EGM 2160

Mechanics of Machines

Clutches
 Introduction
• A clutch enables two co-axial shafts to be
engaged or disengaged while at rest or in
relative motion.
• Plate, cone or centrifugal type.
• Slipping will occur until the two shafts are
brought to the same speed.
• This permits gradual engagement of the
driven shaft, such as in a car drive and
also limits the torque demanded from the
driving shaft.
 Introduction
• It may be noted that:
Contact surfaces should develop a frictional
force that may pick up and hold the load with
reasonable low pressure between contact
surfaces
Heat of friction should rapidly dissipate and
tendency to grab should be at a minimum
Surfaces should be backed with a material
stiff enough to ensure a reasonably uniform
distribution of pressure
 Single plate clutches
• In a plate clutch, torque is transmitted by
friction between one or more pairs of co-
axial annular faces maintained in contact
by an axial thrust
• Both sides of each plate are normally
effective, so that a single-plate clutch has
two pairs of surfaces in contact
Single disc or plate clutch
Multiple plate clutches
 Multiple plate clutches
• The inner plates are free to slide axially in
grooves connected to the driving shaft and
the outer plates are free to slide axially in
grooves connected to the driven shaft
• The axial force exerted on the plates by
the toggle mechanism is transmitted
through each plate
In a clutch having n pairs of contact surfaces,
the torque transmitted is n times that of a
single pair
Forces on a single disc/plate clutch
 Plate clutches
• Consider two flat annular surfaces
maintained in contact by an axial thrust W
• Let, T = torque transmitted
p = intensity of pressure between
surfaces
r1 = outer radius of face
r2 = inner radius of face
R = mean radius of face
Plate clutches
 Plate clutches
• If it is assumed that the pressure is
uniform over the contact area, then p is a
constant,
 Plate clutches
• If it is assumed that the wear is uniform
over the contact area, then
 Cone clutches
• Consists of one pair of friction faces only,
the area of contact being a frustum of a
cone
Cone clutches
Description

1 Cones
2 Shaft: male cone
sliding on splines
3 Friction material:
usually on female
cone, here on male
4 Spring: brings male
cone back after
using the clutch
control
5 Clutch control:
separating both
cones by pressing
6 Rotating direction:
both directions of
the axis are possible
Cone clutches
 Cone clutches
If p is the normal pressure between surfaces,
 Cone clutches
If p is assumed constant (pressure constant),

If pr is assumed constant (uniform wear),

 Centrifugal clutches
• Usually incorporated into motor pulleys
• Consists of a number of shoes on the
inside of a rim of the pulley
• Outer surfaces covered with a friction
material
 Centrifugal clutches
The shoes, which can move radially in guides,
Are held against the boss (or spider) on the
Driving shaft by means of springs. The springs
exert a radially inward force which is assumed
constant. The mass of the shoe, when revolving,
causes it To exert a radially outward force
(centrifugal force). The magnitude of this
centrifugal force Depends upon the speed at
which the shoe is revolving. A little consideration
will show that when The centrifugal force is less
than the spring force, The shoe remains in the
same position as when The driving shaft was stationary, but when the
centrifugal force is equal to the spring force, the shoe is just floating. When
the centrifugal force exceeds the spring force, the shoe moves outward and
comes in contact with the driven member and presses against it. The force
with which the shoe presses against the driven member is the difference of
the centrifugal force and the spring force. The increase of speed causes the
shoe to press harder and enables more torque to be transmitted.
Centrifugal clutches
 Centrifugal clutches
To find mass of the shoes.
Consider one shoe of a
centrifugal clutch as shown.
Let,
m = Mass of each shoe
n = Number of shoes
R = inside radius of the pulley rim
r = Distance of centre of gravity of
the shoe from the centre of the spider
N = running speed of the pulley in rpm
ω = Angular running speed of the pulley in rad/s = 2πN/60
ω1 = Angular speed at which the engagement begins to
take place
μ = Coefficient of friction between the shoe and rim
 Centrifugal clutches
We know that the centrifugal force acting on each shoe
at the running speed,
Pc = m.ω2.r

And the inward force on each shoe exerted by the spring

at the speed at which engagement begins to take place,
Ps = m.ω12.r
The net outward radial force (centrifugal) with which the
shoe presses against the rim at the running speed,
= Pc – Ps

Frictional force acting tangentially on each shoe,

F = μ (Pc – Ps)
 Centrifugal clutches
Frictional torque acting on each shoe,
= F x R = μ (Pc – Ps) R

Total frictional torque transmitted,

T = μ (Pc – Ps) R x n = n.F.R

From this expression, the mass of the shoes (m) may be

evaluated.
 Centrifugal clutches
To find size of the shoes.
Let,
l = Contact length of the shoes
b = Width of the shoes
R = Contact radius of the shoes. It is the same as the
inside radius of the pulley rim
θ = Angle subtended by the shoes at the centre of the
spider in radians
p = Intensify of pressure exerted on the shoe. In order to
ensure reasonable life, the intensity of pressure may
be taken as 0.1 N/mm2
 Centrifugal clutches
We know that,
θ = l/R or l = θ.R

Area of contact of the shoe,

A = l.b

Since the force with which the shoe presses against the rim
at the running speed is (Pc – Ps),
l.b.p = Pc – Ps
From this expression, the width of shoe (b) may be
obtained
 Example 1: Plate clutch
Determine the maximum, minimum and
average pressure in plate clutch when the
axial force is 4kN. The inside radius of the
contact surface is 50 mm and the outside
radius is 100 mm. Assume uniform wear.
 Example 2: Plate clutch

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 rpm.
 Example 3: Conical clutch
A conical friction clutch is used to transmit
90 kW at 1500rpm. The semi-cone 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.
 Example 4: Centrifugal clutch
A centrifugal clutch is to transmit 15 kW at 900 rpm.
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: 1. Mass of the shoes,
2. Size of the shoes, if the angle subtended by the
shoes at the centre of the spider is 60° and the
pressure exerted on the shoe is 0.1 N/mm2.
Example 4: Centrifugal clutch
P = 15 kW = 15 x 103 W
N = 900 rpm, ω = 2π (900)/60 = 94.26 rad/s
n=4
R = 150 mm = 0.15 m
r = 120 mm = 0.12 m
μ = 0.25
 Exercise 1
A centrifugal clutch has four shoes which slide
radially in a spider keyed to the driving shaft and
make contact with the internal cylindrical surface of a
rim keyed to the driven shaft. When the clutch is at
rest, each shoe is pulled against a stop by a spring
so as to leave a radial clearance of 5 mm between
the shoe and the rim. The pull exerted by the spring
is then 500 N. The mass centre of the shoe is 160
mm from the axis of the clutch.
If the internal diameter of the rim is 400 mm, the
mass of each shoe is 8 kg, the stiffness of each
spring is 50 N/mm and the coefficient of friction
between the shoe and the rim is 0.3 ; find the power
transmitted by the clutch at 500 r.p.m.