TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

Introduction to Transmission System

 The transmission system is the system utilizing which power developed by
the engine is transmitted to road wheels to propel the vehicle.
 In automobiles, the power is developed by the engine which is used to turn
wheels.
 Therefore, the engine is to be connected to the transmission systems for
transmitting power to wheels.
 Also, there should be a system utilizing which engine could be engaged
and disengaged with the transmission system smoothly and without shock
so that the vehicle mechanism is not damaged and passengers do not feel
inconvenience.
 A clutch is employed in automobiles for this purpose. 
Introduction to Transmission System
 The engines employed in automobiles are of very high speed. Hence, a speed
reduction is necessary to reduce the speed to moderate level as well as to get the
required high torque while moving from rest. For this purpose, a gearbox is
employed in automobiles.
 The motion of the crankshaft is transmitted to the gearbox through the clutch. The
gearbox consists of a set of gears to change the speed according to the requirement.
The motion is then transmitted to the propeller shaft from the gearbox through a
universal joint. The purpose of the universal joint is to connect two shafts at an angle
for power transmission.
 The power is transmitted to the differential unit through another universal joint.
Finally, the power is transmitted from the differential to wheels through the rear end.
The differential unit is used to provide the relative motion between two-run wheels
while the vehicle is taking a turn.
Clutch

 Clutch is used to engage or disengage the engine to the transmission or gear box.
 When the clutch is in engaged position, the engine power or rotary motion of
engine crankshaft is transmitted to gear box and then to wheels.
 When clutch is disengaged, the engine power does not reach to gear box (and to
wheels) although engine is running.
 Clutch is also used to allow shifting or changing of gears when vehicle is running.
 For shifting gears, clutch is first disengaged then gear is shifted and then clutch is
engaged.
 Clutch has to be disengaged to stop the vehicle and also at the time of idling.
Principle of Clutch
 It operates on the principle of friction. When two surfaces are brought
in contact and are held against each other due to friction between
them, they can be used to transmit power.
 If one is rotated, then other also rotates. One surface is connected to
engine and other to the transmission system of automobile.
 Thus, clutch is nothing but a combination of two friction surfaces.
Requirement of Clutch
 It should be able to transmit the maximum torque of the engine.
 It should engage gradually to avoid sudden jerks.
 It should be able to dissipate a large amount of heat generated during clutch operation.
 It should be dynamically balanced, particularly in the case of high-speed engine clutches.
 It should have a suitable mechanism to damp vibrations and to eliminate noise produced during
power transmission.
 It should be as small as possible so that it will occupy minimum space.
 It should be easy to operate requiring as little exertion as possible on the part of the driver.
 It should be made as light as possible so that it will continue to rotate for any length of time after
the clutch has been disengaged.
 It must be trouble-free and have longer life.
 It must be easy to inspect, adjust, and repair.
Clutch Friction Lining material and their Necessity

 The materials for clutch lining  Necessity of clutch lining: 

are:  To transmit maximum power
 Leather from engine flywheel
 Cork transmission without jerk
 Fabric
 To dissipate the heat and able to
withstand higher heat generated
 Asbestos
 It should have a higher
 Raybestos and Ferodo
coefficient of friction
 Non- asbestos clutch lining  It should be cheap and easy to
material.
manufacture.
Main parts of Clutch
 A driving member
  The driving members consists of a
flywheel which is mounted on the engine
crankshaft
 The flywheel is bolted to a cover which
carries pressure plate, pressure springs,
and release levers.
 As the flywheel is bolted to the cover
assembly, thus, the entire assembly of the
flywheel and the cover rotate all the time.
 The clutch housing and cover provided
with openings so that the heat produced
during the function dissipates easily
 A driven member
 The driven members consist of a
disc or plate called a clutch plate.
 The clutch is free to slide on the
splines of the clutch shaft.
 It carries friction materials on both
of its surfaces.
 When the clutch plate is gripped
between the flywheel and the
pressure plate, it rotates the clutch
shaft through splines.
Main parts of Clutch
 An operating member
 The operating member consists
of a pedal or lever which can be
pressed to disengage the driving
and driven plate.
Types of Clutch
 Clutches are broadly classified as (based on construction)
 Dry Clutch
 Single Plate Clutch
 Multi plate Clutch
 Cone Clutch
 Centrifugal Clutch
 Semi-centrifugal Clutch

