Torsion damping assembly for use with clutches in motor vehicles

A torsion damping assembly for taking up and compensating for fluctuations of torque which is transmitted between the internal combustion engine and the clutch in a motor vehicle, comprising a plurality of flywheels including a first flywheel arranged to receive torque for the engine and a coaxial second flywheel arranged to transmit torque to the clutch, said first and second flywheels being rotatable relative to each other;

• first and second damper means interposed between and arranged to yieldably oppose angular movements of said first and second flywheels relative to each other, said first and second damper means respectively comprising a first and a second pair of discs which are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction of said first and second flywheels, the discs of said first pair being distinct from said flywheels and being arranged to share the angular movements of one of said first and second flywheels and the discs of said second pair being distinct from said flywheels and being arranged to share the angular movements of the other of said fist and second flywheels, the discs of one of said pairs being disposed at least in part inwardly of the discs of the other of said pairs in the radial direction of said first and second flywheels;
• and means for connecting said first and second damper means in series, comprising a disc-shaped torque transmitting component disposed axially between the discs of said first and second pairs, said component being turnable with reference to each of said first and second flywheels and said first damper means further comprising first energy storing means interposed between said component and said one flywheel by way of the discs of said first pair, said second damper means further comprising second energy storing means interposed between said component and said other flywheel by way of the discs of said second pair.