Wheel hub clutch assembly

Claim 1

A wheel hub clutch assembly comprising: a cylindrical body provided therein with internal splining and to be attached to a wheel hub; an inner sleeve contained within said cylindrical body to be fixedly mounted on a drivable axle; a clutch member provided thereon with external splining and splined to said inner sleeve to be maintained in a first position in which the external splining of said cluth member is disengaged from the internal splining of said body to uncouple said wheel hub from said axle and to be axially moved from the first position to a second position in which the external splining of said clutch member is engaged with the internal splining of said body to drivingly couple said wheel hub to said axle; a cam ring formed at one side thereof with a cam face and rotatably mounted on said inner sleeve; a cam follower arranged between said clutch member and said cam ring and splined to said inner sleeve to cooperate with the cam face of said cam ring to be moved toward and away from said clutch member in response to rotation of said inner sleeve; a return spring for loading said cam follower toward the cam face of said cam ring; means for connecting said cam follower with said clutch member; a brake assembly mounted within said cylindrical body and associated with said cam ring for applying the brake to said cam ring by engagement therewith in response to rotation of said cam follower; a slide ring rotatably coupled over said cam ring and associated with said cam follower and said brake assembly for releasing the brake by engagement with said brake assembly when rotated by engagement with said cam follower in clutching operation. wherein the cam face of said cam ring includes a valley portion for receiving thereon said cam follower to maintain said clutch member in the first position, a slope portion extending circumferentially and axially outwardly from said valley portion to effect axial movement of said cam follower toward and away from said clutch member by engagement with said cam follower, and a flat ridge portin extending circumferentially from said slope portion for receiving thereon said cam follower to effect and maintain engagement of the external splinging of said clutch member with the internal splining of said body, and wherein the flat ridge portin of said cam ring is formed with a recess which extends circumferentially in a predetermined distance to receive said cam follower therein so as to permit abutment of said cam follower against said slide ring in the clutching operation, one end surface of said recess being tapered to effect disengagement of said cam ring from said brake assembly by engagement with said cam follower in the clutching operation.