Magnetic clutch

Claim 1

AN ELECTROMAGNETIC CLUTCH COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A FIRST SHAFT MEMBER; A SECOND SHAFT MEMBER, SUBSTANTIALLY COAXIALLY WITH AND ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST SHAFT MEMBER; A FERROMAGNETIC SPOOL ATTACHED TO SAID FIRST SHAFT MEMBER FOR SYMMETRICAL ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID FIRST SHAFT MEMBER, SAID SPOOL HAVING A FIRST END AND A SECOND END, SAID FIRST SHAFT EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST END OF SAID SPOOL; A COIL OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS, ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ELECTRICAL CURRENT, WOUND AROUND SAID SPOOL; A PAIR OF SLIP RINGS CONNECTED TO SAID COIL TO CARRY ELECTRICAL CURRENT THERETO; A FLUX PLATE MEMBER OF FERROMAGNETIC MATERIAL DISPOSED SYMMETRICALLY ABOUT THE AXES OF SAID SHAFTS AND ATTACHED BY ITS FIRST END TO SAID FIRST END OF SAID SPOOL AND SPACED APART FROM SAID SPOOL AT ITS SECOND END TO FORM AN ANNULAR SLOT BETWEEN SAID FLUX PLATE AND SAID SPOOL SYMMETRICALLY DISPOSED ABOUT THE AXES OF ROTATION OF SAID SHAFTS, SAID FLUX PLATE HAVING FLEXIBLE FERROMAGNETIC CANTILEVERED SPRING SECTIONS FORMED BY AXIAL SLOTS EXTENDING FROM SAID SECOND END OF SAID FLUX PLATE FOR A PART OF THE DISTANCE FROM SAID SECOND TO SAID FIRST ENDS OF SAID FLUX PLATE, SAID SPRING SECTIONS HAVING FIRST SCREW THREAD MEANS ON THE OUTER PERIPHERY THEREOF; A SECOND FERROMAGNETIC CLUTCH MEMBER ATTACHED TO SAID SECOND SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH; SAID SECOND CLUTCH MEMBER HAVING A FIRST PART EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD FROM SAID SECOND SHAFT TO SAID SLOT AND A SECOND PART EXTENDING AXIALLY INTO SAID SLOT, SAID SECOND PART BEING A CONTINUATION OF SAID FIRST PART; SAID SECOND CLUTCH MEMBER BEING POSITIONED SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A FIRST ANNULAR GAP BETWEEN SAID SECOND PART OF SAID SECOND CLUTCH MEMBER AND THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID SPOOL AND A SECOND ANNULAR GAP BETWEEN SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID CLUTCH MEMBER AND THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SPRING SECTIONS OF SAID FLUX PLATE; A CENTERING MEMBER SYMMETRICALLY DISPOSED ABOUT SAID SECOND SHAFT, SAID CENTERING MEMBER HAVING A FIRST SECTION EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD FROM SAID SECOND SHAFT AND AN ANNULAR SECOND SECTION EXTENDING AXIALLY TO ENGAGE SAID SPRING SECTIONS, SAID SECOND SECTION BEING A CONTINUATION OF SAID FIRST SECTION, SAID ANNULAR SECOND SECTION HAVING TAPERED SCREW THREAD MEANS ON THE INNER PERIPHERY THEREOF WHEREIN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID SHAFTS AND SAID SCREW MEANS ON SAID INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID SECOND SECTION DECREASES WITH DECREASING DISTANCE FROM SAID FIRST SECTION, SAID TAPERED SCREW THREAD MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID FIRST SCREW THREAD MEANS ON SAID SPRING SECTIONS, THEREBY CAUSING SAID SPRING SECTIONS TO SPRING INWARDLY WITH INCREASED INTERENGAGED AREA OF SAID TAPERED SCREW THREAD MEANS AND SAID FIRST SCREW THREAD MEANS AND THEREBY NARROWING SAID SECOND ANNULAR GAP.