Abstract: A modulating limited slip differential is disclosed of the type including a gear case (11), an actuating mechanism (51) being operable to apply a force to a clutch pack (41) to retard rotation between a side gear (25) and the gear case. The actuating mechanism includes an outer actuating plate (55) which normally rotates at the same speed as the gear case. The differential includes an electromagnetic actuator (81) which is operable to cause rotation of the outer actuating plate relative to the gear case, resulting in ramping of a plurality of cam balls (79) and axial movement of an inner actuating plate (53) to load the clutch pack. The cam balls are disposed in openings (69) in an end wall (67) of the gear case, the openings being circular, and just slightly oversized, relative to the cam balls to maximize the amount of metal in the end wall, and therefor, the torque transmitting capacity of the gear case.

Abstract: A differential gear mechanism is provided of the type including a gear case (17), at least one pinion gear (21), and a pair of side gears (27 and 29). Clutch packs (43 and 45) are disposed between the side gears and the gear case and are operable, when engaged, to retard relative rotation between the gear case and the side gears. The mechanism includes a fluid pressure actuated displacement mechanism (57) which, in response to an external signal (71) transmits its output displacment into axial movement of a plurality of input members (81). The axial movemenat of the input members has an actuating travel X and an actuating force F. A pair of lever members (85) receives the axial input from the input members 81, with each lever member pivoting about a fulcrum member (91) to transmit to each of the clutches a clutch actuating movement having an actuating travel substantially less than the actuating travel X, and an actuating force substantially greater than the actuating force F.

Abstract: A clutch assembly (35) is disclosed of the type which can retard rotation of an output member (27) relative to an input member (33). The clutch assembly includes discs (59, 61) fixed for rotation with the input and output members, respectively. Also included is a clutch apply piston (63) which defines a high pressure chamber (67), the apply piston being responsive to pressure in the high pressure chamber to apply a biasing force to the clutch discs. A low pressure piston (69) defines a low pressure chamber (79), the low pressure piston having a transverse area (A) and also including a secondary piston portion (71) extending axially into the high pressure chamber and having a transverse area (B) the volume of the high pressure chamber (67) is maintained substantially constant by a chamber piston (65) and a one-way clutch assembly (93).

Abstract: A differential gear mechanism is provided of the type including a gear case (17), at least one pinion gear (21), and a pair of side gears (27 and 29). Clutch packs (43 and 45) are disposed between the side gears and the gear case and are operable, when engaged, to retard relative rotation between the gear case and the side gears. Surrounding the gear case is a fluid pressure mechanism (71) including a cylinder (73) and a piston (75), both of which are rotationally stationary, but free to move axially. Adjacent the piston-cylinder assembly is a pair of reaction members (61 and 63) which transmit the axial displacements of the piston and cylinder, by means of members (57 and 59), to a pair of load plates (53 and 55), such that the displacements exert axially-outward biasing forces on the side gears and on the clutch packs. Because the piston-cylinder assembly is external to the gear case, no rotating seals are required.

Abstract: A manual transmission (11) is provided of the type including an input shaft (15) including an input gear (19), an output shaft (23), and a countershaft including a head gear (44). The counter shaft includes drive gears (41, 42, and (43) while the output shaft has rotatably mounted thereon a plurality of driven gears (31, 32, and 33) in toothed engagement with the drive gears. The head gear defines a set of internal splines (55), and the countershaft defines a set of external splines (57) which are in loose, splined engagement to define a lost motion connection. The head gear defines a pair of cam surfaces (59), and the countershaft includes a pair of cam members (61) and a compression spring (63), operable to bias the cam members against the cam surfaces, and bias the countershaft toward a centered position, relative to the head gear.

Abstract: A system is provided for driving a cooling fan (19) of a vehicle including a transverse, water-cooled engine (E). A main drive pulley (11,13) is driven by the engine and a fan drive assembly (15) is mounted on the vehicle radiator (R) and includes a driven pulley (37). Torque is transmitted from the drive pulley to the driven pulley by means of a power transmission belt (43) including a drive portion (45) and slack portion (47). An idler pulley (55) engages the drive portion of the belt, and a tensioner device (61) and tensioner pulley (69) engage the slack portion of the belt. The tensioning device includes a rotatable arm (65) and is operable to maintain relatively constant belt tension as the engine and drive pulley move relative to the radiator and fan drive assembly.

Abstract: A positive drive is disclosed of the type including an input (11,13,21) and a pair of outputs (27,29) in which torque is transmitted from the input to the outputs by means of a pair of drive coupled members (23 and 25) and clutch assemblies (35 and 37). In order to frictionally dampen any undesirable oscillations to the input relative to the outputs, each of the clutch assemblies includes inactive clutch discs (61 and 63). It is one important feature of the invention to increase the net clearance, i.e., the amount of rotational movement of the input relative to the outputs over which frictional dampening occurs. If additional biasing preload is required for the inactive discs only, a separate biasing spring (71,73) may be added for each of the clutch assemblies.

