Two-speed centrifugal transmission

Claim 2

A drive system comprising: a source of power; a load; first transmission means connectable between said source and said load for power transmission from said source to said load at a first-speed ratio of load-speed to source-speed; second transmission means connectable between said source and said load for power transmission from said source to said load at a second-speed ratio higher than said first ratio; a clutch-input member connected to said source and having a centrifugally actuated first-drive member thereon; a first-clutch-output member connected to said first transmission means; a second-clutch-output member connected to said second transmission means; and means for shifting said first-clutch-output member into and out of engagement and with said drive member to provide for respectively low- and high-speed ratio power transmission.

Claim 3

The drive system of claim 1 wherein: said drive member of said clutch-input member is radially advanced by centrifugal force in response to increasing speed of said clutch-input member to engage and drive one of said output members.

Claim 4

The drive system of claim 2 wherein: said first-clutch-output member is positionable, by said shifting means, in the pat of said centrifugal advance of said drive member toward Said second-clutch-output member, whereby power transmission from said source to said load at said first-speed ratio can precede transmission at said second-speed ratio.

Claim 5

A drive system comprising: a source of power; a load; first transmission means connectable between said source and said load for power-transmission from said source to said load at a first-speed ratio of load-speed to source-speed; second transmission means connectable between said source and said load for power-transmission from said source to said load at a second-speed ratio higher than said first ratio; a clutch-input member connected to said source and having a centrifugally actuated first-drive-member thereon; a first-clutch-output member connected to said first transmission means; a second-clutch-output member connected to said second-transmission means; and means for shifting said first-clutch-output member into and out of engagement and with said drive member to provide for respectively low- and high-speed ratio power transmission; said drive member of said clutch-input member is radially advanced by centrifugal force in response to increasing speed of said clutch-input member to engage and drive one of said output members; said first-clutch-output member is positionable, by said shifting means, in the path of said centrifugal advance of said drive member toward said second-clutch-output member, whereby power-transmission from said source to said load at said first-speed ratio can precede transmission at said second-speed ratio; said clutch-input and output-members have colinear axes and, said first-clutch-output member has a tapered surface thereon engageable with said drive member for driving force transmission therebetween, said taper-facilitating axial shift of said first-clutch-output member from engagement with said drive member during force transmission therebetween.

Claim 6

A drive system comprising: a source of power; a load; first transmission means connectable between said source and said load for power-transmission from said source to said load at a first-speed ratio of load-speed to source-speed; second transmission means connectable between said source and said load for power-transmission from said source to said load at a second-speed ratio higher than said first ratio; a clutch-input member connected to said source and having a centrifugally actuated first-drive-member thereon; a first-clutch-output member connected to said first transmission means; a second-clutch-output member connected to said second-transmission means; and means for shifting said first-clutch-output member into and out of engagement and with said drive member to provide for respectively low- and high-speed ratio power transmission; said drive member of said clutch-input member is radially advanced by centrifugal force in response to increasing speed of said clutch-input member to engage and drive one of said output members; said first-clutch-output member is positionable, by said shifting means, in the path of said centrifugal advance of said drive member toward said second-clutch-output member, whereby power-transmission from said source to said load at said first-speed ratio can precede transmission at said second-speed ratio; said clutch-input and output-members have colinear axes and, said first-clutch-output member has a tapered surface thereon engageable with said drive member for driving force transmission therebetween, said taper-facilitating axial shift of said first-clutch-output member from engagement with said drive member during force transmission therebetween.

Claim 7

The drive system of claim 4 wherein: said first-transmission means include a first sprocket on said first-clutch-output member and a second sprocket located on an output shaft and a first-chain coupling said sprockets whereby said second sprocket is driveable by said first sprocket at said first-speed ratio, and said second-transmission means include a third sprocket on said second-clutch-output member and a forth sprocket located on said output shaft and a second-chain coupling said third and fourth sprockets, the sizes of said third and fourth sprockets being such that said fourth sprocket is driveable by said third sprocket at said second-speed ratio.

Claim 8

The drive system of claim 4 wherein: said drive member has a first-circular-drive surface portion engageable with said second-clutch-output member, and a second-circular-drive surface portion at lesser radial distance from said axes than said first portion and engageable with said tapered surface of said first-clutch-output member, said tapered surface having an entry edge at greater radial distance from said axes than said second-circular-drive surface portion when said drive member has been radially advanced to engage said second-clutch-output member to enable the tapered surface of said first-clutch-output member to cam said friction member inwardly away from said second-output member upon axial shifting of said first member for low-speed ratio operation.

