Horton Industries, Inc.

Charles J Kniebel

Robert C Bredt

Virgil Schieffer

A rotational control apparatus in the preferred form of a fan clutch is disclosed including a friction disc portion slidably mounted and rotationally related by splines on a hub in turn rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft. The splines are formed on a radially outermost portion of the hub. A washer abuts with a shoulder formed in the hub at the intersection of a radially reduced portion with the radially outermost portion and with a retainer on the free end of the radially reduced portion sandwiches a spring in a compressed condition on the reduced portion. In an assembled relation, the friction disc portion abuts with the washer such that the spring biases the friction disc portion. The friction disc portion may be slid from the hub without removal of the hub from the shaft and with the spring retained on the hub by the washer. Both sides of the friction disc portion taper together such that the thickness therebetween decreases with the radial spacing from the rotational axis. The axial side of the friction disc portion which interfaces with the friction facing includes a first, radially straight circumferential portion extending radially into a second, radially angled, circumferential portion extending axially rearward to a third, generally radially straight, circumferential portion.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MN, United States of America

Charles J Kniebel