Eaton Corporation

Dana Corporation

Other

Andrzej P Szadkowski

Michael Lee Bassett

Daniel Vern Gochenour

Kevin F Schlosser

Loren H Uthoff, Jr

Greg W Batterton

Gregory W Batterton

A clutch driven disc assembly includes a hub, an annular spring plate, an annular disc assembly, a plurality of drive springs, and a disc assembly. The hub has an axis of rotation. The annular spring plate rotatably is fixed to the hub. The annular disc assembly is mounted concentric with the axis of rotation for rotation relative to the spring plate. The plurality of drive springs is operably disposed between the spring plate and the disc assembly. The disc assembly has a reinforcing plate with spring pockets which receive the drive springs. The reinforcing plate has oppositely facing faces. The annular disc has a friction element fixed thereto and also has a plurality of attachment apertures passing therethrough. The weld bead is disposed in each of the attachment apertures and fixes the annular disc to one of the reinforcing plate faces.

Welded annular disc and reinforcing plate assembly

A method of balancing a clutch disc using one or more balancing weights inserted into balancing voids formed in the clutch disc carrier plate which are trapped between the friction facings. A first method involves determining the imbalance of the complete clutch disc assembly and then partially removing a friction facing so that a balancing weight can be inserted into a balancing void formed in the carrier plate. In a second method, the imbalance of the carrier plate and friction facings are separately measured prior to assembly. The most favorable rotational orientation is determined and then the number, size and location of one or more balance weights are determined and the balance weights are inserted into the balance voids. The friction facings are then assembled to the carrier plate thereby trapping the balance weights in position. To aid in the retention of the balance weights, a first friction facing can be attached to the carrier plate, the balance weights inserted and then the second friction facing can be attached to the carrier plate trapping the balance weights in position where the balancing void formed in the clutch disc carrier plate has a decreased cross-sectional area at an increased radial distance from the center of rotation of the clutch disc.

Clutch friction disc balancing method

A damped driven disc assembly comprises a disc concentrically mounted with respect to a hub, wherein the disc is driven by engagement with a flywheel and the hub drives an output shaft. A plurality of pairs of beam springs have first ends secured to the disc and second ends secured to the hub at points angularly spaced, in one embodiment, about 180.degree. from one another and, in another embodiment, about 0.degree. from one another. In a specific preferred embodiment, the assembly includes three pairs of beam springs.

Damped driven disc assembly

A flywheel clutch assembly disposed between an engine and transmission includes an external damper positioned between a flywheel and a clutch housing. The external damper allows relative motion between the flywheel and the clutch housing, while elastically resisting relative motion in both the driving and coast modes. The clutch housing is relatively heavy and functions as an additional flywheel as it is being rotated by the main flywheel of the assembly. The clutch mechanism disposed within the housing includes a rigid driven disk which assures minimum inertia in the drive line. In one specific aspect of the invention, the damper is comprised of a plurality of arcuate, nested beam springs pivoted at one end to the flywheel and at the other end to the heavy cover enclosing the clutch assembly. The resulting flywheel clutch assembly with the external damper disposed between the flywheel and clutch provides improved shiftability while minimizing rattle in both the idle and drive modes of the drive line.

External damper clutch

A spring drive and a spring drive scooter for use by an operator. The spring drive and spring drive scooter have a frame, a resilient member connected to the frame, a pedal, and a movement. The pedal is supported by the resilient member. The pedal is disposed to bear the operator. The pedal is capable, together with the operator, of oscillatory motion relative to the frame in response to at least roughly periodic impulses supplied to the pedal by the operator at a range of frequencies including a resonant frequency. The movement is connected to the frame and includes a final driven member. The movement is actuated by reciprocation of the pedal, the movement is capable of converting oscillatory motion of the pedal into circular motion of the final driven member.

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Fort Wayne, IN, United States of America

Andrzej P Szadkowski