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Show Jhe Avtomotile Simplified By an Automobile Expert. If there Is anything not clear to you, ask the automobile editor about 1 An answer will be published on the completion of the articles pertaining to each section under discussion. LESSON NO. 49. The Ford Clutch. The Ford clutch is a disc clutch and differs but little from the disc clutches used in cars which are equipped with the slidingr-gear transmission. You will recall that in the cars equipped with the slidinggear transmission transmis-sion and disc clutch, the clutch was built into the flywheel of the engine and that it was the next unit after it. This is not the case in the Ford car, as, in it, the magneto and transmission are placed between the engine and the clutch. Figure 1 shows the transmission. You will remember thut the drum (L) is connected to the rear wheels by means of tbo driving plato CM.) If the inside of this-drum (L) has fastened to It a number of keys, as shown in Fig. 2, lettered (A), and if another key-ways on its outside, as (B) Fig. 2, be fastened to the engine driver shaft (H), then all that will be necessary to make a disc clutch will be to have two sets of discs, one fitting fit-ting into the keys of the brake or driven drum (N) and another, alter- wheels through the propeller shaft. I etc., the drive from the engine will be direct, no transmission gears being brought into the drive. In order to have the pressure of the spring exerted on the pins of the push plate, hinged levers are fastened fast-ened to the driving plate, the middle portion of which press against the pins while the free ends are held in a collar. This collar is pressed forward by the spring. Figure -t shows the spring, the collar col-lar (J) and the levers. You will note that there are screws on the levers which press against the push ring pins. By sctewing these screws in, the clutch can be tightened; that is, the pressure on the discs can be in creased, or, by unscrewing, the pressure pres-sure can be decreased. Here, then, is where the adjustments must be made in case the clutch slips or grabs. The means used to free, or, as we also say, disengage or throw out, the clutch, is practically the same as for all other makes of clutches. The collar on which the spring operates is a dou- - Dating set, having keys which fit into the key-ways on the driving drum (N"), and then have some means to apply a pressure on the discs, , or to take the pressure off at the will of the operator. The discs are shown in Fig. 1, the driving discs being lettered let-tered (E) and the driven discs (S). Like all clutches, the discs are pressed together by a spring, and the pressure is taken off the discs by means of a foot pedal. In the Ford car. however, a band lever is also used to take the pressure of the spring off the discs, so that the clutch can be disengaged 'by pressing down on the foot pedal, or by pulling on the lover. This lever also applies the emergency emer-gency brake. Let us see how the spring is used to press the discs together, and how tie pressure of it is taken off the disc. Figure 3 shows what is called the clutch push ring. This is set against the discs, while the pins on it pass through holes in the driving plate (M). If "we can devise some means for exerting a pressure on these pins, then the discs will be pressed to- g ether and, because of the friction etween their surfaces, they will hold so firmly that they will move as though they were one piece. Thus the drum (L) will be driven from the drum (N), which, in turn, being attached to the shaft (H), is driven from the engine. As the drum (L) is attached to the driving plate, (M), which is connected to , the rear ble collar, on collar acting on the levers lev-ers and a throwing fork being placed in the other. This throwing fork is operated by the foot pedal or by the emergency brake lever. The fork is shown in the illustration lettered K. With sliding-gear transmissions, when the car is stopped at the curb with the engine running, the gears are" brought to neutral, and the clutch is allowed to remain in the engaged position. With the Ford transmission, there are no gears to be brought to neutral, the engine en-gine and rear wheels always being connected con-nected when the clutch is engaged. For this reason, some device in addition to the foot pedal must be furnished which will hold the clutch out when the car is standing still and the engine running. run-ning. Thus, the lever, which can be locked, is required in addition to the pedal. Both the pedal and lever act on the single throw-out fork. How this is accomplished is shown in Fig. 5. You will observe that when the foot pedal is depressed, the link (T) will operate on the arm (U) in such a manner man-ner as to throw the clutch collar to the right, and so take the pressure of the spring off the discs. Also, when the lever is pulled up, the cam (W), bv pressing up on the finger (X), will again move the arm (U) in such a manner man-ner as to throw out the clutch. As the lever is equipped with a ratchet, it will be held up by the ratchet, and so the clutch will be held in the disengaged position, even when the driver is out of the car. |