Four-wheel drive vehicle with drive transfer gear assembly

Claim 2

In a motor vehicle of the type including a prime mover, front and rear drive axles; drive means interconnecting said prime mover and said front and rear axles and including a drive transfer assembly comprising: A. an input shaft drivingly connected to said prime mover; B. a first output shaft drivingly connected to said rear axle; C. a second output shaft rotatable relative to said first output shaft and drivingly connected to said front axle; D. means operative in response to relative rotation between said output shafts in one directional mode to preclude such relative rotation; and E. means drivingly interconnecting said shafts and operative to apportion the torque received by said input shaft between said first output shaft and said second output shaft and including means operative during operation of said rotation precluding means to limit the magnitude of the torque transmitted to one of said output shafts from said input shaft.

Claim 3

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said rotation precluding means includes: F. a first pair of clutch members having matable angle teeth; and G. means biasing said matable angle teeth into engagement.

Claim 4

The vehicle of claim 2, wherein: said means drivingly interconnecting includes first and second gears and H. one of said members is secured to rotate with said second output gear and the other of said members is secured to rotate with said input shaft.

Claim 5

The vehicle of claim 3, wherein: I. said other member is slideably splined to said input shaft; and J. said biasing means resiliently biases said other member toward said one member.

Claim 6

The vehicle of claim 4, wherein: K. said means drivingly interconnecting includes a driven gear coaxial to said second output shaft; and L. said torque limiting means coacts with said driven gear to drivingly connect said driven gear to said second output shaft.

Claim 7

The vehicle of claim 5, wherein: M. the inner periphery of said driven gear defines a frustum of a cone; and N. said limiting means includes 1. an annular member secured to rotate with said output shaft and having an outer peripheral surface defining a frustum of a cone, and 2. means biasing said conical surfaces into frictional engagement.

Claim 8

The gear assembly of claim 5, wherein: M. the inner periphery of said driven gear defines a pair of radially outwardly diverging frusto-conical surfaces; and N. said torque limiting means includes 1. first and second annular members each secured to said second output shaft and each defining a frusto-conical surface on its outer periphery positioned to mate with a respective one of said diverging conical surfaces on said driven gear, 2. means preventing axial movement of said first annular member, and 3. means biasing said second annular member toward said first annular member, thereby biasing said conical surfaces into frictional engagement.

Claim 9

The gear assembly of claim 1, wherein: F. said means drivingly interconnecting includes a driven gear coaxial to said second output shaft; and G. said torque limiting means coacts with said driven gear to drivingly connect said driven gear to said second output shaft.

Claim 10

The gear assembly of claim 8, wherein: H. the inner periphery of said driven gear defines a frusto-conical surface; and I. said limiting means includes 1. an annular member secured to rotate with said output shaft and having an outer peripheral surface defining a frusto-conical surface, and 2. means biasing said conical surfaces into frictional engagement.

Claim 11

The gear assembly of claim 9, wherein: J. the inner periphery of said driven gear defines a pair of radially outwardly diverging frusto-conical surfaces; and K. said torque limiting means includes 1. first and second annular members each secured to said second output shaft and each defining a frusto-conical surface on its outer periphery positioned to mate with a respective one of said diverging conical surfaces on said driven gear, and 2. means preventing axial movement of said first annular member, and means biasing said second annular member toward first annular member, thereby biasing said conical surfaces into frictional engagement.

Claim 12

A drive transfer gear assembly for a vehicle of the type including front and rear drive axles each defining a differential housing, and a differential gear set disposed in each such housing and drivingly connected to wheels on the outboard ends of the axles; said assembly comprising: a housing secured at its rear to the front of said rear axle differential housing; an input shaft in said housing and extending forwardly through the front of said housing; torque proportioning gear means having an input gear driven by said input shaft and first and second relatively rotatable output gears; a first output shaft coaxial to said input shaft and driven at its forward end by said first output gear; a second output shaft in said housing and extending forwardly through the front of said housing; means drivingly connecting said second output gear to said second output shaft; and a pinion secured to the rearward end of said first output shaft and in mesh with the ring gear of said rear differential gear set.

Claim 13

A drive transfer gear assembly for a vehicle of the type including front and rear drive axles each defining a differential housing, and a differential gear set disposed in each such housing and drivingly connected to wheels on the outboard ends of the axles; said assembly comprising: a housing secured at its rear to the front of said rear axle differential housing; an input shaft in said housing and extending forwardly through the front of said housing; torque proportioning gear means having an input gear driven by said input shaft and first and second relatively rotatable output gears; a first output shaft coaxial to said input shaft and driven at its forward end by said first output gear; a second output shaft in said housing and extending forwardly through the front of said housing; means drivingly connecting said second output gear to said second output shaft; and a pinion secured to the rearward end of said first output shaft and in mesh with the ring gear of said rear differential gear set.

Claim 14

A drive train assembly for a motor vehicle of the type including an engine disposed in a position forwardly of said vehicle and an engine drive shaft extending generally longitudinally of the vehicle and driven at its forward end from the engine; said drive train comprising: a drive front axle; a front axle drive shaft extending generally longitudinally of said vehicle and drivingly connected at its forward end to said drive front axle; and a rear axle assembly journaling road wheels and including 1. left and right axle shafts arranged on the rear axle axis and drivingly connected to said wheels; 2. an axle shaft differential gear assembly disposed between said axle shafts and differentially connected thereto, and 3. a drive transfer gear assembly disposed forwardly of said differential gear assembly and including a. an input shaft disposed generally longitudinal of said vehicle and drivingly connected to the rearward end of said engine drive shaft, b. a first output shaft drivingly connected to the input of said differential gear assembly, and c. a second output shaft drivingly connected to the rearward end of said front axle drive shaft and disposed generally parallel to said input shaft, said second output shaft spaced laterally of a longitudinal axis defined by said input shaft and below said rear axle axis.

