Saxomat
Encyclopedia
Saxomat was a type of automatic clutch
available as an option on Fiat 1800, Saab 93
, Borgward Isabella
, Goliath/Hansa 1100, Auto Union 1000
, BMW
, Opel
, Ford Taunus
, NSU
, Glas
, Trabant
Wartburg and Volkswagen
cars. Opel sold it as Olymat; Trabant and Wartburg named the system Hycomat. The Hydrak, used in some Mercedes-Benz vehicles between 1957 and 1961, was a similar system with a hydrodynamic torque converter in place of the Saxomat's centrifugal clutch
, this H.T.C. system was standard on NSU Ro 80
and was optional on the Porsche 911 (Sportomatic). The system also reappeared in the 1990s as Sensonic.
Cars with a Saxomat clutch did not have a clutch pedal. The Saxomat consisted of two independent systems, the centrifugal clutch, and the servo
clutch. The centrifugal clutch was engaged above certain engine rpms
by centrifugal force
, acting on spinning weights inside the clutch, similar to a centrifugal governor
.
The servo clutch used an electric switch that supplied manifold vacuum
via an actuator valve to a reservoir that disengaged the cluch. The clutch is disengaged automatically whenever the gear shift lever was touched.
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...
available as an option on Fiat 1800, Saab 93
Saab 93
The Saab 93, pronounced ninety-three, is an automobile manufactured by Saab. It was announced on August 18, 1955, and was first presented on December 1, 1955. It was styled by Sixten Sason and had a longitudinally-mounted three-cylinder 748 cc Saab two-stroke engine giving 33 hp . The...
, Borgward Isabella
Borgward Isabella
The Borgward Isabella was a medium-sized, two-door saloon manufactured by the Bremen based auto-manufacturer Carl F. W. Borgward GmbH from 1954-1962...
, Goliath/Hansa 1100, Auto Union 1000
Auto Union 1000
The Auto Union 1000 was a compact front wheel drive saloon manufactured by Auto Union AG between 1958 and 1963. It was the first model branded as an Auto Union by the manufacturer since the 1930s: it replaced the paradoxically named DKW 3=6, although the latter continued in production,...
, BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
, Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
, Ford Taunus
Ford Taunus
The Ford Taunus is a family car sold by Ford in Germany and other countries. Models from 1970 onward were similar to the Ford Cortina in the United Kingdom...
, NSU
NSU Motorenwerke AG
NSU Motorenwerke AG, normally just NSU, was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and pedal cycles, founded in 1873. It was acquired by Volkswagen Group in 1969...
, Glas
Glas
Hans Glas GmbH is a former German automotive company, which was based in Dingolfing. Originally a maker of farm machinery, Glas evolved first into a producer of motor scooters, then automobiles...
, Trabant
Trabant
The Trabant is a car that was produced by former East German auto maker VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau in Zwickau, Sachsen. It was the most common vehicle in East Germany, and was also exported to countries both inside and outside the communist bloc...
Wartburg and Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
cars. Opel sold it as Olymat; Trabant and Wartburg named the system Hycomat. The Hydrak, used in some Mercedes-Benz vehicles between 1957 and 1961, was a similar system with a hydrodynamic torque converter in place of the Saxomat's centrifugal clutch
Centrifugal clutch
A centrifugal clutch is a clutch that uses centrifugal force to connect two concentric shafts, with the driving shaft nested inside the driven shaft....
, this H.T.C. system was standard on NSU Ro 80
NSU Ro 80
The NSU Ro 80 was a technologically advanced large sedan-type automobile produced by the German firm of NSU from 1967 until 1977. Most notable was the powertrain; a , 995 cc twin-rotor Wankel engine driving the front wheels through a semi-automatic transmission employing an innovative vacuum system...
and was optional on the Porsche 911 (Sportomatic). The system also reappeared in the 1990s as Sensonic.
Cars with a Saxomat clutch did not have a clutch pedal. The Saxomat consisted of two independent systems, the centrifugal clutch, and the servo
Servomechanism
thumb|right|200px|Industrial servomotorThe grey/green cylinder is the [[Brush |brush-type]] [[DC motor]]. The black section at the bottom contains the [[Epicyclic gearing|planetary]] [[Reduction drive|reduction gear]], and the black object on top of the motor is the optical [[rotary encoder]] for...
clutch. The centrifugal clutch was engaged above certain engine rpms
Revolutions per minute
Revolutions per minute is a measure of the frequency of a rotation. It annotates the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis...
by centrifugal force
Centrifugal force
Centrifugal force can generally be any force directed outward relative to some origin. More particularly, in classical mechanics, the centrifugal force is an outward force which arises when describing the motion of objects in a rotating reference frame...
, acting on spinning weights inside the clutch, similar to a centrifugal governor
Centrifugal governor
A centrifugal governor is a specific type of governor that controls the speed of an engine by regulating the amount of fuel admitted, so as to maintain a near constant speed whatever the load or fuel supply conditions...
.
The servo clutch used an electric switch that supplied manifold vacuum
Manifold vacuum
Manifold vacuum, or engine vacuum in an internal combustion engine is the difference in air pressure between the engine's intake manifold and Earth's atmosphere....
via an actuator valve to a reservoir that disengaged the cluch. The clutch is disengaged automatically whenever the gear shift lever was touched.