Abstract: A computer controlled machine for forming longitudinally curved tooth bevel and hypoid gears having a minimum number of movable machine axes for setup and operation. The movable axes include three rectilinear axes (X, Y, and Z) and three rotational axes (T, W and P). The rectilinear axes are arranged in mutually orthogonal directions. Two of the rotational axes (T and W) provide for rotating tool (26, 27) and work gear (42, 43), respectively. The third rotational axis (P) provides for adjusting the relative angular orientations of tool axis (T) and work axis (W). Pivot axis (P) is positioned with respect to both tool axis (T) and work axis (W) at fixed inclination angles. A method of opeating the computer controlled machine provides for controlling the movable axis (X, Y, Z, T, W, and P) in response to setup and operating parameters of conventional bevel and hypoid gear generating machines.

Abstract: A continuously variable differential (10) uses a continuously variable transmission (50) that is rotated by drive torque and controlled to vary the speed ratio between its outputs. These, which previously transmitted power through the transmission, are connected with a pair of drive shafts such as opposed drive axles (17 and 18) that rotate with the transmission under drive power. Differentiation between the shafts transmits through the transmission via variable speed ratios that control the moment arms, mechanical advantages, and torque bias ratios. This arrangement allows the torque to be distributed according to sensed vehicle conditions. It can apply more torque to a wheel retaining traction when its opposite wheel slips, and it can apply a larger portion of the torque to wheels bearing more weight or to a faster rotating wheel on an outside of a curve.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the bulk temperature of a workpiece in a quenching apparatus. The temperature is calculated by monitoring the change in size of the bore in the workpiece.

Abstract: A differential gear assembly of the type including worm or helical-type gears mounted on crossed non-intersecting axes is provided wherein a pair of drive axles (12, 14) are received in bores (10) formed in the sides of a differential housing (4), and wherein axially aligned worm or side gears (18, 30) are coupled to each axle end for meshing engagement with torque transfer gears within said housing. One of the side gears (30) is provided with an outwardly directed flange (36) which overlaps an inwardly directed flange (42) associated with the housing to maintain the end faces of the side gears (18, 30) out of contact with each other to preclude axial thrust forces developed in one side gear (30) from passing to the other (18) and to eliminate frictional forces at the interface of the side gears, thereby reducing differences in bias ratios associated with opposite directions of differentiation without significantly reducing the overall bias ratio of the assembly.

Abstract: A method and machine for forming longitudinally curved tooth surfaces in bevel and hypoid gears. A dish-shaped grinding wheel 26 is rotated about its axis 76 and oscillated about a cradle axis 66 in a timed relationship with a relative reciprocation of a work gear 20 along cradle axis 66. The timed relationship is defined by a power series equation to permit a simultaneous form grinding of adjacent tooth sides of one member of a work gear pair to be appropriately mismatched with simultaneously generated adjacent tooth sides of the mating member of the gear pair. A dish-shaped grinding wheel 176 having inner and outer stock removing surfaces 178, 180 for working opposite sides of gear teeth is also used in accordance with special timed motions of the present invention to improve contact characteristics between mating gear teeth.

Abstract: A combination gear subassembly (50, 60, 90, or 130) for mounting pairs of combination gears (38, 70, 100, or 120) in a differential assembly having cross axis compound planetary gearing. The combination gear subassemblies are made up of a pair of combination gears together with a pair of journal plates (52, 62, or 92) each having a pair of bearing surfaces (54, 64, or 98) for receiving journals (46, 72, 102, or 122) which project from opposite ends of the combination gears. The combination gear subassemblies are mounted in guide slots (32, 66, or 116) formed in pedestals (28, 84 or 112) which connect end portions (12) of housing (10).

Abstract: A face milling type gear cutting assembly including contiguous cutting tools positioned in a common slot with means for preserving clearance for chip removal between these tools. The cutting assembly also includes a tool clamping arrangement featuring a novel clamping block which is releasably attached to a screw element in situ.

Abstract: An improved cutting tool intended primarily for gear cutting operations and a method of manufacturing this new tool. The tool is of a type formed from a length of bar stock and may be resharpened while preserving metallurgical or other treatments on front cutting faces of the tool. The improved tool also includes a base mounting portion and a cutting end. A first cutting face is formed in part of the length of the tool and a second cutting face is formed throughout substantially the full length of the tool in a way that preserves important mounting surfaces in the base portion of the tool.

Abstract: A face milling type gear cutting assembly including contiguous cutting tools positioned in a common slot with means for preserving clearance for chip removal between these tools. The cutting assembly also includes a tool clamping arrangement featuring a novel clamping block which is releasably attached to a screw element in situ.

