Clutch assembly for gear transmission

Abstract

A driving gear having external teeth in mesh with internal teeth of a sliding sleeve carries several peripherally spaced spring-loaded detent members which are pivotable in respective axial planes and extend radially into an inner peripheral groove of the sleeve in a decoupling position of the latter, the sleeve being able to engage a driven gear coaxial with the driving gear only upon radially depressing these members against their spring force. A synchro ring coaxial with the two gears is limitedly rotatable relatively to the driving gear and has a clutch surface confronting a similar surface of the driven gear through a narrow clearance which closes when the ring, under an axial thrust from the detent members, is moved toward the driven gear by an incipient coupling shift of the sleeve. The synchro ring has a plurality of peripherally separated projections which spacedly bracket the detent members and cammingly coact with their stems to transmit the aforementioned axial thrust while preventing a depression of these members by the sleeve, and thus a full shifting of the latter into meshing engagement with the driven gear, in a position of angular disalignment due to a speed difference between the driven gear and the ring.