Abstract: A locking differential includes an annular center cam member freely rotatably supported within an annular central driver member without the use of any keying device, such as a snap ring, thereby to simply the construction and assembly of the differential, and to reduce cost. The center cam member is longitudinally maintained in place by the biasing forces applied to the clutch members arranged on opposite sides of the central driver member by helical compression springs arranged externally concentrically about the side gears, respectively, and by the holdout rings that are connected with the clutch members. The center cam member and the central driver member have adjacent outer and inner circumferential surfaces, respectively, that are smooth, continuous, and uninterrupted. The holdout rings are rotatably connected at their remote ends with the clutch members by integral annular outer ribs that extend within corresponding grooves contained in the counterbore wall surfaces.

Abstract: A locking differential includes an annular center cam member freely rotatably supported within an annular central driver member without the use of any keying device, such as a snap ring, thereby to simply the construction and assembly of the differential, and to reduce cost. The center cam member is longitudinally maintained in place by the biasing forces applied to the clutch members arranged on opposite sides of the central driver member by helical compression springs arranged externally concentrically about the side gears, respectively, and by the holdout rings that are connected with the clutch members. The center cam member and the central driver member have adjacent outer and inner circumferential surfaces, respectively, that are smooth, continuous, and uninterrupted. The holdout rings are rotatably connected at their remote ends with the clutch members by integral annular outer ribs that extend within corresponding grooves contained in the counterbore wall surfaces.

Abstract: A locking differential includes a pair of annular clutch members that are normally displaced apart to effect engagement between clutch teeth on the remote ends of the clutch members and corresponding gear teeth on the adjacent ends of a pair of side gears between which the clutch members are colinearly arranged. When one output shaft overruns the other by a predetermined amount, the clutch member associated with the overrunning output shaft is disengaged from its associated side gear. A retaining device retains the clutch members in the disengaged condition until the overrunning condition is terminated. In one embodiment, the retaining device is a cam arm and follower pin arrangement that is connected between the clutch members and operates in conjunction with a pair of friction rings. In a second embodiment, the retaining device comprises a pair of holdout rings that operate between the clutch members and the side gears.

Abstract: A differential of the helical gear type is disclosed for vehicles including an improved sectional spacer device having a generally C-shaped outer spacer section for maintaining the side gears in axially spaced relation, and a removable inner core spacer section for maintaining the axle shafts in axially spaced relation and for supporting the leg portions of the outer section against displacement toward each other. Spring devices are non-rotatably mounted in the housing for biasing the side gears axially inwardly toward the outer spacer section, thereby to reduce the clearances between the side gears and the outer spacer section, respectively, whereby differential backlash is reduced.

Abstract: A centrifugal clutch apparatus includes an annular adapter assembly adapted for colinear connection with a rotatable driving member, an independent pulley member connected with a colinearly arranged driven member having an annular portion extending toward the adapter assembly, and centrifugal weight members connected with the adapter assembly for engagement with the inner surface of the annular portion when the rotational velocity of the driving member exceeds a given value, the adapter assembly including at least one vibration dampening device including an annular resilient member connected between annular inner and outer concentrically-arranged portions of the adapter assembly for isolating the centrifugal weight members from the driving member.

Abstract: A differential mechanism is disclosed including a pair of holdout rings each of which is angularly displaceable to an operable position for maintaining in a disengaged condition an associated overrunning or underrunning clutch member, characterized by the arrangement of the center cam member concentrically within the center driving member, together with the provision of a rotation limiting stop for limiting the extent of rotation of the holdout ring relative to the central driving member when the holdout ring is rotated from an inoperative condition toward an operative condition. In one embodiment, the stop comprises the side wall of a through slot (2e) contained in the inner periphery of the center driving member (2), which stop is engaged by the lateral surface (30e) of an axial projection (30c) of reduced width on the associated holdout ring lug (30b).

Abstract: An improved differential mechanism of the holdout ring type is disclosed, characterized in that the annular holdout rings are mounted concentrically between the driven clutch members and the associated side gears, respectively, and the springs biasing the driven clutch members toward engagement with the driving spider member arranged therebetween includes a pair of compression springs mounted concentrically between the holdout rings and the side gears, each spring reacting at opposite ends between the associated side gear and annular spring retainer member, respectively. Furthermore, the driven clutch members are each provided with only one set of uniform teeth which cooperate both with driving teeth on the spider member and overrunning clutch-disengaging teeth on the center cam member. Consequently, a compact durable positive differential mechanism is provided that is of relatively simple, inexpensive construction requiring a minimum number of parts.

Abstract: A differential apparatus is disclosed of the type including pairs of helical differential pinions for transmitting torque from a rotatably driven differential carrier housing to a pair of side gears splined to a pair output shafts, respectively, characterized by the provision of a collapsible and expansible wedge block spacer assembly for maintaining the output shafts in spaced relation and for reacting to axially inwardly directed thrust forces. During assembly of the differential apparatus, the spacer block is introduced, when in a collapsed condition, into the housing via a transverse access opening, to a position between the output shafts, whereupon the wedge block assembly is axially expanded into supporting engagement with the adjacent ends of the output shafts. The housing includes three sections, a pair of end cover sections being arranged on opposite sides of a center section of contoured configuration.