Abstract: A limited slip differential, comprising a housing (10), two bevel side gears (15, 16), clutch assemblies (21, 22) disposed between the outermost ends of the side gears and the housing, two bevel planet gears (23, 24), thrust members (32) engaging the side gears, and spring means (37) operating on the thrust members to urge them into engagement with the side gears and cause frictional engagement in the clutch assemblies; wherein the bevel planet gears are rotatably supported on a shaft member (25) which extends transversely through the housing and also through a support member (30) which holds the thrust members (32) against rotation, the shaft member also loading the spring means when it is inserted. The arrangement enables the differential to have a housing in one piece, with a lateral opening or openings through which all parts can be introduced into the housing with assembly being completed by insertion of the planet gear support shaft member to load the spring means and hold the suport member in position.

Abstract: An axle drive unit, for use in a tri-axle drive, comprises a casing (10) with an input member (18) at one end connected to the planet carrier (30) of a spur gear epicyclic differential gear whose sun gear (28) is connected to a tubular shaft (43) and then by gears (47, 56) to the input of an inter-wheel differential gear. The annulus gear (27) of the epicyclic differential gear is connected to a driving shaft (40) extending through the tubular shaft (43) and then to an output member (19) at the other end of the casing. The epicyclic differential gear gives a torque output to the output member (19) of approximately twice that to the inter-wheel differential gear in the unit, so that when the output member (19) is connected to a further inter-axle differential gear in a tri-axle drive, torque is approxiamately equally split between all three axles.

Abstract: A gear assembly comprising a lower gear wheel (18) and an upper gear wheel (19) contained within a housing (10, 11), the lower gear wheel being supported by bearings (20, 21) and the upper gear wheel by bearings (22, 23). The housing has wall portions (32, 34, 35, 36) which extend close to the periphery of the gear wheels so that lubricating oil, fed from a chamber (30), is entrained by the gear wheels and carried to the top of gear wheel (19) where it is diverted and fed through passages to the bearings (22, 23). Further oil carried by the upper gear wheel is diverted to passages leading to the bearings (20, 21), and excess circulating oil is returned to the chamber (30) by way of an opening (39).

Abstract: An axle assembly with crown-wheel and pinion gearing and lubrication of the pinion bearings by two passages having entrances disposed close to the periphery of a rotary element, to remove lubricant from a film entrained by the element from a supply of lubricant in the bottom of the housing in the gearing, the passages directing lubricant to a chamber and then to the bearings with one or other passage effective despite changed orientation or direction of operation of the assembly.