Automotive Products, Inc.

Automotive Products France, Sa

Richard D Cooke

Anthony John Curtis

Robert John Murphy

John Francis Fitzpatrick-Ellis

Stuart John Sleath

Benjamin Chetwood Struve

Peter Webster

Charles Higginbottom

A twin mass flywheel for a vehicle comprising two coaxially arranged relatively rotatable masses interconnected by a plurality of pivotal linkages. Each linkage comprises a first link pivotally connected to one flywheel mass, a second link pivotally connected to the other flywheel mass and a pivot joining the links to move radially outwardly. A resilient torque member in each common pivot operable after a predetermined rotation between the flywheel masses to resist said relative rotation. A variable hysteresis friction damping assembly, whose resistance to relative rotation changes as the relative angle of rotation is altered, acts between the flywheel masses. The damping assembly can be provided by two friction damping plates which operate at different stages of rotation. The relative rotation may be limited by a stop member on at least one of the flywheel masses which abuts an abutment surface on the other flywheel mass. The abutment surface can be resilient for cushioning abutment by the stop member.

Twin mass flywheel

A twin mass flywheel (10) in which two co-axially arranged flywheel masses (11,12) are mounted for limited angular rotation relative to each other and a plurality of pivotal linkages (40) interconnect the two flywheel masses. Each linkage comprises a first link (41) pivotally connected (43) to one (12) of the flywheel masses, a second link (42) pivotally connected (44) to the other (11) of the flywheel masses, and a pivot (45) for pivotally connecting the first and second links. A resilient member in the form of an elastomeric torsion unit (46) or spring (36) is associated with the pivotal connection (44) of at least one link (42) with its associated flywheel (11) for controlling the relative rotation of said flywheel masses (11, 12).

A twin mass flywheel for a vehicle comprising two co-axially arranged relatively rotatable masses interconnected by a plurality of pivotal linkages. Each linkage comprises a first link pivotally connected to one flywheel mass, a second link pivotally connected to the other flywheel mass and a pivot joining the links to move radially outwardly. A resilient torque member in each common pivot operable after a predetermined rotation between the flywheel masses to resist said relative rotation. A variable hysteresis friction damping assembly, whose resistance to relative rotation changes as the relative angle of rotation is altered, acts between the flywheel masses. The damping assembly can be provided by two friction damping plates which operate at different stages of rotation. The relative rotation may be limited by a stop member on at least one of the flywheel masses which abuts an abutment surface on the other flywheel mass. The abutment surface can be resilient for cushioning abutment by the stop member.

Friction facing and carrier assembly

A friction clutch assembly for an internal combustion engine and which includes a flywheel, a driven plate, a coaxial annular clutch cover assembly including a spring urging a pressure plate towards the flywheel to clamp the driven plate therebetween. The clutch assembly is attachable to the vehicle crankshaft via an intermediate plate which transmits the torque load from the crankshaft to the flywheel. A clutch release cylinder is mounted on the cover and is operable to relieve the clamp load acting on the driven plate.

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Warwick, United Kingdom

Richard D Cooke