Power transmission for a vehicle

In a ground traveling vehicle having a forward and a rearward set of wheels and an engine to drive said wheels, the combination comprising:

• a. a power transmission positioned behind said engine and longitudinally aligned therewith, said transmission comprising:
• 1. a housing having a front end and a rear end,
• 2. an inner driving member rotatably mounted in said housing about a longitudinal axis and adapted to be connected to a power output from the vehicle engine, said driving member having radially outwardly facing, longitudinally aligned, driving cam surfaces,
• 3. a first forward set and a second rear set of wedging clutch elements mounted around said driving member for circumferential movement with respect to the driving member between a released position and driven position where the clutch elements are engaged by the driving cam surfaces,
• 4. a pair of cylindrical, longitudinally aligned cages holding the clutch elements, said cages engaging each other to permit limited relative rotation of the sets of clutch elements with respect to one another about said axis,
• 5. a first forward outer annular driven member having an interior generally cylindrical surface surrounding said first set of wedging clutch elements and arranged to engage said first set of wedging clutch elements in driving relationship with said driving member and to disengage from said first set of wedging clutch elements in overrunning relationship with said driving member,
• 6. a first power output means mounted to said first driven member and adapted to be connected to power transmitting means extending laterally therefrom and forwardly to connect to the forward set of wheels of the vehicle, with said first power output means having journal bearing means for said first power output means arranged to withstand laterally directed force loads from said laterally extending power transmitting means,
• 7. a second rearward outer annular driven member having an interior generally cylindrical surface surrounding said second set of wedging clutch elements and arranged to engage said second set of wedging clutch elements in driving relationship with said driving member and to disengaging from said second set of wedging clutch elements in overrunning relationship with said driving member, and
• 8. a second power output means mounted to said second driven member and adapted to engage a rearward extending power transmitting means connected to the rearward set of wheels of the vehicle,
• b. a positive drive overrunning differential operatively connected between one of the front and rear sets of wheels and also operatively connected to the related one of the power transmission front and rear driven members that transmits power to the set of wheels between which the differential is interconnected.

In a ground traveling vehicle having a forward and a rearward set of wheels and an engine to drive said wheels, a four wheel drive power transmission apparatus comprising:

• a. a housing having a front end and a rear end,
• b. a multispeed transmission located in a forward location of said housing,
• c. a power transfer apparatus located in said housing rearwardly of said multi-speed transmission and comprising:
• 1. an inner driving member rotatably mounted in said housing about a longitudinal axis and adapted to be connected to a power output from the multi-speed transmission, said driving member having radially outwardly facing, longitudinally aligned, driving cam surfaces,
• 2. a first forward set and a second rear set of wedging clutch elements mounted around said driving member for circumferential movement with respect to the driving member between a released position and driven position where the clutch elements are engaged by the driving cam surfaces,
• 3. a pair of cylindrical, longitudinally aligned cages holding the clutch elements, said cages engaging each other to permit limited relative rotation of the sets of clutch elements with respect to one another about said axis,
• 4. a first forward outer annular driven member having an interior generally cylindrical surface surrounding said first set of wedging clutch elements and arranged to engage said first set of wedging clutch elements in driving relationship with said driving member and to disengage from said first set of wedging clutch elements in overrunning relationship with said driving member,
• 5. a first power output means mounted to said first driven member, said first power output means having journal bearng means for said first power output means arranged to withstand laterally directed force loads thereon,
• 6. a second rearward outer annular driven member having an interior generally cylindrical surface surrounding said second set of wedging clutch elements and arranged to engage said second set of wedging clutch elements in driving relationship with said driving member and to disengage from said second set of wedging clutch elements in overrunning relationship with said driving member, and
• 7. a second power output means mounted to said second driven member and adapted to engage a rearwardly extending power transmitting means connected to the rearward set of wheels of the vehicle,
• d. a lateral power transmitting means mounted within said housing and connected to said first power output means so as to extend laterally therefrom, said lateral power transmitting means being adapted to be connected to forward propeller shaft means for the forward wheels.