CLUTCHES

A clutch is a mechanism for transmitting rotation, which can be

engaged and disengaged.

The two main types of clutches commonly used in engineering practice are:

• Positive clutches. The positive clutches are used when a

positive drive, no slip or power loss due to friction, is required.
The simplest type of a positive clutch is a jaw clutch. The use
of jaw clutches are frequently applied to sprocket wheels,
gears and pulleys. In such a case, the non-sliding part is made
integral with the hub.
Friction Clutches:
A friction clutch has its principal application in the
transmission of power of shafts and machines which
must be started and stopped frequently.
The material used for lining of friction surfaces of a clutch should have the
following characteristics:

• It should have a high and uniform coefficient of friction.

• It should not be affected by moisture and oil.
• It should have the ability to withstand high temperatures
caused by slippage.
• It should have high heat conductivity.
• It should have high resistance to wear.
Pressures (MPa) and dry coefficients of friction for friction materials
Disc clutch
Cone clutch
DESIGN OF A DISC CLUTCH:

The objective is to obtain the axial force F necessary to

produce a friction force to transmit a torque T. Figure shows
a friction disk having an outside diameter D and an inside
diameter d.
Consider an elementary ring of radius r and thickness dr ;
The area of the contact surface or friction surface is
𝐝𝐀 = 𝟐𝛑𝐫 𝐝𝐫

 Normal or axial force on the ring, with a contact pressure

P, is

𝐝𝐅 = 𝐏 ∗ 𝐝𝐀 = 𝐏 ∗ 𝟐𝛑𝐫 𝐝𝐫

 Total force acing on the friction surface,

𝐫𝐨
𝐅= ‫𝐏 𝐫׬‬ ∗ 𝟐𝛑𝐫 𝐝𝐫
𝐢
and the frictional force on the ring acting tangentially
at radius r, with a coefficient of friction f,
𝐟𝐝𝐅 = 𝐏 ∗ 𝟐𝛑𝐟𝐫 𝐝𝐫

 Frictional torque acting on the ring is

𝐝𝐓 = 𝐟𝐝𝐅 ∗ 𝐫 = 𝐏 ∗ 𝟐𝛑𝐟𝒓𝟐 𝐝𝐫

 Total Frictional torque acing on the friction surface,

𝒓𝒐
𝐓= ‫𝐏 𝒓׬‬ ∗ 𝟐𝛑𝐟𝒓𝟐 𝒅𝒓
𝒊
Considering uniform pressure,
When the pressure is uniformly distributed over the
entire area of the friction face, i.e. P=Const., the
axial force F will be;
𝒓𝒐
𝑭= 𝟐𝝅𝑷 ‫𝒓𝒅 𝒓 𝒓׬‬ = 𝝅𝑷 𝒓𝟐𝒐 − 𝒓𝟐𝒊
𝒊

and the frictional torque T is;

𝐫𝐨 𝟐 𝟐𝛑𝐏𝐟
𝐓= 𝟐𝛑𝐏𝐟 ‫𝐫 𝐫׬‬ 𝐝𝐫 = 𝐫𝐨𝟑 − 𝐫𝐢𝟑
𝐢 𝟑
Considering uniform wear,
Since,
wear ∝ PV ∝ Pωr and a uniform wear is
assumed
Then, PV = Pωr = Const. & ω is constant for
the plate
∴ Pr = Const.
Therefore, 𝑷𝒓 = 𝑷𝐦𝐚𝐱. 𝒓𝒊 = 𝑷𝐦𝐢𝐧. 𝒓𝒐
The normal force on the ring is

𝐫𝐨
𝐅= 𝟐𝛑𝐏𝐦𝐚𝐱. 𝐫𝐢 ‫𝐫׬‬ 𝐝𝐫 = 𝟐𝛑𝐏𝐦𝐚𝐱. 𝐫𝐢 𝐫𝐨 − 𝐫𝐢
𝐢

The frictional torque T is

𝐫𝐨
𝐓 = 𝟐𝛑 𝐟 𝐏𝐦𝐚𝐱. 𝐫𝐢 ‫𝐫𝐝𝐫 𝐫׬‬ = 𝛑 𝐟 𝐏𝐦𝐚𝐱. 𝐫𝐢 𝐫𝐨𝟐 − 𝐫𝐢𝟐
𝐢
Notes,
• For a single disc or plate clutch, normally both sides of
the disc are effective. Therefore a single disc clutch has
two pairs of surfaces in contact, i.e the total torque being
calculated from single disk must be doubled.

