Abstract: A method of and apparatus for controlling an axle drive for the purpose of distributing torque from a propulsion shaft to two axle shafts, having a coupling carrier which is rotatably supported in a axle drive housing, and two controllable friction couplings arranged in the coupling carrier and provided for engageably connecting and driving the axle shafts, with first friction plates of each friction coupling being non-rotatably connected to the coupling carrier and with second friction plates of each friction coupling being non-rotatably connected to the respective axle shaft, and having two actuating devices for the two friction couplings, which actuating devices, when the two axle shafts both rotate in the same direction relative to the coupling carrier, function autonomously independently of one another, and when the two axle shafts rotate in opposite directions relative to the coupling carrier, the actuating devices are shut down.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fluid friction coupling having at least two sets of plates. A first coupling part is designed as a coupling hub and a second coupling part is designed as a coupling housing In the interior cavity of the coupling housing, the inner plates and outer plates are alternately interleaved with one another. The inner plates have chamfered portions which are arranged such that two adjoining inner plates are positioned in a mirror-image-like way. Thus, it is possible to prevent a pumping action which affects the viscous fluid in the interior of the fluid friction coupling.

Abstract: A viscous coupling for a motor vehicle which may be connected or disconnected under load and which, in a reliable and interference-free way and with a short delay time, selectively permits the transmission or interruption of the driving force relative to the wheels of the rear and/or front axle, including a locking ring which is axially movable between two switching positions and may be moved into one of the two switching positions against the returning force of a spring by a force-actuated setting member which includes a firmly connected annular tongue which consists of a low-remanence ferromagnetic material and which may be transferred in an annular gap selectively loaded with a magnetic flow and formed by a soft iron core, with the axial length of the annular gap being greater than or equal to the axial distance covered by the setting member between the two switching positions.

Abstract: A viscous coupling having a flushing pump for a drive assembly, in which the abrasion particles occurring as a result of friction between the plates are flushed out of the coupling housing. This is achieved by connecting the viscous coupling to a storage and a supply channel, and the flushing pump is driven as a result of relative movement of the two sets of plates in the viscous coupling and ensures that the viscous fluid flushes the interior of the viscous coupling.

Abstract: The invention relates to a viscous coupling 1 in the case of which one of the two coupling parts, i.e. either the coupling hub 9 or the coupling housing 2, is produced of plastics. To permit non-rotating accommodation of the associated coupling plates 11 or 12, metallic round bars 18 are embedded in the plastic coupling part 2 or 9 so as to be circumferentially distributed. The inner circumference or the outer circumference of the associated coupling plates 11, 12 is provided with an adapted profile. This measure ensures that in spite of the high loads occurring in the course of the transmission of torque it is possible to use plastic parts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fluid friction coupling in which the plates to be spaced are fixed via spacing strips which extend along the entire axial length of the package of plate to be spaced. This measure facilitates assembly and the plate package may be pre-assembled and spacer rings to be inserted separately are eliminated.

Abstract: A clutch (1) including an inner part (3) and an outer part (4) having races (6 and 5) respectively between which are arranged rollers (4). The rollers are arranged in a cage (7) which is in two parts (8 and 9) which are connected by leaf springs (10). One part (8) of the cage may be operated upon by a brake (11) to retard it relative to the other part of the cage thus to cause the rollers to skew and jam between the races and thus transmit torque between the inner and outer member. The clutch may be associated with a viscous shear coupling (18) and the combination may be used in the driveline of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A viscous shear coupling has housing and hub parts (20 and 22) with interleaved sets of plates (35, 36, 37), the set of plates carried by the housing part being in two sub-sets (35 and 36), the plates (36) of one sub-set being rotationally fast with the housing part and the plates (35) of the other sub-set being capable of limited relative rotation to the housing part and the plates of the other sub-set; plates of the first set carry projections (50, 52) so that upon said relative rotation the spacing of the plates is varied thus to control the torque transmitted by the coupling.