US3884335A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dual clutches with splash & gravity cooling circuits
Assignee: Case Poclain Corp Ltd
•
Filing: 1974-03-11
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Granted: 1975-05-20
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Expires: 1994-03-11
Abstract
Abstract An engine/clutch combination has an engine-driven flywheel on which is mounted a clutch mechanism for disengagably connecting the flywheel selectively to a shaft or to the shaft and to a sleeve surrounding said shaft. A clutch housing, the lower portion of which forms a sump containing oil, envelops the flywheel and clutch mechanism and has a trough within it forming a well which accommodates the lower portions of said flywheel and clutch mechanism. An aperture is formed in the trough for allowing oil to flow from a space between the trough and the clutch housing to an annular groove formed in that face of the flywheel remote from the clutch mechanism, from which it flows via passages in the flywheel to that part of the clutch mechanism associated with the shaft and via further passages in the flywheel to that part of the clutch mechanism associated with the sleeve, and thence to the trough. The oil is centrifugally flung out of the trough by the rotation of the flywheel and clutch mechanism, collected by gravity flow to the aforementioned space, and made available for recirculation through the clutch.
Inventors
- 👤 Herbert Edward Ashfield
- 👤 Thomas Eastwood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 10:03
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60K; B60K17/00; B60K17/02; F; F16; F16D; F16D13/00; F16D13/58; F16D13/72; F16D21/00; F16D21/02; F16D21/06; F16D2021/0684
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
An engine/clutch combination comprising an engine flywheel, a shaft co-axial with the flywheel, a sleeve surrounding the shaft, a clutch mechanism including at least one clutch plate mounted on the shaft and frictionally engageable between an axially moveable pressure plate and the flywheel and at least one clutch plate mounted on the sleeve and frictionally engageable by axial movement of another pressure plate, a stationary clutch housing enveloping the flywheel and the clutch mechanism and acting at its base as a sump, a trough within the housing forming a well accommodating the lower portions of the flywheel and the clutch mechanism and surrounded by oil in the sump, means defining a space separate from the sump between the trough and the clutch housing for collecting oil flung from the rotating flywheel and clutch mechanism and impeding its direct return to the trough, means defining an aperture in the trough adjacent that face of the flywheel remote from the clutch mechanism, an annular groove in said face of the flywheel for receiving oil flowing through the aperture from the space, at least one passage in the flywheel for delivering oil from the groove to the clutch plate on the shaft, and at least one further passage in the flywheel for delivering oil from the groove to the clutch plate on the sleeve.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
221 words
An engine/clutch combination comprising an engine flywheel, a shaft co-axial with the flywheel, a sleeve surrounding the shaft, a clutch mechanism including at least one clutch plate mounted on the shaft and frictionally engageable between an axially moveable pressure plate and the flywheel and at least one clutch plate mounted on the sleeve and frictionally engageable by axial movement of another pressure plate, a stationary clutch housing enveloping the flywheel and the clutch mechanism and acting at its base as a sump, a trough within the housing forming a well accommodating the lower portions of the flywheel and the clutch mechanism and surrounded by oil in the sump, means defining a space separate from the sump between the trough and the clutch housing for collecting oil flung from the rotating flywheel and clutch mechanism and impeding its direct return to the trough, means defining an aperture in the trough adjacent that face of the flywheel remote from the clutch mechanism, an annular groove in said face of the flywheel for receiving oil flowing through the aperture from the space, at least one passage in the flywheel for delivering oil from the groove to the clutch plate on the shaft, and at least one further passage in the flywheel for delivering oil from the groove to the clutch plate on the sleeve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
An engine/clutch combination according to claim 1, wherein the passage leads to that side adjacent the flywheel of the clutch plate on the shaft, and the further passage leads to that side remote from the flywheel of the clutch plate on the sleeve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
An engine/clutch combination according to claim 1, wherein the further passage comprises a conduit leading radially outwards to an axially extending conduit leading in turn to a conduit leading radially inwards and of shorter length than the conduit leading radially outwards.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
An engine/clutch combination according to claim 1, wherein the means defining the space comprise a rib which is on the clutch housing, makes sealing contact with that end of the trough in which there is formed the aperture and with at least one side of the trough at a level between the aperture and the base of the trough, and has end portions extending upwards to a point above the level of oil in the sump.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
An engine/clutch combination according to claim 1, wherein the trough has an orifice of predetermined size in its base to enable its interior to communicate with the bottom of the sump.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3366210A
Cited
US3734259A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-19 | 1978-11-18 | 1979-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-19 | 1982-11-18 | 1983-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-19 | 1986-11-18 | 1987-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |