Automatic clutch control system

Claim 1

AN AUTOMATIC CLUTCH CONTROL SYSTEM ADAPTED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE POWER PLANT OF AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE FOR CONTROLLING A SPRING ENGAGED CLUTCH, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A FIRST FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEM INCLUDING A SOURCE OF FLUID PRESSURE, CLUTCH OPERATING MEANS, A SINGLE ACTING SERVO MOTOR CONNECTED TO SAID OPERATING MEANS AND ACTED UPON BY THE FLUID PRESSURE IN SAID SYSTEM, A PRESSURE CONTROL DEVICE INCLUDING A POWER CHAMBER FOR CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE FROM THE SOURCE OF FLUID PRESSURE, FLUID TRANSMITTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID CONTROL DEVICE WITH SAID SERVO MOTOR, OTHER FLUID TRANSMITTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID CONTROL DEVICE TO THE SOURCE OF FLUID PRESSURE; A SECOND FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEM INDEPENDENT OF SAID FIRST SYSTEM INCLUDING SPEED RESPONSIVE MEANS, FLUID TRANSMITTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID SPEED RESPONSIVE MEANS WITH SAID POWER CHAMBER, A POWER ELEMENT IN SAID POWER CHAMBER ACTED UPON BY SAID SPEED RESPONSIVE MEANS; SAID PRESSURE CONTROLLING DEVICE FURTHER INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING A PAIR OF FLUID TRANSMITTING CHAMBERS THEREIN, MEANS FORMING A DUCT INTERCONNECTING SAID CHAMBERS, A FIRST MOVABLE ELEMENT IN ONE OF SAID CHAMBERS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF FLUID PRESSURE THROUGH SAID DUCT, MEANS DEFINING A PORT VENTING THE OTHER CHAMBER TO THE ATMOSPHERE, A SECOND MOVABLE ELEMENT COOPERABLE WITH SAID PORT FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF FLUID PRESSURE TO THE ATMOSPHERE, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID MOVABLE ELEMENTS WITH SAID POWER ELEMENT COMPRISING A ROD CONNECTED TO THE POWER ELEMENT AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE HOUSING, A PLATE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ROD, SPRING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PLATE AND SAID SECOND MOVABLE ELEMENT FOR URGING THE PLATE AND SAID SECOND ELEMENT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, ANOTHER ROD SLIDABLY ENGAGING SAID PLATE AT ONE OF ITS EXTREMITIES AND CONNECTED TO THE FIRST MOVABLE ELEMENT AT ITS OTHER EXTREMITY, ANOTHER SPRING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE FIRST MOVABLE ELEMENT FOR URGING SAID FIRST MOVABLE ELEMENT TOWARD SAID PLATE, WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF THE POWER ELEMENT IN ONE DIRECTION PERMITS THE FIRST MOVABLE ELEMENT TO CLOSE THE DUCT CONNECTING THE TWO CHAMBERS AND DECREASES THE SPRING FORCE NORMALLY BIASING THE SECOND MOVABLE ELEMENT TO CLOSE SAID ATMOSPHERIC PORT, AND MOVEMENT OF THE POWER ELEMENT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION BIASES THE FIRST MOVABLE ELEMENT IN A DIRECTION TO OPEN THE DUCT BETWEEN THE TWO CHAMBERS AND INCREASES THE SPRING FORCE URGING SAID SECOND MOVABLE ELEMENT IN A DIRECTION TO CLOSE THE PORT TO THE ATMOSPHERE.