Abstract: A constant velocity universal ball joint has an outer joint part and an inner joint part. Each part is provided with a plurality of ball tracks extending substantially in a longitudinal direction. The balls provide torque transmission and are guided in radially opposed tracks in the outer joint part and in the inner joint part. A cage with cage windows holds each ball in a plane positioned perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis. The cage includes a mechanism which, if the axes of the outer joint part and the inner joint part deviate from one another, guide the cage with the balls on to the angle-bisecting plane. Each of the track faces of the ball tracks, at the outer joint part and/or at the inner joint part, are subjected to loads by the balls, as well as each of the regions of the surfaces adjoining the ball tracks, which are guiding faces for the cage, undergo a hardening operation. Also, unhardened zones are provided between each two ball tracks between the guiding faces.

Abstract: An insertable unit for a wheel bearing has an integrated constant velocity universal joint, which is axially insertable into the wheel carrier from the outside and which permits easy dismantling and re-assembly. The outer joint part at the wheel end can be inserted through the through-bore of the wheel carrier. The outer bearing ring is inserted into the through-bore and is secured against axial displacement. The inner diameter of the two-part inner bearing ring is smaller than the outer diameter of the outer joint part. The outer joint part and the wheel hub are welded to one another in the region of the axially inner end of the two-part inner bearing ring, with the outer joint part being supported on the inner bearing ring by a planar face.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gearbox switchable under load, which has an input shaft coupled to at least one further shaft, which extends parallel to the input shaft, via pairs of gearwheels to achieve different gear stages. One gearwheel of each pair of gearwheels is rotatively fixedly connected to one of the two shafts and the other gearwheel of each pair of gearwheels is optionally rotatively fixedly connectable to the other of the two shafts by a respective friction coupling.

Abstract: An intermediate bearing (8) for a multi-component propeller shaft of a motor vehicle has a housing (9) which serves to receive a resilient bearing member (22) which, in turn, accommodates a sealed rolling contact bearing (37). To hold the bearing member (22) in the housing (9), a carrier (41) is provided which includes retaining tabs (44) which serve to retain the carrier (41) in the housing (9). Furthermore, the carrier (41) includes securing tabs (45) which axially hold the bearing member (22). The carrier may be connected to the housing (9) by a bayonet fixing mechanism. Furthermore, for securing purposes, a plate metal tab (50) is provided which is secured to the housing (9) by beading. The intermediate bearing is easy to assemble and its bearing member is secured against axial displacement.

Abstract: A drive assembly for a motor vehicle, having two drivable axles, a first axle being driven permanently by a drive unit and at least a second axle being connectable via a double coupling assembly so as to be externally controllable. The double coupling assembly comprises a common drivable coupling carrier with outer plates and individual sets of inner plates each connected to the axles of the second driving axle. The double coupling is actuated by a common actuating device, thereby permitting both sets of plates of the double coupling to be loaded by the same amount of actuation forces.

Abstract: A tripod joint has an outer joint part with at least two circumferentially distributed longitudinally extending tracks to receive rollers. The outer part is non-rotatingly connected to a first driveshaft. An inner joint part is coupled with the outer joint part. The inner joint part has radial arms which engage the tracks and on which the rollers are rotatably and radially movably supported. The inner part is non-rotatingly connectable to a second driveshaft. The outer joint part further includes an outer annular member directly and firmly connected to the first driveshaft. Track elements directly guide the rollers, and resilient intermediate elements are arranged between the two parts. A mutual centering mechanism is provided between the annular member of the outer joint part.

Abstract: A constant velocity fixed joint has an inner joint part which is axially supported by a stop face located on the inside of the outer joint part. The movement of the cage is controlled via the balls and, to prevent any outward movement, the axial support of the inner joint part is limited to an annular region arranged at the open end of the hollow space of the outer joint part. The cage is arranged at a specified distance from the inner surface of the outer joint part and from the outer surface of the inner joint part.

