Progressively acting friction disk suitable for automobile vehicle clutches

摘要

A friction disk comprises circumferentially distributed support vanes and two annular friction facing members at its periphery, one on each side of the support vanes. Each friction facing member is axially fastened to the support vanes but axially mobile relative to the other friction facing member. Each support vane comprises a sheet metal member which is bent in an inoperative configuration with the friction facing members moved apart from one another. This sheet metal member features a circumferential succession of bends delimiting a circumferential succession of bearing surfaces alternately for one of the friction facing members and for the other. The friction facing members comprise bearing areas which cooperate with these bearing surfaces and recesses between these bearing areas axially recessed relative to the bearing areas. In this way the part of the sheet metal member constituting each of the support vanes located between the bearing surface for one of the friction facing members and the bearing surface for the other such member is caused to bend in the opposite direction when the friction facing members are moved towards one another.