Abstract: This device, comprising a housing (10), an input member and two output members (14, 15) as well as a controlled-slip coupling device (23) arranged between two of the said input and output members, is characterized in that the differential comprises at least one member (14) axially movable under the effect of a torque exerted on it, the displacement of this member being utilized to modify the operating characteristics of the controlled-slip coupling.This provides a differential with a slip self-controlled as a function of the torque and of the speed difference between the output members, the law of variation of which is appreciably improved in relation to that of the known devices.

Abstract: A transmission joint of the sliding type in which a first element (12) is connected to a first shaft (14) and comprises trunnion journals (20) distributed angularly in a regular manner about the geometrical axis (A1) of the first shaft (14), each trunnion journal (20) receives a rolling element (22) which is mounted so as to rotate and slide on the trunnion journal, the geometrical axis (AT) of the trunnion journal forms a first acute angle with respect to a reference line perpendicular to the axis (A1) of the first shaft (14) and contained within a plane containing the geometrical axes (A1, AT) of the first shaft (14) and of the trunnion journal (20), and in which a second element (16) is connected to a second shaft (18) and comprises rolling paths distributed angularly in a regular manner about the geometrical axis (A2) of the second shaft, each rolling path comprises two parallel tracks (34) between which is accommodated a rolling element (22), the center longitudinal axis (ACR) of the rolling path contain

Abstract: A constant-velocity joint with a tripod of the type comprising a tulip and a tripod whose center pivots with radial freedom of movement against the base of the tulip. The tripod is held under axial prestress against this base by an elastic clip having a central part in the form of a cup comprising a base which is in contact with a facing surface of the center of the tripod, and a side wall from the peripheral edge of which extend legs, the free ends of which are joined to the tulip. Each portion of the side wall which extends between two consecutive legs has a hole.

Abstract: A silencer is provided for reducing noise from exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine. The silencer is of the type having an outer cylindrical cover and a coaxial inner cylindrical tube which define between them an annular cylindrical chamber into which the exhaust gases which enter the silencer are admitted. The inner tube is a perforated tube, a first open end of which forms the sole admission orifice for the gases into the silencer and the other opposite end of which is closed. The inside wall of the outer cover is lined with a layer of absorbent material mounted about the inner tube along substantially the entire perforated length of the inner tube.

Abstract: A transmission joint of the type comprising a socket is connected to a first shaft. Inside the socket is formed at least one pair of rolling tracks in which a rolling element connected to a second shaft is received. A protective closing cover of a generally cylindrical form is mounted on the outer wall of the socket, with a gasket interposed in the vicinity of an end of the socket adjacent the first shaft. The other end of the cover keeps a free annular edge of a sealing bellows gripped between an inner cylindrical wall of the cover and an opposite socket portion. The cover is mounted on the socket in the vicinity of its two opposite ends so as to provide a radial play between the inner wall of the cover and a rough outer wall of the socket.

Abstract: A support bearing of a rotary shaft, of the type comprising an inner ring (12) and an outer ring (10) coaxial with one another and elastic connecting strips (14a, 14b) between the two rings.The connecting strips comprise a series of first elastic strips (14a) which connect a first edge (10a) of the outer ring (10) to an axially opposite first edge (12a) of the inner ring (12), in such a way that the mid-plane of each of the first strips (14a) forms a first angle (A) with the axis (X--X) common to the two rings, and a series of second elastic strips (14b) which connect the second edge (10b) of the outer ring (10) to the second edge (12b) of the inner ring (12), in such a way that the mid-plane of each of the second strips forms a second angle (B) with the common axis (X--X).The invention is used particularly for supporting a motor-vehicle transmission shaft.

Abstract: A roller segment (14) is held for the purpose of machining a spherical internal bearing surface (10). Its toric external surfaces (18) is supported against two fixed seats (17), immobilized with respect to rotation about an axis (VV') passing through the centers (c) of the profiles of the fixed seats (17) by a third seat (19), which is radially movable. Claws (21) hold the segment against the seats and circumferentially position the segment about the axis (UU') of its toric surface (18).The bearing surface (10) is ground with a slight eccentricity (e) relative to the toric surface, and by grinding a surface suitable for hydrodynamic lubrication is obtained.

