Synchronous self-shifting clutch with yielding means

Claim 1

A synchronous self-shifting toothed clutch comprising an input clutch member and an output clutch member, and clutchactuating mechanism operative upon passage of said clutch members through rotational synchronism, said mechanism including an intermediate member and means constraining said intermediate member for helical movement relative to one of said clutch members whereby to effect interengagement of the coacting toothed members of the clutch, the improvement comprising resilient stop means associated with said intermediate member, said stop means being arranged to serve as a fixed stop for limiting the helical movement of said intermediate member relative to said one clutch member in the clutch engaging direction under conditions of normal positive torque whereby to prevent relative axial movement of said coacting toothed members, and said resilient stop means being capable of limited yielding motion under excess pressure exerted on said stop means by said intermediate member and corresponding to a predetermined torque overload, whereby to permit relative axial movement of said toothed clutch members beyond their relative axial positions of normal toothed interengagement whilst still remaining in toothed interengagement.