Torque releasing clutch mechanism

Claim 1

A ROTARY POWER WRENCH CONTAINING A TORQUE RESPONSIVE CLUTCH ADAPTED TO RELEASE AT A PREDETERMINED TORQUE LOAD, COMPRISING: (A) A TOOL MOTOR; (B) THROTTLE MEANS OPERABLE BY AN OPERATOR TO ENERGIZE SAID MOTOR; (C) A CLUTCH DRIVEN BY SAID MOTOR AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF CLUTCH MEMBERS ADAPTED TO ENGAGED FOR TRANSMITTING THE TORQUE OF SAID MOTOR AND DISENGAGED FOR RELEASING THE MOTOR; (D) ONE OF SAID CLUTCH MEMBERS INCLUDING A HOLLOW SLEEVE PORTION; (E) THE OTHER CLUTCH MEMBER INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION SLIDABLY MOUNTED AXIALLY IN SAID HOLLOW SLEEVE PORTION; (F) A KEY ELEMENT MOUNTED IN AN OPENING ON SAID SLEEVE PORTION FOR RADIAL MOVEMENT; (G) A KEY SEAT LOCATED ON THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION FOR RECEIVING SAID KEY ELEMENT TO INTERCONNECT SAID CLUTCH MEMBERS FOR TORQUE TRANSMISSION, SAID KEY SEAT BEING OPERATIVE TO FORCE SAID KEY ELEMENT RADIALLY OUTWARD AS THE TORQUE LOAD ON SAID CLUTCH INCREASE; (H) AN INTERNAL CONE SLIDSABLE ON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID HOLLOW SLEEVE PORTION TO URGE SAID KEY ELEMENT INTO SAID KEY SEAT; (I) BIASING MEANS URGING SAID INTERNAL CONE AXIALLY AGAINST SAID KEY ELEMENT; (J) LOCKING MEANS OPERATIVE AT THE WILL OF THE TOOL OPERATOR TO URGE SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION AXIALLY RELATIVE TO SAID SLEEVE PORTION FOR MOVING SAID KEY SEAT OUT OF RADIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID KEY ELEMENT UPON THE UNSEATING OF SAID KEY ELEMENT FROM SAID KEY SEAT WHEREBY SAID KEY ELEMENT RIDES ON THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION ALONG AN ANNULAR PATH WHICH IS AXIALLY SPACED FROM SAID KEY SEAT WHEN SAID CLUTCH IS LOCKED OPEN IN ITS RELEASED POSITION.