Torque control mechanism

Claim 1

A TORQUE CONTROL MECHANISM COMPRISING (A) A DRIVEN SHAFT AND A DRIVING SHAFT AXIALLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER, (B) SAID DRIVING SHAFT BEING CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF ROTARY POWER, (C) A CLUTCH HAVING A FIRST CLUTCH ELEMENT AND A SECOND CLUTCH ELEMENT, (D) SAID FIST CLUTCH ELEMENT BEING MOUNTED ON SAID DRIVEN SHAFT FOR CONJOINED ROTATION WITH THE LATTER AND SLIDABLE MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE DRIVEN SHAFT, (E) SAID SECOND CLUTCH ELEMENT BEING CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVING SHAFT FOR CONJOINED ROTATION WITH THE LATTER, (F) CAM MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND CLUTCH ELEMENTS TO PROVIDE CONJOINED ROTATION OF SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND CLUTCH ELEMENTS AND, UPON A PREDETERMINED TORQUE LOAD, ALLOW RELATIVE ROTATION BETWEEN THE ELEMENTS AND AXIALLY MOVE SAID FIRST CLUTCH ELEMENT RELATIVE TO THE SECOND CLUTCH ELEMENT AND SAID DRIVEN SHAFT TO THEREBY INTERRUPT THE TRANSMISSION OF ROTATION FROM THE DRIVING SHAFT TO THE DRIVEN SHAFT, (G) A LOCK MEANS CARRIED BY SAID DRIVEN SHAFT AND COACTING WITH SAID FIRST CLUTCH ELEMENT TO HOLD THE LATTER IN THE POSITION INTERRUPTING THE TRANSMISSION OF ROTATION, AND (H) A CENTRIFUGAL ACTUATOR UNIT SEPARATE FROM SAID LOCK MEANS CARRIED BY SAID DRIVING SHAFT AND ENGAGING SAID LOCK MEANS, (I) SAID CENTRIFUGAL ACTUATOR UNIT BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE ROTATION OF THE DRIVING SHAFT TO CAUSE SAID LOCK MEANS TO LOCK SAID FIRST CLUTCH ELEMENT IN A POSITION INTERRUPTING THE TRANSMISSION OF ROTATION FROM SAID DRIVING SHAFT TO SAID DRIVEN SHAFT AND ALLOW SAID LOCK MEANS TO RELEASE SAID FIRST CLUTCH ELEMENT WHEN SAID DRIVING SHAFT SUBSTANTIALLY CEASES TO ROTATE.