Abstract: A clutch driven plate (10) has a central hub member (11) with radially extending drive formations (19) which engage co-operating drive formations (23) on an outer annular disc member (12) carrying friction lining means (15a, 15b). The disc member has a radially inner peripheral portion (21) which is axially displaced relative to the remainder of the disc member and is connected thereto by an axially cranked portion (22) of the disc member, the cranked portion being provided with apertures/windows (23) which are engaged by the radially extending drive formations (19). Spring means (24, 25) carried by the disc member act to try to maintain the radially inner flange portion (21) in contact with one side of the radially extending drive formations (19) whilst allowing limited tipping of the disc member (12) and hence the friction lining means (15a, 15b) relative to the hub member (11) during use of the driven plate.

Abstract: A twin mass flywheel which has an input flywheel mass (11) arranged to be coupled to an engine, an output flywheel mass (12) arranged to be coupled to a drive-line, a main rolling bearing (14) for mounting the flywheel masses for relative rotation and having inner (14B) and outer (14A) race members with rolling bearing elements therebetween, and a torsional vibration damping means (17) acting between the masses to oppose relative rotation. At least one of the bearing races is located axially relative to one of the flywheel masses by an annular retaining member (25, 29) which is secured to said one flywheel mass and engages a circumferential groove (26, 30) in the bearing race. Other bearing retaining arrangements are disclosed including the use of tapering races.

Abstract: A constant lift device for a friction clutch s comprises a lever (80) pivotally connected to the pressure plate (13) of the clutch. An abutment (82) on the lever contacts the clutch cover (21) during disengagement to limit the lift of the pressure plate (13). The pivotal position of the lever (80) relative to the pressure plate is controlled to maintain the lift of the pressure plate (13) substantially constant over the life of the clutch. The means for controlling the pivotal position of the lever (80) includes a pin (51) mounted for sliding movement relative to the pressure plate (13). The pin (51) contacts the lever and is inhibited from sliding movement towards the flywheel to prevent pivotal movement of the lever towards the flywheel but is able to slide in a direction away from the flywheel as the clutch wears to adjust the angular position of the lever. Due to the lever ratio the pin (51) slides by an amount which is less than the amount of wear.

Abstract: A twin mass flywheel (10) in which first (11) and second (12) flywheel masses can rotate relative to each other about an axis (C) under the control of one or more connection means (50, 31, 41) whose center of gravity moves radially with respect to the rotation axis as the flywheel masses rotate relative to each other. The centripetal loads acting on the connection means (50, 31, 41) as the twin mass flywheel rotates, tend to bias the first and second flywheel masses towards a pre-determined relative rotational position to provide speed sensitive damping of the relative rotation. The connection means may take the form of a mass (50) which moves along a first track (31) associated with the first flywheel mass (11) and a torque transmitting connection acting between the mass (50) and the second flywheel mass (12) in the form of a second track (41) also followed by the mass (50). Numerous other forms of connection means are also disclosed some of which us links (570) in place of one of the tracks.

Abstract: A torsional vibration damper, for example a twin mass flywheel (10), has an input element (11) and an output element (12) which are relatively rotatable against the action of a damping means which includes a plurality of linkages (40). Each linkage includes a plurality of interconnected links (41, 42), at least one of which is flexible in an axial sense relative to the remainder of the damper to accommodate forces applied to the flexible link as a result of relative tilting of the damper elements (11, 12) during use of the damper. Various designs of generally radially extending flexible bob weight links (41) and additional connecting links (42) are disclosed.

Abstract: A torsional vibration damper comprising an input member for connection with a vehicle engine and an output member for connection with a vehicle transmission, the members being mounted for limited relative rotation about a common axis against a damping means comprising one or more circumferentially acting compression springs. Each spring acts between a first abutment formed as an integral part of the input member and a second abutment formed as an integral part of the output member. The damper may also include one or more elastomeric springs or blocks which are subjected to compression in end zones of the relative rotation of the input and output members. Other inventive features of the damper include support members for avoiding fouling of the elastomeric springs or blocks by the compression springs and the use of cantilevered pivot pins for the connection of bob-weight connecting linkages connected between the input and output members.

Abstract: A damping device (10) includes co-axially arranged first and second parts (11, 12) which can rotate relative to each other by a limited amount about an axis (15) of the damping device. The device also includes at least one linkage device (40A) comprising an anchor link (43) pivotally connected via a first pivot (44) to the first part (11) and having a torque transmitting connection (41A) with the second part (12). The linkage device (40A) acting to resist relative rotation of the first and second pars (11, 12). There is also provided a resilient means in the form of coil spring (66A) which acts generally circumferentially between the linkage device (40A) and the first part (11) to resist relative rotation of the first and second parts (11, 12).

Abstract: A clutch assembly (10) comprising a clutch cover (11), a pressure plate (12) mounted to the cover, a diaphragm spring (13) biasing the pressure plate away from the cover to engage the clutch, a lever (14) for releasing the clutch and a hydraulic slave cylinder (15) mounted on the cover via a support bearing (21) for movement of the lever to release the clutch. A vibration isolating member (29) such as a layer of polymeric material (29) on a race (22) of the support bearing (21) is provided between the support bearing and the slave cylinder. The race (22) of the support bearing (21) is connected to a piston (17) of the slave cylinder slidably received in an annular bore (19) in a housing (20) of the cylinder to define a working chamber (25). The housing (20) is connected with the lever (14) so that pressurization of the working chamber (25) axially displaces the housing to move the lever and disengage the clutch.

