GB615765A - Double clutch - Google Patents

Abstract

615,765. Friction clutches. ATWOOD, S. B., and ATWOOD, J. T. Aug. 6, 1946, No. 23308. [Class 80 (ii)] In a clutch of the type in which a back plate 8 is combined with a fly-wheel 7 and houses a pressure plate 17 and clutch discs 12, 13 secured to shaft 9 and quill 10 respectively, the pressure plate is actuated indirectly by lever means 41. The quill 10 may be connected to the shaft 9 by reduction gearing so that a direct drive to the shaft 9 is effected on engagement of clutch disc 12 and a low ratio drive is effected on engagement of clutch disc 13. The rear end of a sleeve 55 carrying a throw-out collar 57 has a splined connection with a sleeve 52 which is welded to a flange 53 on the back plate and the front end carries rollers 63, 64 which engage guide track surfaces 65 on the radial inner sides of lugs 42 formed on the back plate. Circumferentially spaced studs 31 mounted on the rim of the pressure plate 17 are adjustably secured to the peripheral flange of a cupped ring 33. Rings 35, 36 are disposed each side of the member 33 and are forced together by springs 37 on circumferentially spaced bolts 39 in a retaining ring 38. Two studs 80 are riveted to the ring 35 at circumferentially spaced points 180 degrees apart and have sliding contact with holes in rings 33, 36. Similar studs riveted to the ring 36 engage holes in the members 33, 35. Levers 41 are mounted on spindles 43 between the lugs 42 and each lever has a forked arm 44 carrying a roller 47 which engages a recess between rings 35, 36, and arms 45, 46 which engage the rollers 63, 64. The pressure plate 17 has sliding driving connection with the back plate 8 by means of studs 24 secured to the back plate at circumferentially spaced points. The pressure plate 17 also has sliding engagement with circumferentially spaced bolts 26 secured to the back plate, and springs 29, 30 maintain the pressure plate in the neutral position. A collar 60 secured to the sleeve 52 limits movement of the sleeve 55 away from the fly-wheel. In operation, initial movement of the throw-out collar 57 to the right causes the roller 64 to engage the arm 46 of the lever 41, thus turning the latter anticlockwise. This produces movement of the rings 33, 35, 36, 38 and pressure plate 17 to the left, and further movement of the throwout collar 57 causes the ring 35 to move away from rings 33, 36 compressing springs 37 and thus increasing the pressure between the clutch plate 12, fly-wheel surface 18 and pressure plate surface 19. Movement of collar 57 to the left causes engagement of the clutch plate 12 with the back plate surface 20 and pressure plate surface 21 in a similar manner. Lubricant may be supplied to the throw-out collar bearing 85 through the nipple 86, and ducts 88, 89, 91 are provided in the sleeve 55 for the passage of lubricant to the rollers 63, 64 and levers 41. In a modification, each of the rollers 63, 64 is made in three parts, the end two co-operating with the track surfaces 65, and the centre one for engagement with the lever 41.