Four wheel drive vehicle incorporating limited strip interaxle differential

Claim 1

A multiple path drive system for a vehicle having at least two pairs of traction wheels including a pair of axle assemblies; each assembly connected to at least one pair of traction wheels; a pair of drive shaft members each connected as an input to an axle assembly; a torque transfer mechanism including a differential comprising an input shaft adapted to receive an input torque, said input shaft having a central axis and axially extending from one side of said differential mechanism; a casing member driven by said input shaft; pair of output gears positioned within and on opposite sides of said casing member; a bevel gear system connected between said casing member and said output gears to transmit torsional effort from said casing member to said output gears and to allow relative rotation between said output gears; a pair of output shafts coaxial with said input shaft, each connected to a respective output gear, each of said output shafts in driving engagement with one of said drive shafts and both output shafts axially extending from said differential mechanism in a direction axially opposite to said input shaft, said output shafts being coaxial and telescoped one within the other and including at least one clutch positioned between said casing and at least one of said output shafts, said clutch including at least one friction surface associated with said casing and at least one friction surface associated with said one of said output shafts and means urging said friction surfaces into an initial frictional engagement.