US3590968A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Release mechanism in a friction clutch
Assignee: FITCHTEL AND SACHS AG
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Filing: 1969-05-22
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Granted: 1971-07-06
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Expires: 1989-05-22
Abstract
Abstract Movement of each clutch release lever mounted on the casing of a friction clutch is transmitted to the pressure plate of the clutch by a motion transmitting train which includes an axially elongated pin interposed between the associated lever and the pressure plate between two knife-edge bearings. Each bearing consists of a frustoconical recess in one of the connected members and a bearing pin on the other member. The convexly arcuate edge about the circular end face of the pin is the knife edge of the bearing, which engages the concavely arcuate intersection between the frustoconical wall and the bottom wall of the recess.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Binder
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 04:34
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16D; F16D21/00; F16D21/02; F16D21/06; F16D2021/0684; F16D23/00; F16D23/12; F16D2023/126
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
299 words
In a friction clutch including a first driving element (1) and a second driving element (2) mounted for joint rotation about a common axis (A) and axially movable toward and away from each other, a driven disc (5) axially interposed between said driving elements, yieldably resilient means (3) urging one of said elements axially toward the other element for frictional driving engagement of said driven disc with said elements, a plurality of clutch-releasing lever members (12), a plurality of pivot means (23) respectively securing said lever members to said first element in circumferentially spaced relationship for pivoting movement about respective pivot axes, each pivot axis being substantially tangential relative to a circle about said axis of rotation, clutch releasing means (25) engageable with said lever members for pivoting the same, and motion transmitting means operatively interposed between said lever members and said second element and responsive to said pivoting of said lever members for moving said elements apart against the restraint of said yieldably resilient means and for thereby releasing said driven disc, the improvement in the motion transmitting means which comprises: a. a pin member (8) associated with each lever member; b. first bearing means (26) interposed between said pin member and the associated lever member for transmitting compressive stresses from said lever member to said pin member; and c. second bearing mean (27) interposed between said pin member and said second element for transmitting said compressive stresses from said pin member to said second element, 1. at least one of said bearing means including a first bearing member having a convexly arcuate knife edge and a second bearing member having a concavely arcuate face portion abuttingly receiving said knife edge, 2. said bearing members constituting a universal joint between said pin member and the associated driving element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
299 words
In a friction clutch including a first driving element (1) and a second driving element (2) mounted for joint rotation about a common axis (A) and axially movable toward and away from each other, a driven disc (5) axially interposed between said driving elements, yieldably resilient means (3) urging one of said elements axially toward the other element for frictional driving engagement of said driven disc with said elements, a plurality of clutch-releasing lever members (12), a plurality of pivot means (23) respectively securing said lever members to said first element in circumferentially spaced relationship for pivoting movement about respective pivot axes, each pivot axis being substantially tangential relative to a circle about said axis of rotation, clutch releasing means (25) engageable with said lever members for pivoting the same, and motion transmitting means operatively interposed between said lever members and said second element and responsive to said pivoting of said lever members for moving said elements apart against the restraint of said yieldably resilient means and for thereby releasing said driven disc, the improvement in the motion transmitting means which comprises: a. a pin member (8) associated with each lever member; b. first bearing means (26) interposed between said pin member and the associated lever member for transmitting compressive stresses from said lever member to said pin member; and c. second bearing mean (27) interposed between said pin member and said second element for transmitting said compressive stresses from said pin member to said second element, 1. at least one of said bearing means including a first bearing member having a convexly arcuate knife edge and a second bearing member having a concavely arcuate face portion abuttingly receiving said knife edge, 2. said bearing members constituting a universal joint between said pin member and the associated driving element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
said bearing members constituting a universal joint between said pin member and the associated driving element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
said bearing members constituting a universal joint between said pin member and the associated driving element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
In a clutch as seT forth in claim 1, said first bearing means including an adjusting member threadedly movable on said lever member toward and away from said first face of said pin member and engaging the same.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
In a clutch as set forth in claim 1, said knife edge and said face portion being circularly arcuate, the respective circular arcs having closely similar radii of curvature.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
In a clutch as set forth in claim 1, said first bearing member being symmetrical relative to an axis of symmetry and said second bearing member being formed with a recess having an axis of symmetry and receiving a portion of said first bearing member, said knife edge and said face portion being located in said recess.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
In a clutch as set forth in claim 4, said second bearing member having a frustoconically tapering axial wall in said recess and a bottom wall intersecting said axial wall, the intersection of said walls constituting said face portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
In a clutch as set forth in claim 4, said first bearing member having an axial wall and a free end wall intersecting said axial wall, the intersection of said walls constituting said knife edge.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
In a clutch as set forth in claim 6, said axial wall being cylindrical about the axis of symmetry of said first bearing member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
In a clutch as set forth in claim 6, said axial wall tapering conically in an axial direction away from said end wall.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
In a clutch as set forth in claim 6, said second bearing member having a frustoconically tapering axial wall in said recess and a bottom wall intersecting said axial wall, the intersection of said walls of the second bearing member constituting said face portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a clutch as set forth in claim 1, said first bearing means and said second bearing means being offset from said driven disc in opposite axial directions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-05 | 1975-01-04 | 1975-07-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-05 | 1979-01-04 | 1979-07-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-05 | 1983-01-04 | 1983-07-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |