Clutch

Claim 1

A SELF-LOCKING AND SELF-UNLOCKING CLUTCH FOR AN INTERMITTENTLY OPERATED MACHINE SUCH AS A BALE THROWER WHEREIN THE CLUTCH AUTOMATICALLY LOCKS IN ENGAGED POSITION AFTER ACTUATION AND AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCKS TO TERMINATE THE MACHINE OPERATING CYCLE AFTER A PREDETERMINED PERIOD OF OPERATION, COMPRISING: A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR SAID CLUTCH, SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE INCLUDING A ROTARY DRIVE SHAFT FORMING A CLUTCH DRIVEN MEMBER, A CLUTCH DRIVING MEMBER HAVING A DRIVING SURFACE, SAID CLUTCH DRIVING MEMBER BEING MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, A HUB FASTENED ON SAID DRIVE SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, A CLUTCH ARM HAVING A DRIVEN SURFACE AT ONE END THEREOF AND A COUNTERWEIGHT AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID CLUTCH ARM ON SAID HUB INTERMEDIATE SAID DRIVEN SURFACE AND SAID COUNTERWEIGHT, SAID CLUTCH ARM BEING PIVOTAL BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN AND DRIVING MEMBER DRIVING SURFACE AND SAID CLUTCH ARM DRIVEN SURFACE ARE DISENGAGED AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN SAID DRIVING MEMBER DRIVING SURFACE AND SAID CLUTCH ARM DRIVEN SURFACE ARE ENGAGED TO FORM A DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID CLUTCH DRIVING MEMBER AND SAID CLUTCH DRIVEN MEMBER, SAID PIVOTAL MOUNTING MEANS BEING LOCATED WITH RESPECT TO SAID DRIVING MEMBER DRIVING SURFACE TO LOCK SAID CLUTCH ARM IN SAID POSITION WHEN SAID DRIVING MEMBER DRIVING SURFACE AND SAID CLUTCH ARM DRIVEN SURFACE ARE ENGAGED TO FORM SAID DRIVING CONNECTION, SAID COUNTERWEIGHT BEING LOCATED WITH RESPECT TO SAID PIVOTAL MOUNTING MEANS TO PRODUCE A CENTRIFUGAL FORCE FOR UNLOCKING SAID CLUTCH ARM FROM SAID SECOND POSITION AND MOVING IT TO SAID FIRST POSITION TO COMPLETELY BREAK SAID DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID CLUCH DRIVING MEMBER AND SAID CLUTCH DRIVEN MEMBER TO TERMINATE AN OPERATING CYCLE OF SAID INTERMITTENTLY OPERATED MACHINE AFTER A PREDETERMINED PERIOD OF OPERATION, ACTUATING MEANS JOINED TO SAID CLUTCH ARM FOR PIVOTING IT FROM SAID FRIST POSITION TO SAID SECOND POSITION, CYCLE INITIATING MEANS ON SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR APPLYING A FORCE TO SAID ACTUATING MEANS, SAID CYCLE INITIATING MEANS BEING RENDERED INACTIVE AFTER APPLICATION ON SAID FORCE TO ENABLE SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND SAID CLUTCH ARM TO RETURN TO SAID FIRST POSITION WHEN SAID COUNTERWEIGHT PRODUCES SAID CENTRIFUGAL FORCE.