Fichtel & Sachs Ag

Chrysler Corporation

Sachs Automotive of America

Gerda Rudolph

Heiko Schulz-Andres

Peter Doll

Joseph L Bair

Edwin Murray

Michael Grosse-Erdmann

Reinhold Weidinger

Richard G Reed, Jr

David G Buckingham

Barrie G Craft

Edwin R Murray

George S Traub

Michael B Grosse Erdmann

George Traub

The invention relates to a transmission device which is located between the crankshaft of an engine and a clutch and is designed with a flexible plate in contact with the crankshaft, and which can be connected to the flexible plate by means of connecting elements which are engaged from the crankshaft side via the flexible plate in a fastening element of the clutch and have a retaining part for the flexible plate, so that the installation of the fastening element and the flexible plate can be performed as quickly as possible and without causing any damage. For this purpose, the connecting elements with their retaining parts for the installation of the flexible plate project from the fastening element by a distance which exceeds the thickness of the flexible plate. The flexible plate is provided with through holes for the connecting elements, adjacent to each of which there is a corresponding guide slot running in the direction of movement relative to the installation motion of the fastening element relative to the flexible plate, whereby the width of the guide slot perpendicular to its longitudinal direction is approximately equal to the cross section of the connecting means which the latter have in the area where they pass through the flexible plate.

Transmission device for a motor vehicle

A friction clutch/flywheel assembly includes a flywheel with a predetermined diametral area designed to hold a preferably cylindrical wall of a basin-shaped clutch housing, so that the clutch housing does not rotate and is also secured against axial movement with respect to the flywheel. The assembly is designed so that there is a clamping device allocated to at least one of the flywheel or the clutch housing, which clamping device is designed to be located in the contact area between the cylindrical wall of the clutch housing and the predetermined diametral area of the flywheel. By means of this clamping device, the flywheel and clutch housing can be held in a non-positive connection with one another.

Friction clutch with a flywheel

A manual transmission modular clutch assembly has a flywheel, pressure plate and interposed clutch plate mounted in a cover that is adapted to be connected to an engine crankshaft and wherein separate spring-torque straps connect the pressure plate and the flywheel to the cover for rotation therewith. At assembly the flywheel is positioned against the force of its spring-torque straps by travel limit pins that are retained on the cover, press fitted in the flywheel and contact with the pressure plate when in its clutch engaging position. A diaphragm spring normally clamps the pressure plate, clutch plate and flywheel together and is adapted to be connected to a clutch pedal to release the clutch. As wear occurs, the pressure plate is allowed to move further in the direction of the flywheel and forces the flywheel travel limit pins to move in their press fit by the same amount. This relocates the limit pins relative to the cover by the same amount so that when the clutch is released the flywheel is allowed to be moved by its spring-torque straps toward the pressure plate by a corresponding amount. A pair of rings having opposing contacting ramps are interposed between the cover and flywheel and are spring biased to expand apart by ramp action during clutch release and provide a wedge that holds the flywheel against the force of the diaphragm spring during clutch engagement following movement of the flywheel to adjust for wear. The flywheel travel limit pins also provide for setting the clutch apply load to a desired value at clutch assembly and this is maintained by the wear adjustment.

Motor vehicle manual transmission modular clutch assembly

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Gerda Rudolph