Abstract In an automatically engaging and disengaging dog clutch between an input shaft and an output shaft, comprising a first straighttoothed clutch boss, a second helical-tooth clutch boss, an axially slidable clutch spider and a synchronizing sleeve which is retained against axial movement in the clutch spider but is rotatable therein and is connected by screw-threading means of coarse pitch to the second clutch boss, said clutch spider being in constant mesh by way of straight-tooth gearing with the first clutch boss and being adapted for optional engagement with and disengagement from the second clutch boss, automatic clutch engagement being obtained by virtue of the relative engagement phase between the clutch spider and the second clutch boss being sensed by pawls which are adapted to mesh with a ratchet tooth system of the synchronizing sleeve, the clutch spider in a first engagement phase being partially engaged with the second clutch boss due to a helical motion which corresponds to the said coarse-pitch screw thread, the clutch spider, in a second engagement phase, is fully engaged with the second clutch boss as far as a stop under the effect of a torque exerted by the input shaft on the output shaft, the pitch of the helical gear tooth system of the second clutch boss being greater than the pitch of the said coarse screw thread, so that the sensing pawls are disengaged during the second engagement phase and therefore do not participate in transmitting power when the clutch is engaged.
Inventors
👤 Hans Sigg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-31 16:58
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16D; F16D23/00; F16D23/02; F16D23/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
289 words
Automatically engaging and disengaging dog clutch between an input shaft and an output shaft, said clutch comprising a first straight-toothed clutch boss, a second helical-tooth clutch boss, an axially slidable clutch spider, a synchronizing sleeve within said clutch spider and rotatable and axially immovable therein, screw-threading means of coarse pitch connecting the synchronizing sleeve to the second clutch boss, straight toothing on the clutch spider engaging the straight toothing on the first clutch boss to retain the clutch spider and the first clutch boss in constant mesh, the clutch spider being adapted for optional engagement with an disengagement from the second clutch boss, a ratchet tooth system on the synchronizing sleeve and cooperating sensing pawls in the clutch spider adapted to sense relative engagement between the clutch spider and the second clutch boss, characterized in that said sensing of said relative engagement produces automatic clutch engatement in two phases, namely a first engagement phase in which said coarse-pitch screw-threaded means causes axial movement of the synchronizing sleeve and clutch spider towards the second clutch boss and produces partial engagement of the clutch spider with the second clutch boss, fuRther characterized in that the pitch of the helical gear tooth system of the second clutch boss is greater than the pitch of the said coarse screw-threaded means and a stop means is disposed between the clutch spider and the second clutch boss, whereby, under the effect of a torque exerted by the input shaft on the output shaft the clutch spider is fully engaged with the second clutch boss up to the said stop means in the second engagement phase during which the sensing pawls are disengaged and do not participate in transmitting power when the clutch is fully engaged.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
289 words
Automatically engaging and disengaging dog clutch between an input shaft and an output shaft, said clutch comprising a first straight-toothed clutch boss, a second helical-tooth clutch boss, an axially slidable clutch spider, a synchronizing sleeve within said clutch spider and rotatable and axially immovable therein, screw-threading means of coarse pitch connecting the synchronizing sleeve to the second clutch boss, straight toothing on the clutch spider engaging the straight toothing on the first clutch boss to retain the clutch spider and the first clutch boss in constant mesh, the clutch spider being adapted for optional engagement with an disengagement from the second clutch boss, a ratchet tooth system on the synchronizing sleeve and cooperating sensing pawls in the clutch spider adapted to sense relative engagement between the clutch spider and the second clutch boss, characterized in that said sensing of said relative engagement produces automatic clutch engatement in two phases, namely a first engagement phase in which said coarse-pitch screw-threaded means causes axial movement of the synchronizing sleeve and clutch spider towards the second clutch boss and produces partial engagement of the clutch spider with the second clutch boss, fuRther characterized in that the pitch of the helical gear tooth system of the second clutch boss is greater than the pitch of the said coarse screw-threaded means and a stop means is disposed between the clutch spider and the second clutch boss, whereby, under the effect of a torque exerted by the input shaft on the output shaft the clutch spider is fully engaged with the second clutch boss up to the said stop means in the second engagement phase during which the sensing pawls are disengaged and do not participate in transmitting power when the clutch is fully engaged.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
Dog clutch according to claim 1 characterized in that the synchronizing sleeve is axially retained in the clutch spider by way of a resilient member to reduce the pawl loading.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
Dog clutch according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop of the clutch spider is provided by a universally jointed ring.