Patent ID: 7108117

Claim:
A vehicular centrifugally operated master friction clutch ( 20 ) for coupling an output member ( 136 ) of an engine ( 18 ) to a transmission input shaft ( 28 ), said clutch including a driving member assembly ( 60 ) fixedly rotatable with said engine output member and a driven member assembly ( 62 ) rotatable with said transmission input shaft, said clutch comprising: a plurality of flyweights ( 110 ) carried by said driving member assembly for unitary rotation therewith and radial movement relative thereto about a pivot axis ( 111 ) parallel to said input shaft; return members ( 114 ) urging said flyweights radially inwardly; wedging members ( 120 ) fixed to said flyweights for radial movement therewith, said wedging members received directly between opposed surfaces ( 124 and 126 ) of a relatively axially fixed reaction plate ( 125 ) and an axially movable plate ( 128 ), a first of said surfaces ( 126 ) defining a plurality of ramped portions ( 148 ) extending radially outwardly and axially toward the other of said surfaces whereby as said wedging members move radially outwardly along said ramped portions said axially movable plate will be urged in an axial direction away from said reaction plate; an axially movable pressure plate ( 130 ) rotatable with said driving member assembly for applying a clamping force (CF) to frictionally engage a friction member ( 140 / 142 ) rotatable with said input shaft with a friction member ( 136 A/ 104 / 130 A) rotatable with said driving member assembly, and a resilient member ( 132 ) axially interposed between said axially movable plate and said pressure plate for limiting the magnitude of said clamping force.