Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16H—GEARING
  • F16H48/00—Differential gearings
  • F16H48/20—Arrangements for suppressing or influencing the differential action, e.g. locking devices
  • F16H48/28—Arrangements for suppressing or influencing the differential action, e.g. locking devices using self-locking gears or self-braking gears
  • F16H48/29—Arrangements for suppressing or influencing the differential action, e.g. locking devices using self-locking gears or self-braking gears with self-braking intermeshing gears having perpendicular arranged axes and having worms or helical teeth

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to differential assemblies for use in dividing and interlocking driving action from a drive train to separate axle shafts which are connected to the differential assembly. More specifically, the invention is concerned with an improved " way for locking and positioning a pair of axle ends within a differential assembly.
• Standard differential assemblies which use bevel gears as the drive gears for the axle sections can use a large pin or shaft for maintaining the two axle ends in a spaced apart condition once the locking rings have been installed and the axle parts have been moved to their operating positions.
• Prior patents showing such arrangements include U.S. Patents 3,400,611; 3,527,120; and 3,874,250.
• This type of differential includes worm gears coupled to each axle end as drive gears together with so called “balancing” gears or transfer gears associated with each of the worm drive gears and in mesh with each other for transferring and dividing torque between the axle ends.
• the transfer gears are mounted in pairs, and each transfer gear of a pair rotates on an axis of rotation that is substantially tangental to the pitch of an associated axle drive gear.
• spacing blocks have been designed for insertion between the axle ends when a bifurcated thrust member is removed from one end of the assembly (as disclosed in co-pending application Serial Number entitled “Differential Gearing Assembly” and filed even date herewith in the name of Vernon E. Gleasman) or when an idler gear means, positioned between a pair of transfer gears, is removed for providing access to the central part of the differential assembly for insertion of a bifurcated spacing block (as disclosed in co-pending application Serial Number entitled “Differential Gearing Assembly", filed even date herewith, in the name of Vernon E. Gleasman).
• an intermediate idler gear is arranged to not only drivingly connect a pair of transfer gears but also to span an access opening formed in the differential case so that removal of the intermediate gear opens a clearance space between all gear components which is sufficient for a spacing block to be installed and removed from the differential case.
• the intermediate gearing comprises spur gear elements mounted on a journal pin for meshing engagement with spur gear portions of each of the pair of transfer gears associated therewith.
• the journal pin is arranged for easy removal and installation relative to the differentail case and serves to fix the position of the intermediate idler gear relative to the differential case.
• the present invention is concerned with a specific improvement for the Gleasman type of differential assembly discussed above which does not utilize bevel gears as drive gears and which uses transfer gears that tend to interfere with an easy placement of a spacing means for maintaining the axle ends in their required operating positions.
• the invention provides for an improved spacing member which can be removably installed between axle ends in such a differential assembly so as to define a. predetermined spacing between the axle ends and to maintain the axle ends in their preferred locked positions for operation.
• the spacing member is provided with a mounting element projecting radially outwardly therefrom for securing the spacing member in its installed position between the axle ends within the differential case.
• the mounting element includes a bore therethrough which is at a right angle to and offset from the common center axis of the axle ends, and this permits the mounting element to be secured by the same journal pin which carries an intermediate idler gear across an access opening of the differential case, as described above.
• a securing means for fixing the position of the spacing member from outside of the differential case.
• the mounting element serves as a device by which the spacing member can be grasped as it is inserted or removed from the interior of the differential case.
• the spacing member comprises a two piece structure formed by a splitting of the spacing member in a plane which generally passes through the common center axis of the axle ends and which is perpendicular to the center axis of the bore of the mounting element attached thereto.
• a further feature of the spacing member of the present invention provides for additional spacing elements for positioning between the main spacing member and each axle end.
• Each such additional spacing element is shaped to embrace an end portion of an associated axle end so as to contain a locking ring carried by the axle end when the additional spacing element is inserted between the axle end and the main spacing member.
• Figure 1 is an elevational view of a type of differential assembly which is the subject of this invention ;
• Figure 2 is an elevational view in the same scale as Figure 1 and partly in cross-section, showing the differential assembly of Figure 1 rotated 90 degrees about its horizontal axis;
• Figure 3 is an end view, partly in cross section, of the type of differential assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2, as seen on line 3-3 of Figure 1 ; and
• Figure 4 is an exploded view of a preferred spacing member assembly for use with the differential shown in Figures 1-3.
• the differential assembly 10 of the invention is illustrated as comprising a housing formed as a unitary structure for carrying a number of gear components and axle segments 12 and 14 of an axle assembly for a vehicle.
• the housing of the differential assembly 10 includes a flange 16 formed thereon for receiving a conventional ring gear 18 (shown in phantom) for being driven by a hypoid gear (not shown) of a main drive train of the vehicle.
• a conventional ring gear 18 shown in phantom
• hypoid gear not shown