Abstract: In an articulated transmission joint for automobiles, there is provided a large telescopic range of travel for the joint. A first shaft having a tripod element composed of three radial arms is joined to another shaft with a bowl element. The bowl element is provided with rolling tracks therein. Each arm of the tripod element has two roller segments pivotable thereabout. The roller segments are in rolling contact with the rolling tracks of the bowl element. Each set of roller segments not only has an arrangement for limiting the angular range of movement of the roller segments about their respective arms, but also is provided with an arrangement for limiting the range of telescopic movement of the arms to a maximum extension and a maximum compression position. This arrangement further ensures that the roller segments are at their respective limits of angular movement about each arm when their arm is at an end point of its range of movement in the bowl element.

Abstract: A segment (14) is held for the purpose of grinding its spherical internal bearing surface (10). A toric external surface (18) is supported by claws (21) against fixed (17) and movable (19) seats in such a manner as to have a center (T) and an axis (UU') accurately positioned relative to a mount (16). A cup type grinding wheel (23) having a spherical operative surface (23a) infeeds along its axis of rotation (MS), which intersects, at a center (S) desired for the spherical bearing surface, an axis (ZZ') about which the mount (16) and the segment (14) oscillate. A sensor in contact with the bearing surface (10) controls the halting of the infeed of the grinding wheel when the radial thickness dimension of the segment is reached. A surface suitable for hydrodynamic lubrication is directly obtained by grinding, with where desired, an eccentricity (e) between the toric surface and the spherical bearing surface.

Abstract: A body of a transmission joint includes bearing passageways arranged along the axis of the body and each including two confronting parallel raceways. The raceways are in the form of at least one metal insert. The inner space defined between the inner peripheral surface of the composite case and surfaces of the confronting raceways is filled with a composite organic filler material.

Abstract: An exhaust duct part for the outflow of a fluid, in particular for the outflow of the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, includes a continuous external casing of substantially constant cross-section and containing at least one acoustic attenuation unit positioned longitudinally in the external casing so as to delimit at least one fluid transfer section of a length determined in such a way that the transfer section participates in the acoustic attenuation function of the exhaust duct part. The attenuation unit includes an internal casing of substantially constant cross-section and, together with the external casing, delimits at least one longitudinal peripheral channel for the passage of the fluid. The internal casing has a circular or elliptical cross-section and includes at least one zone deformed radially in such a way as to increase the surface of exchange between the fluid and the attenuation unit.

Abstract: A roller segment is rotatively mounted on a trunnion and rolls along a track. The trunnion may be one of the arms of a tripod element of a homokinetic joint, in which case the track is carried by the other element of the homokinetic joint. In the unloaded state, the inner peripheral wall of the segment has such a shape that its part deformed under load will have an extended area of contact with the trunnion. The material which defines the wall beyond the section of revolution corresponds to the deflection the segment will undergo in service under the effect of cumulated stresses of bending moment and shear under the effect of the load applied at a point by the track and in the distributed form by the trunnion. Utilization thereof for achieving a conformity whose precision allows a hydrodynamic lubrication.

Abstract: In a joint, each arm (22) of a tripod element (14) is provided with two rolling elements (24) disposed on opposite sides of the arm. According to the invention, each rolling element (24) has a spherical rolling surface (32) and a conical rolling surface (34) which respectively cooperate with a spherical surface (38) of the bowl element (20) and a conical surface (40) of a web (32) of the bowl element. Each rolling element (24) is mounted on the arm (22) by means of a half bush (54) which allows the axial sliding and pivoting of the rolling element relative to the arm. A spring device biasing the two rolling elements away from each other in a direction perpendicular to the axis common to the respective concave cylindrical surface portions of the rolling elements is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a method of manufacturing a tripod element of a homokinetic joint, and more particularly, to a method of forming grooves in the trunnions of a blank from which the tripod element is manufactured. The grooves are formed by punches which have forming edges profiled in correspondence with the grooves to be formed. The blank is positioned such that the punches occupy respective spaces each defined between two adjacent ones of the trunnions and such that the forming edges confront the trunnions, respectively. At least one of the punches is moved in a direction toward the central axis of the blank until the respective ones of the forming edges of the punches contact the trunnions to cause the blank to be self-positioned in contact with the forming edges.

