manual gearbox is the clutchBasics 

car clutch works: The first stage in the transmission of a car with a manual gearbox is the clutch

It to transmit engine power to the gear box, select the gear from the fixed position and allow the gear change or when the car when it moves when the interrupt transmission.
Hydraulic clutch system
Most cars use a friction clutch operated either by fluid (hydraulic) or, more commonly, by a cable.

When the car under the dynamic mobile, clutch engagement. Bolted to the flywheel of the pressure plate through the diaphragm spring on the driven plate applying a constant force.

Earlier cars have a series of coil springs at the back of the pressure plate, instead of a diaphragm spring.

Drive plate on the spline input shaft running, power through the input shaft to the gear box. The board in its two side is similar to the friction brake lining pad. This allows the absorption drive smoothly in the clutch engagement.

When the clutch is disengaged (pedal depressed), an arm pushes a release bearing against the centre of the diaphragm spring which releases the clamping pressure.

With large friction on the surface of the external part of the pressure plate will then not driven powder compact to the flywheel, so power transmission is interrupted and gear can be changed.
The diaphragm spring is holding the driven plate           The release bearing has depressed the diaphragm spring
When the clutch pedal is released, the thrust bearing is withdrawn and the diaphragm-spring load once again clamps the driven plate to the flywheel to resume the transmission of power.

Some vehicle has a hydraulic clutch operation. The clutch pedal on the pressure inside the car to start the piston in the master cylinder, master cylinder through the fluid filled pipe transfer pressure to the slave cylinder installed on the clutch housing.

The slave-cylinder piston is connected to the clutch release arm.

Parts of the clutch

The modern clutch has four main components: the cover plate (which incorporates a diaphragm spring), the pressure plate, the driven plate, and the release bearing.

On the cover bolted to the flywheel and the pressure plate through the diaphragm spring or early spring to pressure on the driven plate on the car.

The driven plate runs on a splined shaft between the pressure plate and flywheel.

It on each side of friction material, when fully joint clamping plate and the flywheel, and when the clutch pedal is under some pressure, the sliding friction material can be controlled, allowing the driver to run smoothly.

The release bearing is pushed hard against the diaphragm spring, either hydraulically or by a cable and lever, and releases spring load to interrupt power transmission.