Abstract: A positive drive and an improved clutch actuating mechanism for use therein is disclosed. The positive drive has a housing (10) retaining a pair of spaced drive clutches (54 and 56) which lock a pair of axles (18 and 20), respectively, to housing (10) for one-to-one rotation. The clutches are moved from the disengaged to the engaged mode by axial movement of drive couplings (30 and 32) which include cam members (38 and 40) respectively. Input torque is transmitted from the housing to the cam members by means of a shaft (48) and the axial forces required to engage the clutches are transmitted from the shaft to the cam members through engagement of a shaft cam surface (49) and a ramp cam surface (51). In accordance with the invention, the engaging cam surfaces are defined by a common locus of generating lines (101-106) such that the cam surfaces are in surface-to-surface contact, rather than line contact or point contact, over the entire range of pivotal movement of the shaft, relative to the cam member.

Abstract: A positive drive having a housing (10) retaining a pair of spaced drive clutches (54) and (56) used to lock axles (18) and (20) respectively to housing (10) for one-to-one rotation. The clutches move from the engaged to the disengaged mode via axial movement of drive couplings (30) and (32) which are forced to the respective engaged positions by a shaft (48) secured for rotation with the housing. The shaft acts on cams (38) and (40) on the drive couplings to cause rotational and axial movement of the couplings. Rotational movement of one drive coupling relative to the other drive coupling is prevented by a balking clamp (76). The clutches (54) and (56) are inserted within the housing through a window (14). The axles are retained by "C" clips (80) contacting spline couplings (26) and (28).

Abstract: A positive drive having a housing (10) retaining a pair of spaced drive clutches (54) and (56) used to lock axles (18) and (20) respectively to housing (10) for one-to-one rotation. The clutches move from the engaged to the disengaged mode via axial movement of drive couplings (30) and (32) which are forced to the respective engaged positions by a shaft (48) secured for rotation with the housing. The shaft acts on cams (38) and (40) on the drive couplings to cause rotational and axial movement of the couplings. Rotational movement of one drive coupling relative to the other drive coupling is prevented by a balking clamp (76). The clutches (54) and (56) are inserted within the housing through a window (14). The axles are retained by "C" clips (80) contacting spline couplings (26) and (28).

Abstract: A vehicle engine accessory drive system is disclosed including a hydraulic fan motor (M) and a power steering gear mechanism (SG) in series flow relationship. The system includes a variable displacement power steering pump assembly (P) which is the sole source of fluid for the system, and includes a variable displacement pumping element (PE) and a displacement control valve (CV). The displacement control valve includes a pilot valve (35) which is responsive to the demand for cooling to vary the fluid pressure in a signal chamber (63). The displacement control valve is operable to communicate a control fluid pressure to a stroking cylinder (SC) to control the fluid delivery rate of the pumping element. At a first relatively lower temperature, the displacement control valve maintains the fluid delivery rate of the pumping element at Z, and at a second relatively higher temperature, to maintain the fluid delivery rate at X.

Abstract: A clutch-brake assembly adaptable for use in a lawn mower having a rotary blade. The assembly is fully enclosed by a housing (34) secured to the engine. Drive shaft (14) of the engine rotates the input member (20) via keys (22). A conical annular ring (74) has an annular surface (106) engageable with surface (110) of member (20) to rotate output member (28) and the attached blade (90). Self-energizing camming surfaces (80, 82) are employed to insure one-to-one drive between the input and output members. Springs (84) are used to bias ring (74) into engagement with member (20). An axially movable braking ring (54) with limited rotational movement relative to housing (34) is engageable with an annular surface (108) of ring (74). Movement of ring (54) is caused by springs (70) and ramping surfaces similar to those of (80, 82). The assembly employs the same oil used in the reservoir of the engine. Unique connecting means ( 36) are employed to reduce nonrotatable loads on shaft (14).

Abstract: A differential assembly 10 includes a casing 12, a carrier 14, a planetary gear set 18 supported by the carrier for effecting rotation of the carrier, an input 20 for driving the planetary gear set to effect rotation of the carrier, pinion means 42, 44 supported by the carrier for rotation therewith, a pair of side gears, 38, 40 meshing with the pinion means and first and second outputs 34, 36 driven by the side gears. A clutch means 50 having an actuated condition for retarding relative rotation of the side gear 40 with respect to the carrier 14 is provided. The planetary gear set is operable to actuate the clutch means 50 upon axial movement of the planetary pins 26 to retard relative rotation of one of the side gears and the carrier upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition.

