Importance

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Abstract

A wheel-lift mechanism is disclosed which incorporates a unique torque limiting structure. A drive is transmitted to a first shaft, which is in turn transmitted to a second shaft. The second shaft drives a reel for raising and lowering a flexible lift member and an attached wheel hub from beneath a vehicle. The torque limiting structure consists of an outer drive member which has an inner periphery including a plurality of ears which are received within notches in an inner driven member. The first shaft rotates the outer drive member and the inner driven member in turn rotates the second shaft. Should the relative torque transmitted from the first shaft to the second shaft exceed a predetermined limit, the ears deform the notch radially inwardly and the outer drive member slips relative to the inner driven member. Nodes are positioned radially outwardly of the notches on each circumferential side. A space is formed radially inwardly of the notch in the inner driven member. The space facilitates the bending of the notch radially inwardly. The space further has portions which conform to the shape of the nodes. The nodes deform radially inwardly to facilitate slippage of the ears around the nodes, and allow each ear to become aligned with a circumferentially-spaced subsequent notch once slippage does occur.

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First Claim