Spring type clutch or brake

Claim 1

A CONTROLLABLE TORQUE COUPLING DEVICE COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL HOUSING HAVING AN AXIAL BORE, BEARINGS AT THE EXTREMES OF SAID BORE, INPUT AND OUTPUT SHAFTS SUPPORTED IN SAID BEARINGS IN COAXIAL ALIGNMENT, A SKIRTED PORTION ON SAID INPUT SHAFT, THE OUTPUT SHAFT BEING ACCOMMODATED IN SAID SKIRTED PORTION IN NESTING RELATION, A BUSHING BETWEEN THE SKIRTED PORTION AND THE OUTPUT SHAFT, A COLLAR ON SAID OUTPUT SHAFT AND HAVING A DIAMETER CORRESPONDING TO THE DIAMETER OF THE SKIRTED PORTION, A HELICAL SPRING ENCIRCLING THE SKIRTED PORTION AND COLLAR AND HAVING ONE END COUPLED TO THE OUTPUT SHAFT, AN ENERGIZING RING ENCIRCLING SAID HELICAL SPRING AND BEING COUPLED TO THE OTHER END THEREOF, AN ABUTMENT ON SAID ENERGIZING RING, SAID HOUSING DEFINING A FURTHER BORE PARALLEL TO SAID AXIAL BORE, A PIVOT IN SAID FURTHER BORE, AND A LEVER PIVOTAL ON SAID PIVOT TO ENGAGE SAID ABUTMENT FOR CHANGING THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID SPRING WITH THE SKIRTED PORTION AND COLLAR AND THEREBY CONTROLLING THE COUPLING OF TORQUE BETWEEN THE INPUT AND OUTPUT SHAFTS SAID HOUSING COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO SECTIONS, ONE OF SAID SECTIONS BEING AN END CAP DETACHABLE FROM THE HOUSING AND SUPPORTING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID BEARINGS, THE INNER DIAMETER OF THE HELICAL SPRING BEING LESS THAN THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE SKIRTED PORTION AND COLLAR, THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID ABUTMENT BY SAID LEVER LOOSENING THE SPRING AND DISENGAGING THE SHAFTS.