Automatic adjuster for clutch linkages

Claim 2

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted arm, stop means adapted to limit movement of said arm at a first position, spring means urging said arm to the first position, a flexible cable connecting said mechanism with a device to be actuated and terminating at one end in an elongated shaft portion, and gripping means positioned in said arm receiving said elongated shaft portion and including a collar pivotally mounted in said arm and having an internal conical surface, a generally cylindrical ball retainer substantially completely received and axially reciprocable in said collar and receiving said elongated shaft portion therein, a plurality of balls in said retainer and adapted to wedge against said conical surface and the elongated shaft portion, biasing means within said collar urging said ball retainer and balls to their wedging position, said ball retainer extending beyond said collar towards said stop means, and means acting to exert a preload force on said cable and elongated shaft portion.

Claim 3

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which said preload means comprises a snap ring mounted in said collar engaging said elongated shaft portion to exert a frictional drag thereon.

Claim 4

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which said preload means comprises a spring secured to an end of said actuator shaft portion to bias the actuator in the direction of arm movement away from the first position.

Claim 5

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which said preload means comprises a compression spring mounted onto said shaft portion between said collar and a retainer ring on the free end of said shaft portion.

Claim 6

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which said biasing means comprises at least one annular spring within said collar and engaging said ball retainer.

Claim 7

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 5, including a stop washer within said collar and providing an abutting surface for the annular spring.

Claim 8

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which said collar has an axial passage therethrough receiving said elongated shaft portion and an enlarged recess facing said stop means, an insert received in said recess and having a passage with a conical surface diverging away from said stop means, said ball retainer received in said passage and having circumferentially space openings receiving said balls located in the space defined by said conical surface, said ball retainer extending beyond said collar and insert towards said stop means, a stop washer in said recess and retained by said insert, at least one annular spring in said recess between said stop washer and said ball retainer, and means exerting a preload force on said actuator.

Claim 9

A self-adjusting mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted arm, stop means adapted to limit movement of said arm at a first position, spring means urging said arm to the first position, an actuator having an elongated shaft portion, and gripping means positioned in said arm and receiving said elongated shaft portion, said gripping means including a collar pivotally mounted in said arm and having an internal conical surface, a ball retainer axially reciprocable in said collar and receiving said elongated shaft portion therein, a plurality of balls in said retainer and adapted to wedge against said conical surface and the elongated shaft portion of said actuator, and means acting to exert a preload force on said actuator comprising a snap ring in said collar engaging said elongated shaft portion to exert a frictional drag thereon.

Claim 10

A self-adjusting mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted arm, stop means adapted to limit movement of said arm at a first position, spring means urging said arm to the first position, an actuator having an elongated shaft portion, and gripping means positioned in said arm and receiving said elongated shaft portion, said gripping means including a collar pivotally mounted in said arm and having an internal conical surface, a ball retainer axially reciprocable in said collar and receiving said elongated shaft portion therein, a plurality of balls in said retainer and adapted to wedge against said conical surface and the elongated shaft portion of said actuator, and means acting to exert a preload force on said actuator comprising a snap ring in said collar engaging said elongated shaft portion to exert a frictional drag thereon.

Claim 11

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted arm, stop means adapted to limit movement of said arm at a first position, spring means urging said arm to the first position, an actuator having an elongated shaft portion, and gripping means positioned in said arm and receiving said elongated shaft portion, said gripping means including a collar pivotally mounted in said arm and having an axial passage therethrough receiving said elongated shaft portion and an enlarged recess facing said stop means, an insert received in said recess and having a passage with a conical surface diverging away from said stop means, a ball retainer axially reciprocable within said last mentioned passage and receiving said elongated shaft portion therein, said ball retainer having circumferentially spaced openings located in the space defined by the conical surface, a plurality of balls received in said openings, said ball retainer extending beyond said collar and insert towards said stop means, a stop washer in said recess and retained by said insert, at least one annular spring in said recess between said stop washer and said ball retainer, and means exerting a preload force on said actuator, said stop means comprising a stationary bracket engaging said ball retainer to move the ball retainer axially inwardly and collapse the annular spring to unlock the gripping means, and movement of said arm from said first position to a second position allows the annular spring to move said ball retainer axially relative to said collar and insert so that the balls are wedged between the conical surface and the exterior surface of said elongated shaft portion to lock up the gripping means.

Claim 12

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted arm, stop means adapted to limit movement of said arm at a first position, spring means urging said arm to the first position, an actuator having an elongated shaft portion, and gripping means positioned in said arm and receiving said elongated shaft portion, said gripping means including a collar pivotally mounted in said arm and having an axial passage therethrough receiving said elongated shaft portion and an enlarged recess facing said stop means, an insert received in said recess and having a passage with a conical surface diverging away from said stop means, a ball retainer axially reciprocable within said last mentioned passage and receiving said elongated shaft portion therein, said ball retainer having circumferentially spaced openings located in the space defined by the conical surface, a plurality of balls received in said openings, said ball retainer extending beyond said collar and insert towards said stop means, a stop washer in said recess and retained by said insert, at least one annular spring in said recess between said stop washer and said ball retainer, and means exerting a preload force on said actuator, said stop means comprising a stationary bracket engaging said ball retainer to move the ball retainer axially inwardly and collapse the annular spring to unlock the gripping means, and movement of said arm from said first position to a second position allows the annular spring to move said ball retainer axially relative to said collar and insert so that the balls are wedged between the conical surface and the exterior surface of said elongated shaft portion to lock up the gripping means.

