US1334158A - Combined driving and steering axle - Google Patents

Description

G. A. McGlLL.

COMBINED DRIVING AND STEERING AXLE. V APPLICATION FILED JUNE I9, I916. RENEWED .IULY23,, I9I9.

1 ,334, l 58. Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

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G. A. McGlLL.

COMBINED DRIVING AND STEERING AXLE. 'APPLICATION FILED JU'NE I9, 1916. RENEWED JULY 23.19 9- 1,334,1 58. Patented Mar. 16,1920.

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Y Qxm attorney UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. MCGILL, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

COMBINED DRIVING AND STEERING AXLE.

Application filed To all whom it may concern Be it known that. I, Gnonon A. MoGrrLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Driving and Steering Axles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a combined driving and steering axle, adapted for use upon automobiles or the like. I A

.The invention aims to provide a construction of the above mentioned character, which is characterized by its extreme simplicity, cheapness and durability.

An important object of the invention is to provide, in apparatus of the above mentioned character, means to eife'ctually exclude dust from the universal joint, embodied therein.

A Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and,

Fig. & is a transverse sectional view taken on line 47-4 of Fig. 3. p

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a stationary housing, which is suitably connected with,the frame-work of a vehicle. This housing is provided at each end with vertically arranged upstanding and depending knuckles 6, having their ends forked, for providing openings 7. These forked knuckles receive knuckles 8, formed upon a tubular spindle 9. The knuckles 7 and 8 are apertured for the reception of pins or pivot elements 10, provided at their outer ends with enlarged heads, and held in place by means of cotter pins 11, extending through apertures in the knuckles 6 and the pivot elements, as more ,clearly shown in Fig. 4. Washers 10' surround the bolts 10 and are disposed outwardly of and adjacent the knuckles 8, as shown. From the foregodescription it is obvious that the tubular is provided with 29 formed Specification of Letters Patent. Patented luar, 16, 1920.

June 19,1916, Serial No. 104,452. Renewed July 23, 1919. Serial No. 312,831.

spindle 9 is adapted to swing in a horizontal plane with respect to the housing 5.

' Rotatably mounted upon the tubular spindle 9 is a wheel, designated as a whole by the numeral 12. This wheel comprises an inner hub-member 13 and outer hubmember 11, which are connected by bolts 14, and have tubular body portions 15 and 1.6, respectively. The tubular body portion 15 telescopes the tubular body'portion 16 and'is provided with a shoulder 17, carrying spaced lugs 18, f tting in spaced recesses 19, formed upon the inner surface of the tubular body portion 16, as shown. The tubular body portion 15 hasa groove 15,

. receiving packing 16, also projecting into a groove 17', as shown.

The tubular body portion 15 is provided with an interior annular rib or flange 20, upon the opposite sides of which are arranged annular tracks 21, engaging roller bearings 22, also engaging annular tracks 23, surrounding the tubular spindle 9, near the ends thereof. The inner track 23 contacts with the shoulder 24 while the outer track contacts with a ring 25, having screw threaded engagement with the end of the spindle 9. It is thus apparent that the wheel is rotatably mounted upon the tubular spindle and that roller bearings are inter- I posed between these parts.

The tubular body portion .16 of the hub an interior tubular coupling 26, formed integral therewith, and provided with a groove or key-Way 27, receiving a key 28. This key projects into a. groove rod 30, which is provided at its outer end with screw-threads for receiving a nut 31. It is thus apparent that the coupling rod 30 is locked to the coupling tube for rotation therewith. The inner end of the coupling rod 30 is, preferably square in cross-section or other than round, as shown at 32, and is adapted for insertion within a tubular driving shaft section 33 having a correspondingly shaped opening. This driving shaft section is driven by a coactingdriving shaft section 34, arranged in the housing 5 and having a universal connection therewith, as shown at 35.

The hubtubular body portion 16 is provided with an exteriorly screw-threaded flange 36, having screw-threaded engagement with a cap 37, serving to cover the end of the coupling rod as shown.

upon the periphery of a coupling Means are provided to exclude dust, dirt or the like, from the universal joint 35, comprising a spherically curved dust casingsection'38, preferably formed integral with the housing 5 and the, knuckles 6, as shown. The outer end of this casing is open, for -the passage and movement of the driving shaftsection 33', and the casing-section 38 projects into a spherically curved dust casingsection 39, preferably formed integral with the tubular spindle 9, and the knuckles 8, as shown.-

The numeral 40 designates a .grease cup, having a discharge tube 41, passing through openings in the body portions 15 and 16, and adapted to discharge the lubricant in proximity to the roller bearings It is obvious that other means may be employed to lubricate the roller bearings. p I

Rigidly connected with the spherically curved casing-section 39 and the spindle 9 is a preferably curved knuckle 42, for connection with the usual steering mechanism, whereby the wheel may be steered.

In use, it is obvious that the rotation of the shaft 34 will be transmitted to'the shaft 33, and hence to the wheel 12, for propelling the vehicle. The 'vehicle may be steered by swinging the steering arm 42 in the desired direction, causing a corresponding swinging movement of the wheel. It is obvious'that my combined driving and steering axle may be arranged at the fron hicle or both.

It is to be understood that.the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred exampleof the same, and that variouschanges in the shape,

t or rear of the vein the presence of two witnesses.

size and arrangement of parts may be re sorted to without departing from the spirit A of -the invention or the scope of the subthe curvature of-the spherically curved dust cap "and having their inner edges extending I contiguous with the dust cap throughout their entrre lengthand lntegral therewith, whereby said knuckles serve as reinforcing ribs for the dust cap, said knuckles being c forked at their free ends; a co-acting spheri- 6 cally curved dust-casing having its wall formed bomparatively thick. in cross-section and receiving therein the outer open side ofthe duel cap; apcrtured knuckles formed integral with the dust-casing and arranged within the forkedends ofthe first named knuckles; a tubular spindle formed integral with the dust casing a wheel rotatable upon the tubular spindle; and means to rotate the wheel.

In testlmony whereof I affix my signature GEORGE A. MGGILL. Witnesses: Ji-xs sl-IEARON,

Gus Wasones

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