Aspro, Incorporated

Other

Dyneer Corporation

General Time Corporation

Richard C St John

Derald H Kraft

Donald R St Clair

John D Danko

A belt tensioning system for maintaining consistent and constant tension in a serpentine drive system consisting of a series of pulleys and an endless belt interconnecting the pulleys. The tensioning system includes a power spring with an appropriate nominal torque and rate which acts on the idler pulley, and through the idler pulley on the belt, and is suitable to maintain sufficiently constant tension over a broad range of belt length variations and pulley locations while providing damping sufficient to prevent undue pulley oscillation over a broad range of vibration conditions. In one form of the invention, the spring itself is fixed at one end to the prime mover and the other end to a tensioner arm so as to operate on the idler pulley and maintain the belt tension and provide the damping. The hysteresis of the spring responding to pulley movement thus assists in the damping. In another form of the invention additional damping is provided by a spring loaded band brake. Both the spring and the damping brake are completely enclosed within the tensioner housing. The provision of a variable anchoring point for fixing the spring to the prime mover makes it possible to alter the angular orientation of the spring to provide the optimal initial spring torque which encourages optimum initial belt tension and so improve drive life.

Automatic belt tensioner with an enclosed flat wire power spring and

An adjustable locked center and dynamic tensioner include both a method for setting tension in a belt or chain drive system and apparatus for setting the friction torque so as to match the system setting torque. The method includes forcing the tensioner against a stable mounting surface with sufficient spring load that a target friction torque will be required to rotate the tensioner. The tensioner arm is then rotated into the belt or chain until, when the setting torque is removed, the belt or chain will counter rotate the tensioner arm and the target friction torque in the tensioner will cause the target setting tension to remain in the system. The apparatus includes a tensioner arm pivotally mounted on a fixed surface with a spring engaging the arm and being clamped against the fixed surface. Modifications include introducing a compliant coupler such as an elastomeric busing or spring between the stable mounting surface and the tensioner arm.

Adjustable locked center and dynamic tensioner

An adjustable locked center and dynamic tensioner include both a method for setting tension in a belt or chain drive system and apparatus for setting the friction torque so as to match the system setting torque. The method includes forcing the tensioner against a stable mounting surface with sufficient spring load that a target friction torque will be required to rotate the tensioner. The tensioner arm is then rotated into the belt or chain until, when the setting torque is removed, the belt or chain will counter rotate the tensioner arm and the target friction torque in the tensioner will cause the target setting tension to remain in the system. The apparatus includes a tensioner arm pivotally mounted on a fixed surface with a spring engaging the arm and being clamped against the fixed surface. Modifications include introducing a compliant coupler such as an elastomeric bushing or spring between the stable mounting surface and the tensioner arm.

A method of maintaining proper tension in belt or chain drive systems comprising attaching one end of a tensioning assembly to a mounting surface so as to permit unrestrained pivotal movement but negligible axial movement and positioning the opposed end adjacent the drive system belt or chain. A torquing tool is then applied at the mounting point and the assembly is rotated about a central axis until a predetermined torque value is attained and the assembly is locked against pivotal movement. The tensioner for carrying out the method includes an elongate arm with an idler pulley attached to one end. The opposed end receives a mounting member for securing the arm to a supporting surface first in pivotal relationship thereto and then in locked relationship. The mounting member also serves as a torquing member for applying the predetermined torque value.

Adjustable tensioner for belt and chain drives

A belt tensioning system for maintaining consistent and constant tension in a serpentine drive system which includes a series of pulleys and an endless belt interconnecting the pulleys. The tensioning system utilizes a low rate power spring which acts on the idler pulley, and through the idler pulley on the belt, and is suitable to maintain tension over a broad range of belt length variation and pulley locations and provide damping adequate to prevent undue pulley oscillation over a broad range of system vibration conditions. In one form of the invention, the spring itself is effectively fixed at one end to the engine block and at the other end to a tensioner housing so as to operate on the idler pulley and maintain the tension and provide the damping. The hysteresis of the spring, responding to pulley movement, thus assists in the damping. In another form of the invention, the system is further protected against operating at resonance by using, in addition to the spring, a spring-loaded brake arrangement which acts on the tensioner housing to create an overdamped condition. In still another form of the invention, the spring can be mounted eccentrically with respect to the central axis of its housing to conserve space while retaining the tensioning and damping characteristics.

