Dana Corporation

Wendell C Lane

William H Sink

A plate locating apparatus for a multiple disc clutch provides a mechanism for axially locating a plurality of intermediate plates relative to the discs interleaved therebetween, and thus insures that the respective intermediate plates and discs will be separated whenever the clutch is disengaged, for example, during the idling of an associated vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus is defined by an axially extending rod affixed to the clutch cover, the rod extending through concentrically aligned apertures in the intermediate plates. A plurality of cylindrical sleeves are piloted on the rod, each sleeve extending through the aperture of one intermediate plate. Each sleeve contains abutment means at opposite ends thereof which are disposed for contacting the respective sides of an associated intermediate plate. A one-way frictional gripping mechanism is provided on the internal bore of each sleeve to prevent movement of the sleeve in one direction along the rod, but to otherwise permit the sleeve to move along the rod in the opposite direction.

Plate locating apparatus for multiple disc clutch

Apparatus for driving a clutch plate includes a drive pin comprising a shank and a drive head rotatably mounted thereon. In a preferred embodiment, an intermediate clutch plate of a two-plate heavy duty clutch is axially but non-rotatably movable with respect to the clutch flywheel. The flywheel contains an axially extending annular flange from which the aforesaid shank fixedly extends radially inwardly. The drive head, rotatably mounted thereon, is disposed within a recess of the clutch plate for driving engagement of the plate. The apparatus provides a self-aligning clutch plate drive system which substantially minimizes the declutching failures experienced in conventional non-self-aligning drive systems. A friction member resiliently holds the drive head to the drive pin shank for ease of handling and installation of the apparatus. Typically, clutch plate drive recesses comprise slots having radially extending walls positioned parallel to the clutch plate axis of rotation. An alternate preferred embodiment of the clutch plate recess utilized herein comprises radially extending walls angularly offset from said axis.

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Kendallville, IN, United States of America

Wendell C Lane