Claim 9

The drive system of claim 6 and further comprising: at least one additional drive member located on said clutch-input member and centrifugally advanceable like said first drive member, said drive members each having a pivot point on said input member, the first-circular-drive surfaces of said drive members being terminated between the ends thereof.

Claim 10

A selectable output-clutch comprising: a drive member having at least one friction member thereon; a first driven member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said first driven member; a second driVen member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said second driven member; said first driven member being axially movable relative to said second driven member into position precluding engagement of said drive surface of said second member by said friction member during engagement of said drive surface of said first member by said friction member.

Claim 11

A selectable output-clutch comprising: a drive member having at least one friction member thereon; a first driven member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said first driven member; a second driVen member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said second driven member; said first driven member being axially movable relative to said second driven member into position precluding engagement of said drive surface of said second member by said friction member during engagement of said drive surface of said first member by said friction member.

Claim 12

A selectable output-clutch comprising: a drive member having at least one friction member thereon; a first driven member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said first driven member; a second driven member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said second driven member; said first driven member being positionable relative to said second driven member to preclude engagement of said drive surface of said second member by said friction member during engagement of said driven surface of said first member by said friction member; said first driven member being shaped to permit intentional engagement of said dive surface thereof with said friction member while said friction member is in engagement with said drive surface of said second member.

Claim 13

A selectable output-clutch comprising: a drive member having at least one friction member thereon; a first driven member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said first driven member; a second driven member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said second driven member; said first driven member being positionable relative to said second driven member to preclude engagement of said drive surface of said second member by said friction member during engagement of said driven surface of said first member by said friction member; said first driven member being shaped to permit intentional engagement of said dive surface thereof with said friction member while said friction member is in engagement with said drive surface of said second member.

Claim 14

A selectable output-clutch comprising: a drive member having at least one friction member thereon; a first driven member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said first driven member; a second driven member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said second driven member; said first drive member being positionable relative to said second drive member to preclude engagement of said drive surface of said second member by said friction member during engagement of said drive surface of said first member by said friction member; said drive surface of said first driven member being an inner tapered surface of revolution about a central axis of said fist driven member, said drive surface of said second driven member being an inner cylindrical surface, said drive member and said first and second driven members having colinear axes.

Claim 15

A selectable output-clutch comprising: a drive member having at least one friction member thereon; a first driven member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said first driven member; a second driven member having a drive surface engageable by said friction member to enable said friction member to drive said second driven member; said first drive member being positionable relative to said second drive member to preclude engagement of said drive surface of said second member by said friction member during engagement of said drive surface of said first member by said friction member; said drive surface of said first driven member being an inner tapered surface of revolution about a central axis of said fist driven member, said drive surface of said second driven member being an inner cylindrical surface, said drive member and said first and second driven members having colinear axes.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 10 and further comprising: shifting means coupled to said first driven member to shift it axially into and out of position for engagement of said drive surface thereof by said friction member.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 11 wherein: said friction member has a drive surface which is an outer tapered surface of revolution about a central axis colinear with the central axis of said first driven member, the tapered drive surface of said first driven member having an entry edge radially outward of an entry edge of said tapered surfaces of said friction member during engagement of the drive surface of said second member by said friction member, to enable reception of said drive surface of said first driven member on said tapered surface of said friction member upon axial shift of said first driven member.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 8 and further comprising: additional friction members, said drive member having a hub, and said friction members being mounted on said hub and radially restrained, said friction members being radially extendible by centrifugal force upon increasing rotational speed of said hub for engagement of said friction members with said driven members.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 13 wherein: said first and second driven members are drums, with said first driven member having a shifting ring rotatably mounted thereto but axially fixed thereto facilitating axial movement of said first member with respect to said second member.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 13 wherein: said drive surfaces are circular and said friction members have circular surfaces engageable therewith, said friction members having pivot poInts on said hub, said pivot points being provided by axially extending ribs on said hub, said ribs being radially spaced from the axis of the hub and circularly spaced from each other and disposed in grooves in said friction members, said friction members being radially resiliently restrained by a garter spring thereon.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 15 and further comprising: a first output sprocket on said first driven member; and a second output sprocket on said second driven member.