Coupling assembly having an overrun mode and channeled locking member for use therein
A coupling assembly having an overrun mode and a channeled locking member are provided. The locking member has a ramped, open channel extending through a nose and main body of the locking member to an upper face of the main body. The locking member is movable between first and second positions. The first position is a coupling position and the second position is an uncoupling position. Pressurized fluid directed to a bottom of the channel urges the locking member towards the second position upon rotation of a first member of the assembly in a first direction relative to a second member of the assembly above a predetermined RPM to prevent abutting engagement of the locking member with a shoulder of the first member in the overrun mode.
1. A channeled locking member for a coupling assembly, the locking member comprising:
a member-engaging nose;
a member-engaging tail diametrically opposite the nose;
a main body between the nose and the tail and having upper and lower faces; and
an open channel extending through the nose and the main body to direct pressurized fluid entering through the nose to a bottom of the channel, the directed, pressurized fluid urging the locking member towards an uncoupling position characterized by non-abutting engagement of the nose with a first member of the assembly upon rotation of the first member relative to a second member of the assembly.
2. The locking member as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a pair of oppositely projecting ears which extend laterally from the tail.
3. The locking member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking member is a strut.
4. The locking member as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the strut is a ratchet strut.
5. The locking member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a tip of the nose and an end of the tail are canted.
6. The locking member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the channel has a rectangular cross-section at the nose portion.
7. The locking member as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the channel has a rectangular cross-section along the entire length of the channel in the nose and the main body.
8. The locking member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the channel is centrally located between side faces of the main body.
9. The locking member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bottom of channel comprises a ramp.