Eaton Corporation

Other

John David Conrad

Roger E Knueve

Jeffrey S Blessinger

Daniel Vern Gochenour

Martin E Kummer

Loren H Uthoff, Jr

John A Schenkel

Glen A Pepple

David L Rollins

John D Kroemer

G Andrew Pepple

Jonathan P Young

A frictional clutch for a motor vehicle includes a cover, a pressure plate, a biasing member, an adjustment mechanism and a dust shield assembly. The cover has an axis of rotation. The pressure plate is coupled to the cover for rotation therewith about the axis. The pressure plate has a frictional engagement surface substantially normal to the axis. The biasing member is interposed between the cover the pressure plate, and biases the pressure plate toward an engaged pressure plate position. The adjustment mechanism is centered about the axis and is located at a first radial distance from the axis. The adjustment mechanism is operably disposed between the biasing member and one of the pressure plate and the cover. The dust shield assembly includes an annular wall disposed radially within the adjustment mechanism. The annular dust shield assembly is in axial alignment with the adjustment mechanism. The dust shield assembly is sized and oriented to protect the adjustment mechanism from debris radiating outward from a central area of the clutch. The dust shield assembly is provided with a plurality of retaining clips which extend radially inwardly for attachment of the shield to the clutch cover.

Clutch internal shielding device

A friction torque device includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the device in response to wear on a friction surface within the device, and an adjustment limiting member for controlling adjustment thereof. In one embodiment, the adjustment mechanism includes a first cam ring rotatable relative to both a pressure plate and a cover, and a second cam ring engaging the first cam ring on a side of the first cam ring opposite the cover and rotatably fixed relative to the cover. The first cam ring is rotatable with respect to the second cam ring such that ramped surfaces cam against each other to increase the axial displacement of the first and second cam rings, whereby the axial displacement compensates for wear on the friction surface. The adjustment limiting device is selectively engagable with the first cam ring to inhibit rotation thereof.

Adjustable friction torque device

A clutch button is provided including a friction pad having first and second surfaces. The friction pad has a radial outer and inner edges. The friction pad also has first and second upper outward circumferential edges adjacent to the radial outer edge. The friction pad has first and second lower outward circumferential edges adjacent to the radial inner edge. The friction pad has first and second inward circumferential outer edges joining the respective first and second outward upper and lower circumferential edges. The friction pad has a first groove formed in the first surface extending from the first upper outward circumferential edge to one of the second upper and lower outward circumferential edges. A second groove is formed in the first surface extending from the first lower outward circumferential edge to the other one of the second upper or lower circumferential edges the first groove does not extend to. A backing plate is bonded to the second surface.

Clutch friction button

A cover assembly for a friction clutch for a motor vehicle includes a cover and a ferrule. The cover has a ferrule aperture passing therethrough from an outer side to a inner side. The ferrule is a one piece unitary structure and is disposed in the ferule aperture. The ferrule has a spring receiving portion and a base portion and axis of orientation passing through both the spring receiving portion and the base portion. The spring receiving portion projects from the ferrule aperture beyond the inner side. The spring receiving portion has a spring aperture. The base portion has a pilot portion disposed within the ferrule aperture. The pilot portion is of a size complementary to the ferrule aperture. The size of the pilot portion is selected to enable the ferrule to be positively positioned within the ferrule aperture. The base portion also has a travel limit portion extending radially beyond the ferrule aperture and engaging the outer side of the cover to prevent the base portion from passing through the cover.

Spring ferrule for friction clutch with automatic adjustment feature

A frictional clutch for a motor vehicle includes a cover, a pressure plate, a biasing member, an adjustment mechanism and an annular shield. The cover has an axis of rotation. The pressure plate is coupled to the cover for rotation therewith about the axis. The pressure plate has a frictional engagement surface substantially normal to the axis. The biasing member is interposed between the cover the pressure plate, and biases the pressure plate toward an engaged pressure plate position. The adjustment mechanism is centered about the axis and is located at a first radial distance from the axis. The adjustment mechanism is operably disposed between the biasing member and one of the pressure plate and the cover. The annular shield is disposed radially within the adjustment mechanism. The annular shield is axially alignment with the adjustment mechanism. The shield is sized and oriented to protect the adjustment mechanism from debris radiating outward from a central area of the clutch.

Friction clutch having protective internal shield

A brake assembly for a center pivot irrigation system is provided which prevents the drive towers of the system from rolling out of alignment. The assembly includes a signalling system which is mounted on the drive tower and which is connected to a swivel joint on the irrigation pipe so that predetermined misalignment is sensed thereby. The signalling apparatus is connected to a brake assembly mounted on the drive tower. The brake assembly generally comprises a housing which is rigidly mounted on the drive tower and which has an output shaft rotatably mounted therein. The output shaft is connected to at least one of the drive wheels of the tower. A clutch disc is mounted on the output shaft for rotation therewith within the housing and is adapted to frictionally engage a wall of the housing whereby rotation of the output shaft will be prevented. A pressure plate assembly is mounted in the housing and normally urges the clutch disc into frictional engagement with the housing wall. An actuator arm assembly is movably mounted in the housing for urging the pressure plate assembly out of engagement with the clutch disc. The actuator arm assembly is moved by an actuator which is operatively connected to the signalling system whereby the clutch disc will be moved into frictional engagement with the housing wall when predetermined misalignment of the tower is sensed by the signalling system.

Growing community of inventors

Auburn, IN, United States of America

John David Conrad