What Is Multi Plate Clutch?
The Multi Plate Clutch uses multiple clutch plates to make contact with the engine flywheel to transfer power between the engine shaft and the transmission shaft. A multi-plate clutch used in automobiles and machinery where high torque output is required.
It is a type of clutch that transmits more power from the engine to the transmission shaft of an automobile vehicle and also, makes up for the torque loss due to slippage. Multiple clutches consist of more than three discs or plates so that they can provide more torque output.
Multi-plate clutches are used in heavy vehicles with racing cars and motorcycles for transmitting high torque. As compared to single plate clutches, these are smooth and easy to operate due to their assembly of friction surface’s contact. It may be used where the space is very limited.
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Parts Of Multi Plate Clutch
The components of all the clutches used in automobile vehicles are almost the same. But with some modifications, so let’s discuss the main parts of different types of multi-plate clasps used.
- Pressure Plate
- Clutch Plate
- Thrust Spring
- Clutch Paddle
- Inner Splined Sleeves
- Flywheel
- Diaphragm Spring
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- Pressure Plate: A plate attached to the splined sleeves which further connected to the pedal fulcrum. Such that when the clutch pedal pressed, the sleeves attached to the pedal fulcrum move outward, which in turn drives the pressure plate attached with this splined sleeve.
- Clutch Plate: It is a metallic plate having frictional lines at its outer surfaces. It uses frictional contact with the flywheel to transmit power between the engine shaft and the transmission shaft.
- Thrust Springs: These are springs used behind the pressure plate, and the stiffness of these springs is used by the pressure plate to maintain frictional contact with clutch plates, which in turn supports the clutch engagement.
- Clutch Pedal: A clutch pedal operated by the driver of the vehicle used to control the engagement and disengagement of the clutch.
- Splined Shaft & Inner Splined Sleeves: An outer splined transmission input shaft over which the complete clutch assembly. That includes clutch plates, pressure plates, inner splined sleeve, the clutch casing place and rotates with it.
- Flywheel: It is part of the engine. We can also consider it as part of the clutch system as the transmission of power from the engine output shaft to the transmission shaft obtain by the frictional contact between a clutch and the flywheel of an engine.
- Diaphragm Spring: In the diaphragm type clutch system, the thrust springs used in the spring type clutch replace with a single diaphragm type spring.
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Construction Of Multi Plate Clutch:
The multi-plate clutches construction is similar to a single plate clutches except for the number of clutches plates. The total number of clutch plates divides into two sets in which one from each set is alternatively arranges.
One set of the plate slides in grooves on the flywheel and the other one slides on splines on the pressure plate hub. These plates are reliably pressed by a strong coil spring and assembled in a drum. A Multi-Plate clutch works in the same way as the single-plate clutch by operating the clutch pedal.
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As the number of clutch plates increases, the friction surfaces will also be increases. The increase in friction surface increases the capacity of the clutch to transmit more torque for the same size. The multi-plate clutches of small size transmit approximately the same torque as single-plate clutches of twice the diameter.