Friction Clutches

A clutch enables two co-axial shafts to be

engaged or disengaged while at rest or in
relative motion.
Types of Friction Clutches

1. Disc or plate clutches

2. Cone clutches
3. Centrifugal clutches
Flat-plate friction clutches
Friction
springs
plate
W W (axial thrust)
Driving T
shaft
T Driven
shaft
Friction
Pressure lining
plates
Single-plate Friction Clutch (Disengaged position)
Flat-plate friction clutches
Friction plate springs
W W (axial
Driving thrust)
T
shaft
T Driven
shaft
Pressure Friction
plates lining
Single-plate Friction Clutch (Engaged position)
 Pilot bushing or bearing in center
of flywheel or crankshaft, supports
the end of input shaft

(friction disk) splined to transmission

Input shaft

(throw-out bearing
T/O bearing) allows
to push on rotating
clutch fingers

Bolted to Crank

Bolted to flywheel - Applies

the spring force to clamp the (clutch fork) pushes
friction disk to the flywheel T/O bearing to release
rotating clutch
Multi plate clutch
Pressure plates

1 2 3 4 5 6

driver driven

No. of driving
pairs n = 6 Friction plates
Cone clutch
= semi-apex angle of
the cone

Only one pair of driving
surfaces is possible, n =1
w
Driving Driven
shaft shaft
Friction
lining
 Centrifugal clutch F=mr2

P
Driven
shaft

Driving
shaft R
Friction lining

Total friction torque , T = nR(F-P)

Inside a Torque Converter