Abstract: Rollers (9a) having a frustoconical lateral wall interposed between two raceways (4, 6) of two rings (1, 2) alternate with rollers (9b) interposed between two other raceways (3, 7) of the rings (1, 2). A crown region (11) of the large base of each roller slides against the confronting raceway (7) or (6) on the outer ring (2). Crown regions (11) of the rollers (9a, 9b) of each series of rollers substantially pertain to a common ideal sphere (Sx,Sy) centered on a common apex (X, Y) toward which converges the lateral walls of the rollers of the same series and the associated raceways. The angle made between the two raceways of the outer ring is less than 90.degree.. By this arrangement is achieved, between the crown region of each roller and the raceway against which the crown region bears, a contact (T) distributed along a segment of a circle centered on the axis of the bearing.

Abstract: An axially retained homokinetic joint comprises an element in the form of a tripod (20) connected to one (22) of two shafts to be coupled and a tulip element (42) connected to the other (34, 134) of the two shafts, the tripod element comprising three trunnions (26a) on which are rotatively and slidably mounted rollers (36a) received in three rolling tracks (40) formed in the tulip element, and are an axial retainer (44) for maintaining the two parts of the joint in position relative to each other. The axial retainer comprises an intermediate member (44) connected to the tulip element (42) and cooperating with the tripod element (20) by means of a connection enabling the latter to move in a plane at right angle to its axis (X--X). The rolling tracks (40) consist of tracks of substantially toroidal shape in which run rollers whose outer surface is spherical.

Abstract: The homokinetic joint has a tripod element connected to one of two shafts to be coupled and a tulip element connected to the other of the shafts. The tripod element includes three trunnions on which are rotatively mounted rollers received in three rolling ways provided in the tulip element. An axial retaining device is provided for maintaining the axial connection of the two parts of the joint and includes an intermediate element defining a convex spherical outer surface received in a concave spherical recess provided in axial branches of the tulip element. The intermediate element has three notches for introducing the three trunnions of the tripod element into the intermediate element and a first planar surface extending perpendicular to the axis of the tripod element and cooperating with a first zone of contact confronting the tripod element. A device is provided for axially retaining the tripod element in the intermediate element.

Abstract: Arms (2) of a tripod element (1) are in force-transmitting relation in the circumferential direction and in mobile relation in the axial direction, with rolling tracks (9) provided longitudinally inside a bowl (10), through the medium of roller segments (6,6a, 6b). The latter have a toric outer surface (8) in rolling contact with the tracks (9) which have a corresponding transverse radius of curvature, and an inner spherical surface (3) which is in ball-joint relation to spherical regions (3) of the arms (2). When the joint operates in contraction-extension, each roller segment (6) slides around the spherical regions (3) and rolls in the tracks (9) until, in an extreme position, the two roller segments (6a, 6b) associated with each arm abut against each other by their circumferential ends (14). Utilized for reducing the number of component parts of the joint and eliminating friction between points whose relative paths have turning back points.

Abstract: The joint comprises a tulip element (1) connected to a driving shaft and having three axially extending petal portions (8), a tripod element (3) having three radial arms (4) carrying spherical sectors (18) cooperative with inner spherical bearing surfaces (21) of rollers (6) associated with rolling tracks (7) on the tulip element (1). The tripod element is fixed to a bowl element (9) which is connected to a wheel stub-axle (11). Each arm (4) of the tripod element (3) comprises a portion (15) which is off-center in a radial plane relative to a central ball (5). Two flat surfaces (19) are provided between the spherical sectors (18) and an arrangement for axially connecting the tulip element (1) to the tripod element (3) comprises a central spider element (24) having three branches (25) adapted to cap in a radially floating manner the ball (5) of the tripod element.

Abstract: The object of this device is to simplify and reduce the cost of the original assembly and/or the optional mounting of a controlling or limiting device associated with a differential mechanism whose output elements are connected to coaxial wheel shafts. This result is obtained by providing interengaging splines (16, 26) provided on two of the input and output elements of the differential, these splines being accessible from the exterior of the frame (2) and of the rolling bearings (3, 4) which support the differential and permitting the easy mounting of a limiting device (20) of any suitable type, for example of the slip type.