Thermal disconnect

Claim 1

A THERMAL DISCONNECT DEVICE FO R USE IN A POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM, COMPRISING: A DRIVING MEMBER HAVING AN OUTWARDLY FACING CAVITY FORMED THEREIN COAXIALLY WITH THE CENTER OF ROTATION THEREOF, SAID CAVITY HAVING A PLURALITY OFLONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOTS FORMED IN THE WALLS THEREOF; A DRIVEN MEMBER HAVING AN OUTWARDLY FACING FIRST CAVITY FORMED THEREIN COAXIALLY WITH THE AXIS OF THE CENTER OF ROTATION THEREOF, SAID DRIVEN MEMBER HAVING A SECOND CAVITY OF REDUCED DIAMETER FORMED COAXIALLY WITH SAID FIRST CAVITY AND OPENING THERETO, SAID DRIVEN MEMBER FIRST CAVITY BEING OPPOSED TO SAID DRIVING MEMBER CAVITY AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOTS FORMED IN THE WALLS THEREOF; COUPLING MEANS COMPRISING A SPLINED STUB INTERCONNECTING SAID DRIVING AND DRIVEN MEMBERS, SAID STUB BEING POSITIONED IN SAID DRIVING AND DRIVEN MEMBER CAVITIES AND HAVING AN EXTERIOR CONFIGURATION FOR MATING THEREWITH INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY UPSTANDING KEY FOR MATING WITH SAID SLOTS ADAPTING SAID STUB FOR LATERAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID DRIVING AND DRIVEN MEMBERS TO DISENGAGE THE COUPLING THEREBTWEEEN, SAID STUB HAVING A CAVITY FORMED THEREIN AND FACING OUTWARDLY INTO SAID DRIVEN MEMBER FIRST AND SECOND CAVITIES; MEANS LATERALLY MOVABLE TO DISENGAGE SAID STUB COMPRISING A PISTON IN SAID STUB CAVITY SAID SAID DRIVEN MEMBER SECOND CAVITY, SAID PISTON HAVING A CAVITY FORMED THEREIN AND FACING OUTWARDLY INTO SAID DRIVEN MEMBER SECOND CAVITY; AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PISTON COMPRISING A THERMALLY RESPONSIVE WAX CORE POSITIONED IN SAID PISTON CAVITY AND SAID DRIVEN MEMBER SECOND CACITY WHEREBY THE PRESENCE OF CRITICAL TEMPERATURE WITHIN SAID SYSTEM CAUSES SAID WAX TO MELT AND EXPAND IN VOLUME IMPARTING LATERAL MOVEMENT TO SAID PISTON, WHICH IN TURN MOVES SAID STUB LATERALLY, TO DISENGAGE THE OPERABLE COUPLING BETWEEN SAID DRIVING AND DRIVEN MEMBERS.