Spring retainer for limited slip differentials

Claim 1

In a limited slip differential mechanism for an axle system having a pair of coaxially aligned, relatively rotatable output shafts including spaced-apart, juxtaposed ends, a differential casing including a pair of apertures adapted to receive the output shafts and defining an internal cavity surrounding said juxtaposed ends, a bevel gear system including pinion gears mounted on a pinion shaft disposed within said cavity and adapted to be connected to the output shafts to transfer rotational effort thereto, at least one clutch disposed within said cavity and adapted to be connected to said output shafts to resist differential action, biasing means disposed within said cavity including a pair of spaced-apart plates operatively associated with said clutch and a plurality of springs interposed between said plates providing a spring force urging said plates in a direction affecting frictional engagement of said clutch, in combination therewith the improvement wherein said plates of said biasing means include parallel side walls, each said parallel side walls having an aperture therein so that each said side wall completely encircles said pinion shaft to provide bridging means on one side of said aperture which is adapted to resist bending moments on another side of said aperture which result from said spring force on said plates.