TRANSMISSION

SYSTEM
DEFINITION:

The
mechanism
that
transmits
the
power
developed by the engine
of the automobile to the
driving wheels is called
the transmisson system or
power train

It is composed of
Clutch
The gear box
Propeller shaft
Universal joint
Rear axle
Wheel and tyres

Requirements of transmission
system

The transmission system should

Provide means of connection and disconnection
of engine with rest of power train without
shock and smoothly
Provide a varied leverage between the engine
and the drive wheels
Provide means to transfer power in the
opposite direction
Enable power transmission at varied angles
and varied lengths
Enable diversion of power flow at right angles
Provide means to drive the driving wheels at

different speeds when required

Bear the effects of torque reaction, driving
thrust and braking effort effectively

The mechanism which

enables the rotary motion
of
one
shaft
to
be
transmitted,
when
desired, to a second shaft
the axis of which is
coincident with that of the
first
It is located between the
engine and gear box

When the clutch is engaged,

the power flows from the

engine to the wheels through
the transmission system and
the vehicle moves
When
the
clutch
is
disengaged, the power is not
transmitted to the wheels
and the vehicle stops while
the engine is still running

Functions of a
To permit engagement or disengagement
clutch
of a gear when the vehicle is stationary and
the engine is running
To transmit the engine power to the road
wheels smoothly without shock to the
transmission system while setting the
wheel in motion
To permit the engaging of gears when the
vehicle is in motion without damaging the
gear wheels

Requirements of a
clutch

Should transmit max Torque

Should be easy to operate
Gradual engagement
Heat dissipation
The driven members should
be as light as possible so that
they will not continue to rotate
for any length of time after the
clutch has been disengaged

The wearing surfaces

should have long life

Should be simple to
adjust
Size should be less
Free pedal play

Types
POSITIVE CLUTCHES

CONNECTED

DIS-CONNECTED

Not suitable for use between the engine and gear box

Gradual engagement clutches

or friction clutches
It is possible for one shaft to
be revolving rapidly while the
other is either stationary or
revolving at a lower speed
As the engagement of the
clutch proceeds the speed of
the two shafts
gradually
become the same

Friction clutches
Friction is caused when two

rotating discs come into

contact with each other
Wet

type
Dry type majority of vehicles use
Types

Cone clutch
Single plate clutch
Multi-plate clutch

Other types of clutches

Centrifugal clutch
Fluid flywheel

Principle of friction clutch

Driving
member

Driven
member

There is a rotating shaft from

which
power
is
to
be
transmitted, called as driver
shaft; and there is a shaft to
which power is transmitted,
called driven shaft.
To take power from driver to
driven shaft clutch is engaged.
Engaging the clutch means
reducing the physical gap
between the rotating parts and
forcing the two surfaces to
come in contact.

Torque = WR
=coefficient of friction
W = axial load applied
R= effective mean radius of friction
surface

Since one part is moving and

the other part is stationary,
there is a relative motion
between them.
This creates friction and as a
result causes force or torque
transfer.

Coefficient of friction
Material
Coefficient of
Leather

friction
0.27

Cork

0.37

Cotton fabric

0.4 - 0.5

Asbestos base
material

0.35 0.4

Axial pressure W
The max value is limited to which a driver
can exert without strain
10 12 kg f
Effective mean radius R
It cannot be increased beyond a certain max
Depends on the space available in the
vehicle

Cone
Clutch
This
type is
obsolete

1 Cones: female= green, male= blue

2 Shaft: male cone is sliding on splines

3 Friction material: usually on female cone, here on male cone

4 Spring: brings the male cone back after using the clutch
control
5 Clutch control: separating both cones by pressing
6 Rotating direction: both direction of the axis are possible

The cone clutch transfers a higher torque

than plate or disk clutches of the same size

due to the wedging action and increased
surface area.
Cone clutches are generally now only used in
low peripheral speed applications although
they were once common in automobiles and
other combustion engine transmissions.
They are usually now confined to very
specialist transmissions in racing, rallying,
or in extreme off-road vehicles, although
they are common in power boats.
This is because the clutch doesn't have to be
pushed in all the way and the gears will be
changed quicker.