Abstract: A constant velocity universal ball joint has a bell-shaped outer joint part which is open at one end. The outer joint part includes longitudinally extending circumferentially distributed outer ball tracks. An inner joint part with longitudinally extending circumferentially distributed inner ball tracks is positioned within the outer part such that the outer and inner tracks are arranged radially opposite one another to form pairs. A torque transmitting ball is received in each track pair. A cage is arranged between the outer joint part and the inner joint part and holds the balls in a common plane in circumferentially distributed cage windows. The cage guides the balls on to the angle bisecting plane when the axes of the outer and inner joint part are articulated relative to one another. The outer joint part is produced, especially by extrusion, forging or deep-drawing. The forming provides outer ball tracks which, if viewed from the open end, are axially undercut-free.

Abstract: A constant velocity fixed joint having an outer joint part, an inner joint part, a cage and torque transmitting balls has the cumulative clearance errors of the joint minimized via the fixing method of supporting inserts. This is achieved in that a ring is provided with at least two fingers pointing axially and radially inward into the cavity of the outer joint part and arranged between two outer running grooves so as to abut the spherical contact face of the cage. While the clearances between the internal joint components are positioned at a predetermined relationship, the ring is positioned at an axial distance from a reference face located at the open end of the outer joint part and that the ring, while observing a predetermined axial play, is connected to the outer joint part. The inner faces of the outer joint part arranged between the outer running grooves thus being held at a predetermined position relative to the spherical outer face of the cage.

Abstract: A device for switching on a drive train in a motor vehicle has a power divider for several drive trains, one of which is permanently coupled with a drive unit and the other of which can be connected to the drive unit. The device also has an input shaft (2, 42, 82, 142) and an output shaft (4, 44, 84, 144) which can be connected to the input shaft (2, 42, 82, 142) through a switchable coupling (10, 50, 90, 150) in the form of an axially actuated friction clutch. The friction clutch is actuated by two rings (28, 30; 68, 70; 108, 110; 168, 170) which are coaxial with the clutch disks and which can be rotated relative to each other through 180.degree.. One ring is an axially supported support ring (28, 68, 108, 168) and the other ring is a pressure ring (30, 70, 110, 170) which slides axially on one of the shafts. The rings bear against each other on paths which can be varied axially around the periphery.

Abstract: A constant velocity universal joint of the tripod type having an outer joint part provided with three circumferentially distributed, axially extending longitudinal recesses with circumferentially distributed opposed running faces, an inner joint part provided with three circumferentially distributed radial journals engaging the longitudinal recesses, with the journals being provided with roller members which are held substantially isogonally in the longitudinal recesses and which are held relative to the journals so as to be radially displaceable and angularly movable, with each roller member being rotatably supported on a roller carrier and with the journals, at their ends, each having pivot heads which are firmly connected thereto and which engage a radial cylindrical inner recess of a roller carrier so as to be radially movable and angularly movable at right angles thereto around two axes.

Abstract: Articulated transmission joint (10) of the slidable type comprising a transmission joint body (12) and a tripod element (14) having three radial arms (16) each of which arms is slidable between two planar surface portions (36) through the medium of two articulation elements (18) which are pivotally mounted on a spherical trunnion (21) of the tripod element (14), each articulation element (18) defining a planar surface (20) which is cooperative with one of the planar surface portions (36). The joint body (12) comprises three bearing ways each comprising two tracks (38) each of which tracks is constituted by a member defining a planar surface portion (36) and a convex cylindrical surface portion (40) which is cooperative with a complementary concave cylindrical bearing surface (42) formed in the joint body (12).

Abstract: A tripod joint has an outer joint part with three circumferentially distributed, axis-parallel recesses forming circumferentially distributed opposed tracks. An inner joint part has a star-shaped cross-section and three circumferentially distributed arms engaging the recesses in the outer joint part. The arms support roller assemblies. When torque is transmitted with the joint in an extended position, the resultant K.sub.1 of the forces acting from the inner joint part directly on a roller forms a shorter perpendicular distance from the joint axis than the resultant K.sub.2 of the counter forces acting from the outer joint part on the roller, so that, when torque is introduced into the joint, at any angle of articulation of the operating range, the roller is subject to a tilting moment.

