Clutch construction for capping machine quill assembly

Claim 1

In a capping machine quill assembly, including a relatively fixed housing having a throughbore, a drive shaft element positioned within said bore, a lower end of which mounts a friction wheel, and an upper end connected to a source of rotational motion, improved clutch means for preventing the transmission of torque above predetermined limits through said friction wheel, comprising: a first shaft member, a radially extending clutch plate mounted upon said first shaft member at one end thereof; a second shaft member, a radially extending clutch cup member having an arcuate contact surface solely at the periphery thereof, and mounted upon said second shaft member at an end thereof abutting said first mentioned end and defining a recess; said clutch plate being disposed within and substantially filling said recess; a radially extending thrust plate overlying said recess and secured at the periphery thereof to a peripheral surface of said cup member for limited axial movement relative thereto; a thrust bearing secured to said first shaft member and contacting an exposed surface of said thrust plate, and resilient tension means surrounding said first shaft member and pressing said thrust bearing against said thrust plate to bring it into contact with said clutch plate, whereby motion is transmitted from said first shaft member to said second shaft member when the static friction existing between said thrust plate and said clutch plate is not overcome.