US3838751A — Axle lubrication system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 280 words

An axle mechanism comprising: an axle housing capable of being mounted in one of two positions and having an opening extending therein; a differential carrier housing mounted on said axle housing and extending within said opening; said carrier housing carrying a drive pinion gear, a ring gear in meshing, driving engagement with said drive pinion gear, and a differential secured to said ring gear and including a pair of output members extending therefrom, said ring gear and differential secured to said carrier by first and second bearings through which said output members extend; a sump within said axle housing and extending within said carrier housing, said sump having a statiC level sufficient to submerge a portion of said ring gear, said drive pinion, and said differential; means within said carrier housing defining a. a first fluid flow path for directing lubricant within said carrier to said differential when said axle housing is positioned in its first position and said axle mechanism is driven in a forward direction, b. a second fluid flow path for directing lubricant from said ring gear to within said differential when said axle housing is positioned in its first position and said axle mechanism is driven in a reverse direction, c. a third fluid flow path for directing lubricant from said drive pinion to within said differential when said axle housing is positioned in its second position and said axle mechanism is driven in a forward direction, and d. a fourth lubricant flow path for directing lubricant from said drive pinion gear to within said differential when said axle housing is positioned in its second position and said axle mechanism is driven in a rearward direction.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 280 words

An axle mechanism comprising: an axle housing capable of being mounted in one of two positions and having an opening extending therein; a differential carrier housing mounted on said axle housing and extending within said opening; said carrier housing carrying a drive pinion gear, a ring gear in meshing, driving engagement with said drive pinion gear, and a differential secured to said ring gear and including a pair of output members extending therefrom, said ring gear and differential secured to said carrier by first and second bearings through which said output members extend; a sump within said axle housing and extending within said carrier housing, said sump having a statiC level sufficient to submerge a portion of said ring gear, said drive pinion, and said differential; means within said carrier housing defining a. a first fluid flow path for directing lubricant within said carrier to said differential when said axle housing is positioned in its first position and said axle mechanism is driven in a forward direction, b. a second fluid flow path for directing lubricant from said ring gear to within said differential when said axle housing is positioned in its first position and said axle mechanism is driven in a reverse direction, c. a third fluid flow path for directing lubricant from said drive pinion to within said differential when said axle housing is positioned in its second position and said axle mechanism is driven in a forward direction, and d. a fourth lubricant flow path for directing lubricant from said drive pinion gear to within said differential when said axle housing is positioned in its second position and said axle mechanism is driven in a rearward direction.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

The axle mechanism of claim 1 wherein said first, second, third, and fourth flow paths are each different from one another.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 160 words

The axle mechanism of claim 2 wherein said carrier housing has a forward portion extending outside of said axle housing and a rearward portion extending within said axle housing; said rearward portion defined by first and second generally semi-circular bearing support portions, said first and second bearing support portions orientated generally vertically and extending longitudinally towards said forward portion and adapted to receive said first and second bearings for supporting said differential and ring gear; said first bearing support having an openended, longitudinally extending first passageway extending therethrough, said differential having an opening therein and communicating with said first passageway at the rearward end of said carrier housing; said first bearing support portion further having a slot in one of its longitudinally extending wall surfaces, said slot communicating with said first passageway; and all of said flow paths entering said first passageway and said first and second flow paths defined in part as entering said first passageway through said slot.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 196 words

The axle mechanism of claim 3 wherein said carrier housing further includes a generally horizontal middle wall portion spaced from the forward end of said carrier housing and continuous at its rearward facing surface with said bearing support portions, said bearing support portions being adjacent the horizontal extremities of said middle wall portion, said middle wall surface having an opening therein and a third bearing positioned within said middle wall opening for supporting a pilot end of said drive pinion gear; said first passageway having its forward open end defined as coplanar with said middle wall; said carrier housing further having an annular bearing support portion at said forward portion defining an opening in the forward end of said carrier housing; and first and second wall means between said forward end of said carrier housing, and the surface of said middle wall portion facing said forward end and said first and second wall means and the exterior portion of said carrier housing adjacent said first and second wall means defining a second passageway, said second passageway communicating with said forward end of said first passageway to define a portion of said third and fourth flow paths.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 244 words

The axle mechanism of claim 4 wherein the exterior surface of said forward portion of said carrier housing includes said annular bearing support portion, said annular bearing support portion terminating in a generally frusto-conical wall portion having substantially straight sides, said frusto-conical wall portion converging in a generally annular mounting flange whereby said carrier housing is permanently mounted to said axle housing; said first wall means includes a fIrst longitudinally orientated wall extending between said annular bearing support portion and said middle wall portion, said longitudinal wall having first and second continuous portions, said first portion extending horizontally from the interior of said frusto-conical wall portion and said second wall portion of said first longitudinal wall extending upwardly from said first portion and being generally curvilinear with respect thereto, and said second wall portion terminating in a longitudinally extending edge surface; said second wall means includes a second generally horizontally orientated wall portion continuous with interior surface of said frusto-conical wall portions, said second wall extending longitudinally between said annular bearing support portion and said middle wall portion and removed vertically from said first wall and the space between the upper surface of said second horizontal wall portion and the interior surface of said frusto-conical wall portion defining a third passageway; and said third passageway communicating with said slot and said second flow path defined by lubricant flow from said ring gear through said third passage into said slot and through said first passageway.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 139 words

