Light weight clutch assembly

A centrifugal clutch assembly, comprising:

• a cover adapted for connecting to a driving member, said cover extending along a central axis;
• a pressure plate coaxially mounted on the cover for axial movement relative to the cover;
• a friction disc adapted for connection to a driven member, said friction disc being coaxially mounted adjacent the pressure plate;
• a lever support mounted on the pressure plate, said lever support having a hardness greater than the pressure plate;
• a lever pivotally mounted on the lever support and reacting against the cover to move the pressure plate into and out of engagement with the friction disc;
• wherein the cover has an opening through which the lever extends, and the clutch assembly further comprises a liner at least partially surrounding the opening and having a hardness greater than the cover.

A centrifugal clutch assembly, comprising:

• a cover adapted for connecting to a driving member, said cover extending along a central axis;
• a pressure plate coaxially mounted on the cover for axial movement relative to the cover;
• a friction disc adapted for connection to a driven member, said friction disc being coaxially mounted adjacent the pressure plate;
• a lever support mounted on the pressure plate, said lever support having a hardness greater than the pressure plate;
• a lever pivotally mounted on the lever support and reacting against the cover to move the pressure plate into and out of engagement with the friction disc;
• wherein the cover has an opening through which the lever extends, and the clutch assembly further comprises a liner at least partially surrounding the opening and having a bending strength greater than the cover where the liner surrounds the opening.

A centrifugal clutch assembly, comprising:

• a cover adapted for connecting to a driving member, said cover extending along a central axis and having an opening therein;
• a pressure plate coaxially mounted on the cover for axial movement relative to the cover, said pressure plate having a lever support extending therefrom;
• a friction disc adapted for connection to a driven member, said friction disc being coaxially mounted adjacent the pressure plate;
• a lever extending through the opening in the cover, said lever pivotally mounted on the lever support of the pressure plate and reacting against the cover to move the pressure plate into and out of engagement with the friction disc;
• opposing pillars mounted on opposite sides of the opening in the cover;
• a strap bridging the pillars and spanning the opening in the cover;
• and
• a pressure pin fastened to the strap and pivotally connected to the lever.

A centrifugal clutch assembly, comprising:

• a cover adapted for connecting to a driving member, said cover extending along a central axis;
• a pressure plate coaxially mounted on the cover for axial movement relative to the cover;
• a friction disc adapted for connection to a driven member, said friction disc being coaxially mounted adjacent the pressure plate;
• a lever support mounted on the pressure plate;
• a lever pivotally mounted on the lever support and reacting against the cover to move the pressure plate into and out of engagement with the friction disc;
• wherein the cover has an opening through which the lever extends, and the clutch assembly further comprises a liner at least partially surrounding the opening.