Advantages
The normal force acting on the

contact surfaces is larger

Disadvantages
If the angle of cone is larger than

200 the male cone tends to bind or

join in the female cone and
disengagement cannot take place
A small amount of wear on the
cone
surfaces
results
in
a
considerable amount of the axial
movement of the male cone

Single plate
clutch

COMMONLY USED IN MOST CARS

AND SMALL COMMERCIAL
VEHICLES

Advantages
Gear changing is easier as pedal movement
is less
No binding of friction surfaces
Disadvantages
The springs have to be more stiff i.e greater
force required to be applied by the driver
while disengaging

Similar to single plate

clutch
except
that
diaphragm
springs are
used instead of ordinary
coil springs

Diaphragm spring
type
single plate clutch
A cover
B diaphragm spring
C clutch plate
D retaining ring
E pressure plate
F release ring

Advantages
It is more compact, smaller

clutch housing
Diaphragm spring is less
affected by the centrifugal
forces
Less loss of efficiency due
to friction wear as many
extra parts like struts, eye
bolts, levers etc

Multiplate clutch
Occupies less space
Supplies more torque

Used in
heavy transport
vehicles
Racing cars
Scooters
Motorcycles

Wet clutch
A 'wet clutch' is immersed in a
cooling lubricating fluid, which
also keeps the surfaces clean and
gives smoother performance and
longer life.
Wet clutches, however, tend to
lose some energy to the liquid.
A 'dry clutch', as the name
implies, is not bathed in fluid.
Since the surfaces of a wet clutch
can be slippery (as with a
motorcycle clutch bathed in
transmission
oil),
stacking
multiple
clutch
disks
can
compensate
for
the
lower
coefficient of friction
and
so
eliminate slippage when fully
engaged.

Better
exchange

heat

Longer life
Lower
torque
capacity
(35 50% of dry
type)

Centrifugal clutch
Centrifugal force instead of spring force is

used for keeping it in engaged position

It does not require any clutch pedal for
operating the clutch
The clutch is operated automatically
depending upon the engine speed
The vehicle can be stopped or started in
gear without stalling the engine

A weight
B - Bell crank lever
C plate
D plate
E spring
F flywheel
G spring

Force P Centrifugal force at a speed

Force P

Force Q exerted by spring G is constant

Spring force

500

Engine speed

Advantages
No separate clutch pedal
Clutch
is
operated

automatically
depending upon the engine speed
The car can be stopped or started in
gear - driving operation very easy

Semi- centrifugal clutch

For

high powered engines, the clutch

spring
pressures
required
may
be
considerable and thus the action of
disengaging the clutch becomes fatiguing
to the driver
Ton obviate this trouble, the help is taken
of the centrifugal force
Clutch springs are designed to transmit
the torque at normal speeds, while for
higher speeds, centrifugal force assists in
torque transmission

Semi- centrifugal
clutch

A - Fulcrum
B - pressure
plate
C weight
D adjusting
screw

Centrifugal force speed2

Fluid flywheel or
Hydraulic coupling

Principle

Advantages
No wear on moving parts
No adjustment to be made
No maintenance is necessary except oil

level
Simple design
No jerk when the gear engages
No skill is required for operating

Disadvantages
Drag on the gear box shaft
Hence used with epicyclic gear box

Clutch operation
The clutch can be operated
by
Mechanical linkage
Electrical
Hydraulic
Vacuum

Mechanical operation

Clutch free pedal play

A

part of pedal
movement is kept
idle intentionally
To avoid a rapid
wear of the thrust
bearing and the
clutch plates
Usually
about
25mm at the pedal

Electromagnetic
A

engine
operation
flywheel
B winding
C clutch plate
D

pressure
plate
Clutch shaft

No clutch lever is
needed
Higher initial cost
High Temp of insulation

Hydraulic
operation
Single plated hydraulic clutch
Swaraj mazda
Eicher Mitsubishi
Standard 20 vehicles use this
system

Clutch master cylinder

Clutch slave
cylinder

Vacuum clutch

Solenoid operated valve

To atm

To atmosphere