Vehicle torque transfer gear assembly having different angled output

Abstract

A vehicle torque transfer gear assembly unit for driving four wheels of a vehicle in which both the rear and front output shafts of the unit are capable of straight line connected relation with the rear and front drive shafts of the vehicle thereby eliminating the need for complex compound angled connecting means. The preferred embodiment exemplifying the invention is a five gear assembly of two input gears and three output gears selectively connectable for two wheel or four wheel high speed operation, or four wheel low speed operation beside a neutral mode. The rear output shaft is aligned in a straight line with the rear drive shaft extending downwardly toward the rear wheel differential while the front output shaft extends downwardly in the opposite direction to the front drive shaft toward the front wheel differential. The cross axised relation of the output shafts is effected by utilization of a frustum shaped front output gear having helical cut teeth matched to an intermediate gear on an axis parallel to the rear output shaft. As another embodiment, the front output shaft angle is produced by addition of an angular association of the intermediate shaft and gears thereon relative to the rear output gear and an angular association of the front output shaft and gear relative thereto by use of frustum shaped front output gear with helical cut gear teeth matched to the desired angle.