ELASTIC AND SAFETY CLUTCH WITH RADIALLY DISTRIBUTED ELASTIC DOWELS

Abstract

Within mechanical transmissions, clutches fulfil the function of transmitting the rotational movement from the shaft of a driving element to the shaft of a driven element. However, clutches can fulfil other functions necessary for the good operation of the transmission. From a constructive point of view, clutches can be simple or combined. This paper presents a simple mechanical clutch that is able to fulfil the properties of a mixed one. This new type of clutch represents an optimal solution from the construc- tive and functional point of view. The design of the clutch allows the combination of the functions of elastic and safety clutches. The clutch's intermediate element between the semi-clutches is the elastic dowel. The paper presents the assembly drawing and the calculus schemes used for the analytical modeling of the torque, which the clutch can transmit. INTRODUCTION The clutches used in mechanical transmissions can fulfil differ - ent functions, which can ensure a good operation of these trans- missions. The main function of these clutches is to transmit the rotational movement and the torque from a driving shaft to a driven shaft. The clutches must ensure the proper functioning of the transmission regardless of the technological and assembling conditions of its components. In technological processes a series of disturbances occur, which negatively influence the operation of the transmission. The clutches are able to take over technological and assembling de- viations, torsional vibration and shoks, protection and fitting vi- brations of its component machine elements (1), (2). Besides fulfilling the main function of an elastic clutch and of a safety clutch, the proposed type of clutch is able to fulfil the sec- ondary functions of these two types of clutches. The clutch is a simple clutch, which can have the same functions as a combined clutch by choosing the intermediate elements between the semi- clutches and their layout. The main advantage of the proposed clutch are its reduced dimensions and low cost.