Limited slip differential with clutch control means
AssigneeCaterpillar Tractor Co.
InventorRalph B. Clark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A limited slip differential comprises juxtaposed axle gears rotatably mounted in a carrier meshing with planet gears arranged in staggered pairs and also rotatably mounted in a carrier. A hydraulically actuated friction clutch is positioned between the carrier and floating ring gear, which is meshed to certain of the planet gears, to retard rotation of the planet gears in response to a rotational speed differential of the axle gears. Control means for automatically actuating the clutch comprises a plurality of pistons reciprocably mounted in one axle gear and a cam surface attached to the other axle gear for pressurizing, in response to a rotational speed differential of the axle gears, the actuating chambers of the clutch.
Claims5
A new differential comprising:
- a pair of coaxially juxtaposed axle gears, each mounted on a rotatably mounted drive axle;
- a carrier mounted in said differential for rotation relative to the drive axles;
- a plurality of first planet gears rotatably mounted on the carrier, each being in meshing engagement with one of the axle gears;
- a plurality of second planet gears rotatably mounted on the carrier, each being in meshing engagement with the other of the axle gears and with the first planet gears;
- a floating ring gear engaging one of said plurality of planet gears and mounted for rotation thereabout;
- a fluid pressure actuable clutch means for coupling the ring gear to the carrier;
- cam means rotatable with one of the axle gears,
- fluid piston pump means engaging said cam means and rotatable with the other axle gear;
- and
- fluid passage means communicating the fluid piston pump with the clutch means,
- whereby relative rotation between the axle gears causes the fluid piston pump means to be actuated by the cam means to communicate fluid pressure to the clutch to actuate the clutch to resist relative rotation of the carrier and ring gear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.