• any known method of fabrication may be utilized, including building up of the housing from separate units, but in the illustrated embodiment, the housing is cast as a single unit.
• major openings 20 are formed through the cast housing to define a relatively open interior space for receiving inner ends of axle segments 12 and 14 an.d associated gear components.
• Opposite ends of the housing include journals 22 which define bores into which the ends of the axle segments 12 and 14 are inserted.
• each axle end of the axles segments 12 and 14 are provided with splines 24 for securing separate drive gears 26 and 28 to the axle ends.
• Each drive gear is associated with a respective axle end and is secured thereto so as to rotate the axle ends with the rotation of the entire housing or through differentiating action between the axle ends.
• each axle end is provided with an annular groove 30 for receiving locking rings or C-shaped fasteners 32.
• At least one pair (and in the illustrated embodiment, three pair are utilized) of transfer gears are provided for dividing torque between the separate axle ends of the axle segments 12 and 14.
• a pai'r of transfer gears consists of a gear 34 associated with a drive gear 26 and a separate drive gear 36 associated with the other drive gear 28.
• the transfer gears 34 and 36 are of the general geometry shown in Figure 1 in which each transfer gear has a central worm wheel portion 37 for meshing with the worm teeth of associated drive gears, as described in U.S. Patent 2,859,641.
• each transfer gear 34 and 36 is provided with spur gears 39 formed (or secured) at each end thereof for transmitting motion of the transfer gear to an opposite end of the differential assembly.
• the illustrated embodiment shows an arrangement wherein an idler gear 38 is inserted between the pair of transfer gears 34 and 36 to allow a transfer of driving motion from one end of the differential case to the other.
• the purpose of the intermediate gear 38 is to provide for a part of the assembly which can be easily removed to thereby provide access to a central portion of the interior of the assembly.
• the spacing member 40 will be referred to as a single member, it is to be understood that the spacing member may take on many shapes and forms other than a unitary construction and may include the additional elements illustrated in Figure 4.
• the spacing member 40 is shown as being made up of two sets of components which are formed as a result of breaking or splitting the spacing member 40 in a plane which generally passes through a center axis 15 of the differential assembly. By dividing the spacing member into two parts, the separate components are more easily inserted and removed from the confined interior of the differential assembly.
• Figure 4 also illustrates a mounting element 42 associated with the spacing member 40.
• the mounting element 42 projects radially outwardly from the surface of the spacing member 40 and includes a bore 43 therethrough for receiving a journal pin 44 (see Figure 3) associated with the mounting of an idler gear 38 carried thereon.
• the divided components which make up the spacing member 40 ar'e designed so that each carries one half of the mounting element 42, and thus, when the two elements are assembled together, the journal pin 44 can function as a securing means for holding the spacing member in a preferred position within the interior of the differential assembly.
• the spacing member 40 is assembled and inserted in place, the position defined for it is at an approximate mid point between the two axle ends, as shown in Figure 2.
• separate sleeves 46 are carried on the journal pin 44 for defining the position of the mounting elements 42 and the spur gear portions 48 which are carried in positions for meshing with the spur gear portions 39 of the transfer gears 34 and 36.
• Additional spacing elements 50 and 52 may be included with the spacing member of this invention for defining cup-shaped faces which embrace the ends of associated axles and which serve to retain the locking rings 32 in their locking positions. These cup—shaped faces are formed as separate disk- shaped elements 50 and 52 which are themselves split into two separate parts, as illustrated, for ease of installation and removal of the. various components.
• each of the disk-shaped elements 50 and 52 may be formed as a unitary structure, provided the main spacing number 40 is designed to be easily removed prior to removal of the elements 50 and 52. Either way, the requirement is to provide a sufficient thickness of material to maintain the respective axle ends in their outwardly directed positions so that they cannot move inwardly toward the interior of the differential assembly during normal operation of the vehicle.
• the radially projecting mounting element 42 of the spacing member 40 can be described as having a bore 42 which has a center axis 54 ( Figure 4) that is positioned at a right angle to, and offset from, the common center axis 15 of the axle segments 12 and 14.
• the axis 54 of the bore 42 is also a center axis of the journal pin 44 which is inserted through the bore for securing the spacing member 40 in its preferred position.
• the plane in which the components of the spacing member are split (as shown in Figure 4) can be described as being perpendicular to the axis 54 of the bore.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Retarders (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

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ID=23888178

Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (16)

Citations (28)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1983
  • 1983-03-15 US US06/475,574 patent/US4512211A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1984
  • 1984-02-27 EP EP84901278A patent/EP0138911B1/en not_active Expired
  • 1984-02-27 WO PCT/US1984/000285 patent/WO1984003745A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1984-02-27 AU AU26910/84A patent/AU563341B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1984-02-27 DE DE8484901278T patent/DE3471142D1/de not_active Expired
  • 1984-02-27 JP JP1984600012U patent/JPH0135964Y2/ja not_active Expired
  • 1984-02-28 CA CA000448475A patent/CA1210613A/en not_active Expired
  • 1984-03-15 BE BE212573A patent/BE899168A/fr unknown

Patent Citations (28)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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