The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 20, 1981
Filed:
Feb. 01, 1978
Maurice K LeBegue, Argillite, KY (US);
National Mine Service Company, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A pair of differential side gears are splined to separate driven shafts that rotate the driven wheels of a vehicle. Rotation of a driven shaft is transmitted through a differential case and spider gears to the side gears. The side gears are rotatably mounted on a thrust assembly. Belleville spring assemblies exert a biasing force upon interleaved clutch plates alternately splined to the case and the side gears. Upon the occurrence of an unequal torque distribution between the driven shafts the gear separating forces exerted by the spider gears upon the side gears become imbalanced. The side gear associated with the driven shaft of the wheel having reduced traction is displaced axially toward the spider gears. This axial movement is transmitted through the thrust assembly to the side gear associated with the driven shaft of the wheel having the greater traction to axially move the side gear and compress the clutch plates to frictionally engage the case and the side gear. Rotation is transmitted from the case through the clutch plates to the side gear to increase the torque of the driven shaft of the wheel having the greater traction and thereby rotate the wheel having the greater traction.