Plate separator

In a clutch having a pair of outer friction plates supported on a first member of said clutch for bodily shiftable movement along an axis of said clutch, an inner friction plate between said outer friction plates supported on a second member of said clutch rotatable on said axis relative to said first member, said inner friction plate cooperating with said outer friction plates in defining an outer annulus around said axis, and pressure means selectively operable to compress and clamp said inner friction plate between said outer friction plates thereby to rigidly connect said first and said second members, a unitary plate separator in said annulus comprising, a circular spine extending 360.degree. around said axis and disposed in a transverse plane perpendicular thereto, means defining a first bifurcation integral with said spine and projecting to one side of said transverse plane, means defining a second bifurcation integral with said spine and projecting to the other side of said transverse plane, each of said bifurcations having an end engageable by an adjacent one of said outer friction plates when said pressure means clamps said inner friction plate between said outer friction plates whereby said bifurcations are resiliently flexed generally at their junctures with said spine, each of said bifurcations thereafter unflexing to space apart said outer friction plates a distance exceeding the thickness of said inner friction plate, means defining a radially extending tab on said plate separator integral with said spine, and slot means on said first member operative to slidably receive said tab whereby relative rotation between said plate separator and said first member is foreclosed.