What is it?

[Art K]

Hi Folks,
I thought I'd post this mainly to see if anyone recognized this.

I must admit I at least have a clue what it is.

[crueby]

Looks a bit like a rotating  connection for wiring but I don't see  the usual  wipers and insulators. Rotating  steam connector? Or a very overengineered snuffbox!

[Don1966]

Is that an eddy current clutch? It has wires on it.
Or a brake…..

Don

[crueby]

Industrial ceiling fan motor?

[Roger B]

I follow Don as some form of eddy current / magnetic coupling or brake. Long ago I came across a Dynadrive (possibly spelt incorrectly) which was a combined magnetic coupling and brake coupled to a constant speed 3 phase motor. A mechanical equivalent of a modern inverter.

[Michael S.]

Roger, I know what you mean. I know such eddy current couplings from ventilation systems. I don't remember the name of the manufacturer either. It came from England.
Dash drive or something?

Michael

[Roger B]

Heenan couplings is one I remember.

[Art K]

I posted this last night before going to bed, looked at reply's at work where I couldn't reply. I have to admit when posting  I knew what it was (ok ,I at least had a clue). Here's the rest of the info.

This is the original box and a page out of the Hillman Mix repair manual.

So yesterday my boss was excited that he sold a car part but it wasn't just anything it is the electric portion of a Hillman Minx Easidrive transmission. And yes shipping to England almost equaled the cost of the part for the buyer at almost 100 lbs.
Art

[Art K]

Oh yes I missed the small package of magic dust! Somehow didn't get included in the photo but I'm sure it's vital to the proper function of the Easidrive transmission!
Art

[crueby]

Ah - so thats what it is. But, what does it DO?

[Art K]

I think it replaced the clutch. I don't really know much about it. Maybe one of the crew from across the pond would have a better idea?
Art

[Vixen]

Hello Chris, Art,

What you have is the electromagnetic clutch from a Smiths (Industries Ltd.) Easidrive automatic transmission as fitted (as an option) to small cars manufactured by the Rootes Group in England in the early 1960's. The electromagnetic clutch performed a similar function to a torque converter.

"Basic operating principle depends on the use of magnetic powder couplings. In these, driving and driven members are separated by a small air gap partly filled with small particles of ferrous metal. Creation of a magnetic field in these particles causes them to offer frictional resistance to relative movement between the separate members, this resistance increasing with the strength of the field until the coupling becomes virtually solid at about 18MPH."

So you now know what the magic powder does.  

How do you happen to have one, Chris?

Cheers   

Mike

[Vixen]

Oh!! Don't sniff the powder, it will drive you crazy. 

Mike

[Art K]

Mike, thanks for filling in the gaps!
Art

[Roger B]

A little bit on the Easydrive 

http://www.andymurkin.net/Hillman/Hillinfo/Easidrive.html

I would guess it disappeared due to power/torque limitations, much the same as the DAF Variomatic (rubber band) drive.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variomatic

This had the interesting benefits of acting as a limited slip differential and was also capable of the same speeds forwards and reverse