Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
226 words
A clutch/brake for alternatively connecting a rotatably driven shaft to a driving member and a stationary member, comprising: clutch plates operatively connected respectively to said driven shaft and said driving member; brake plates operatively connected respectively to said driven shaft and said stationary member; a clutch operator for urging said clutch plates together, said clutch operator being connected to rotate with the driving member; a brake operator for urging said brake plates together, said brake operator being connected to rotate with the driven shaft; a linkage for connecting the clutch and brake operators to move axially together, said linkage including an anti-friction bearing which is static when the brake plates are fully disengaged and dynamic when the clutch plates are fully disengaged; actuating means for moving said clutch and brake operators in a first axial direction, said actuating means being connected for rotation with the driving member; and means for biasing the clutch and brake operators in a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction; wherein a force exerted by the actuating means is transmitted through the bearing in the first axial direction to move one of the operators to a fully disengaged position and a force exerted by the biasing means is transmitted through the bearing in the second axial direction to move the other of the operators to a fully disengaged position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
226 words
A clutch/brake for alternatively connecting a rotatably driven shaft to a driving member and a stationary member, comprising: clutch plates operatively connected respectively to said driven shaft and said driving member; brake plates operatively connected respectively to said driven shaft and said stationary member; a clutch operator for urging said clutch plates together, said clutch operator being connected to rotate with the driving member; a brake operator for urging said brake plates together, said brake operator being connected to rotate with the driven shaft; a linkage for connecting the clutch and brake operators to move axially together, said linkage including an anti-friction bearing which is static when the brake plates are fully disengaged and dynamic when the clutch plates are fully disengaged; actuating means for moving said clutch and brake operators in a first axial direction, said actuating means being connected for rotation with the driving member; and means for biasing the clutch and brake operators in a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction; wherein a force exerted by the actuating means is transmitted through the bearing in the first axial direction to move one of the operators to a fully disengaged position and a force exerted by the biasing means is transmitted through the bearing in the second axial direction to move the other of the operators to a fully disengaged position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A clutch/brake as in claim 1, further comprising: means including a bearing rotatably connecting the driven shaft and the driving member, said bearing being subjected statically to substantially all of the axial thrust load produced by the clutch/brake when the clutch plates are engaged.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A clutch/brake as in claim 2, wherein the actuating means is a fluid actuated annular piston and the bearing connecting the driven shaft and the driving member is radially interior of the piston.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A clutch/brake as in claim 2, wherein preload springs exert a force between the driven shaft and the driving member when the actuating means is not actuated to provide an axial preload on the linkage bearing and on the bearing between the driven shaft and the driving member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
A clutch/brake as in claim 1, wherein the bearing has a first race, a second race, and rolling elements between the first and second races, and the actuating means force is transmitted from first race through the rolling elements to the second race and the biasing means force is transmitted from the second race through the rolling elements to the first race.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
81 words
A clutch/brake as in claim 1, wherein the clutch operator is fixed to the actuating means on one side of the bearing, the brake operator, is on the other side of the bearing and the bearing has a first race and a second race, and furhter comprising means connecting the brake operator to one of said races which rotate with the driven shaft and means connecting the clutch operator to the other of said races which rotate with the driving member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A clutch/brake as in claim 1, wherein the biasing means is positioned between the brake plates and the bearing to bias the brake plates fully engaged and the clutch plates fully disengaged.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A clutch/brake as in claim 1, wherein biasing means exert a force on the actuating means to transmit a preload force in the first axial direction to the bearing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A clutch/brake as in claim 1, wherein the actuating means is a pneumatically actuated annular piston.