Shiftable friction clutch for gear drives

Abstract

A friction clutch for gear drives, which friction clutch is constructed as a spring-loaded safety clutch. The gearshift sleeve, which in the sense of the engagement and disengagement, is mounted axially movably and to a limited extent rotatably on the shaft to be engaged. The gearshift sleeve is connected with the shaft through at least one eccentric device rotatable substantially perpendicularly with respect to the axis of the shaft, such that the axial movement of the gearshift sleeve effects in the sense of the engagement both a rotation of the gearshift sleeve relative to the shaft and also the axial additional movement needed to reinforce the contact pressure, whereby the axial additional movement decreases with an increasing relative rotation, and the axial movement of the gearshift sleeve effects in the sense of the disengagement an oppositely directed rotary and axial additional movement, whereby the axial additional movement increases with a decreasing relative rotation. To reinforce the additional movement, a spring locking of the gearshift sleeve in its neutral position can be utilized through suitable shaping.