Claim 13

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 9, in which adjustment of said actuator relative to said gripping means occurs during return of said arm to its first position when contact of the ball retainer with said stop means causes the balls to disengage from the wedging action.

Claim 14

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 10, in which said preload means comprises a snap ring in said collar engaging said actuator shaft portion to exert a frictional drag thereon.

Claim 15

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 10, in which said preload means comprises a spring extending between a stationary member and the free end of said actuator shaft portion and biasing said actuator in the same direction of movement as when said arm moves from said first position towards said second position.

Claim 16

A self-adjusting actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 10, in which said preload means comprises a compression spring encompassing said actuator shaft portion and positioned between said collar and a retainer ring on the free end of said shaft portion.

Claim 17

A clutch release mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted clutch pedal arm moveable between a clutch released position and a clutch engaged position, a flexible cable operatively connecting said clutch pedal arm to a clutch release bearing, said flexible cable having a shaft portion terminating at the clutch pedal end, gripping means for said cable shaft portion pivotally mounted in said clutch pedal arm, said gripping means including a collar slidably engaging said cable shaft portion and having an interior conical surface, a ball retainer substantially completely housed and axially reciprocable in and extending beyond said collar and encompassing said cable shaft portion, a plurality of balls in said ball retainer and adapted to be wedged between said conical surface and said cable shaft portion to lock up the gripping means, a diaphragm spring in said collar biasing said ball retainer outwardly to result in the wedging action, a stop bracket adapted to be engaged by the exposed end of the ball retainer when said clutch pedal arm is in the clutch engaged position, and means exerting a preload force on said cable shaft portion, said ball retainer acting to move relative to said collar and collapse said diaphragm spring when the retainer abuts the stop bracket to unlock the gripping means and allow adjustment of the cable shaft portion relative to the collar.

Claim 18

A clutch release mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted clutch pedal arm moveable between a clutch released position and a clutch engaged position, a flexible cable operatively connecting said clutch pedal arm to a clutch release bearing, said flexible cable having a shaft portion terminating at the clutch pedal end, gripping means for said cable shaft portion pivotally mounted in said clutch pedal arm, said gripping means including a collar slidably engaging said cable shaft portion and having an interior conical surface, a ball retainer substantially completely housed and axially reciprocable in and extending beyond said collar and encompassing said cable shaft portion, a plurality of balls in said ball retainer and adapted to be wedged between said conical surface and said cable shaft portion to lock up the gripping means, a diaphragm spring in said collar biasing said ball retainer outwardly to result in the wedging action, a stop bracket adapted to be engaged by the exposed end of the ball retainer when said clutch pedal arm is in the clutch engaged position, and means exerting a preload force on said cable shaft portion, said ball retainer acting to move relative to said collar and collapse said diaphragm spring when the retainer abuts the stop bracket to unlock the gripping means and allow adjustment of the cable shaft portion relative to the collar.

Claim 19

A clutch release mechanism as set forth in claim 14, in which said preload means comprises a spring secured at one end to the end of the cable shaft portion opposite the stop bracket and at the opposite end to a stationary support.

Claim 20

A clutch release mechanism as set forth in claim 14, in which said preload means comprises a compression spring having one end abutting said collar and the other end abutting a retainer attached adjacent to the end of the shaft portion opposite the stop bracket.

Claim 21

A clutch release mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted clutch pedal arm moveable between a clutch released position and a clutch engaged position, a flexible cable operatively connecting said clutch pedal arm to a clutch release bearing, said flexible cable having a shaft portion terminating at the clutch pedal end, gripping means for said cable shaft portion pivotally mounted in said clutch pedal arm, said gripping means including a collar slidably engaging said cable shaft portion and having an interior conical surface, a ball retainer axially reciprocable in said collar and encompassing said cable shaft portion, a plurality of balls in said ball retainer and adapted to be wedged between said conical surface and said cable shaft portion to lock up the gripping means, a diaphragm spring in said collar biasing said ball retainer outwardly to result in the wedging action, a stop bracket adapted to be engaged by the exposed end of the ball retainer when said clutch pedal arm is in the clutch engaged position, and means exerting a preload force on said cable shaft comprising a snap ring in said collar engaging said cable shaft portion to exert a frictional drag thereon.

Claim 22

A clutch release mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted clutch pedal arm moveable between a clutch released position and a clutch engaged position, a flexible cable operatively connecting said clutch pedal arm to a clutch release bearing, said flexible cable having a shaft portion terminating at the clutch pedal end, gripping means for said cable shaft portion pivotally mounted in said clutch pedal arm, said gripping means including a collar slidably engaging said cable shaft portion and having an interior conical surface, a ball retainer axially reciprocable in said collar and encompassing said cable shaft portion, a plurality of balls in said ball retainer and adapted to be wedged between said conical surface and said cable shaft portion to lock up the gripping means, a diaphragm spring in said collar biasing said ball retainer outwardly to result in the wedging action, a stop bracket adapted to be engaged by the exposed end of the ball retainer when said clutch pedal arm is in the clutch engaged position, and means exerting a preload force on said cable shaft comprising a snap ring in said collar engaging said cable shaft portion to exert a frictional drag thereon.