Synchronous self-shifting clutches

Claim 1

A SYNCHRONOUS SELF-SHIFTING CLUTCH COMPRISING A FIRST ROTARY CLUTCH MEMBER WITH CLUTCH TEETH, A SECOND ROTARY CLUTCH MEMBER, AND INTERMEDIATE MEMBER WITH CLUTCH TEETH AND CONSTRAINED FOR HELICAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE SECOND CLUTCH MEMBER WHEREBY TO BRING THE CLUTCH TEETH OF THE INTERMEDIATE MEMBER INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CLUTCH TEETH OF THE FIRST CLUTCH MEMBER, MEANS FOR INITATING PRECISE INTER-ENGAGEMENT OF THE CLUTCH TEETH OF THE SAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBER AND OF SAID FIRST CLUTCH MEMBER UPON RELATIVE ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CLUTCH MEMBERS IN ONE DIRECTION, A CYLNDER, MEANS MECHANICALLY CONNECTING SAID CYLINDER TO ONE OF SAID SECOND AND INTERMEDIATE MEMBERS, A PISTON LOCATED WITHIN SAID CYLINDER, AND MEANS MECHANICALLY CONNECTING SAID PISTON TO THE OTHER OF SAID SECOND AND INTERMEDIATE MEMBER, MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSING SAID CYLINDER ON ONE SIDE OF SAID PISTON, LIQUID FEED DUCT TO SAID CYLINDER AT THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID PISTON, SAID CYLINDER BEING OTHERWISE SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED ON THE SAID OTHER SIDE, THE CLUTCH INCLUDING MEANS DEFINING A LEAKAGE PATH TO PERMIT LIQUID TO FLOW AT A RESTRICTED RATE FROM ONE SIDE OF THE PISTON TO THE OUTER UPON RELATIVE AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON AND CYLINDER SO THAT DURING MOVEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE MEMBER IN ONE DIRECTION LIQUID IS TRANSFERRED FROM ONE SIDE OF THE PISTON TO THE OTHER SIDE AT A RESTRICTED RATE TO GIVE A POWERFUL DAMPING ACTION, AND LIQUID IS LARGELY RETAINED IN THE CYLINDER ON THE SAID OTHER SIDE OF THE PISTON IN READINESS TO FLOW BACK TO THE SAID ONE SAID OF THE PISTON AT A RESTRICTED RATE UPON MOVEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE MEMBER IN THE OTHER DIRECTION TO DAMP MOVEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE MEMBER IN THE SAID OTHER DIRECTION.