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.

Abstract: A power transmitting arrangement comprising a fluid coupling and, connected in parallel with the fluid coupling, a series arrangement of a clutch and at least one linkage arrangement (40), and upon engagement of the clutch the series arrangement directly connecting the fluid coupling input to the fluid coupling output. The linkage arrangement comprising at least an anchor link (42) mounted via a pivot (50) to the linkage arrangement input, a main link (41) mounted via a pivot to the linkage arrangement output (70). The anchor link and main link being connected together via a pivot so (60) that the linkage arrangement controls the relative rotation of the input and output of the power transmitting arrangement, when the clutch is engaged, as a result of centripetal forces acting on the links.

Abstract: A twin flywheel (210) comprising first (211) and second (212) co-axially arranged flywheel masses which are mounted for limited angular rotation relative to each other. The flywheel masses (211, 212) are interconnected by at least one linkage arrangement (240), comprising a multi-link linkage (240) having two or more circumferentially spaced main links (242, 251) pivotally mounted on the second flywheel masses with the or each circumferentially adjacent pair of main links interconnect via a generally circumferentially extending connecting linkage, and an anchor link (242) which connects the multi-linkage (240) with the first flywheel mass. Relative rotation of the flywheel masses (211, 212) causes the multi-link linkage (240) to be pivoted relative to the second flywheel mass by the anchor link, so that when the twin mass flywheel is rotating, relative rotation of the flywheel masses (211, 212) is resisted by centripetal forces acting on the linkage arrangement.

Abstract: An automatically adjusting clutch (10) in which a pressure plate (13) is biased axially towards a flywheel (11) by a main clutch engaging spring (12) to clamp a driven plate between the pressure plate and flywheel to engage the clutch. A first part (30) of the pressure plate is moveable by an adjuster relative to a second part in the form of a pivot ring (40) of the pressure plate to increase the effective axial thickness of the pressure plate to compensate for the wear of the driven plate. The adjuster having an array of adjuster teeth (44) which are disposed circumferentially around the pivot ring (40) and one or more pawls (60) which move relative to and in contact with the array as the pressure plate moves relative to the flywheel.

Abstract: Three forms of control mechanism are disclosed for controlling the biassing load exerted on the valve members of each pressure regulator of a liquid pressure braking system which includes one such pressure regulator for controlling the brake pressure on a rear wheel on one side of the vehicle and another such pressure regulator for controlling the brake pressure on the other side of the vehicle.

Abstract: A liquid pressure braking system for a vehicle has a master cylinder which is connected to the brake operating motor cylinder on each wheel of the vehicle through a respective pressure control valve. Each pressure control valve is operated by a plunger which is linked to the suspension of the respective wheel by a respective torsion bar. Each torsion bar exerts a biassing load on the respective plunger which varies with the load supported by the respective wheel and which acts upon that plunger to open that valve. The action of the biassing load on each plunger is opposed by the loading on that plunger due to liquid pressure in the respective motor cylinder. A compression spring acts on the plunger of each pressure control valve which controls liquid pressure fed to the motor cylinders that operate the front wheel brakes so that those two valves are held open for all straight ahead braking.

Abstract: Individual load-sensitive reducing valves for the rear wheels of a motor vehicle each have a spring connection to each rear wheel. The spring connection to the wheel whose braking is controlled by a particular valve provides an increase in biassing load on the valve which is at a high rate with respect to upward movement of that wheel relative to the vehicle body whereas the spring connection to the other wheel provides a decrease in biassing load which is at a low rate with respect to upward movement of that other wheel relative to the vehicle body. The arrangement compensates for differences between the bounce rates and roll rates of the rear suspension.

Abstract: A motor vehicle with conventional spring suspension has a valve which is connected to the suspension on either side of the vehicle through springs so that when the vehicle rolls during cornering the valve is biassed in one direction or the other. The valve controls braking to the front wheels of the vehicle so that in a corner the inboard wheel is braked less than the outboard wheel.

Abstract: A valve device for use in liquid pressure vehicle braking systems to control rear brake pressure comprises a plunger in a cavity in a housing, the cavity being closed at one end. The plunger has a land which slides within a portion of the cavity. The area of the plunger that is exposed to liquid pressure at the closed end of the cavity is greater than the area of the plunger that is exposed to liquid pressure on the other side of the land. A passage through the land is inclined to the axis of the plunger. A valve unseating pin in the inclined passage co-operates with a frusto-conical surface of the cavity to unseat a ball in the inclined passage. A biassing spring surges the plunger towards the closed end of the cavity against the action upon the plunger of rear brake pressure which acts upon the larger presented area portion of the plunger. Liquid pressure is transmitted from the master cylinder to the rear brake operating motor cylinders when the ball is unseated and not when the ball is seated.