Safety clutch

Claim 2

A slip clutch for a horizontal earth boring machine, said clutch comprising; a clutch plate, a compression means, two friction disks located within said compression means, said disks being in compressive contact with said clutch plate and being constrained to rotate with said compression means, and resilient backing for said friction disks between each said friction disk and said compression means.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein said compression means comprises; a front plate, a back plate, and means for tying said front plate to said back plate so as to compress said included friction disks, clutch plate and resilient backing therebetween.

Claim 4

A slip clutch for a horizontal earth boring machine, said clutch comprising; a clutch plate, a compression means, two friction disks located within said compression means, said disks being in compressive contact with said clutch plate and being constrained to rotate with said compression means, resilient backing for said friction disks, and pins extending into said compression means, through said resilient backing and into said friction disks to prevent relative rotation of said friction disks with respect to said compression means.

Claim 5

A slip clutch for a horizontal earth boring machine, said clutch comprising; a clutch plate, a compression means, two friction disks located within said compression means, said disks being in compressive contact with said clutch plate and being constrained to rotate with said compression means, resilient backing for said friction disks, and pins extending into said compression means, through said resilient backing and into said friction disks to prevent relative rotation of said friction disks with respect to said compression means.

Claim 6

The device of claim 1, wherein said friction disks extend to engage said compression means to prevent relative rotation of said friction disks relative to said compression means.

Claim 7

The device of claim 1, wherein said slip clutch further comprises the means for physically maintaining alignment between said clutch plate and said compression means.

Claim 8

The device of claim 5, wherein said alignment means comprises a cap bearing fixed to said drive disk in a socket fixed to said compression means.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1, wherein said resilient backing is Neoprene.

Claim 10

A slip clutch comprising; a front plate rigidly fixed to one side of the drive train, a back plate constrained to move with said front plate, tying means to forcibly draw said back plate toward said front plate, and to prevent relative rotation of said back plate relative to said front plate, two friction disks respectively attached to said front plate and said back plate, resilient backing material positioned between each of said friction disks and said front plate and said back plate respectively, and a metal disk located between said friction disks and attached to the other side of the drive train.

Claim 11

A slip clutch comprising; a front plate rigidly fixed to one side of the drive train, a back plate constrained to move with said front plate, tying means to forcibly draw said back plate toward said front plate, and to prevent relative rotation of said back plate relative to said front plate, two friction disks respectively attached to said front plate and said back plate, resilient backing material positioned between each of said friction disks and said front plate and said back plate respectively, and a metal disk located between said friction disks and attached to the other side of the drive train.

Claim 12

The device of claim 8, wherein said slip clutch further comprises a means for physically maintaining alignment between said front plate and said metal disk.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9, wherein said alignment means comprises a cap bearing rigidly fixed to one side of said drive train and a socket to receive said cap bearing; said socket being rigidly fixed to the other side of the drive train.

Claim 14

The device of claim 8, wherein said backing material is Neoprene.

Claim 15

A slip clutch comprising; a front plate rigidly fixed to one side of the drive train, a back plate constrained to move with said front plate, tying means to forcibly draw said back plate toward said front plate, and to prevent relative rotation of said back plate relative to said front plate, two friction disks respectiveLy attached to said front plate and said back plate, resilient backing material positioned between each of said friction disks and said front plate and said back plate respectively, a metal disk located between said friction disks and attached to the other side of the drive train, and pins extending into said friciton disks through said resilient backing material and into said front plate and said back plate respectively to prevent relative rotation of said friction disks with respect to said front plate and said back plate respectively.

Claim 16

A slip clutch comprising; a front plate rigidly fixed to one side of the drive train, a back plate constrained to move with said front plate, tying means to forcibly draw said back plate toward said front plate, and to prevent relative rotation of said back plate relative to said front plate, two friction disks respectiveLy attached to said front plate and said back plate, resilient backing material positioned between each of said friction disks and said front plate and said back plate respectively, a metal disk located between said friction disks and attached to the other side of the drive train, and pins extending into said friciton disks through said resilient backing material and into said front plate and said back plate respectively to prevent relative rotation of said friction disks with respect to said front plate and said back plate respectively.

Claim 17

The device of claim 8, wherein said friction disks extend about said tying means so as to prevent relative rotation between said tying means and said friction disks.

Claim 18

A slip clutch for a horizontal earth boring machine, said clutch comprising; a clutch plate, a compression means, two friction disks located within said compression means, said disks being in compressive contact with said clutch plate, resilient means located between said friction disks and said compression means for axially supporting said friction disks against said clutch plate, and means for preventing shear loadings and friction surface forces on said resilient means. 15 . The device of claim 14, wherein said compression means comprises: a front plate, a back plate, and means for tying said front plate to said back plate so as to compress said included friction disks, clutch plate and resilient means therebetween.

Claim 19

A slip clutch for a horizontal earth boring machine, said clutch comprising; a clutch plate, a compression means, said compression means including a front plate, a back plate and means for tying said front plate to said back plate, a first friction disk, said first friction disk being in contact with said clutch plate and being positioned between said clutch plate and said front plate, a second friction disk, said second friction disk being in contact with said clutch plate and being positioned between said clutch plate and said back plate, a first resilient disk, said first resilient disk being positioned between said first friction disk and said front plate, a second resilient disk, said second resilient disk being positioned between said second friction disk and said back plate, and means for preventing relative lateral movement between the front and back faces of each of said resilient disks.

Claim 20

A slip clutch for a horizontal earth boring machine, said clutch comprising; a clutch plate, a compression means, said compression means including a front plate, a back plate and means for tying said front plate to said back plate, a first friction disk, said first friction disk being in contact with said clutch plate and being positioned between said clutch plate and said front plate, a second friction disk, said second friction disk being in contact with said clutch plate and being positioned between said clutch plate and said back plate, a first resilient disk, said first resilient disk being positioned between said first friction disk and said front plate, a second resilient disk, said second resilient disk being positioned between said second friction disk and said back plate, and means for preventing relative lateral movement between the front and back faces of each of said resilient disks.

Claim 21

The device of claim 16 wherein said means for preventing relative movement between the front and back faces of each of said resilient disks includes rigid links preventing relative rotational movement between said friction disks and said compression means.