Patents Assigned to Leamington Spa
  • Patent number: 6109413
    Abstract: A friction clutch having a clutch cover assembly (20) including a cover (21) attached to a flywheel (11) with at least one spring (12) acting on a pressure plate (13) to force a driven plate (15) into frictional engagement with the flywheel. The clutch also includes a number of lift straps (14) acting to move the pressure plate (13) away from the driven plate (15) when the clutch is disengaged and also includes at least one constant lift mechanism (50) which ensures that the pressure plate moves away from the driven plate by substantially the same amount during each full disengagement operation of the clutch. The constant lift mechanism includes a sensing device (55) acting to sense wear of the driven plate (15) by contact with the flywheel (11), a pin (51) fixed relative to the pressure plate (13), a stop device (56) acting to restrict the lift movement of the pressure plate, and a one-way locking device (60) acting on the pin which allows one way movement of the stop device when driven plate wear occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignees: Automotive Products, PLC, Leamington Spa
    Inventor: Alastair John Young