Clutch mechanism comprising a freewheeling unit disengageable in the driving direction

Claim 1

A clutch mechanism having a freewheeling unit capable of disengagement in a driving direction thereof for freewheeling operation comprising: a clutch hub having recesses formed therein; a clutch sleeve having radial apertures circumferentially spaced thereabout corresponding to said recesses in said hub; movable control pins received in said radial apertures; locking catches in said recesses resiliently urging said control pins radially outwardly for effecting torque transmitting engagement between said clutch hub and said clutch sleeve; first stop means limiting radially inwardly directed movement of said control pins; a control ring having recesses formed therein and inclined faces and rotatably held on said clutch sleeve, said control pins being resilient used by said locking catches radially outwardly to engage in said recesses in said control ring in a torque transmitting position; second stop means interposed between said clutch sleeve and said control ring limiting relative angular movement therebetween; spring means acting in the circumferential direction interposed between said clutch sleeve and said control ring applying a spring force to hold said recesses in said control ring and said control pins in positions corresponding to each other; and a retaining device adapted to hold said control ring against the force of said spring means to move said control pins radially inwardly against said locking catches to effect freewheeling operation.