Self-adjusting friction clutch

An engageable and disengageable friction clutch having assembled and non-assembled conditions and comprising a housing rotatable about a predetermined axis;

• a pressure plate rotatable with and having limited freedom of axial movement relative to said housing;
• a counterpressure plate rotatable with said housing in the assembled condition of the clutch;
• at least one diaphragm spring tiltably supported by said housing and arranged to bias said pressure plate axially against a clutch disc which is disposed between said plates in the assembled condition of the clutch, said at least one diaphragm spring including an annular main portion and clutch actuating projections extending from said main portion substantially radially inwardly toward said axis;
• and means for limiting the extent of tiltability of said at least one diaphragm spring, including at least one movement limiting abutment which is engaged by at least one of said projections in the disengaged condition of the clutch, said projections having radially inner portions and said abutment being contacted by said at least one projection at least close to the respective radially inner portion in the disengaged condition of the clutch.

An engageable and disengageable friction clutch having assembled and non-assembled conditions and comprising a counterpressure plate rotatable about a predetermined axis;

• a pressure plate rotatable with and movable relative to said counterpressure plate in the direction of said axis in the assembled condition of the clutch;
• at least one diaphragm spring arranged to bias said pressure plate toward said counterpressure plate and to thus clamp a clutch disc between said plates in the engaged and assembled conditions of the clutch, said clutch disc having friction linings which are subject to wear in response to repeated engagement and disengagement of the clutch;
• adjusting means arranged to compensate for wear at least upon said friction linings, including means for effecting an at least substantially constant bias of said at least on e diaphragm spring upon said pressure plate;
• mobile actuating means for engaging and disengaging the clutch;
• a mobile disengaging member arranged to move said actuating means in the general direction of said axis, said adjusting means including means for moving said disengaging member to an extent which is a function of the extent of wear at least upon said friction linings and said at least one diaphragm spring having a characteristic force curve including a first portion indicative of a decreasing force and having a minimum and a second portion adjacent said first portion and indicative of an increasing force, the clutch being disengaged when said force decreases toward said minimum and said adjusting means including a resilient sensor tiltably mounting said at least one diaphragm spring on and biasing said at least one diaphragm spring against a rotary housing of the clutch in the direction of said axis, said sensor being arranged to yield when the force of said at least one diaphragm spring exceeds said minimum and reaches a predetermined value;
• and means for limiting the movements of at least one of said actuating means and said disengaging member before said force exceeds said predetermined value.

An engageable and disengageable friction clutch having assembled and non-assembled conditions and comprising a housing rotatable about a predetermined axis;

• a pressure plate rotatable with and movable within limits axially of said housing;
• a rotary counterpressure plate connected with said housing in the assembled condition of the clutch;
• at least one clutch spring arranged to bias said pressure plate toward said counterpressure plate to thus clamp friction linings of a clutch disc between said plates in the engaged and assembled conditions of the clutch;
• mobile actuating means operable to engage and disengage the clutch;
• means for limiting the movement of said actuating means in a direction to disengage the clutch, said limiting means being provided on said housing;
• means for operating said actuating means to disengage the clutch, said operating means including means for applying to said actuating means a variable clutch disengaging force and means for limiting the magnitude of said clutch disengaging force;
• and adjusting means for automatically compensating for wear at least upon said friction linings to thus effect the application of an at least substantially unchanging bias of said at least one clutch spring upon said pressure plate.

An engageable and disengageable friction clutch having assembled and non-assembled conditions and comprising a housing rotatable about a predetermined axis;

• a pressure plate rotatable with and movable within limits axially of said housing;
• at least one diaphragm spring disposed between said housing and said pressure plate and having first and second sides respectively facing said housing and said pressure plate;
• a seat assembly carried at least in part by said housing and tiltably mounting said at least one diaphragm spring, said seat assembly having first and second seats respectively adjacent said first and second sides of said at least one diaphragm spring;
• a counterpressure plate rotatable with said housing in the assembled condition of the clutch, said diaphragm spring being arranged to bias said plates axially against friction linings provided on a clutch disc which is disposed between said plates in the assembled condition of the clutch so that said plates can transmit torque to and can receive torque from said clutch disc in the engaged condition of the clutch, said friction linings being subject to wear in response to repeated engagement and disengagement of the clutch;
• adjusting means for automatically compensating for the wear at least upon said friction linings, including means for moving said first seat and said at least one diaphragm spring away from said housing substantially in the direction of said axis;
• and means for biasing said at least one diaphragm spring against said first seat with a force having a magnitude which is a function of the rotational speed of said housing.

An engageable and disengageable friction clutch having assembled and non-assembled conditions and comprising a housing rotatable about a predetermined axis;

• a pressure plate rotatable with and movable within limits axially of said housing;
• a counterpressure plate arranged to rotate with said housing in the assembled condition of the clutch;
• at least one clutch spring operating between said housing and said pressure plate to clamp friction linings of a clutch disc between said plates in the assembled and engaged conditions of the clutch, said friction linings being subject to wear in response to repeated engagement and disengagement of the clutch;
• adjusting means for compensating for wear at least upon said friction linings, said adjusting means having a starting condition prior to assembly of the clutch and being arranged to effect an at least substantially constant biasing of said pressure plate by said at least one clutch spring during a useful life of the clutch;
• mobile actuating means for engaging and disengaging the clutch;
• and securing means for maintaining said adjusting means in said starting condition prior to assembly of the clutch, said adjusting means comprising a rotary annular member and said securing means comprising means for holding said annular member against rotation at least prior to assembly of the clutch.

An engageable and disengageable friction clutch having assembled and non-assembled conditions and comprising a housing rotatable about a predetermined axis;

• a pressure plate rotatable with and movable within limits axially of said housing;
• a rotary counterpressure plate connected with said housing in the assembled condition of the clutch;
• at least one clutch spring arranged to bias said pressure plate toward said counterpressure plate to thus clamp friction linings of a clutch disc between said plates in the engaged and assembled conditions of the clutch;
• actuating means operable to engage and disengage the clutch;
• and means for operating said actuating means to disengage the clutch, said operating means including means for applying to said actuating means a variable clutch disengaging force and means for limiting the magnitude of said clutch disengagin force, said limiting means including a buffer.