Two-directional rotation clutch assembly

Claim 2

A clutch assembly for providing two-directional rotation to a shaft which comprises: a. a housing for a desired portion of the shaft; b. a first clutch installed between said housing and the shaft for communicating rotational power to provide rotation of the shaft in a clockwise direction; c. a second clutch installed between said housing and the shaft for communicating rotational power to provide rotation of the shaft in a counterclockwise direction; and d. said clutches being dimensioned so as to permit substantially frictionless relative axial movement between said clutches and the shaft.

Claim 3

A clutch assembly as recited in claim 1 and further comprising control means for providing relative axial movement between said housing and the shaft whereby the communication of rotational power between said housing and the shaft is modified.

Claim 4

A clutch assembly as recited in claim 2 which further includes driving means connected to said housing for causing rotation thereof.

Claim 5

A clutch assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein axial movement of said housing by said control means causes disengagement of said housing from said driving means.

Claim 6

A clutch assembly as recited in claim 3 which further includes resilient means engaging said housing for normally maintaining said housing in connection with said driving means.

Claim 7

A clutch assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second clutches comprise overrunning clutches.

Claim 8

A clutch assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said overrunning clutches further comprise drawn cups having interior cam surfaces and a plurality of clutch elements located within said cups in engagement with said cam surfaces, such that rotation of the housing in one direction causes wedging of the clutch members of said first clutch between the shaft and the cam surfaces thereby imparting rotation to the shaft in that direction, while at the same time, the clutch members of said second clutch are free running.

Claim 9

A clutch assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said housing includes a bore and said drawn cup is frictionally engaged by said housing within said bore.

Claim 10

A clutch assembly for providing two-directional rotation to a shaft which comprises: a. a housing surrounding a portion of the shaft; b. a first overrunning clutch installed between said housing and the shaft for communicating rotational power to provide rotation of the shaft only in a clockwise direction; c. a second overrunning clutch installed between said housing and the shaft for communicating rotational power to provide rotation of the shaft in a counterclockwise direction; d. driving means connected to said housing for causing rotation thereof; e. manual control means connected to said housing for causing relative axial movement between saiD housing and the shaft, thereby causing disengagement of said driving means and said housing to permit manual rotation of said housing; and f. resilient means engaging said housing for normally maintaining said housing connected to said driving means.

Claim 11

A clutch assembly for providing two-directional rotation to a shaft which comprises: a. a housing surrounding a portion of the shaft; b. a first overrunning clutch installed between said housing and the shaft for communicating rotational power to provide rotation of the shaft only in a clockwise direction; c. a second overrunning clutch installed between said housing and the shaft for communicating rotational power to provide rotation of the shaft in a counterclockwise direction; d. driving means connected to said housing for causing rotation thereof; e. manual control means connected to said housing for causing relative axial movement between saiD housing and the shaft, thereby causing disengagement of said driving means and said housing to permit manual rotation of said housing; and f. resilient means engaging said housing for normally maintaining said housing connected to said driving means.

Claim 12

A clutch assembly for providing two-directional rotation to a shaft which comprises: a. a first overrunning clutch axially mounted around a portion of said shaft for communicating rotational power to provide rotation of the shaft only in a clockwise direction while allowing relative axial movement of the clutch with respect to the shaft; b. a second overrunning clutch for communicating rotational power to provide rotation of the shaft only in a counterclockwise direction while allowing relative axial movement of the clutch with respect to the shaft; c. a common manual control means for causing relative axial movement between said housing and the shaft to remove rotational power from being applied to said shaft, for aligning said clutches circumferentially at any desired angle around said shaft and for causing relative axial movement between said clutches and said shaft to restore the communication of rotational power to said shaft.

Claim 13

A clutch assembly for providing two-directional rotation to a shaft which comprises: a. a first overrunning clutch axially mounted around a portion of said shaft for communicating rotational power to provide rotation of the shaft only in a clockwise direction while allowing relative axial movement of the clutch with respect to the shaft; b. a second overrunning clutch for communicating rotational power to provide rotation of the shaft only in a counterclockwise direction while allowing relative axial movement of the clutch with respect to the shaft; c. a common manual control means for causing relative axial movement between said housing and the shaft to remove rotational power from being applied to said shaft, for aligning said clutches circumferentially at any desired angle around said shaft and for causing relative axial movement between said clutches and said shaft to restore the communication of rotational power to said shaft.

Claim 14

An arrangement according to claim 10 wherein said clutches each comprises a tubular housing, cammed surfaces provided on the interior of said housing, and spring biased rollers providing rotational power between the circumferential surface of said shaft and said cammed surfaces.