Eaton Corporation

Other

Eaton Intelligent Power Limited

Christopher David Cole

Daniel Vern Gochenour

Michael Lee Bassett

Gene L Graves

Martin E Kummer

Mark Charles Barnholt

Kevin F Schlosser

Troy Scott Reinoehl

Steven E McCutcheon

Alexander William Jessee

Mark Kingston Jennings

Dean Alan Geiger

James K Geroux

Steve Duane Lepard

Paul Joseph Tebbe

Stephen J Rynearson, Jr

Clinton J McClellan

Douglas G Woolcott

A twin plate separation system, comprising a pressure plate, an intermediate plate facing the pressure plate, and a spring separator assembly. The spring separator assembly comprises a mounting extending out from the intermediate plate towards the pressure plate. A spring surrounds the mounting, and the spring is biased to push the pressure plate and the intermediate plate apart. The mounting or another fixture can secure at least one drive strap to the intermediate plate. Alternatively, the mounting extends out of the pressure plate towards the intermediate plate, and the spring surrounds the mounting and is biased to push the pressure plate and the intermediate plate apart. In this alternative, the intermediate plate does not comprise a hole for receiving the mounting.

Twin plate separation systems

A device for use with one or more lines that includes a unitary rigid body having an annular portion surrounding a central opening and at least four finger sections that extend from the annular portion of the rigid body. A first finger section and a second finger section curve toward each other on one end of the rigid body and terminate in blunt tips that are spaced apart from each other by a gap. Similarly, a third finger section and a fourth finger section curve toward each other on an opposite end of the rigid body and terminate in blunt tips that are spaced apart from each other by a gap. The device maximizes the pulling strength of lines while reducing the possibility of line failure. Also disclosed are methods of using the device for shortening a line, belaying an object, joining two lines together and for forming a V-bridle.

Methods for shortening a line, extracting stuck vehicles, belaying objects, joining lines together and forming a V-bridle using a device

A clutch disc assembly for a friction torque device has a clutch damper assembly which includes a hub defining an axis of rotation and a concentric steel disc. The damper assembly includes a plurality of cushion elements fixed to the steel disc. First and second friction rings are disposed on opposite sides of the cushion elements and are rotatively fixed to the steel disc. First and second friction rings have an equal number of inner circumference and outer circumference keyhole slots defining an equal number of mounting areas. A friction pad is fixed to each mounting area, with friction pads on the first friction ring being in substantial alignment with the friction pads on the second friction ring.

Cushioned ceramic driven disc assembly with ceramic friction pads fixed to slotted backer plates

An embodiment provides a friction clutch apparatus that includes a disk assembly disk. The disk assembly has a disk portion selectively coupled to a first member, and a hub portion selectively coupled to a second member. The hub portion is generally axially aligned with the disk portion. The disk portion is rotatable relative to the hub portion. The disk assembly selectively transmits a torque between the first member and the second member. The disk assembly also includes an energy storage member selectively damping the relative rotation between the disk portion and the hub portion. The damping includes relative rotation between the disk portion and the hub portion. The energy storage member is preloaded, thereby requiring a preselected amount of torque to be applied by one of the disk portion and the hub portion to the other of the disk portion and the hub portion prior to the relative rotation.

Noise control using torsionally rigid damper stage

A clutch fork and clutch housing assembly for use with a motor vehicle clutch includes a clutch housing, a shaft, a fork, a first index mark, and a first washer. The shaft is mounted to the clutch housing and defines an axis of rotation. The fork has a sleeve portion which is disposed over the shaft and is coaxial therewith. The fork has a pair of tines and a lever arm extending from the sleeve portion. The fork is pivotable relative to the clutch housing about the axis of rotation. The first index mark is disposed on the sleeve portion at a first end of the sleeve portion. The first washer is disposed over the shaft and is axially disposed between the first end of the sleeve portion and a corresponding first part of the clutch housing. The first washer is rotatably fixed relative to the clutch housing. An alignment of the first index mark and the second index mark in a clutch-engaged condition indicates one of a worn condition and an unworn condition.

Clutch fork with externally removable shaft and indicator washer

A clutch release assembly for use in a motor vehicle includes a bearing and a housing retaining the bearing. The housing has disposed on its exterior two L-shaped lugs are formed on opposite sides of the housing and extending radially therefrom. The lugs each define a circumferential engagement surface in a plane normal to the axis and face toward the bearing. An axially extending engagement surface is normal to the circumferential engagement surface wherein the tips of the arms of a clutch yoke engage the circumferential engagement surface to axially displace the release assembly. The axially extending surfaces prevent rotation of the housing by engagement with the tips of the arms.

