Power transmitting apparatus

A power transmitting apparatus for transmitting or cutting-off a rotational driving power from or to an input member to or from an output member by press-contacting or releasing driving-side clutch discs and driven-side clutch discs to or from each other, the power transmitting apparatus comprising:

• a clutch housing rotatable together with the input member, wherein the plurality of driving-side clutch discs are mounted on the clutch housing and the plurality of driven-side clutch discs are interleaved with the driving-side clutch discs;
• a clutch member connected to the output member;
• a pressure member mounted on the clutch member and axially movably relative to the clutch member to press-contact the driving-side clutch discs and the driven-side clutch discs to each other and to release a press-contacting force acting on the driving-side clutch discs and on the driven-side clutch discs in accordance with movement of the pressure member relative to the clutch member;
• weight members arranged in radially extending grooves formed on the clutch housing, the weight members configured to press-contact the driving-side clutch discs and the driven-side clutch discs according to movement of the weight members from radially inward positions to radially outward positions in response to a centrifugal force due to rotation of the clutch housing;
• an actuating member configured to move the pressure member in a direction to release the press-contacting force between the driving-side clutch discs and driven-side clutch discs, wherein the actuating member comprises an annular member having a central bore and at least one radially extending protrusion configured to abut a stopper on a top side of the radially extending protrusion and abut a spring on a bottom side of the radially extending protrusion, and wherein the central bore is configured to be engaged by an operating device;
• interlocking members interlocking with a motion of the weight members from radially inward positions to radially outward positions and movable toward the pressure member;
• and
• elastic members interposed between the interlocking members and the pressure member, the elastic member configured to move the pressure member toward a direction so as to press-contact the driving-side clutch discs and the driven-side clutch discs by urging the pressure member according to the movement of the interlocking members, the elastic members configured to absorb an urging force of the pressure member applied to interlocking members when the actuating member is operated.