Belt tensioner system

A clutch housing and pulley assembly is formed from a plurality of stamped metal components. A plurality of annular discs are mounted on a radially extending base of a V-grooved pulley member. A cup-shaped clutch housing having a radially extending base is mounted in abutting relationship with one of the outer discs on one side of the pulley base. A plurality of rivets extend through axially aligned holes formed in the pulley base, discs and housing base to assemble these components into a single unit. A ring bearing is telescopically mounted in the axially aligned central openings of the discs and pulley base for rotatably mounting the clutch housing and pulley assembly on a drive shaft which is adapted to extend through a central opening of the clutch housing base. The pulley member and discs are arranged in a stacked relationship on a plurality of guide pins extending through the rivet-receiving holes. A metal sizing punch or broach having the bearing ring mounted thereon then is passed through the aligned central openings of the discs and pulley base to accurately size the central openings in a single stroke. The bearing ring is press fitted in the sized central openings of the discs and pulley base generally simultaneously with the sizing stroke. The cup-shaped housing then is mounted on the disc reinforced pulley and bearing subassembly by rivets which clamp the assembled components together for subsequent mounting on a drive shaft which telescopically extends through the inner race of the bearing ring.

Clutch housing and pulley assembly

A centrifugal clutch has a pair of clutch shoes pivotally mounted on a pivot collar for outward movement under the influence of centrifugal force to drivingly engage a concentrically mounted clutch housing. Extension springs bias the swinging ends of the clutch shoes toward retracted position. The pivot collar has a hollow cylindrical sleeve with a pair of nearly cylindrical projections mounted diagonally opposite of each other on the external surface of the sleeve. The cylindrical projections are similar to and are located parallel with each other and to the axis of the sleeve and have cylindrical circumferences greater than 180.degree. and less than 360.degree.. The imaginary circumferences of the outer surfaces of the projections lie in an overlapping or abutting relationship with the imaginary circumference of the outer surface of the sleeve. A discontinuous opening is formed on one end of each clutch shoe adjacent the inner edges thereof and have a shape and size complementary to the outer cylindrical surfaces of the collar projections. The collar projections are telescopically inserted within the clutch shoe openings to pivotally mount the clutch shoes on the pivot collar. The pivot collar is mounted on a drive shaft for rotation with the shaft. The clutch shoes each include a pair of similar half-shoe sections and an intervening spacer segment sandwiched therebetween. The extension springs extend between adjacent hook ends formed on the shoe spacers to bias the shoes toward retracted position.

Centrifugal clutch construction

An improved pivotal mounting assembly, preferably for use with a centrifugal clutch for pivotally mounting the clutch shoes, has a plastic insert which forms either a sector-like portion of a usual cylindrical-shaped, metallic pivot pin, or a portion of the clutch shoe which forms a pivot pin receiving opening. The plastic insert will have an outer convex surface when forming a part of a cylindrical pivot pin or will have a concave surface when forming a part of the clutch shoe. Preferably the convex and concave surfaces will have arcuate lengths of approximately 120.degree.. The plastic insert provides a low-friction pivotal bearing surface for the clutch shoe, which will absorb many of the forces and stresses exerted on the pivot assembly upon coupling engagement of the clutch shoes with a driven drum. The supporting metal areas of the pivot pin or clutch shoe adjacent the plastic strip provides the mechanical strength for the strip.