Claim 15

A drive train assembly for a motor vehicle of the type including an engine disposed in a position forwardly of said vehicle and an engine drive shaft extending generally longitudinally of the vehicle and driven at its forward end from the engine; said drive train comprising: a drive front axle; a front axle drive shaft extending generally longitudinally of said vehicle and drivingly connected at its forward end to said drive front axle; and a rear axle assembly journaling road wheels and including 1. left and right axle shafts arranged on the rear axle axis and drivingly connected to said wheels; 2. an axle shaft differential gear assembly disposed between said axle shafts and differentially connected thereto, and 3. a drive transfer gear assembly disposed forwardly of said differential gear assembly and including a. an input shaft disposed generally longitudinal of said vehicle and drivingly connected to the rearward end of said engine drive shaft, b. a first output shaft drivingly connected to the input of said differential gear assembly, and c. a second output shaft drivingly connected to the rearward end of said front axle drive shaft and disposed generally parallel to said input shaft, said second output shaft spaced laterally of a longitudinal axis defined by said input shaft and below said rear axle axis.

Claim 16

A drive train according to claim 12, wherein: D. said drive front axle includes 1. a rigid axle housing including generally horizontally extending end sections, and 2. a generally horizontally extending center section dropped below the axis of said end sections and defining a differential housing.

Claim 17

A rear axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprising: a rigid, unitary housing structure including 1. left and right axle shaft housing sections, 2. a differential housing section intermediate said shaft housing sections, and 3. a drive transfer housing section disposed forwardly of said differential housing section; a side gear differential gear set disposed in said differential housing section and including a ring gear journaled for rotation substantially on the axis of said shaft housing sections; and a drive transfer gear assembly disposed in said drive transfer housing section and including 1. an input shaft adapted to be drivingly connected to the engine drive shaft,

Claim 18

A rear axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprising: a rigid, unitary housing structure including 1. left and right axle shaft housing sections, 2. a differential housing section intermediate said shaft housing sections, and 3. a drive transfer housing section disposed forwardly of said differential housing section; a side gear differential gear set disposed in said differential housing section and including a ring gear journaled for rotation substantially on the axis of said shaft housing sections; and a drive transfer gear assembly disposed in said drive transfer housing section and including 1. an input shaft adapted to be drivingly connected to the engine drive shaft,

Claim 19

a first output shaft extending generally transversely of said axis and differentially connected at its forward end to said input shaft and meshingly engaging at its rearward end with said ring gear and 3. a second output shaft differentially connected to said input shaft and adapted to be connected by a forward drive shaft to the front axle of the vehicle.

Claim 20

a first output shaft extending generally transversely of said axis and differentially connected at its forward end to said input shaft and meshingly engaging at its rearward end with said ring gear and 3. a second output shaft differentially connected to said input shaft and adapted to be connected by a forward drive shaft to the front axle of the vehicle.

Claim 21

A vehicle comprising: A. a prime mover; B. a rear drive axle assembly including 1. a differential housing, 2. a differential in said housing having an input gear and a pair of output gears, and 3. a pair of ground engaging wheels driven by said pair of output gears; C. a front axle assembly including 1. a differential having an input gear and a pair of output gears, and 2. a pair of ground engaging wheels driven by said pair of output gears; D. a drive transfer housing secured to said rear axle differential housing forward of said rear axle differential; E. an input shaft in said transfer housing drivingly connected to said prime mover; F. a torque proportioning gear means in said transfer housing having an input gear driven by said input shaft and first and second relatively rotatable output gears each receiving a predetermined percentage of the torque driving said input gear; G. first drive means drivingly connecting said first output gear to the input gear of said rear axle differential; H. second drive means drivingly connecting said second output gear to the input gear of said front axle differential; I. clutch means operative when actuated to prevent relative rotation between said first and second output gears; and J. means limiting the amount of torque driving one of said differential input gears when relative rotation between said first and second output gears is prevented.

Claim 22

A vehicle comprising: A. a prime mover; B. a rear drive axle assembly including 1. a differential housing, 2. a differential in said housing having an input gear and a pair of output gears, and 3. a pair of ground engaging wheels driven by said pair of output gears; C. a front axle assembly including 1. a differential having an input gear and a pair of output gears, and 2. a pair of ground engaging wheels driven by said pair of output gears; D. a drive transfer housing secured to said rear axle differential housing forward of said rear axle differential; E. an input shaft in said transfer housing drivingly connected to said prime mover; F. a torque proportioning gear means in said transfer housing having an input gear driven by said input shaft and first and second relatively rotatable output gears each receiving a predetermined percentage of the torque driving said input gear; G. first drive means drivingly connecting said first output gear to the input gear of said rear axle differential; H. second drive means drivingly connecting said second output gear to the input gear of said front axle differential; I. clutch means operative when actuated to prevent relative rotation between said first and second output gears; and J. means limiting the amount of torque driving one of said differential input gears when relative rotation between said first and second output gears is prevented.