Abstract: A differential gear mechanism of the limited slip type is provided. The mechanism includes a clutch pack (35) and a cam mechanism (41) which are able to retard differentiating action of the differential gear means (19,23,25). A flyweight mechanism (51) is operable to actuate the cam mechanism, and to engage the clutch pack. The cam member (43) includes a cam surface (47) having alternating rising surface portions (61) and falling surface portions (63). These surface portions include pad portions (71,73), such that engagement with the mating cam surface (45) is limited to the area of the pad portion, thus making the transmittal of camming forces to the clutch pack more consistent and predictable.

Abstract: A flexible shaft (42) driven by a transversely mounted engine (18) of an automobile (10) and extending rearwardly of the axis (48--48) of the crankshaft of the engine a distance transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and then curving and extending longitudinally forwardly to the cooling fan (32) used to draw air through the radiator (28) of the vehicle. The engine (18) is mounted in a front wheel drive vehicle (10) and has a pulley (36) mounted on the forward end of the engine driven via a belt (38) from a pulley (40) on the crankshaft of the engine. The pulley (36) in turn rotates the core (54) of the flexible shaft (42) which in turn rotates a shaft (64) used to drive the cooling fan (32) mounted juxtaposition the radiator (28). Means (58,60) secure the shaft at each end respectively to the rear end of the pulley (36) and the cooling fan (32). A gentle sweeping curve is provided from the transverse extending portion of shaft (42) to the longitudinally extending portion.

Abstract: A differential assembly includes a case (12), an input (30) for effecting rotation of the case, pinion means (36, 38) associated with the case, a pair of side gears (32, 34) meshing with the pinion means, a first output shaft (26) connected to one of the side gears and a second output shaft (28) connected to the other of the side gears. The differential assembly further includes a first gear train (54) associated with the first output shaft and rotatable therewith, a second gear train (52) associated with the second output shaft and rotatable therewith, and a third gear train (30, 70) associated with the casing and rotatable therewith. A first clutch (80) is provided for interconnecting the third gear train and the first gear train to enable the third gear train to supply additional torque through the first gear train to the first output shaft when the rotational speed of the input exceeds the rotational speed of the first output shaft by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A differential gear mechanism of the limited slip type is provided. The mechanism includes a clutch, including a plurality of discs (31 and 33), and a cam mechanism including a main cam member (43) and an intermediate cam member (45). The intermediate cam member is splined to the side gear (19), such that axial forces are not transmitted to the side gear. The main cam member (43) defines a set of internal gear teeth (81), engaging an externally toothed member (79) of an acutating mechanism (71). The arrangement of the cam members and the provision of the gear teeth on the inner periphery of the main cam member results in a differential gear mechanism having a substantially reduced "bearing span", combined with a reduced casing diameter.

Abstract: A differential gear mechanism of the limited slip type is provided, and includes a mechanism for locking up the differential gear set, and a mechanism for actuating the lockup mechanism. The actuating mechanism includes a flyweight mechanism (71) and a latch mechanism (111). The latch mechanism includes a latch member (115) defining a pair of latch surfaces (125 and 127). The latch mechanism further includes a frame member (113) and a weighted member (117) which is oppositely disposed from the latch member about the axis of rotation of the differential gear set. The weighted member is operable to move the latch mechanism, in opposition to the biasing force of a spring (123), along a straight, generally diametrally-oriented path, in response to increasing rotational speed of the differential gear mechanism. Such movement causes movement of the latch member from an operative position (FIGS. 4 and 5) to an inoperative position (FIG.

Abstract: For use with a differential, annular friction discs configured to insure mating frictional contact between adjacent discs along a desired line of contact. The discs are selectively connected to either a side gear or the housing of the differential. At least one of the friction discs contain a relatively flat annular surface which is located on the opposite side of another surface having a pair of radially spaced annular projections for engagement with a relatively flat annular surface of an adjacent disc. At least one other friction disc has a relatively flat annular surface with an opposed surface having an annular projection spaced radially intermediate the radial space projection on the previously mentioned disc. The single annular projection is for engagement with a relatively flat surface of an adjacent friction disc. The discs are located between the side gear and the housing of a differential.

Abstract: A vehicle engine accessory drive system is disclosed including a hydraulic fan motor (41) and a power steering gear mechanism SG in series flow relationship. The vehicle power steering pump P is the sole source of fluid for the system and has its flow control setting at a flow rate X, which is substantially greater than the flow rate Z required by the power steering gear SG. The motor-valve apparatus includes a valve portion (43), including a bypass valve portion (43), including a bypass valve piston (113) connected in parallel across the fan motor (41), and operable to permit fluid flow from the inlet passage (83) to the outlet passage (91) at a flow rate which is at least a portion of X. The bypass valve piston (113) is biased toward the bypass position by the fluid pressure in the inlet passage (83), and is biased toward the closed position by fluid pressure in a signal chamber (115).