 Wet Clutch
 Clutches based on operation
 Mechanical operation
 Electromagnetic operation
 Hydraulic operation
 Vacuum operation
Single Plate Clutch
Single Plate Clutch
 Basically, the clutch needs three parts.
 Engine flywheel,

 a friction disc called the clutch plate and

 a pressure plate.

 There are springs which provide axial force to keep the clutch in engaged position.
 When the engine is running and the flywheel is rotating, the pressure plate also rotates as
the pressure plate is attached to the flywheel. The friction disc is located between the two .
 When the driver has pushed down the clutch pedal the clutch is released. This action forces
the pressure plate to move away from the friction disc against the force of springs.
 With this movement of pressure plate , the friction plate is released and the clutch is
disengaged.
Single Plate Clutch
 Advantages
 With single plate clutch , gear changing is easier than with the cone clutch ,
because the pedal movement is less in this case.
 More reliable ( As it does not suffer from disadvantage of cone clutch , i.e.
binding of cones)
 Disadvantages
 As compared to cone clutch , springs have to be more stiff and this means
greater force required to be applied by driver while disengaging.
Multi Plate Clutch
Pressure plates

1 2 3 4 5 6

driver driven

Friction plates
Multi Plate Clutch
 The multiplate clutch is an extension of single plate type where the number
of frictional and metal plates is increased.
 Increase in number of friction surfaces obviously increases capacity of the
clutch to transmit torque.
 Alternatively, the overall diameter of the clutch is reduced for the same
torque transmission as a single plate clutch
 This type of clutch is therefore used in some heavy transport vehicles and
racing cars where high torque is to be transmitted.
 This finds application in case of scooters and motorcycles, where the space
available is limited
Cone Clutch

1. Cones: female= green, male= blue

2. Shaft: male cone is sliding on splines
3. Friction material
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
 Cone Clutch
 In the engaged position the friction
surface are in complete contact. This is
done by means of spring which keep
the male cone pressed all the time.
α = semi-apex angle of the
 When the clutch is engaged the torque cone
is transmitted from engine via the α
flywheel and the male cone to splined
gear box shaft. w
Driving
 For disengaging the clutch , the male shaft
Driven shaft
cone is pulled out by means of lever
system operated through clutch pedal
thereby separating the contact surfaces.
Friction
lining
Cone Clutch
 Advantage
 The normal force acting on contact surface in this case is larger than axial
force( as compared to single plate clutch in which the normal force acting
on contact surfaces is equal to the axial force)
 Disadvantage
 If the angle of cone is made less than about 20 degree, it will be difficult to
disengage the clutch.
 A small amount of wear on the cone surface results in considerable amount
of axial movement of the male cone for which it will be difficult to allow.
Centrifugal Clutch
F=mrω2

Driven
ω shaft

Driving ω
shaft
Friction
lining

Total friction torque , T = nµR(F-P)

