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C L U T C H
29
G e n e r a l D e s c r i p t i o n
The clutch used on Cadillac and LaSalle cars
is of the dry-plate type with three driving plates
and two driven discs.
T h e center d r i v i n g plate
carries four d r i v i n g studs which extend through
both the front and rear plates.
The rear plate is a part of the spring .pressure
plate assembly which also includes the double-
lever release mechanism.
This double-lever con-
trol compensates for springiness in the levers and
pressure plate, insuring uniform engagement of
the clutch over the entire surface of the facings.
The driven discs for the 345-B, 355-B and 370-B
clutches have curved spokes to give the
same
flexibility
as the
larger discs with the
longer
straight spokes used in the 452-B clutch.
The
factory does not supply any of the com-
ponent parts of the various pressure plate assem-
blies, inasmuch as specially designed equipment
is necessary
to adjust
the assembly properly.
T h e only individual parts furnished for the c l u t c h
are the driven discs.
When any of the
other
parts need replacing, it will be necessary to install
a complete c l u t c h assembly.
The
mounting
of
the
clutch
is
extremely
simple.
It is necessary to take off only four nuts
to remove the entire clutch assembly from
the
flywheel.
The clutch pedal stop screw is located above
the pedal hub instead of below as on previous
models.
W i t h this type stop any wear or backlash
in the trunnion pin does not affect the movement
of the clutch pedal pad.
Therefore, the amount
of pedal play represents only the movement of
the clutch release bearing.
The
service operations of the clutch and the
adjustments
of the clutch control are the same
on all cars.
C O N T R O L L E D
I R L E W H E E L I N G
A i l cai's are equipped with "controlled
free
wheeling.
This is the name given to the auto-
matic vacuum-operated
control for the clutch.
T h i s device consists of a piston and cylinder
connected to the clutch release mechanism and
operated by the vacuum from the intake manifold.
The
vacuum is controlled through valves con-
nected to a control button on the toe-board and
to the accelerator pedal.
The design is such as
to vary the rate ol engagement
of the clutch
according to the speed with which the accelerator
pedal is depressed.
The
relative positions of the
clutch control
parts is shown in Plate 14, Page 32.
The vacuum
or power cylinder is attached at the rear end to
the center cross member of the frame and the
piston is connected to the clutch release mechan-
ism.
The power cylinder is connected through a
control
valve to
the
intake
manifold,
which
furnishes the necessary vacuum.
The force thus
developed is applied to a lever which is connected
to the c l u t c h release rod for disengaging the clutch.
A l t h o u g h the power cylinder is connected to the
clutch release mechanism, it does not
interfere
with the pedal action and the clutch can
be
operated entirely independently of the automatic
control.
P O W E R
C Y L I N D E R
The power cylinder has a piston which divides
the housing into two chambers.
The front, or
air chamber, is open to the atmosphere through
three passages:
(1) the air by-pass in the piston
rod,
(2) the atmospheric valve in the cylinder
head and
(3) the
bleeder
line leading to
the
bleeder valve in the control valve unit.
The rear,
or v a c u u m chamber, is connected to the intake
manifold
through
the
cut-out
and
accelerator
plunger valves in the control valve
The
air by-pass in the piston rod is simply a
long slot.
Its
operation is controlled by
the
movement
of the
piston and permits a rapid
discharge of air from the air chamber when the
piston is moving forward up to the point at which
the clutch begins to engage.
After this point is
reached
the only escape
for air from
the
air
chamber is through the bleeder valve.
The
atmospheric valve in the cylinder head
permits a rapid refilling of the air chamber in the
cylinder when the clutch is disengaged.
C O N T R O L
V A L V E
The
control valve consists of three plungers:
the bleeder plunger, the accelerator plunger and
the cut-out plunger
The bleeder and accelerator
plungers are connected together to the accelerator
pedal.
The cut-out plunger is operated by the
control button.
The conti'ol is positive, the valves being actu-
ated by the movement of the control button and
the
accelerator
pedal.
The
power
cylinder
develops power only so long as the driver keeps
the control button depressed.
As soon as
the
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