GB540924A - Improvements in or relating to clutches - Google Patents

Abstract

540,924. Clutch - operating gear. BORGWARNER CORPORATION. July 23, 1940. No. 12073. Convention date, Aug. 14, 1939. [Class 80 (ii)] A clutch having means, e.g. a spring 7 serving normally to engage the clutch, means, e.g. springs 30, for holding the clutch dis-engaged at low speeds, and centrifugal means, e.g. weights 29 for producing clutch engagement upon increase in speed is arranged so that the speed for clutch engagement is greater than for clutch dis-engagement. As shown, the spring 7 acts through an arm 11 on a rock shaft 12 and members 13 . . . 16 tending to hold a clutch 4 engaged. Springs 30 acting through weights 29 and members 33, 23, lost motion connection 24 and arm 22 on the rock shaft 12 overcome the effect of the spring 7 at low engine speeds and hold the clutch 4 dis-engaged. The weights 29 and springs 30 are mounted on a casing 28 driven in accordance with the engine speed. At a pre-determined speed of the engine the weights 29 move under centrifugal force and the clutch 4 is engaged. In the form shown the moment arm A of the springs in the clutch engaged position is smaller than that in the dis-engaged position thus giving different speeds for clutch engagement and disengagement. In a modification the part of the weights 29 adjacent their pivots is engaged by spring frictional members tending to oppose movement of the weights. In another modification a projection on each weight has to ride over a spring catch during both its engaging and dis-engaging movements. The clutch may be manually dis-engaged by depression of a lever 20 which acts through a link 19, an arm 17 pivoted on the rock-shaft 12 and an adjustable stop 18 on an arm 11a fixed to the rockshaft 12. The clutch may be engaged when the engine is at rest or idling by actuation of a lever 35 connected by links 36, 37, to a collar 38 on the member 23 Specification 523,954 is referred to.