Frictional clutch assembly

In a frictional clutch assembly comprising a driving member (5) rotatable about an axis (19) and having a driving member engagement face,

• a clutch housing (4) fixed to said driving member (5) for common rotation therewith,
• a pressure plate (2) located axially between said driving member engagement face and said clutch housing (4), said pressure plate (2) being fixed for common rotation with said clutch housing (4), being axially movable with respect to said driving member (5) and having a pressure plate engagement face opposite to said driving member engagement face,
• a clutch disc unit (10) having a first counter engagement face for axially engaging said driving member engagement face and a second counter engagement face for axially engaging said pressure plate engagement face, for axially engaging said pressure plate engagement face,
• an annular diaphragm spring (1) about said axis having a radially outer edge, a radially inner edge, an annular support area about said axis supported by said clutch housing (4), an annular pressure plate engagement area about said axis acting upon said pressure plate (2) for urging said pressure plate (2) towards said driving member engagement face and an annular release unit engagement area about said axis for being engaged by a clutch release unit (9) in view of lifting said annular pressure plate engagement area from said pressure plate, said release unit engagement area being adjacent the radially inner edge of said annular diaphragm spring (1), said annular diaphragm spring (1) being provided with radially extending slots extending radially outward from said radially inner edge, said radially extending slots defining radially inwardly extending tongues (11, 12) therebetween,
• the improvement comprising
• a first group of tongues (11) being deflected relative to a second group of tongues (12) at least adjacent their respective radially inner ends, an annular spacer assembly (13) being positioned axially between said first group of tongues (11) and said second group of tongues (12), said annular spacer assembly (13) comprises a first spacer ring member (13) located adjacent said release unit engagement area, a second spacer ring member (15) is located radially outwardly of said first spacer ring member (13).