University of Bristol

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Dynamics of Machines - Problem Sheet 2

QUESTION 1
A single plate friction clutch consists of a clutch plate disk fixed to a drive shaft. When the clutch is engaged,
two coaxial steel annuli are pressed against this disk, one on each face. These steel annuli are connected to an
output shaft along which they can slide but not rotate. The inner diameter of the annuli is 125 mm and their
outer diameter is 300 mm and the coefficient of friction between the steel annuli and the clutch plate is 0.35.
Each annulus is pressed against the clutch plate with an axial load of 2 kN.
Calculate the maximum power that can be transmitted at 1200 rpm assuming:
(a)

that the pressure between the friction surfaces is uniform.

(b)

that the clutch has worn uniformly.

QUESTION 2
The disk brake on a vehicle consists of a pair of identical brake pads that can be clamped simultaneously onto
opposite faces of a thin flat steel disk of 250 mm diameter, which rotates between them. Each pad has a surface
whose shape is that of a 30 sector of an annulus with an inner radius of 70 mm and an outer radius of 120 mm
(the pads are located such that the axis of the annulus from which they derive is the same as that of the steel
disk). The coefficient of friction between a pad and the disk is 0.4.
(a)
If the contact pressure is assumed to be constant over the pad surface, calculate (i) the magnitude of
this pressure and (ii) the normal force which must be applied to both pads simultaneously in order to achieve a
braking torque of 9 Nm.
(b)
Calculate the lateral force exerted by the disk on the bearing that supports it for the same braking
torque (note: this is hard to do exactly, but an approximation can be made due to the small size of the brake pad
- see the worked solutions)
QUESTION 3
(a)
A single plate clutch has friction surfaces on each side whose outer diameter is 300 mm onto which a
pair of steel annuli are pressed when the clutch is engaged. If 100 kW is to be transmitted at 1200 rpm and the
coefficient of friction between the annuli and the clutch plate is 0.4, calculate the required inner diameter of the
friction surface on the clutch plate, assuming a uniform pressure of 200 kPa.
(b)
With these dimensions and the same total axial load applied to the annuli, what is (i) the maximum
torque that can be transmitted (ii) the maximum pressure if the clutch is uniformly worn?
QUESTION 4
A cone clutch of included angle 60 has inner and outer radii of 25 and 50 mm and the axial load is 500 N. If the
variation of normal pressure with radius r is given by P(r) = a + b/r and the maximum pressure is 1.5 times the
minimum, calculate the torque transmitted for a value of friction coefficient of 0.35.
ANSWERS
1. (a) 19.7 kW, (b) 18.7 kW; 2. (a)(i) 46.54 kPa, (ii) 115.7 N, (b) 92.6 N (approximate) or 91.5 N (exact);
3. (a) 200 mm, (b)(i) 785.3 Nm, (ii) 250 kPa; 4. 13.3 Nm.

301912353.doc
26/01/2016

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