US3872741A — Differential gear assembly

Claim 1

Independent Claim 159 words

A differential gear assembly for differentially coupling an input shaft with a pair of driven axle shafts, comprising a ring gear arranged in rotatable engagement with the input shaft, a differential housing secured for rotation with the ring gear and forming openings on opposite sides thereof in axial alignment with the ring gear for receiving the axle shafts, bevel gears respectively secured for rotation with the axle shafts, bearing means interacting between each bevel gear and the housing around the respective openings to provide selected spacing between the bevel gears and to allow movement of the bevel gears relative to the housing, and a pinion assembly including a pair of pinion gears each arranged in meshing engagement with the bevel gears, a shaft supporting the pinion gears and mounted on the housing by bushing means permitting limited movement of the pinion assembly, adjustable means being mounted on the shaft for securing the pinion gears in selected spaced apart relation.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 159 words

A differential gear assembly for differentially coupling an input shaft with a pair of driven axle shafts, comprising a ring gear arranged in rotatable engagement with the input shaft, a differential housing secured for rotation with the ring gear and forming openings on opposite sides thereof in axial alignment with the ring gear for receiving the axle shafts, bevel gears respectively secured for rotation with the axle shafts, bearing means interacting between each bevel gear and the housing around the respective openings to provide selected spacing between the bevel gears and to allow movement of the bevel gears relative to the housing, and a pinion assembly including a pair of pinion gears each arranged in meshing engagement with the bevel gears, a shaft supporting the pinion gears and mounted on the housing by bushing means permitting limited movement of the pinion assembly, adjustable means being mounted on the shaft for securing the pinion gears in selected spaced apart relation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 31 words

The differential assembly of claim 1 further comprising a hardened annular retaining plate and shim means of selected thickness arranged between the bearing means and an annular surface on the housing.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 58 words

The differential gear assembly of claim 2 wherein the pinion assembly further includes a flanged sleeve arranged toward each end of the shaft, the pinion gears being respectively supported upon the flanged sleeves by bearing means, the adjustable means comprising a cylindrical member arranged generally at the longitudinal center of the shaft and threadably engaging the flanged sleeves.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 61 words

The differential gear assembly of claim 1 wherein the pinion assembly further includes a flanged sleeve arranged toward each end of the shaft, the pinion gears being respectively supported upon the flanged sleeves by bearing means, the adjustable means comprising a cylindrical member arranged generally at the longitudinal center of the shaft and adapted for threaded engagement with the flanged sleeves.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 146 words

A differential gear assembly for differentially coupling an input shaft with a pair of driven axle shafts, comprising bevel gears respectively secured for rotation with the axle shafts, a housing rotatably supporting the bevel gears by means of bearings, the housing and bearings establishing the axial spacing between the bevel gears while allowing relative radial movement of the bevel gears, a pinion assembly including a pair of pinion gears each arranged in meshing engagement with the bevel gears and adjustable means for securing the pinion gears in spaced apart relation. a ring gear engaged with the input shaft, and means securing the pinion assembly for rotation with the ring gear while allowing limited movement of the pinion assembly whereby a common pitch cone center may be established and more accurately maintained for the meshing pinion gears and bevel gears during operation of the differential gear assembly.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 146 words

A differential gear assembly for differentially coupling an input shaft with a pair of driven axle shafts, comprising bevel gears respectively secured for rotation with the axle shafts, a housing rotatably supporting the bevel gears by means of bearings, the housing and bearings establishing the axial spacing between the bevel gears while allowing relative radial movement of the bevel gears, a pinion assembly including a pair of pinion gears each arranged in meshing engagement with the bevel gears and adjustable means for securing the pinion gears in spaced apart relation. a ring gear engaged with the input shaft, and means securing the pinion assembly for rotation with the ring gear while allowing limited movement of the pinion assembly whereby a common pitch cone center may be established and more accurately maintained for the meshing pinion gears and bevel gears during operation of the differential gear assembly.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-03-24	1978-09-23	1979-03-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-03-24	1982-09-23	1983-03-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-03-24	1986-09-23	1987-03-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Differential gear assembly

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