Pivotal mounting assembly

A clutch construction has an improved arrangement for pivotally mounting a pair of centrifugally actuated clutch shoes on the drive rotor assembly of the clutch. A backing plate and drive flange are mounted in a spaced axial relationship with respect to each other on a hub of the rotor assembly for rotation with the hub which is adapted to be mounted on a drive shaft of a prime mover. A clutch housing is rotatably mounted on the hub by a bearing ring and is driven by the clutch shoes upon a predetermined shaft speed being reached. A pair of openings are formed in the backing plate located diametrically opposite of each other and are axially aligned with a pair of similar openings formed in the drive flange. A resilient bushing is telescopically mounted in each of the backing plate and drive flange openings to provide a shock-absorbing effect between the clutch shoes pivot pins and the drive flange to prevent fracture of the drive flange. A pivot pin is telescopically mounted in each of the pairs of resilient bushings of the axially aligned backing plate and drive flange openings and projects through an opening formed in each of the clutch shoes for pivotally mounting the clutch shoe between the plate and flange.

Centrifugal clutch shoe mounting arrangement

A clutch housing and pulley assembly is formed from a plurality of stamped metal components. A plurality of annular discs are mounted on a radially extending base of a V-grooved pulley member. A cup-shaped clutch housing having a radially extending base is mounted in abutting relationship with one of the outer discs on one side of the pulley base. A plurality of rivets extend through axially aligned holes formed in the pulley base, discs and housing base to assemble these components into a single unit. A ring bearing is telescopically mounted in the axially aligned central openings of the discs and pulley base for rotatably mounting the clutch housing and pulley assembly on a drive shaft which is adapted to extend through a central opening of the clutch housing base. The pulley member and discs are arranged in a stacked relationship on a plurality of guide pins extending through the rivet receiving holes. A metal sizing punch or broach having the bearing ring mounted thereon then is passed through the aligned central openings of the discs and pulley base to accurately size the central openings in a single stroke. The bearing ring is press fitted in the sized central openings of the discs and pulley base generally simultaneously with the sizing stroke. The cup-shaped housing then is mounted on the disc reinforced pulley and bearing subassembly by rivets which clamp the assembled components together for subsequent mounting on a drive shaft which telescopically extends through the inner race of the bearing ring.

Method of making clutch housing and pulley assembly

A centrifugal clutch having a drive flange mounted on a hub which is adapted to be mounted on a driving shaft. A pair of clutch shoes is pivotally mounted at diagonally opposite ends of the shoes on the drive flange by a pair of pins which extend axially outwardly from the drive flange in a cantilever manner, with the clutch shoes being mounted in end-to-end relationship with respect to each other. Extension springs bias the swinging ends of the clutch shoes toward retracted position. The clutch shoes are adapted to move outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force and overcome the biasing effect of the springs to drivingly engage a concentrically mounted clutch housing. A plurality of weight plates may be mounted on the webs of the clutch shoes to provide various operating characteristics without changing the basic clutch construction. The cantilever pins are operatively connected to the clutch shoes by a bushing assembly having inner and outer rigid tubular sleeves with an intervening annulus of an elastomer material. The elastomer material flexes to provide the pivotal or swinging movement of the clutch shoes while simultaneously providing a shock-absorbing effect between the clutch shoes and the drive flange when the shoes engage the clutch housing. Alternately, a bushing of a high-strength plastic material may be telescopically mounted on each of the cantilever pins with the clutch shoes being slidably mounted on these bushings.

A sensing apparatus functions when the pressure in a sensing chamber attains a predetermined pressure level in response to a crash environment to actuate a pressure release valve and thereby provide an output resulting in the deployment of an air bag within the confines of a vehicle for restraining forward movement of an occupant. The particular level of pressure developed in the sensing chamber relates to the velocity of flow of a fluid under the control of a sensing means movable in the sensing chamber and whose movement, in turn, is responsive to the relative velocity of a vehicle and an impacted object. The operation of the impact sensing apparatus is the resultant of a true measure of the relative velocity of the vehicle and the impacted object; and upon attainment of a velocity of flow equal to or greater than a threshold velocity the pressure release valve will be actuated.