The axle mechanism of claim 5 wherein said second wall means further includes an angular wall depending vertically from said second wall and extending horizontally towards the center of said annular bearing support opening, said angular wall terminating in a longitudinally extending edge surface, said edge surface of said angular wall positioned horizontally closer to the center of said annular bearing support opening than said edge surface of said second continuous wall portion whereby the lubricant level in said sump is prevented from communicating with said first and second passageways when said axle housing is mounted in its second permanent position; and said third flow path is defined by lubricant flow from said drive pinion gear into said second passageway through said second passageway and into said first passageway whereby said differential and first and second bearings are lubricated.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 130 words

The axle mechanism of claim 6 wherein a second portion of said middle wall is defined to include the intersection of said middle wall with first bearing support about a portion thereof which is vertically opposed to said first flow passageway in said first bearing support; said second portion of said middle wall, said first portion of said first longitudinally extending wall and the interior surface of said frusto-conical portion adjacent said second portion of said middle wall and said first portion of said first wall define a fourth flow passageway; and said fourth flow path defined by lubricant flow from said gear pinion head into said fourth flow passageway, about said first longitudinal wall, into said second passageway and from thence to said first passageway communicating with said differential.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 142 words

The axle mechanism of claim 7 wherein a second slot is provided in said longitudinally extending wall surface of said first bearing support containing said first slot, said second slot located in said wall vertically removed from said first slot and adjacent said fourth flow passageway; a first pick-up director member mounted on said rearward facing surface of said middle wall adjacent said first slot and a second pick-up member mounted on said rearward facing surface of said middle adjacent said second slot, both pick-up director members adapted to contact said differentail case for directing lubricant into their respective slots; and said fourth flow path further including lubricant directed from said second pick-up director into said second slot, to said fourth passageway about said first longitudinal wall into said second passageway and from thence into said first passageway communicating with said differential.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 58 words

The axle mechanism of claim 8 wherein passage means are provided in said annular bearing support porTion for directing lubricant from said ring gear to third and fourth bearings journalling said drive pinion gear in said annular bearing support opening, said passage means being effective to lubricate said fourth bearing in either said first or second axle positions.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 214 words

In a differential carrier housing adapted to be mounted to an axle housing and carrying a drive pinion, a differential, a ring gear and associated bearings for journalling same therein, said carrier housing including a forward end and a rearward end, an annular bearing support portion at its forward end, an annular mounting flange spaced from said annular bearing support portion, a peripherally extending exterior wall surface diverging from said annular bearing support portion and converging with said annular mounting flange, first and second semi-circular bearing support portions at said rearward end and longitudinally extending towards said forward end and blending with said annular flange, a horizontally orientated middle wall within said carrier housing spaced from said forward end and blending with said first bearing support, and lubricating means within said carrier housing adapted to provide lubricant to said axle mechanism, said first lubricating means including an open-ended, longitudinally extending first passageway within said first bearing support, the improvement comprising: an angular wall mounted between said forward end and said middle wall extending horizontally and vertically towards the center of the opening in said annular bearing support portion whereby said carrier housing will provide lubricating means for the axle mechanism when said housing is mounted in either a right-side up or upside down position.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 214 words

In a differential carrier housing adapted to be mounted to an axle housing and carrying a drive pinion, a differential, a ring gear and associated bearings for journalling same therein, said carrier housing including a forward end and a rearward end, an annular bearing support portion at its forward end, an annular mounting flange spaced from said annular bearing support portion, a peripherally extending exterior wall surface diverging from said annular bearing support portion and converging with said annular mounting flange, first and second semi-circular bearing support portions at said rearward end and longitudinally extending towards said forward end and blending with said annular flange, a horizontally orientated middle wall within said carrier housing spaced from said forward end and blending with said first bearing support, and lubricating means within said carrier housing adapted to provide lubricant to said axle mechanism, said first lubricating means including an open-ended, longitudinally extending first passageway within said first bearing support, the improvement comprising: an angular wall mounted between said forward end and said middle wall extending horizontally and vertically towards the center of the opening in said annular bearing support portion whereby said carrier housing will provide lubricating means for the axle mechanism when said housing is mounted in either a right-side up or upside down position.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 89 words

The differential carrier housing of claim 10 further including a generally horizontally orientated wall within said carrier housing continuous with the interior of said exterior wall surface and longitudinally extending between said carrier forward end and said middle wall, said horizontal wall also continuous with said angular wall and intersecting same and said middle wall defining a flow passageway between the interior surface of said external wall surface and the outer surface of the horizontal wall whereby said passageway is adapted to serve as a lubricant flow control path.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-09-30	1978-04-01	1978-10-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-09-30	1982-04-01	1982-10-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-09-30	1986-04-01	1986-10-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Axle lubrication system

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