Clutch assembly
A clutch assembly for connecting a drive member or a driven member to a shaft. The clutch assembly includes a tubular cup assembly that interfaces with a tubular receiver. The cup nests within the receiver, and they are secured by screws. The shaft is received within the cup whereby a non-circular element connected to the end of the shaft is received within a chamber having a non-circular interior sidewall. The receiver is connected to a drive member or a driven member. When a component connected to an end of the clutch assembly ceases to rotate, and a component connected to the opposite end of the clutch assembly continues to rotate, the clutch will prevent damage to either component by failing.
1. A clutch assembly, comprising:
a cup assembly including a generally tubular upwardly-open chamber including a generally circular exterior sidewall with opposing exterior flat sides;
a receiver assembly, comprising a generally tubular downwardly-open chamber including a generally circular interior sidewall with opposing interior flat sides;
wherein the cup flat exterior sidewall engages the receiver flat interior sidewall; and
a threaded member received within the receiver sidewall and engaging the flat sides of the cup sidewall.
2. The clutch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upwardly-open chamber further comprises:
an upper chamber; and
a lower chamber having a non-circular interior side wall adapted for mateably engaging an element having a non-circular periphery.
3. The clutch assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
a tubular neck depending from the lower chamber;
a passage extending from the lower chamber through the tubular neck;
an elongated support member extending from a first end to a second end, the first end received by the passage; and
wherein the element includes a threaded fastener threadably received on the first end of the elongated support member.
4. The clutch assembly of claim 3 , further comprising:
a mount including an aperture; and
a bushing receiving the tubular neck where the bushing separates the cup assembly from the aperture of the mount.
5. The clutch assembly of claim 4 , wherein the bushing further includes:
an upper end;
a flange extending outward from the upper end;
a sleeve depending from the upper end wherein the flange supports the cup upper chamber from below.
6. The clutch assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a fastener secured to the neck below the mount for retaining the cup assembly on the mount.
7. The clutch assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:
a transition between the upper chamber and the cup lower chamber wherein the lower chamber has a smaller diameter than the upper chamber.
8. The clutch assembly of claim 3 , wherein the threaded fastener has a non-circular peripheral edge engaging the lower chamber interior sidewall.
9. The clutch assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a biasing member disposed between the cup assembly and the receiver assembly for biasing the element into the lower chamber.
10. A clutch assembly, comprising:
a cup assembly including a generally tubular upwardly-open chamber, comprising:
a generally circular exterior sidewall with opposing exterior flat sides;
a non-circular interior sidewall; and
a bottom wall;
a receiver assembly, comprising a generally tubular downwardly-open chamber including a generally circular interior sidewall with opposing interior flat sides; and
wherein the cup flat exterior sidewall engages the receiver flat interior sidewall.
11. The clutch assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a passage extending through the cup assembly bottom wall.
12. The clutch assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a threaded member received within the receiver sidewall and engaging the flat sides of the cup sidewall.
13. The clutch assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the upwardly-open chamber includes a lower chamber; and
wherein the non-circular interior sidewall is disposed within the lower chamber.
14. The clutch assembly of claim 13 , wherein:
the upwardly-open chamber further includes an upper chamber above the lower chamber; and
a transition between the upper chamber and the lower chamber wherein the lower chamber has a smaller diameter than the upper chamber.
15. The clutch assembly of claim 10 , wherein the receiver assembly comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the downwardly-open chamber depends from the upper portion.
16. The clutch assembly of claim 15 , further comprising a projection depending from the upper portion disposed within the downwardly-open chamber.
17. The clutch assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a biasing member disposed between the receiver upper portion and cup bottom wall.
18. The clutch assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:
a tubular neck depending from the cup bottom wall; and
a passage extending from the bottom wall through the tubular neck for receiving an elongated support member.
19. The clutch assembly of claim 18 , further comprising an element connected to an end of the elongated support member, wherein the element is received by the cup non-circular interior sidewall.
20. A clutch assembly, comprising:
a cup assembly including a generally tubular upwardly-open chamber including a generally circular exterior sidewall with opposing exterior flat sides, comprising:
an upper chamber; and
a lower chamber having a non-circular interior side wall adapted for mateably engaging an element having a non-circular periphery;
a receiver assembly, comprising a generally tubular downwardly-open chamber including a generally circular interior sidewall with opposing interior flat sides; and
wherein the cup flat exterior sidewall engages the receiver flat interior sidewall.
21. The clutch assembly of claim 20 , further comprising:
a tubular neck depending from the lower chamber;
a passage extending from the lower chamber through the tubular neck;
an elongated support member extending from a first end to a second end, the first end received by the passage; and
wherein the element includes a threaded fastener threadably received on the first end of the elongated support member.
22. The clutch assembly of claim 21 , further comprising:
a mount including an aperture; and
a bushing receiving the tubular neck where the bushing separates the cup assembly from the aperture of the mount.
23. The clutch assembly of claim 22 , wherein the bushing further includes:
an upper end;
a flange extending outward from the upper end;
a sleeve depending from the upper end wherein the flange supports the cup upper chamber from below.
24. The clutch assembly of claim 22 , further comprising a fastener secured to the neck below the mount for retaining the cup assembly on the mount.
25. The clutch assembly of claim 22 , further comprising:
a transition between the upper chamber and the cup lower chamber wherein the lower chamber has a smaller diameter than the upper chamber.
26. The clutch assembly of claim 21 , wherein the fastener has a non-circular peripheral edge engaging the lower chamber interior sidewall.
27. The clutch assembly of claim 20 , further comprising a biasing member disposed between the cup assembly and the receiver assembly for biasing the element into the lower chamber.
28. The clutch assembly of claim 20 , further comprising a threaded member received within the receiver sidewall and engaging the flat sides of the cup sidewall.