Lecture 1

Dry Friction Clutches-Theory and Analysis
Plate Clutches
Cone Clutches
Centrifugal Clutches
-Ms. Norhaslina binti Abdul Aziz-
Khurmi, R. et al. (2005); Theory of Machines, 14th ed. S. Chand &

Co. Ltd
K Newton, W Steeds and T K Garrett, (1983) The Motor Vehicle
10th Edition, ELBS / Butterworths
J Hannah and RC Stephens (1987) Mechanics of Machines,
Butterworth-Heinemann
Yan, Hong-Sen, (2005) Mechanisms, Tung Hua Book Co., Ltd
No.
Assessment
Weightage
1.
Quiz
5%
2.
Assignment
15%
3.
Test
20%
4.
Final Examination
60%
Be in a class ON TIME, ready to learn

In the classroom, not the hallways
NOT SLEEPY
Have: CALCULATOR, pencil, PAPER,
PEN
REVIEWED NOTES & material from last
class
TURN OFF mobile phones
Mobile phones cannot be used as a
calculators
DO NOT:
Enter after the lecture has begun
Leave until the lecture is complete
DO:
Participate in-class examples
Ask questions when needed
A friction clutch has its principal application in the
transmission of power of shafts and machines

which must be started and stopped frequently.
In automobiles, friction clutch is used to connect
the engine to the driven shaft.
The proper alignment of the bearing must be
maintained and it should be located as close to
the clutch as possible.
It may be noted that:

The contact surfaces should develop a frictional force
that may pick up and hold the load with reasonably low
pressure between the contact surfaces.
The heat of friction should be rapidly dissipated and
tendency to grab should be at a minimum.
The surfaces should be backed by a material stiff
enough to ensure a reasonably uniform distribution of
pressure.
The friction clutches of the following types are important
from the subject point of view :
1. Disc or plate clutches (single disc or multiple disc
clutch),
2. Cone clutches, and
3. Centrifugal clutches.
A single disc or plate clutch

consists of a clutch plate whose
both sides are faced with a friction
material (usually of Ferrodo).
Mounted on the hub which: free to
move axially along the splines of
the driven shaft.
pressure
plate
is mounted
The
The pressure
plate
pushes
the clutch plate towards the flywheel
inside
the
clutch
body.
by a set of strong springs.
The three levers (also known as release levers or fingers) are
carried on pivots suspended from the case of the body.
The bearing is mounted upon a forked shaft and moves forward
when the clutch pedal is pressed.
When the clutch pedal is pressed down, its linkage forces the
thrust release bearing to move in towards the flywheel and
pressing the longer ends of the levers inward.
The levers are forced to turn on their suspended
pivot and the pressure plate moves away from the

flywheel by the knife edges, thereby compressing
the clutch springs.
This action removes the pressure from the clutch
plate.
On the other hand, when the foot is taken off from
the clutch pedal, the thrust bearing moves back by
the levers.
This allows the springs to extend and thus the
pressure plate pushes the clutch plate back towards
the flywheel.
Figure 1: Forces on a single disc or plate

clutch
Now consider two friction surfaces, maintained in contact by an axial thrust
W, as shown in Fig. 1.
We shall now consider the following two cases :

1. When there is a uniform pressure, and
2. When there is a uniform wear.
Considering Uniform Pressure

The intensity of Pressure:
W = Axial thrust with which the contact or friction

surfaces are held together.
Frictional torque on the elementary ring of radius r
and thickness dr is
Total frictional torque acting on the friction surface
or on the clutch,
Substituting the value of p
Considering Uniform Wear

let p be the normal intensity of pressure at a distance
r from the axis of the clutch. Since the intensity of

pressure varies inversely with the distance, therefore
Total force acting on the friction surface,
We know that the frictional torque acting on the ring,
Total frictional torque on the friction surface,
1. Determine the maximum, minimum and

average pressure in plate clutch when the axial
force is 4 kN. The inside radius of the contact
surface is 50 mm and the outside radius is 100
mm. Assume uniform wear.
2. A single plate clutch, with both sides effective,

has outer and inner diameters 300 mm and 200
mm respectively. The maximum intensity of
pressure at any point in the contact surface is
not to exceed 0.1 N/mm2. If the coefficient of
friction is 0.3, determine the power transmitted
by a clutch at a speed 2500 r.p.m.
3. A single dry plate clutch transmits 7.5 kW at

900 r.p.m. The axial pressure is limited to
0.07 N/mm2. If the coefficient of friction is
0.25, find,
i. Mean radius and face width of the friction
lining assuming the ratio of the mean radius
to the face width as 4.
ii. Outer and inner radii of the clutch plate.
4.
A rotor is driven by a co-axial motor through a single plate clutch, both

sides of the plate being effective. The external and internal diameters
of the plate are respectively 220 mm and 160 mm and the total spring
load pressing the plates together is 570 N. The motor armature and
shaft has a mass of 800 kg with an effective radius of gyration of 200
mm. The rotor has a mass of 1300 kg with an effective radius of
gyration of 180 mm. The coefficient of friction for the clutch is 0.35.
The driving motor is brought up to a speed of 1250 r.p.m. when the
current is switched off and the clutch suddenly engaged. Determine
i.
The final speed of motor and rotor
ii.
The time to reach this speed
iii. The kinetic energy lost during the period of slipping.
How long would slipping continue if it is assumed that a constant

resisting torque of 60 N-m were present? If instead of a resisting
torque, it is assumed that a constant driving torque of 60 N-m is
maintained on the armature shaft, what would then be slipping time?
cone clutch, as shown in Fig. below was

extensively used in automobiles but now-a-days it
has been replaced completely by the disc clutch.
It consists of one pair of friction surface only.