Release assembly for use with a friction clutch

A clutch release mechanism is slideably disposed over a driven shaft to transfer force from a plurality of levers or springs to a pressure plate. The release mechanism is axially displaced to engage or release a clutch. A modular release mechanism disclosed herein comprises a release sleeve which is slideably disposed on a driven shaft, the release sleeve has an axis of rotation, a first end and a second end. The release sleeve has a lever engagement portion disposed at the first end for contact with a release lever. A bearing is disposed about the axis of rotation and has an inward race and an outer race. The release sleeve has a bearing housing portion disposed at the second end for receiving the bearing. The bearing housing portion has a shoulder for locating the bearing therein. The bearing housing portion has a retainer for securing the bearing therein by limiting the axial travel of the bearing relative to the release sleeve when the outer race of the bearing is disposed between the shoulder of the bearing housing portion and the retainer. The release mechanism further comprises a bearing sleeve which has a bearing mount portion for locating a bearing thereon, and a spring support portion for receiving a radially inward portion of either a biasing spring or a lever. The retainer may be selectively engageable in that the retainer is moveable from a first radial position to a second radial position relative to the axis of rotation. The selectively engageable retainer comprises at least one radially extending detent portion which is moveable to a first radial position to a second radial position relative to the axis of rotation by rotating a radially extending lever from a first angular position to a second angular position relative to the release sleeve.

Modular pull-type release system

A clutch fork assembly for use with a motor vehicle clutch includes a shaft and a fork. The shaft has an axis of fork rotation at a first location. The fork has a pair of tines and a lever arm. Each tine has a first bearing engagement point at a first bearing distance from the axis of fork rotation. The lever arm has a first linkage engagement point at a first linkage distance from the axis of fork rotation. The link engagement point is a predetermined distance from the bearing engagement point. A first clutch fork lever ratio is established by dividing the first linkage distance by the first bearing distance. The fork and shaft are configured so that, alternatively, one of the axis of rotation is selectively moveable between the first location and a second location, or the tines each have a second bearing engagement point and the lever arm has a second linkage engagement point with the distance between the second linkage engagement point and the second bearing engagement point equaling the predetermined distance.

Dual position clutch release fork

An adjustment mechanism for a frictional clutch for a motor vehicle includes a pressure plate, a first annular cam member, a second annular cam member, a cam spring, a cam control finger, an anti-rotation feature, and a control finger drag spring. The pressure plate has an axis of rotation and an engagement surface substantially normal to the axis of rotation. The first annular cam member is concentric with the axis of rotation and has a plurality of first ramped cam surfaces. The first annular cam member is rotatively fixed with respect to the pressure plate. The second annular cam member is rotatable relative to the first annular cam member and has a plurality of second ramped cam surfaces in engagement with the first ramped cam surfaces. The second annular cam member, together with the first annular cam member, define an effective pressure plate thickness. The second annular cam member also has an engagement step at its outer periphery. The cam spring is functionally disposed between the cam members and rotatively biases the cam members toward an increased cam height. The cam control finger is slidably disposed within an aperture in the pressure plate. The cam control finger has a shank portion which is disposed in the aperture in the pressure plate and is axially oriented for axial slidable displacements relative to the pressure plate. The cam control finger also includes an engaging portion radially extending from the shank portion and in engagement with the second annular cam member. The anti-rotation feature engages the finger thereby preventing rotation of the finger relative to the pressure plate. The control finger drag spring biases the finger into engagement with the side of the aperture and induces a frictional drag force resisting axial displacement of the control finger.

Automatically adjusting friction clutch with over adjustment protection

A clutch release mechanism includes a clutch release sleeve, a clutch release bearing and a clutch release fork. The clutch release sleeve has a lever engagement feature at a first end. The clutch release bearing engages a second end of the clutch release sleeve and has an inner race rotatably fixed to the second end of the clutch release sleeve. The clutch release fork has rollers disposed on each of two arms for engagement with an outer race of the clutch release bearing. The rollers each including a dowel pin with a first end received by a respective fork arm, the dowel pin having a second end encircled by a rotatively mounted tire. The tire has a through bore and a bushing fixedly mounted therein. A retainer is provided for preventing axial displacement of the tire from the second end of the dowel pin.

Clutch with roller fork

A heavy duty clutch release mechanism includes a clutch release sleeve, a clutch release bearing and a clutch release fork. The clutch release sleeve has a lever engagement feature at a first end. The clutch release bearing engages a second end of the clutch release sleeve and has an inner race rotatably fixed to the second end of the clutch release sleeve. The clutch release fork has rollers disposed on each of two arms for engagement with an outer race of the clutch release bearing.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Wayne, IN, United States of America

Christopher David Cole