GB2122704A

GB2122704A - Drive axle incorporating differential and reduction gearing

Info

Publication number: GB2122704A
Application number: GB08314199A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harry Balmforth
Original assignee: GKN Axles Ltd
Current assignee: Dana Spicer Europe Ltd
Priority date: 1982-06-22
Filing date: 1983-05-23
Publication date: 1984-01-18
Also published as: GB8314199D0

Abstract

An axle having planetary reduction gearing (14) and differential gearing (13) of the bevel gear type having a carrier (17) comprising a pot- shaped member (18) one end of which has secured thereto a unitary element (19) which provides a crown wheel (27), a bearing (28) for one of the side gears (22) and one carrier journal (29), the reduction gearing (14) for each hub being adjacent to the differential gearing and each side gear (22) is at one end of, and is integral with, a shaft (36) which adjacent its other end is provided with teeth forming the sun gear (37) of the adjacent reduction gearing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Axles This invention relates to drive axles for vehicles.

More specifically it relates to such axles, hereinafter referred to as being of the type described, having an axle casing, differential gearing within the axle casing, planetary reduction gearing between the differential gearing and the wheel hubs, the planetary gearing having a sun gear, a plant gear carrier in which are rotatably mounted planet gears which mesh with the sun gear and with an annul us gear, and driveshafts between the reduction gearing and the wheel hubs.

The object of the invention is to provide a compact and cost saving construction of axle of the type described.

According to the invention there is provided an axle of the type described wherein the differential gearing is of the bevel gear type and comprises side gears, planet pinions rotatable on a pin or spider, a carrier comprising a pot-shaped member one end of which has secured thereto a unitary element which provides a crown wheel, a bearing for one of the side gears and one carrier journal, the other carrier journal being provided at the other end of the pot-shaped member, and wherein the reduction gearing for each hub is adjacent to the differential gearing and each side gear is at one end of, and is integral with, a shaft which adjacent its other end is provided with teeth forming the sun gear of the adjacent reduction gearing.

Preferably the inboard end of each driveshaft is provided with a flange which forms a part of the planet carrier of the reduction gearing associated with that driveshaft.

In each reduction gearing one end portion of each of the pins on which the planet gears are mounted is preferably received in the flange while the other end portions of each of the said pins and the planet gears are received in a second part of the planet gear carrier which is releasably secured to the flange.

Each driveshaft may be journalled in a bearing in the axle casing adjacent to the flange. The axle casing may comprise a differential housing to which is bolted, one on each side, one end of an axle tube and the annulus gear of each reduction gearing may be formed on an element which has a flange interposed between the differential housing and an axle tube and is secured in position by the same bolts as secure the axle tubes to the differential housing.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a partial horizontal section through a drive axle embodying the invention.

The axle inciudes an axle casing indicated generally at 10 which in turn includes a differential housing 11 and two axle tubes, 12 which are secured to the differential housing as will be described below. Within the differential housing is differential gearing indicated generally at 13 and within the inboard end of each axle tube is planetary reduction gearing one set of which is shown at 14. Each planetary reduction gearing drives a driveshaft 1 5 which extends to a wheel hub 16.

Dealing first with the differential gearing 13, this comprises a carrier indicated generally at 1 7 and which is formed of a pot-shaped member 18 and a unitary element 1 9 which is bolted by bolts 20 to one end of the pot-shaped member 18. The pot-shaped member has a larger diameter portion 21 in which are mounted side gears 22 and planet pinions 23, the latter being carried on a pin or spider 24 having its ends received in the member 1 8.

At its right hand end in the drawing the carrier has a smaller diameter portion 25 and this provides a bearing for a right hand side gear 22 and also a journal 26 for the carrier.

The element 1 9 provides a crown wheel 27, a bearing 28 for the left hand side gear 22 and a journal 29 for the carrier.

The crown wheel 27 is engaged in a conventional manner by a pinion 30 whose shaft 31 is mounted in bearings 32 which are received in an extension 33 of the differential housing. The shaft 31 is surrounded by an oil seal 34 and at its outer end carries a driving flange 35.

Turning now to the planetary reduction gearing 14, it will be seen that the left hand side gear 22 is integral with a shaft 36 which is formed at its left hand end with teeth which comprise the sun gear 37 of the reduction gearing. The annulus gear 38 is formed on an element 39 which has a flange 40 which is interposed between one end of the differential housing 11 and a flange 41 at the inboard end of the axle tube 12. The flanges 40 and 41 are secured to the differential housing 11 by a series of bolts, one of which is shown at 42.

The element 39 also receives the outer race of a bearing 43 in which the left hand journal 29 of the differential carrier is received. The same arrangement occurs on the right hand side but is not shown in detail where an element 44 similar to the element 39 receives the outer race of a bearing 45 the inner race of which is received on the journal 26.

At its inboard end each driveshaft 1 5 has a flange 46 and the driveshaft is journalled in the axle tube adjacent the flange by means of a bearing 47. Received in bores 48 in the flange 46 are one ends of the pins for receiving the planet gears of the reduction gearing, one such pin being indicated at 49. Each pin 49 carries a planet gear 50 which meshes with the sun gear 37 and the annulus gear 38. The other end of each pin 49 is received in a second part 51 of the planet carrier which also receives the planet gears 50, the part 51 being secured to the flange 46 by a series of studs and nuts one of which is indicated at 52.

Each pin 49 is held against rotation by a grub screw 53 which may either enter a recess 54 in the pin as shown or may, in an alternative embodiment, engage a flat on the pin in which case the bores 48 would be similarly shaped to receive the flattened end of the pin.

The outboard end of the driveshaft 15 is received in a bearing 55 and is connected to a wheel hub 16. The outboard end of the axle tube 12 contains an oil seal 56.

The axle is symmetrical about the centre line 57 so far as the planetary reduction gears and driveshafts are concerned.

It will be seen that the invention provides an axle of the type described which is of economical construction and which is compact.

Claims

1. An axle of the type described wherein the differential gearing is of the bevel gear type and comprises side gears, planet pinions rotatable on a pin or spider, a carrier comprising a pot-shaped member one end of which has secured thereto a unitary element which provides a crown wheel, a bearing for one side gears and one carrier journal, the other carrier journal being provided at the other end of the pot-shaped member, and wherein the reduction gearing for each hub is adjacent to the differential gearing and each side gear is at one end of, and is integral with, a shaft which adjacent its other end is provided with teeth forming the sun gear of the adjacent reduction gearing.

2. An axle according to Claim 1 wherein the inboard end of each driveshaft is provided with a flange which forms a part of the planet carrier of the reduction gearing associated with that driveshaft.

3. An axle according to Claim 2 wherein in each reduction gearing one end portion of each of the pins on which the planet gears are mounted is received in the flange.

4. An axle according to Claim 3 wherein the other end portions of each of the said pins and the planet gears are received in a second part of the planet gear carrier which is releasably secured to the flange.

5. An axle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each driveshaft is journalled in a bearing in the axle casing adjacent to the flange.

6. An axle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the axle casing comprises a differential housing to which is bolted, one on each side, one end of an axle tube and wherein the annulus gear of each reduction gearing is formed on an element which has a flange interposed between the differential housing and an axle tube and is secured in position by the same bolts as secure the axle tubes to the differential housing.

7. An axle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.