In a cone clutch, the driver is keyed to the driving
shaft by a sunk key and has an inside conical surface

or face which exactly fits into the outside conical
surface of the driven.
Due to the frictional resistance set up at this contact
surface, the torque is transmitted from one shaft to
another.
In some cases, a spring is placed around the driven
shaft in contact with the hub of the driven. This spring
holds the clutch faces in contact and maintains the
pressure between them, and the forked lever is used
only for disengagement of the clutch.
Figure: Friction surfaces as a frustrum of a cone.
Considering uniform pressure
Consider Uniform Wear
Figure: Forces on a friction surface.
1. A conical friction clutch is used to transmit 90 kW
at 1500 r.p.m. The semicone angle is 20 and the

coefficient of friction is 0.2. If the mean diameter
of the bearing surface is 375 mm and the
intensity of normal pressure is not to exceed
0.25 N/mm2, find the dimensions of the conical
bearing surface and the axial load required.
2. An engine developing 45 kW at 1000 r.p.m. is
fitted with a cone clutch built inside the

flywheel. The cone has a face angle of 12.5
and a maximum mean diameter of 500 mm.
The coefficient of friction is 0.2. The normal
pressure on the clutch face is not to exceed 0.1
N/mm2. Determine : 1. the axial spring force
necessary to engage to clutch, and 2. the face
width required.
3. A leather faced conical clutch has a cone angle
of 30. If the intensity of pressure between the

contact surfaces is limited to 0.35 N/mm2 and
the breadth of the conical surface is not to
exceed one-third of the mean radius, find the
dimensions of the contact surfaces to transmit
22.5 kW at 2000 r.p.m. Assume uniform rate of
wear and take coefficient of friction as 0.15.
The centrifugal clutches are usually incorporated into the
motor pulleys. It consists of a number of shoes on the inside

of a rim of the pulley.
The mass of the shoe, when revolving, causes it to exert a
radially outward force (i.e. centrifugal force).
The magnitude of this centrifugal force depends upon the
speed at which the shoe is revolving.
In order to determine the mass and size of the
shoes, the following procedure is adopted :
1. A centrifugal clutch is to transmit 15 kW at 900
r.p.m. The shoes are four in number. The speed at

which the engagement begins is 3/4th of the
running speed. The inside radius of the pulley rim is
150 mm and the centre of gravity of the shoe lies
at 120 mm from the centre of the spider. The shoes
are lined with Ferrodo for which the coefficient of
friction may be taken as 0.25. Determine :
i. Mass of the shoe
ii. Size of the shoes, if angle subtended by the shoes
at the centre of the spider is 60 and the pressure
exerted on the shoes is 0.1 N/mm 2.

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What are the different types of friction clutches discussed in the document?

What are the different types of friction clutches discussed in the document?

What are the main components of a single disc or plate clutch?

What are the main components of a single disc or plate clutch?

Dry Friction Clutches-Theory and Analysis

Khurmi, R. et al. (2005); Theory of Machines, 14th ed. S. Chand &

Be in a class ON TIME, ready to learn

A friction clutch has its principal application in the

transmission of power of shafts and machines

It may be noted that:

A single disc or plate clutch

The levers are forced to turn on their suspended

pivot and the pressure plate moves away from the

Figure 1: Forces on a single disc or plate

Now consider two friction surfaces, maintained in contact by an axial thrust

We shall now consider the following two cases :

Considering Uniform Pressure

W = Axial thrust with which the contact or friction

Total frictional torque acting on the friction surface

Substituting the value of p

Considering Uniform Wear

r from the axis of the clutch. Since the intensity of

We know that the frictional torque acting on the ring,

Total frictional torque on the friction surface,

1. Determine the maximum, minimum and

2. A single plate clutch, with both sides effective,

3. A single dry plate clutch transmits 7.5 kW at

A rotor is driven by a co-axial motor through a single plate clutch, both

The final speed of motor and rotor

The time to reach this speed

iii. The kinetic energy lost during the period of slipping.

How long would slipping continue if it is assumed that a constant

cone clutch, as shown in Fig. below was

It consists of one pair of friction surface only.

shaft by a sunk key and has an inside conical surface

Figure: Friction surfaces as a frustrum of a cone.

Considering uniform pressure

Consider Uniform Wear

Figure: Forces on a friction surface.

1. A conical friction clutch is used to transmit 90 kW

at 1500 r.p.m. The semicone angle is 20 and the

2. An engine developing 45 kW at 1000 r.p.m. is

fitted with a cone clutch built inside the

3. A leather faced conical clutch has a cone angle

of 30. If the intensity of pressure between the

The centrifugal clutches are usually incorporated into the

motor pulleys. It consists of a number of shoes on the inside

In order to determine the mass and size of the

shoes, the following procedure is adopted :

1. A centrifugal clutch is to transmit 15 kW at 900

r.p.m. The shoes are four in number. The speed at

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