Torque-proportioning differential with sectional housing

Claim 1

A differential mechanism of the torque-proportioning helical pinion type having inherent friction torque bias, comprising (a) a sectional housing adapted to be rotatably driven about its longitudinal axis, said housing consisting of (1) a section (2a) containing at one end: (a) a longitudinal central bore (6) defining a central chamber; and (b) a plurality of longitudinally extending pairs of pinion cavities arranged in circumferentially spaced relation about said central bore, the cavities of each pair being in communication with each other and with said central bore, one cavity of each pair having a greater depth than the other cavity of that pair; and (2) an end cover section (2b) connected with said one end of said body section for closing the ends of said central bore and said pinion cavities; (3) said body and end section containing outlent shaft openings coaxially arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of said housing and in communication with said central chamber, respectively; (b) a pair of longitudinally spaced helical side gears journalled at opposite ends of said central chamber coaxially with the longitudinal axis of said housing, said side gears being adapted to be splined to the adjacent ends of a pair of aligned axially spaced output shafts extending through said housing openings, respectively, said side gears having at their remote ends end thrust surfaces adapted for cooperation with corresponding thrust surfaces on said body and cover members, respectively; (c) generally annular side gear spacer means (20) arranged coaxially between said side gears, said spacer means and said side gears having at their adjacent ends cooperating end thrust surfaces; (d) pairs of helical pinions (24, 26) journalled with an outside diameter running fit in longitudinally offset relation in said pairs of pinion cavities, respectively, the pinions of each pair being in enmeshing engagement with each other at their adjacent ends, the remote ends of said pinion pair being in enmeshing engagement with the associated side gears, respectively; and (e) means supporting the pinions of each pair adjacent the remote ends of the associated pinion cavities, respectively, the remote ends of said pinions having thrust surfaces adapted for cooperation with corresponding thrust surfaces on said body and cover sections respectively, the supporting means for the pinion (24) mounted in the cavity of greater depth comprising an integral hub portion (24a) which extends longitudinally from said pinion and terminates in an end extremity in engagement with said cover section.