CENTRIFUGAL ENGAGEMENT AND DISENGAGEMENT DRIVE SYSTEMS

摘要

A drive system may provide centrifugally driven clutch members into engagement and disengagement using weights between an interface of the clutch members. The weights maybe disposed in races between the clutch members. The weights may move centrifugally within the races pushing the clutch members apart during rotation of an input drive shaft. In some embodiments, two clutch members may provide the engagement and disengagement of the input drive shaft power to a drive output member and a third clutch member may be configured to engage the two cutch members during drive engagement. The third clutch member may be configured to disengage from the two clutch members as a failsafe during, for example, an overspeed condition or a jammed clutch interface.

主权项

1. A drive system, comprising:
a first clutch member coaxially adapted for connection to a shaft, the first clutch member including a first engagement face; a second clutch member adapted for connection to a drive output member, the second clutch member including a second engagement face indexed for coupling to the first engagement face; and a race disposed between the first and second engagement faces, the race extending radially toward circumferential edges of the first and second clutch members, the race configured to receive a weight that travels radially along the race between the first and second engagement faces during a rotation of the shaft, and the first and second clutch members are adapted to engage with and separate from one another as the weight travels radially along the race during rotation of the shaft.