in the other cage ring half.

Abstract: In a sprag clutch having individual energising springs, one for each sprag, in which the forces on the sprags during outer race overrunning give rise to only a small rubbing load between the sprags and the clutch inner race at all outer race overrunning speeds within a designed limit, without nevertheless lifting off the clutch inner race, thereby limiting wear on overrun of the clutch, the sprags and the springs are staggered whereby each pair of adjacent sprags of said ring of sprags are offset relative to one another axially of the assemblage, and likewise the pair of springs associated with them, the sprags being shaped and arranged to interengage with one another between the springs to limit the tilt of the sprags in the driving phase of the clutch.

Abstract: An overrunning clutch is disclosed herein providing a structure whereby a drive and driven member are interconnected to provide a drive condition therebetween in one direction, of relative rotation thereof and an overrunning condition therebetween in the other direction of relative rotation thereof. A sprag assembly is shown in conjunction with the overrunning clutch and possesses a structure which provides for total disengagement of the sprags from the overrun portion of the clutch during the overrunning thereof.

Abstract: A sprag clutch utilizing the principles of U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,908 has an improved energizing spring arrangement in which the individual sprag energizing springs are mounted on intermediate portions of bars forming part of the sprag retainer assemblage. .Iadd.The retainer is made in two identical annular parts which clip together. .Iaddend.The bars define with end rings parts of the retainer, separate compartments, one for the outer end of each sprag, end portions of the bars acting to position the sprags circumferentially, and the energizing springs extend inwardly from the bars. The arrangement .Iadd.facilitates the manufacture and assembling of the assemblage and .Iaddend.allows more sprags to be accommodated in a given diameter. .[.and, conveniently, the retainer is made in two identical annular parts which clip together..].