Countershaft clutch

[Blockplane]

Can some kind person direct me to drawings/instructions for a simple/cheap homemade clutch for a lathe drive?

(not sure if this is best here, or in Lathes or Metalworking forum, Mods please move/crosspost if appropriate, many thanks)

Many thanks,

Rob

 

[heimlaga]

The very simple traditional design from the days of line shafts and countershafts is using a flat belt that runs on a fast and a loose pulley with the same diametre mounted side by side. There is a fork moving the belt sideways and when it runs on the loose pulley which has a bearing in it the countershaft will not turn. When the belt is moved over to the fast pulley the shaft starts turning.

A more compact design would either use V-belts that are slackened and partialy lifted off the pulley when not driving (for instance a clutch of a Wheelhorse lawn tractor) or a clutch plate system taken from a scrapped car or ATV of some sort.

Don't use a clutch plate older than the mid 80-ies. They contained asbestos back then.

 

[Blockplane]

Fast/loose pulleys not an option for me, as they require flat belts, which in turn need long centres to work well, and the distance from intermediate to final countershaft is a matter of 12" or so.

I guess I'll be concocting a dogclutch of some description, was hoping someone had been there first and written it up.