Abstract: A tripod joint has an outer joint part with three circumferentially distributed, axis-parallel recesses which form circumferentially opposed tracks. An inner joint part with a star-shaped cross-section and three circumferentially distributed arms engaging the recesses in the outer joint part is associated with the outer part. The arms support roller assemblies. Each roller assembly has at least one inner ring and an outer roller. The inner ring is angularly movable relative to the arm and axially movable relative to the arm axis. A rolling contact bearing is arranged between an outer surface of the inner ring and an inner surface of the outer roller. Also, the outer surface of the outer roller rolls directly on the tracks. The inner ring and outer roller, with reference to the joint axis, are each supported radially outwardly independently of one another.

Abstract: A tripod joint has an outer joint part with an annular housing (1) and roller track elements forming roller tracks, and an inner joint part with a tripod member (6) including rollers (5). The rollers (5) are guided on roller tracks (4) in the roller track elements (2). The roller track elements (2) include longitudinal edges (3) facing an inner face (10) of the tripod housing (1). At the end faces of their longitudinal edges (3), the roller track elements (2) are non-releasably connected to the annular housing (1). The substantially cylindrical tripod housing (1), at one end face, has a housing aperture whereas at the opposite end, it is connected to a shaft journal.

Abstract: A drive assembly for auxiliary units of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, which may be mounted at an end wall of the internal combustion engine especially coaxially relative to the crankshaft, has two switchable gear stages between its input shaft, driven by the crankshaft and its output shaft, driving the auxiliary units. Gear changing is ejected by actuating a friction coupling. The friction coupling, in the connected condition, engages a direct gear and, in the disconnected condition, drives a reduction gear via a locking freewheeling device. An actuating assembly for the friction coupling includes adjusting discs which are held in a housing of the drive assembly so as to be arranged coaxially relative no the friction coupling and which are rotatable relative to one another. One of the adjusting discs, in the form of a supporting ring, is axially supported in the housing of the drive assembly.

Abstract: A driveshaft (6, 8, 9, 11) for a vehicle (1) which is firmly attached to a damping sleeve (17) slid on the central tube region (R.sub.m). The damping sleeve (17) changes the natural and torsional frequencies of the driveshaft (6, 8, 9, 11) thereby permitting the natural frequencies to be moved into the region of low external excitation energy.

Abstract: A switchable differential drive, preferably for a vehicle driven by an electric motor, has a differential drive housing, a drivable differential carrier rotatably supported in the housing, two axle shaft gears supported therein, which are connected to output shafts extending out of the differential carrier and which are connected to one another via differential gears. A first output shaft is designed directly as an axle shaft and a second output shaft is coaxially supported in the first axle shaft. Two switching couplings are arranged coaxially relative to the latter axle shaft. To obtain a first gear stage, the first switching coupling is engaged, thereby non-rotatingly connecting the output shaft to the axle shaft, while the second switching coupling is open. To obtain a second gear stage with one wheel drive, the second switching coupling is engaged, thereby non-rotatingly connecting the output shaft to the differential drive housing while the other switching coupling is open.

Abstract: A freewheeling device (11) for torque transmitting purposes at small numbers of revolutions, e.g. at low driving speeds, has two freewheeling parts (14, 17) connected via locking members (25). The locking members (25) engage apertures (24) of one of the freewheeling part (17) and recess (26) of the other freewheeling part (14). If a certain speed of the two freewheeling parts (14, 17) is exceeded, one freewheeling part (14) may overtake the other freewheeling part (17). Switching is effected via a switching cage (29) loaded by centrifugal masses (33) and which moves a switching element (30) into the released position. A spring (36) ensures the transfer into the locked position. A synchronizing device (38) is provided in order to ensure that a transfer into the locked position takes place only at small speed differentials between the two freewheeling parts (14, 17).

Abstract: A wheel hub/constant velocity joint unit has a two-row wheel bearing with a common outer bearing race (16). A joint member (4) with an end sleeve (5) is slid on to the wheel hub (1) and connected thereto while the wheel bearing is in a pretensioned condition. The connection of the hub (1) and joint member (4) is effected by a weld (23, 24, 29) located in the region of a plug-in connection between the externally positioned end sleeve (5) of the joint member (4) and the internally positioned wheel hub (1).