Centrifugal clutch construction

Abstract

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.