Importance

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Abstract

A clutch for an automotive vehicle has a driving member which is connected to the crankshaft of the vehicle engine, and a driven member which is keyed, by means of a spline, to the input shaft of the vehicle transmission, there being a spring at the end of the shaft for urging the second member toward the transmission. The first member includes a mounting ring and an end ring, as well as posts extended between the two rings. The end ring contains cutouts arranged in two rows around the shaft and a groove separating the rows. The second member has a hub against which the spring bears and a larger transfer ring at one end of the hub. The transfer ring in turn has lugs arranged in two rows around its periphery, and these lugs are configured to slide into the cutouts in the end ring of the driving member under the force exerted by the spring. Located around the hub of the driven member is a stack of first and second clutch plates arranged alternately between the mounting ring of the driving member and the transfer ring of the second member. The first clutch plates are keyed to the posts of the first member, whereas the second clutch plate is keyed to a spline on the hub of the driven member. The clutch has two engaged conditions and a single disengaged condition. In the first engaged position the lugs are in the cutouts; in the second engaged position the plates are compressed tightly together; and in the disengaged position the lugs are withdrawn from the cutouts and the plates slip with respect to each other.

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First Claim