Diaphragm clutch for motor vehicle - uses jointing ring to clamp diaphragm onto cover plate and separate tabs to locate ring in radial and axial directions

摘要

The diaphragm automobile clutch uses a cover plate (10) to locate the diaphragm (11) and the axially mobile pressure plate (14) in relation to the flywheel (17) and the friction plate (18). The diaphragm comprises radial fingers (13) cantilevering internally from an annular Belleville spring (12), being clipped to the cover plate by a jointing ring (31). Opposed undulations (25,32) in the plate and ring (31) grip the diaphragm whilst forming a ring fulcrum. Separate cantilever tabs (26,35) at intervals on an intermediate circle support ring (31) radially fix its axial position respectively. The tabs may cantilever from the plate or ring, and the tab (26) may pass through an opening (28) in the root of a finger (13).