Overrunning clutch with spring energized cage centring device

摘要

A bi-directional overrunning clutch 20 comprises an inner race 26, an outer race 68 and a rigid non-split cage 44 disposed between them. A centring device comprises a biasing member, eg a leaf spring, 72 which is disposed between a cavity 38 formed in an outer periphery of the inner race 26 and a pocket 54 formed in an inner periphery of the cage 44 which permits rotational movement between the inner race 26 and the cage 44, but rotationally biases the cage 44 with respect to the inner race 26 towards a neutral position. The cavity 38 extends radially through a centre of the inner race 26 to form two openings in the inner race, the biasing member extending through the cavity 38 and radially outwardly from the openings to engage two axially extending grooves 66 in the cage 44. In another embodiment the leaf spring may be replaced with a coil spring (90, fig 7) which urges two balls (92, fig 7) into pockets (54", fig 7) in the cage 44.