CLUTCHES

CLUTCH
• Mechanical device used in transmission system of vehicle is to Engage or
Disengage the engine to transmission.

Automobile power transmission system

 Working & Principle
• Works on Principle of Friction

• Friction depends upon :-

» Area of surfaces

» Pressure applied

» Coefficient of friction of surface material

• Clutch is located b/w engine & transmission system.

• Clutch plate (Friction plate) connect & disconnect two rotating coaxial shafts.

• One is driving member (Flywheel mounted on engine shaft) & other is driven
member (pressure plate mounted on transmission shaft).
 Working & Principle
 When clutch is engaged :-

 Power flows from engine to rear wheels.

 When engine is moving.

 When clutch is disengaged :-

 When starting engine

 When shifting the gears

 When stopping the vehicle

 Idling the engine

• Note :- Pressure kept the clutch to engaged & when we press the pedal the pressure decreases & clutch
is disengaged.
 Requirements of Clutch
• It should transmit torque.

• Gradual engagement

• Heat dissipation

• It should be dynamically balanced

• It should damp the vibration to eliminate noise during power transmission

• It should be small in size, so occupy minimum space

• It should be easy to operate

• Free pedal play

• Lightness
 Components
• Primary components
• Flywheel
• Clutch disc
• Pressure plate
• Release (Throw out) bearing
• Secondary components
• Pilot bearing
• Release fork
• Slave cylinder
 Components
(Friction disk) splined to Pressure plate:- Bolted
transmission Input shaft to flywheel – Applies
the spring force to
clamp the friction disk
to the flywheel

(Bolted
to crank
Pushes T/O
shaft)
bearing to release
rotating clutch

Throw-out bearing allows to push on

rotating clutch fingers
Friction Disc

Torsional Springs
(Damp power impulses from crankshaft)
 Types of Clutch
Single plate clutch
• Friction clutch Multi-plate clutch Wet
Dry
Cone clutch External
Internal
• Centrifugal clutch
• Semi-centrifugal clutch Tapered finger type
• Conical spring or Diaphragm clutch Crown spring type
• Positive clutch Dog clutch
• Hydraulic clutch Spline clutch
• Electro-magnetic clutch
• Vacuum clutch
• Over-running or free-wheel unit clutch
 Single Plate Clutch
• Most commonly used in vehicles.

• Consist of one clutch plate (mounted on splines of clutch

plate), flywheel (Mounted on engine shaft) & pressure

plate(bolted to the flywheel through clutch spring)

• Friction lining is on both sides of the clutch plate.

• During engagement :-

– Clutch plate is gripped b/w flywheel & pressure

plate.

– Due to friction clutch plate revolves with flywheel

& therefore clutch shaft also revolves.

– Thus power is transmitted from crankshaft to

clutch shaft.

• When pedal is pressed :-

– Pressure plate moves back against force of springs.

– Clutch plate becomes free.

– Flywheel remains rotating & speed of clutch shaft

reduces & finally it stops.

 Multi-Plate Clutch
• It is consist of no. of clutch plates.

• Friction surface is increased which increases

capacity of clutch to transmit torque.

• In this clutch plates are alternatively fitted to

engine shaft & gear box shaft.

• These plates are pressed by strong coil springs &

assembled in a drum.

• These alternate plates slides in grooves on

flywheel & other slides on splines of pressure

plate.

• It may be DRY (operated dry) or WET (operated in

an oil bath).

• Used in heavy commercial vehicles, racing cars &

motor cycles for transmitting high torque.

Multi-Plate Clutch
 Cone Clutch
• Cone clutch have friction surfaces in form of cones on conical

portion.

• It consist of male & female cone

• Male cone is mounted on splined clutch shaft & it can slide on

it.

• Female cone is on engine shaft.

• When clutch is engaged, the friction surfaces of male cone

are in contact with female cone due to force of spring.

• When pedal is pressed, the male cone slides against force &

clutch is disengaged.

Advantages :-

• Normal force acting on friction surfaces is greater than axial

force. But in single plate both forces are equal.

Disadvantages :-

• Practically obsolete.

• Small wear on surface results axial movement of male cone

which is difficult to allow.

• If cone angle is smaller than 20°, the male cone tends to bind

in female cone & it is difficult to disengage.

 Centrifugal Clutch
• It uses centrifugal force instead of spring force for

keeping clutch engaged.

• Clutch pedal is not required.

• It operates automatically depending upon engine

speed.

• Vehicle can be stopped or started in gear by pressing

accelerator.

Working :-

• When engine speed increases wt. A pivoted at B fly-

off due to centrifugal force.

• It operates bell-crank lever, which presses plate C.

• Plate C presses spring E, which presses clutch plate D

on flywheel against spring G & keeps clutch engaged.

• Spring G keeps clutch disengaged at low speed (500

rpm).

• Stop H limits movement of wt. A.

 Semi-Centrifugal Clutch
• It uses centrifugal as well as spring force.

• Spring transmit torque at normal speed while centrifugal

force assist in transmitting torque at higher speed.

• It consist of 3 hinged & weighted levers & 3 clutch spring

alternately arranged at equal space on pressure plate.

• At normal speed spring keeps clutch engaged & at high

speed, the weight fly-off & lever also exert pressure on

plate to keep clutch engaged.

• An adjusting screw is provided by which centrifugal force

on the pressure plate can be adjusted.

 Diaphragm Clutch
• It consist of a diaphragm on conical spring which

produces pressure on the pressure plate for engaging

clutch.

•
 Diaphragm Clutch
Clutch Housing

Diaphragm Plate

Pressure Plate
Hydraulic Clutch
 Hydraulic Clutch
• It is operated similarly vacuum clutch.

• It is operated by oil pressure where as vacuum clutch is

operated by vacuum.

• It consist of cylinder with piston, control valve, pump,

accumulator & oil reservoir.

• Oil from the reservoir is pumped into the accumulator

tank.

• Tank is connected to the cylinder through control valve &

valve is electrically controlled by switch in gear lever.

• When driver hold the lever, pressurized oil enters into

cylinder from control valve.

• Due to oil pressure piston moves & causes clutch to

disengage.

• In normal condition control valve is closed & clutch is

engaged.
Electro-Magnetic Clutch
 Vacuum Clutch
• It is operated by vacuum existing in engine manifold.

• The mechanism consist of vacuum cylinder with piston,

solenoid operated valve, reservoir & a non-return valve.

• Reservoir is connected to engine manifold through a non-

return valve.

• Vacuum cylinder is connected to reservoir through

solenoid operated valve.

• Solenoid is operated from battery & circuit also

incorporates a switch which is placed in gear lever..

• Switch is operated when driver holds lever to change

gear.

• In normal operation, switch remains open & solenoid

operated valve remains at bottom position.

• In this position atm. Pr. is acting on both sides of piston of

vacuum cylinder.

• When driver holds lever to change gear, the switch is

closed, energizing solenoid which pulls the valve up.

Thank you