Clutch brake unit

Claim 2

In clutch-brake unit including a housing for containing a supply of oil, a drive shaft rotatably supported within one end of said housing, an output shaft rotatably supported within the other end of said housing and extending generally in axial alignment with said drive shaft, a first series of interfitting angular plates within said housing and including drive plates mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and interfitting driven clutch plates mounted in driving relation to said output shaft, a second series of interfitting annular plates positioned in axially spaced relation to said first plate series, said second plate series including driven plates mounted on said output shaft and interfitting brake plates supported by said housing, an actuating piston positioned axially between said first and second plate series, means supporting said piston for axial movement, and thrust means connected to said piston for applying an axially compressive force to said first plate series in response to movement of said piston in one axial direction to couple said output shaft with said drive shaft and for applying an axially compressive force to said second plate series in response to movement of said piston in the other axial direction for braking said output shaft to said housing, the improvement comprising, means for preventing rotation of said piston, a first oil pump impeller on said output shaft and including vane means located within said first plate series for supplying oil under pressure to said first plate series upon rotation of said output shaft, a second oil pump impeller on said output shaft and including vane means located within second plate series for supplying oil under pressure to said second plate series upon rotation of said output shaft, and said impellers include axially opposing inlets for receiving the oil within said housing.

Claim 3

A clutch-brake unit as defined in claim 1 wherein both of said impellers are integrally formed with said output shaft to minimize the inertia of said output shaft.

Claim 4

A clutch-brake unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said vane means of said first and second impellers each comprise at least one substantially radial vane extending in an axial plane and effective to pump oil through the corresponding said plate series in response to either direction of rotation of said output shaft.

Claim 5

The clutch-brake unit as defined in claim 1 and further including a heat exchanger within said inlet housing and having tubing positioned radially outwardly of and generally surrounding said first plate series to remove heat from oil thrown outwardly therefrom before the oil returns to the supply in said housing for said impellers.

Claim 6

The clutch-brake unit as defined in claim 1 and further comprising spring means for urging said piston to a predetermined position within said housing.

Claim 7

In clutch-brake unit including a housing for containing a supply of oil, a drive shaft rotatably supported within one end of said housing, an output shaft rotatably supported within the other end of said housing and extending generally in axial alignment with said drive shaft, a first series of interfitting annular plates within said housing and including drive plates mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and interfitting driven clutch plates mounted in driving relation to said output shaft, a second series of interfitting annular plates positioned in axially spaced relation to said first plate series, said second plate series including driven plates mounted on said output shaft and interfitting brake plates supported by said housing, an actuating piston positioned axially between said first and second plate series, means supporting said piston for axial movement, and thrust means connected to said piston for applying an axially compressive force to said first plate series in response to movement of said piston in one axial direction to couple said output shaft with said drive shaft and for applying an axially compressive force to said second plate series in response to movement of said piston in the other axial direction for braking said output shaft to said housing, the improvement comprising a heat exchanger within said housing and including tubing positioned radially outwardly of and generally surrounding said first plate series to remove heat from oil thrown outwardly from said first plate series before the oil returns to the supply in said housing for said impellers.

Claim 8

In clutch-brake unit including a housing for containing a supply of oil, a drive shaft rotatably supported within one end of said housing, an output shaft rotatably supported within the other end of said housing and extending generally in axial alignment with said drive shaft, a first series of interfitting annular plates within said housing and including drive plates mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and interfitting driven clutch plates mounted in driving relation to said output shaft, a second series of interfitting annular plates positioned in axially spaced relation to said first plate series, said second plate series including driven plates mounted on said output shaft and interfitting brake plates supported by said housing, an actuating piston positioned axially between said first and second plate series, means supporting said piston for axial movement, and thrust means connected to said piston for applying an axially compressive force to said first plate series in response to movement of said piston in one axial direction to couple said output shaft with said drive shaft and for applying an axially compressive force to said second plate series in response to movement of said piston in the other axial direction for braking said output shaft to said housing, the improvement comprising a heat exchanger within said housing and including tubing positioned radially outwardly of and generally surrounding said first plate series to remove heat from oil thrown outwardly from said first plate series before the oil returns to the supply in said housing for said impellers.

Claim 9

In clutch-brake unit including a housing for containing a supply of oil, a drive shaft rotatably supported within one end of said housing, an output shaft rotatably supported within the other end of said housing and extending generally in axial alignment with said drive shaft, a first series of interfitting annular plates within said housing and including drive plates mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and interfitting driven clutch plates mounted in driving relation to said output shaft, a second series of interfitting annular plates positioned in axially spaced relation to said first plate series, said second plate series including driven plates mounted on said output shaft and interfitting brake plates supported by said housing, an actuating piston positioned axially between said first and second plate series, means supporting said piston for axial movement, and thrust means connected to said piston for applying an axially compressive force to said first plate series in response to movement of said piston in one axial direction to couple said output shaft with said drive shaft and for applying an axially compressive force to said second plate series in response to movement of said piston in the other axial direction for braking said output shaft to said housing, the improvement wherein said housing includes an inlet housing portion supporting said drive shaft, an outlet housing portion supporting said output shaft, an intermediate housing portion sandwiched between said inlet and outlet housing portions and including a first annular section and a second annular section confining said piston therebetween, means for securing said housing portions together, means in said intermediate housing portion defining at least one fluid passageway for actuating said piston, and means for connecting said first and second sections of said intermediate housing portion to provide a subassembly which may be assembled separately from the assembly of said inlet and outlet housing portions to said intermediate housing portions.

Claim 10

In clutch-brake unit including a housing for containing a supply of oil, a drive shaft rotatably supported within one end of said housing, an output shaft rotatably supported within the other end of said housing and extending generally in axial alignment with said drive shaft, a first series of interfitting annular plates within said housing and including drive plates mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and interfitting driven clutch plates mounted in driving relation to said output shaft, a second series of interfitting annular plates positioned in axially spaced relation to said first plate series, said second plate series including driven plates mounted on said output shaft and interfitting brake plates supported by said housing, an actuating piston positioned axially between said first and second plate series, means supporting said piston for axial movement, and thrust means connected to said piston for applying an axially compressive force to said first plate series in response to movement of said piston in one axial direction to couple said output shaft with said drive shaft and for applying an axially compressive force to said second plate series in response to movement of said piston in the other axial direction for braking said output shaft to said housing, the improvement wherein said housing includes an inlet housing portion supporting said drive shaft, an outlet housing portion supporting said output shaft, an intermediate housing portion sandwiched between said inlet and outlet housing portions and including a first annular section and a second annular section confining said piston therebetween, means for securing said housing portions together, means in said intermediate housing portion defining at least one fluid passageway for actuating said piston, and means for connecting said first and second sections of said intermediate housing portion to provide a subassembly which may be assembled separately from the assembly of said inlet and outlet housing portions to said intermediate housing portions.

Claim 11

The unit of claim 1 further comprising a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger removably received in said housing in essentially surrounding relation to said first plate series for removing heat from oil thrown radially therefrom before such oil is returned to the supply in said housing.

Claim 12

The unit of claim 8 in which said heat exchanger comprises a finned tubing.