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Clutch

A shaft coupling you can disconnect. Everything past it stops being driven.

Crafting

P P
S S

P is a Copper Plate and S is a Shaft.

Placing

Put it inline on a shaft. The side you place it against is the driving side; the far side is the output.

Using it

Right-click to disengage or re-engage it. New clutches are placed engaged.

A Timer touching it, or a Controller with a Switch card, can switch it for you.

What disengaging actually does

A clutch doesn't brake. It stops driving the far side. Whatever is downstream keeps turning on its own momentum and coasts down, quickly if it's loaded, slowly if it's light or has heavy things on it. A hammer behind a clutch can land a blow or two after you throw it, so allow for that.

The disengaged clutch stays part of the driving side, so the power source keeps running normally.

Uses

  • Stopping one machine without stopping the whole line.
  • Automating stops with a Timer or Controller.
  • An automatic version that trips on overspeed is the Overspeed Trip.