GB939720A - Friction plate clutch - Google Patents

Abstract

939,720. Friction clutches. TWIN DISC CLUTCH CO. Aug. 30, 1962, No. 33336/62. Class 80 (2). A friction clutch comprises a pair of annular plates having a plurality of diverging non- radial grooves in their opposing faces, the centre-lines of the grooves being straight, and means for continuously supplying a radial flow of cooling fluid through the grooves which are constricted at their delivery ends. A driving clutch plate 11 is splined to a driving member 10 freely rotatable on a driven shaft 17 to which a hub 16, having an integral abutment plate 19 is keyed. Driven clutch plates 14 are splined to the hub 16 and may be urged into contact with the driving plates 11 by an hydraulic cylinder 20 pressurized through a drilling 31 in the shaft 17. The clutch is released by springs 34 acting on pins 36 abutting the cylinder 20. Cooling fluid is supplied through ducts 37, 38, 39, 41 to the inner peripheries of the clutch plates which have sintered friction surfaces formed with diverging grooves 42 having centre lines 45 tangential to a circle 46 concentric with the disc. The outer ends of the grooves are reduced in area by a constriction 44 which may be moulded when the linings 12 are sintered. A radially grooved plate may co-operate with a plate according to the invention and in all cases the mutual contact area of the lands between the grooves should lie between 25 and 66% of the swept area, the width of the land at the outer periphery being not more than 1.5 times the width at the inner periphery.