Alliedsignal Inc.

Allied Corporation

David T Fenzel

Dennis R Shamine

John L Hall

A clutch drive mechanism for the cooling fan of an automotive engine includes a driving member rotated by the vehicle engine and a driven member carrying fan blades. The driving member includes an axially movable portion which is rotated through drive pins slidably received in bores in the axially movable portion. Resilient grommets are carried in the walls of the bores and engage the pin to prevent noise and rattling as the clutch members are engaged and disengaged. Grooves are provided on the pins which receive the grommets when the axially movable portion is in the fully disengaged position, which allows the axially movable portion to move to a truly centered position with respect to the spindle, thereby eliminating stress on the components when the mechanism is in the released condition.

Clutch drive mechanism

A clutch drive for a vehicle engine cooling fan includes a pulley portion which is driven by the vehicle engine, a fan plate which rotatably mounts the engine cooling fan, and a pressure plate which engages the fan plate to drive the latter when the clutch is engaged. Torque transmission from the pulley to the pressure plate is through a series of circumferentially spaced coiled springs which also yieldabel urge the pressure plate into driving engagement with the fan plate. A spring stabilizer defines a circumferentially extending cavity which receives several coils of the spring to stabilize the latter and to prevent displacement of the coils circumferentially with respect to each other during engagement and disengagement of the clutch. The stabilizer also slidably engages both the pressure plate and the pulley, thereby taking up clearances between the various members to prevent rattling and also to assist in the transmission of torque to the pressure plate.

Fan clutch

A clutch drive (10) includes a spindle (16) mounting a driving member (94) and a driven member (118) for rotation about the spindle (16). The driving member (94) includes a pressure plate (96) which moves axially along the spindle to engage and disengage from the driven member (118). The pressure plate (96) is mounted on circumferentially spaced pins (102) which are slidably received in apertures (106) in the pressure plate (96). Springs (112) circumscribe the pins (102) and yieldably urge the pressure plate (96) into driving engagement with the driven member (118). A fluid pressure responsive piston (52) is connected to the pressure plate (96) by a bearing (68) and urges the pressure plate (96) away from the driven member (118). A spring (76) wraps around the spindle (16) and includes tabs (78, 80) engaging a fixed portion of the spindle and a collar (86) fixed to the bearing (68) to prevent rotation of the inner race (66) of the bearing (68) while collapsing to accommodate axial movement of the pressure plate (96).

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Grafton, OH, United States of America

David T Fenzel