Centrifugal Clutch
 A centrifugal clutch works on the principle of centrifugal force.
 The clutch's purpose is to disengage when the engine is idling so that the chain
does not move .
 These clutches are particularly useful in internal combustion engines, which can
not be started under load.
 The clutch consists of three parts:
 An outer drum that turns freely - This drum includes a sprocket that engages the
chain. When the drum turns, the chain turns.
 A centre shaft attached directly to the engine's crankshaft - If the engine is
turning, so is the shaft.
 A pair of cylindrical clutch weights attached to the centre shaft, along with a
spring that keeps them retracted against the shaft
Centrifugal Clutch
 Advantages
 It is automatic. (In a car with a manual transmission, you need a clutch pedal. A
centrifugal clutch doesn't.)
 It slips automatically to avoid stalling the engine. (In a car, the driver must slip the
clutch.) Once the engine is spinning fast enough, there is no slip in the clutch.
 It lasts forever.
Semi-Centrifugal Clutch
Semi-Centrifugal Clutch
 When the engine at low speed the spring keeps the clutch engaged to transmit
power, the weighted levers do not have any pressure on the pressure plate.
 When engine at high speed the weights fly off and levers exert pressure on the
pressure plate which keeps the clutch firmly engaged to transmit high torque.
 Thus instead of having more stiff springs for keeping the clutch engaged
firmly at high speeds, they are less stiff because of centrifugal forces of
weighted levers, so that the driver may not get any strain in operating the
clutch.
 when the engine speed decreases, the weights fall and the weighted levers do
not exert any pressure on the pressure plate and only spring pressure is exerted
on the pressure plate to keep the clutch engaged.
Semi-Centrifugal Clutch
 Advantages
 Clutch operation is very easy.
 Less stiff clutch springs are used as they operate only at low engine speeds.
 Disadvantages
 Springs have transmitted the torque at lower engine speeds only.
 Centrifugal forces work only at higher engine speed to transmit torque.
Single Plate Diaphragm Clutch
Multi plate Diaphragm
Clutch
Clutch – based on operation

Mechanically Operated Hydraulically operated

Clutch – based on operation

Electromagnetic Clutch Vacuum Clutch

Clutch Materials
 Frictional Materials
 Millboard type
 Moulded type
 Woven type
 Clutch Facing Materials
 Leather
 Cork
 Fabric
Gear Box
 Definition
 is a mechanical device used to increase the output torque or to change the
speed (RPM) of a motor.
 Necessity
 To maintain engine speed on all conditions of load and vehicle speed, the
gearbox uses a system to maintain engine speed, while sacrificing the same
road speed.
 To enable the engine to run faster on-road wheels as well as to multiply the
torque, a gearbox is required.
Parts of Gear Box

Clutch Shaft
Counter Shaft
Main Shaft
Bearings
Gears
Sliding Mesh Gear Box
Constant Mesh Gear Box
Representation of Power Transmission in Representation of Power Transmission in
First Gear Second Gear
Representation of Power Transmission in Representation of Power Transmission in
Third Gear Reverse Gear
Synchromesh Gear Box
Gears B, C, D, E attached to the main shaft A
and are free to rotate and are always in mesh
with the gears on the layshaft.

F1 & F2 → Free to slide on Splines

G1 & G2 → Ring Shaped members having
internal teeth fits on to the external teeth of F1 &
F2.
K1 & K2 → Dog teeth on B & D resp.
L1 & L2 → Dog teeth on C & E resp.
S1 & S2 → Forks (Gear changing levers)
T1 & T2 → Balls supported by Springs.
M1, M2, N1, N2, P1, P2, R1, and R2 → Frictional
surfaces.
B→ U1→ U3→ D→ F2→ Splines→ Main shaft. B→ U1→ U2→ C→ F1→ Splines→ Main shaft.
B→ F1→ Splines→ Main shaft. B→ U1→ U4→ U5→ E→ F2→ Splines→ Main shaft.
 Difference Between Constant Mesh and Synchromesh Gear Box

Synchromesh Gearbox Constant Mesh Gearbox

Synchronizers are used to engage and disengage gears Dog clutches are used to engage and disengage.

There will be no slip in the case of Synchromesh There will be the presence of slip in the case of
Gearbox Constant mesh Gearbox

The locking action was fully satisfied by Synchromesh The locking action was partially satisfied by
Gearbox Constant Mesh Gearbox
Epicyclic Gear Box
Wet Clutch
Fluid Flywheel
Torque Convertor
Torque Convertor
Automated Manual Transmission