Plate type friction coupling

Claim 1

A TORQUE TRANSMITTING MECHANISM COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL HOUSING HAVING SPLINE TEETH FORMED INTERNALLY THEREOF, A SHAFT EXTENDING COAXIALLY OF SAID HOUSING AND HAVING EXTERNAL SPLINE TEETH SPACEDLY EMBRACED BY THE INTERNAL SPLINE TEETH OF SAID HOUSING, A PLATE NORMAL TO AND HAVING INTERNAL SPLINE TEETH DRIVINGLY AND SLIDABLY ENGAGING THE SPLINES OF SAID SHAFT, A PAIR OF PLATES MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING IN FLANKING RELATION TO SAID FIRSTMENTIONED PLATE AND HAVING EXTERNAL SPLINE TEETH SLIDABLY AND DRIVINGLY ENGAGING THE INTERNAL SPLINES OF SAID HOUSING, ACTUATING MEANS OPERABLE TO EFFECT FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID PLATES, SPRING MEANS ACTING ON SAID FLANKING PLATES TO RELEASE FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST-MENTIONED PLATE UPON DEENERGIZATION OF THE ACTUATING MEANS, AND A PLURALITY OF LEAF SPRING CLIPS INSERTED AND EXTENDING RADIALLY AND AXIALLY BETWEEN OPPOSING ROOT AND OUTER LANDS OF AN ANGULARLY SPACED PLURALITY OF THE SPLINES MOUNTING SAID FIRST-MENTIONED PLATE, SAID SPRING CLIPS RADIALLY CENTERING AND FRICTIONALLY DAMPING AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED PLATE RELATIVE TO SAID SHAFT.