Axle disconnect

A differential for a motor vehicle comprising, in combination,

• a housing,
• a spider positioned within said housing for rotation about an axis,
• a ring gear secured to said spider and disposed concentrically about said axis,
• a stub shaft disposed perpendicularly to said axis and secured within said spider,
• a pair of spaced apart pinion gears disposed on said stub shaft,
• a pair of spaced apart side gears disposed about said axis in interengaging relationship with each of said pair of pinion gears, said side gears each including outwardly directed face coupling gear teeth,
• a pair of axle shafts disposed along said axis having spaced apart termini generally disposed within said sider, said axle shafts defining a spline adjacent said termini,
• a clutch collar disposed about each of said axle shafts having a complementary spline in engagement with said spline of said axle shafts, said clutch collars each including inwardly directed face coupling gear teeth, and
• a control member, an actuator means for moving said control member between a first position and a second position, a control arm rigidly secured at one end to said control member and having means disposed at its opposite end for engaging and axially translating one of said clutch collars, a lever arm pivotally secured within said housing having means disposed at one end for engaging and axially translating the other of said clutch collars, and means for connecting the other end of said lever arm to said control member whereby said coupling teeth of said clutch collars and said coupling teeth of said side gears are engaged in power transmitting relationship in said first position and said coupling teeth of said clutch collars and said coupling teeth of said side gears are disposed in rotationally independent relationship in said second position.