• The uniform pressure approach gives a higher friction

torque than the uniform wear approach. Therefore in
case of friction clutches, uniform wear should be
considered, unless otherwise stated.
A multiple disc clutch may be used when a large torque is to be
transmitted. It is extensively used in motor cars and machine
tools. The total frictional torque acting on the friction surfaces
may be obtained from,
𝐓𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 = 𝐧 ∗ 𝐓𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞
n : Number of pairs of contact surfaces
Multiple disc clutch
Example :
Plate clutch having a single driving plate with contact
surfaces on each side is required to transmit 110 kW at
1250 r.p.m. The outer diameter of the contact surfaces is
to be 300 mm. The coefficient of friction is 0.4. Assuming a
uniform pressure of 0.17 N/mm2; determine the inner
diameter of the friction surfaces.
Assuming the same dimensions and the same total axial
thrust, determine the maximum torque that can be
transmitted and the maximum intensity of pressure when
uniform wear conditions have been reached.
Solution
Given:
300
Power = 110 kW ; N = 1250 r.p.m ; ro = = 150 mm ; f=0.4 ;
2

Pmax. = 0.17 MPa ; n =2

(a) Since,
power = T ∗ ω = T ∗ 2πN
power 60∗110∗103
∴T= = = 840 N. m
2πN 2π∗1250

The transmitted torque for uniform pressure clutch is

2πPf 3
T=n∗ ro − ri3
3
 2π ∗ 0.17 ∗ 0.4
3
840 ∗ 10 = 2 ∗ 1503 − ri3
3
∴ ro = 75 mm or, do = 150 mm

The total axial thrust for uniform pressure is

F = πP ro2 − ri2 = π ∗ 0.17 1502 − 752
= 9011 N
(b) for uniform wear, the axial thrust is;
F = 2πPmax. ri ro − ri
∴ 9011 = 2πPmax. ∗ 75 150 − 75
and,
Pmax. = 0.255 MPa

The Maximum torque for uniform wear is ;

T = π f Pmax. ri ro2 − ri2
= π ∗ 0.4 ∗ 0.255 ∗ 75 1502 − 752
= 811 N.m
DESIGN OF A CONE CLUTCH
Consider a pair of friction surfaces of a cone clutch as shown in
figure.
Let,
2α = Cone angle.
b = Width of the friction surfaces ( Lining width or face width).
ri = Inner radius of friction surface.
ro = Outer radius of friction surface.
f = Coefficient of friction between the contact surfaces.
P = Pressure between the contact surfaces.
Consider a small ring of radius r and thickness dr as shown
in figure.
Let dl is the length of ring of the friction surface, such that,
dr
dl =
sin α

2πrdr
∴ dA =
sin α

We know that the normal force acting on the ring,

2πrdr
dFn = P ∗ dA = P ∗
sin α

Therefore, the axial force on the clutch is

dF = dFn sin α = 2πPr dr
This equation is similar to that for disc clutch. So, the axial force
for cone clutch, for both uniform-pressure and uniform- wear
approaches;
𝐫
𝐅 = 𝟐𝛑𝐏 ‫ 𝟐𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝛑 = 𝐫𝐝 𝐫 𝐨 𝐫׬‬− 𝐫𝐢𝟐 for uniform-pressure
𝐢

𝐫
𝐅 = 𝟐𝛑𝐏𝐦𝐚𝐱. 𝐫𝐢 ‫𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐏𝛑𝟐 = 𝐫𝐝 𝐨 𝐫׬‬. 𝐫𝐢 𝐫𝐨 − 𝐫𝐢 for uniform-wear
𝐢

We know that frictional force on the ring acting tangentially at

radius r,
𝟐𝝅𝒓𝒅𝒓
𝐟𝐝𝑭𝒏 = 𝐟 𝑷 ∗
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜶

 Frictional torque acting on the ring is

𝟐𝛑𝐟𝒓𝟐
𝐝𝐓 = 𝒇𝒅𝑭 ∗ 𝐫 = 𝑷 ∗ 𝐝𝐫
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜶
 The total frictional torque T is

For uniform-pressure,

𝟐𝝅𝑷𝒇 𝒓𝒐 𝟐 𝟐𝝅𝑷𝒇
𝑻= ‫𝒓 ׬‬ 𝒅𝒓 = 𝒓𝟑𝒐 − 𝒓𝟑𝒊
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜶 𝒓𝒊 𝟑 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜶

For uniform-wear,

𝟐𝝅 𝒇 𝑷𝒎𝒂𝒙. 𝒓𝒊 𝒓𝒐 𝝅 𝒇 𝑷𝒎𝒂𝒙. 𝒓𝒊
𝑻= ‫׬‬𝒓
𝒓𝒅𝒓 = 𝒓𝟐𝒐 − 𝒓𝟐𝒊
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜶 𝒊 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜶
Example :
An engine developing 45 kW at 1000 r.p.m. is fitted with a
cone clutch built inside the flywheel. The cone has an angle of
25° and an inside diameter of 400 mm. The coefficient of
friction is 0.2. The normal pressure on the clutch face is not to
exceed 0.1 N/mm2. Determine:
• The face width required
• The axial spring force necessary to engage the clutch.
Solution:

Given:
Power = 45 kW ; N = 1000 r.p.m ; ri = 200 mm ; f=0.2 ;
Pmax. = 0.1 MPa ; 2α = 25o.
 power 60 ∗ 45 ∗ 103
T= = = 430 N. m
2πN 2π ∗ 1000

π f Pmax. ri
Assume uniform-wear, T= ro2 − ri2
sin α

π∗.2∗0.1∗ 200
 430000 = ro2 − 2002
sin 12.5

∴ ro = 220 mm

ro −ri
Since, sin α =
b

220−200
∴ sin 12.5 =
b
∴ b = 90 mm

F = 2πPmax. ri ro − ri = 2π ∗ 0.1 ∗ 200(220 − 200)

∴ F = 2515