Fluid clutch mid-shaft

Claim 1

A FLUID-CONTROLLED CLUTCH FOR MOUNTING AT AN INTERMEDIATE LOCATION ALONG THE LENGTH OF A SHAFT COMPRISING A HUB AND CLUTCH PLATE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL HUB HAVING AN AXIAL OPENING THERETHROUGH FOR RECEIVING A SHAFT, SECUREMENT MEANS FOR SECURING THE HUB TO THE SHAFT, AND A CLUTCH PLATE COAXIAL WITH AND PERPENDICULAR TO THE HUB INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, A CLUTCH HOUSING INCLUDING A FACING PLATE, A BACKING PLATE, AND A MARGINAL FLANGE WITHIN WHICH IS POSITIONED SAID CLUTCH PLATE, SAID BACKING PLATE FORMED WITH A CENTRAL AXIAL OPENING LARGER THAN AN OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL HUB, SAID HUB POSITIONED WITHIN SAID BACKING PLATE AXIAL OPENING AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BACKING PLATE, BEARING MEANS MOUNTING SAID HOUSING ON SAID HUB AND CLUTCH PLATE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A FIRST BEARING BETWEEN SAID BACKING PLATE AND SAID HUB ON ONE SIDE OF SAID CLUTCH PLATE AND A SECOND BEARING BETWEEN SAID FACING PLATE AND SAID HUB ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID CLUTCH PLATE, AN ANNULAR PRESSER PLATE POSITIONED COAXIAL TO AND WITHIN SAID HOUSING ABOUT SAID HUB BETWEEN SAID CLUTCH PLATE AND SAID FACING PLATE FORMING A VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER WITHIN SAID FACING PLATE, PRESSER PLATE, MARGINAL FLANGE AND HUB, COUPLING MEANS MOUNTING SAID PRESSER PLATE FOR ROTATION WITH SAID HOUSING AND FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO FOR VARYING THE SIZE OF SAID VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER, AN AXIAL EXTENSION OF SAID FACING PLATE INCLUDING PASSAGE MEANS THERETHROUGH FOR ENTRY OF FLUID INTO SAID VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER, SAID AXIAL EXTENSION OF SAID FACING PLATE FORMED WITH A CENTRAL AXIAL OPENING LARGER THAN THE AXIAL OPENING OF SAID HUB FOR RECEIVING THE SHAFT ON WHICH SAID CLUTCH IS TO BE MOUNTED, A ROTATABLE FLUID COUPLING COLLAR MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT SAID AXIAL EXTENSION IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PASSAGE MEANS, SEALING MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE LOSS OF FLUID FROM SAID VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER INCLUDING SEALS BETWEEN SAID PRESSER PLATE AND SAID MARGINAL FLANGE AND SAID HUB AND BETWEEN SAID ROTATABLE FLUID COUPLING COLLAR AND SAID AXIAL EXTENSION, FRICTION MEANS BETWEEN SAID CLUTCH PLATE AND SAID BACKING PLATE AND SAID PRESSER PLATE FOR FRICTIONALLY INTERCONNECTING SAID CLUTCH PLATE AND SAID HOUSING WHEN SAID PRESSER PLATE IS MOVED AWAY FROM SAID FACING PLATE, AND POWER TAKE-OFF MEANS SECURED TO SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATION THEREWITH WHEN DRIVEN FROM SAID HUB IN RESPONSE TO THE INTRODUCTION OF FLUID INTO SAID CLUTCH.