Sensing apparatus with mechanical actuation system

A quick release centrifugal clutch construction having a driven member rotatably mounted on a shaft and a drive member rotatable with the shaft and axially engageable with the driven member. The drive member includes a rotor mounted on the shaft for rotation with the shaft. A cartridge is axially slidably mounted on the shaft and has a frictional coupling surface for engagement with the driven member, and has a preloaded disc spring mounted thereon. A drive block also is axially slidably mounted on the rotor and is adapted to engage the cartridge to further load the disc spring and to drivingly connect the cartridge with the driven member. A plurality of individual pairs of links are mounted circumferentially spaced on the rotor and are movable in radial directions between retracted and extended positions. The inner ends of each of the link pairs are pivotally joined by a pivot pin with the outer link ends being pivotally connected to the drive block and rotor member respectively. Coiled tension springs maintain the link pairs in retracted position, whereby the pivotal connections of the inner link ends are located radially inwardly of imaginary lines extending in a generally axial direction between the pivot connections of the outer ends of the links. The link inner ends move radially outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force and overcome the tension of the coiled spring when the shaft reaches a predetermined speed. The drive block slides axially away from the cartridge releasing the coupling pressure exerted thereon, upon the pivotally connected center point of the links moving radially outwardly past the imaginary line of the link pair to instantaneously disengage the coupled members.

Quick release centrifugal clutch construction

A method of making a dynamically balanced integral clutch housing and bearing assembly from a flat sheet metal disc by a roller spinning tool. A bearing and the metal disc is mounted on rotating die means between headstock and tailstock die form assemblies of a spinning machine. The spinning tool presses the disc against an end of the bearing to provide a bottom web wall of a cup-shaped bearing housing. The spinning tool then moves in a series of passes along the bearing outer race and along the headstock die form thereby rolling, forming and ironing rotating outer metal portions of the disc against the bearing and die, and forming an annular circumferential flange wall of the bearing housing which terminates in an annular shoulder. The bearing is telescopically mounted and retained within the bearing housing by the side and web walls and retaining shoulder. The spinning tool continues to pressure work outer portions of the metal disc and forms a larger cup-shaped clutch housing extending from and integrally connected to the annular retaining shoulder. A pulley then is secured to the bearing housing side wall by roller spinning metal from the side wall to form a pair of annular bead formations locking the pulley in position. The clutch housing and bearing assembly produced has a cup-shaped bearing housing with a cylindrical side wall terminating in an end web wall and an annular retaining shoulder. A bearing is telescopically mounted within the bearing housing and retained therein by the side wall, web wall and annular shoulder. A larger cup-shaped clutch housing has a cup wall integrally connected to the annular shoulder of the bearing housing, with the cup wall terminating in an annular flange adapted to be engaged by friction shoes of a clutch mechanism.

Clutch housing and bearing assembly and method of making the same

A centrifugal clutch construction having an outer driven member and an inner driving rotor assembly. The rotor assembly has a pair of spaced, radially extending, side plates mounted in fixed positions on a driving shaft, and a core fixed to the shaft between the side plates. The core is provided with diametrically opposite surfaces engaging and supporting associated pairs of clutch shoes when the shoes are in retracted position. A release plate is slidably mounted between each pair of clutch shoes, and the release plates and clutch shoes are retained in retracted position on the core by pairs of clamping balls. The balls are located mainly within holes formed in each pair of clutch shoes and portions of the balls project partially into openings formed in the side plates. Each pair of balls frictionally clamps a release plate therebetween when the clutch is in disengaged position. The release plates move radially outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force and overcome the clamping and friction forces of the retaining balls when the shaft reaches a predetermined speed. The balls then move laterally of the side plates inwardly toward each other into U-shaped slots formed in the release plates and out of engagement with the side plates, whereupon the clutch shoes snap into engagement with the outer driven member.

Growing community of inventors

North Canton, OH, United States of America

Richard C St John