Overload clutch with zero parasitic torque

Claim 1

An overload clutch for use in an aircraft arrestment system, said clutch comprising a cylindrical housing having a cover, an input shaft axially disposed within said housing and extending upwardly through the cover thereof, a driving rotor mounted in said housing on said input shaft, a splined hub integral with said driving rotor and extending downwardly therefrom, a shuttle rotor slidably mounted on said splined hub for axial movement thereon, an output shaft axially disposed within said housing and extending downwardly through the bottom thereof, a driven disk mounted on said output shaft, a plurality of shelves on the inner wall of said driving rotor, a corresponding plurality of shelves on the outer wall of said shuttle rotor, a rocker bar positioned on each of said plurality of shelves, a plurality of leaf springs disposed between said rocker bars such that each end portion of each of said leaf springs is juxtaposed against one of said rocker bars, said leaf springs being normally in the buckled state to exert a compressive force for maintaining said shuttle rotor in engagement with said driven disk during rotation of said driving rotor, said leaf springs transforming to the unbuckled state in response to upward axial movement of said shuttle rotor caused by a sudden application of torque above a predetermined level to said output shaft, said shuttle rotor being held in disengagement from said driven shaft by said unbuckled leaf springs, and means for resetting said shuttle rotor into operative engagement with said driven disk for rotation by said driving rotor.