192 clutches and power-stop control – Clutches – Axially engaging
Patent
1994-07-25
1996-02-27
Lorence, Richard M.
192 clutches and power-stop control
Clutches
Axially engaging
192111R, F16D 1375
Patent
active
054941431
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to multiplate friction clutches, and in particular to clutches for use on motor vehicles, more particularly for use on high performance vehicles such as racing cars or motorcycles.
A typical multiplate friction clutch comprises a flywheel, a cover fixed to the flywheel, and a plurality of friction plates which are biased together by a spring means acting between the cover and a pressure plate to clamp the friction plates together between the pressure plate and the flywheel. Such a clutch will hereinafter be referred to as a clutch of the kind referred.
A friction clutch of the type referred when used in high performance vehicles, must be capable of maintaining a high clamping load on the friction plates throughout the lifetime of the clutch as the friction plates wear.
In order to compensate for the wear of the friction plates, the clutch is supplied with pressure plates of different thicknesses so that as the friction plates wear, different pressure plates of increasing thickness are incorporated into the clutch. This is a lengthy procedure which requires a strip down and rebuild of the multiplate clutch, with care being taken to use the correct thickness of pressure plate corresponding to the particular wear condition of the friction plates.
The present invention provides a multi plate friction clutch that can compensate for wear to the friction plate without requiring a strip down and rebuild.
According to the invention there is provided a friction clutch of the kind referred, wherein at least one secondary plate is mounted on at least one of the flywheel and pressure plate adjacent a respective friction plate, the secondary plate being held rotationally fast with the cover and flywheel and being displaceable relative to the flywheel or pressure plate to compensate for friction plate wear, by adjustment of clamping height between the pressure plate and flywheel.
Preferably the secondary plate is mounted on the flywheel, and preferably there is further provided an adjuster plate located axially between the secondary plate and the flywheel, the adjuster plate being capable of selected rotational displacement relative to flywheel, for adjustment and axial displacement of the secondary plate.
Preferably the adjuster plate has at least one inclined surface therein which cooperates with an opposed inclined surface on the secondary plate such that relative rotation of adjuster plate to the secondary causes the two inclined surfaces to move up each other thereby axially displacing the secondary plate.
In another embodiment, the secondary plate is preferably mounted on the flywheel by a screw adjustable means.
In yet another embodiment the secondary plate is connected to the flywheel through circumferentially spaced axial struts, the overall length of which is adjustable.
The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a section through a multiplate friction clutch according to the invention;
FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show exploded sections of the flywheel adjuster means and secondary plate of FIG. 1, FIG. 2A being a section of the flywheel on the line II--II of FIG. 3, FIG. 2B being a section of the adjuster plate on the line III--III of FIG. 6, and FIG. 2C being a section of the secondary plate on the line IV--IV of FIG. 4;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the flywheel shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the secondary plate shown is FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the secondary plate in the direction of arrow X of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of an adjuster plate of the type used in FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view of the adjuster plate taken in the direction of arrow Y of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a part section through a second multiplate friction clutch flywheel showing a second type of adjuster means;
FIG. 9 is a part section through a multiplate friction clutch flywheel of the type shown in FIG. 8 showing yet another type of adjuster means, and
FIG. is a part section through a multiplate friction clutch flywhee
REFERENCES:
patent: 1131769 (1915-03-01), Borg
patent: 1330965 (1920-02-01), White
patent: 1402129 (1922-01-01), Wood
patent: 1455587 (1923-05-01), Hamilton
patent: 1746805 (1930-02-01), Vail
patent: 5320205 (1994-06-01), Kummer et al.
patent: 5404979 (1995-04-01), Craft et al.
Automotive Products plc
Germain Lee A.
Lorence Richard M.
Milliken Paul E.
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