Indexing Clutch

A driving motion with repeated change of direction will be transferred to the driven side, step by step, as rotary motion in one direction (the clamping direction).

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Application examples

Sprag type freewheel clutches from GMN can be used efficiently and effectively as indexing clutches in a wide range of areas.

  • paper processing (advance)
  • seed drill
  • staplers (staples)
  • conveyor belts (drive)
  • ratchets
  • ratchet wrenches
  • roller advance
  • installation tools
  • automation technology
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Seed drill

For spreading, the seeds are placed on a tractor in a container with a base consisting of 2 perforated plates with offset hole pattern. If the plates are now moved together in an oscillating motion, the seeds fall to the ground when the holes are covered. The speed of the oscillating movement and the travel speed of the tractor can be used to control the spreading density of the seeds. The oscillating movement is created with a ball bearing freewheel clutch.

Ratchets / Ratchet wrenches

Everyone is familiar with the traditional indexing clutch from their toolbox: Force is applied in one direction for tightening or loosening a screw, while in the opposite direction, the freewheel clutch is in idle mode and transfers no force. For this application, the focus is less on speed, i.e. indexing frequency, and more on high transferable forces.

Our indexing clutches with meander springs transfer an extremely high torque continuously in the smallest space. The nominal moment can be transferred at least 10 million times depending on the design of the surrounding structure.

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Drive for material feed / rotary table

Rotary tables are used in machine tools during machining processes and in automation. While the requirements for precision and rigidity are higher in machining processes than in non-machining processes, automation mainly focuses on achieving the shortest possible indexing times. With an indexing clutch, an exact rotation around a defined twisting angle can be carried out with a high repeat accuracy and at high speed (i.e. high indexing frequency). Our freewheel clutches with meander springs enable indexing frequencies of up to 60 Hz. Indexing clutches for rotary tables are therefore the preferred choice in handling, assembly and automation technology.