Power transfer device

Claim 1

A power transfer device comprising a gear box, means on the gear box for driving connection with a power source to rotate the gear box about an axis of rotation, a stationary shaft extending into and rotatably supporting the gear box and defining its axis of rotation, an output shaft extending into the gear box and journaled therefrom for rotation about the same axis as the gear box, said input and output shafts being in axial alignment with the inner ends spaced apart within the gear box, and gear means interposed between the stationary shaft, gear box and output shaft to drive the output shaft at a predetermined ratio with respect to the gear box and neutralize opposing forces within the gear box, said gear means including a stationary bevel gear on the inner end of the stationary shaft and a driven bevel gear on the inner end of the output shaft, a pair of stationary, parallel shafts extending transversely of the gear box in perpendicular intersecting relation to the axis of rotation thereof, a bevel gear and spur gear journaled on each of said parallel shafts, said bevel gear and spur gear on each parallel shaft being rigid with respect to each other, the bevel gear on one of the parallel shafts being meshed with the bevel gear on the stationary shaft, the bevel gear on the other of the parallel shafts being meshed with the bevel gear on the output shaft, said bevel gears on the parallel shafts being laterally spaced from each other and rigid with the spur gear on the same shaft, said bevel gears and spur gears on the parallel shafts being free to rotate on their shafts, said spur gears being meshed with each other and having different rotational speeds, and a second bevel gear and spur gear journaled on each of said parallel shafts in opposed relation to the first bevel gear and spur gear to equalize forces exerted on the components, said second bevel gear and spur gear on each parallel shaft being rigid with respect to each other.