Ortlinghaus hydraulically-actuated clutch/brake combined units have been successfully used in press construction for more than 30 years. They have proved a great success in numerous applications on account of their compact design and good actuation properties.

In the previous model, there is a transition function involving a status in which the brake is released while the clutch is not yet engaged. The force of gravity acting on the press's slide makes the system prone to undesirable movements. If this effect was not desired, in the past clutches and brakes consisting of separate systems have been used. These units are actuated individually via the machine's control system in such a fashion as to ensure no transition from brake to clutch function.

In order to combine the advantages of the clutch/brake combined unit (compact unit mountable on one side of the clutch shaft, simple actuation) with those of the separate clutch and brake units (transition-free clutch and brake functions), the German company Ortlinghaus-Werke GmbH has developed the new 223 series and applied for a patent. This transition-free clutch and brake combined unit features two concentric pistons which, when actuated by a sole pressure line, can first build up a clutch torque before the brake is released completely. In the final assembly stage, this transition function is adapted to the operating conditions of the machine concerned.

With this transition function in the new 223 series, acting independently of the machine's control system, Ortlinghaus has once again succeeded in making an important contribution to the operating reliability of presses.

The newly-developed series 223 clutch and brake combined unit is a logical development of the time-tested 123 series, and will be offered in the same wide diversity of sizes and variations as the latter. The existing press safety control system will not be affected by this newly-developed product.