Abstract: A cutter head assembly and method of assembly design for use with a continuously indexing gear cutting machine is described as including slots formed through the face of said assembly of particular orientation for receiving cutting tools characterized by their front faces requiring no resharpening. The assembly is adaptive to cut a range of job requirements while preserving the front face portion of the cutting tools.

Abstract: A spacing member 40 is of a special design for use with a differential assembly having drive gears 26 and 26, in the form of worm gears, which are operatively connected to each other through sets of transfer gears 34 and 36, having worm wheel portions 37 for meshing with respective drive gears 26 and 28. The spacing member 40 is made up of a number of pieces for ease of installation and removal and is provided with a mounting element 42 which functions to secure the spacing element in a preferred position between the innermost ends of axle segments 12 and 14. The mounting element 42 is provided with a bore 43 for receiving a journal pin 44 associated with an intermediate gear 38 position between a pair of transfer gears 34 and 36.

Abstract: A differential gearing assembly including a differential case 10 that mounts axle drive gears 22 rotatably engaged with axles 20 and transfer gearing 50 for cross coupling the axle drive gears. The axle ends are secured to the differential assembly by lock rings 32 received by lock ring grooves formed on the axle ends. A thrust spacer maintains the predetermined spaced apart position of the axle ends and in one embodiment 26 comprises elements 26a 26b which when joined together by a fastener 28 capture the lock rings in their installed positions on the axle ends. The transfer gearing includes transfer gears 50 rotatably coupled to each other by intermediate gearing 54. In an alternate embodiment, a thrust spacer 70 is bisected along a line defined by stepped confronting surfaces 74a, 74b, 74c to define interfitting halves 72a, 72b. Each half is configured and sized to facilitate removal through an opening defined between the intermediate gears.

Abstract: A differential gear assembly that includes a differential case 12 and a pair of axle ends 18a, 20a extending into, and rotatably coupled to, side gears 22, 24 located within the case. The axles are retained by locking rings 42 that are received by locking grooves 40 formed at the extreme ends of the axle ends and maintained in position by recesses 29 formed in the side gears. The axles are maintained in operative positions by a spacing arrangement that includes an axial thrust element 62 captured in one side gear recess and an element 64 that includes both a side gear thrust portion 66 and an axle thrust portion 68 which is received and captured by the recess in the other side gear. The operative position of at least one side gear 24 is maintained by a removable spacer that comprises a bifurcated collar held together by fasteners 84.

Abstract: A differential assembly (10) having worm gears (26, 28) as drive gears together with transfer gears (30, 32) operatively connected to the drive gears is provided with spherical mounting surfaces (40) and a washer element (42) for accommodating angular displacement of axle segments (12) and (14) relative to the differential assembly. In addition, a spacing member (50) is provided with a convex spherical surface (52) for accommodating angular movement of the axle segments.

Abstract: A gear hobbing machine is provided with a hypoid gear set and a spur gear set for reducing the final drive to its work spindle. As a result of this arrangement, a wide range of machine speeds are available and reverse hand hobbing can be carried out.

Abstract: A rotary grinding tool having two concentric grinding elements projecting in a common direction from one face of the tool is assembled from basic components which can be easily disassembled to permit accurate profile correction and surface renewal of its active grinding surfaces. In addition, the disassembled components can be used as separate grinding tools.

Abstract: In a machine of the type in which cutting tools are arranged on successive links of an endless chain, each tool being in offset rotation to the preceding tool, at right angles to the direction of travel, means are provided for periodically shifting the workhead and work spindle parallel with the plane in which the tools travel when cutting. The means for shifting are operatively independent of the means for driving the chain and the work spindle in generation, and are operated when the tools and workpieces are disengaged, and normally after a predetermined number of stacks of workpieces has been cut, in order to equalize wear on the blades carried by the chain.

Abstract: A gear cutting tool is provided with a chip breaking surface along its front face for breaking chip formations between a side and bottom of a tooth slot as the tool advances through the slot in a cutting operation.

Abstract: A mechanism for loading and unloading workpieces includes a transfer arm for aligning a number of workpieces into a stack which can then be moved to a loading arm for placement of the stack of workpieces on an arbor of a gear manufacturing machine.

Abstract: Controllable tooling is mounted in a carrier with parallel spring elements positioned at right angles to an intended path of adjustment for the tooling so that precisely controlled adjustments can be applied to the tooling while it is performing a cutting operation on a workpiece.