Multiple axle drive mechanism

A torque transmission mechanism for a multiple drive axle vehicle to transfer torque from a source of power to a pair of tandem parallel drive axles;

• the combination wherein the torque transmission mechanism includes a housing, an input shaft supported by said housing, first and second concentric output shafts supported by said housing and each connected to drive one of said axles, means in said housing for transferring torque from said input shaft to said output shafts, said input shaft extending on one side of said torque transfer means and said concentric output shafts extending from the other side of said torque transfer means, one of said output shafts having an output gear thereon and said other output shaft extending through and rotatable within said output gear, said means including two one-way devices each comprised of a plurality of wedging elements, said input shaft having an inner drive race thereon in operative engagement with the wedging means of each said one-way devices, a pair of outer driven races for said one-way devices surrounding said drive race and each adapted to be engaged by said wedging elements of one of said one-way devices and each being drivingly connected to one of said concentric output shafts, each of said one-way devices having a cage member containing said wedging means, friction means connected to said cage member and in frictional engagement with said outer driven races, interlock means interconnecting the cage members of said devices and permitting limited angular displacement therebetween whereby when each of said output shafts are rotating at the same speed said drive race will engage said wedging elements with said driven races to provide positive drive to each of said output shafts and whereby said limited angular displacement of said cages will allow either of said output shafts to rotate faster than the other output shaft and release said wedging engagement whereby at all times driving torque is applied to the slower rotating output shaft.