Planetary locking differential

In a planetary differential assembly for driving a pair of coaxially aligned axles, said assembly including a rotatable case, an internal ring gear fixed to said case, a plurality of planetary pinion gear pairs, one gear of each pair in mesh with said ring gear, said assembly further including a planetary carrier supporting said pairs of planetary pinion gears, said assembly further including a sun gear splined to one of said axles, wherein said carrier is splined to the other axle of said pair of axles, wherein the other gear of each pair of said pinion gears is in mesh with said sun gear;

• an improvement comprising:
• (1) an axially moveable locking ring having a first coupling portion splined to and in continuous engagement with said sun gear, said locking ring having a second coupling portion adapted for selective engagement with said carrier, said second portion being spaced radially from said first portion, and (2) a shift actuator coupled with said locking ring for axial displacement of said locking ring from a first fully locked condition of said differential, wherein said second coupling portion of said locking ring engages said carrier, to a second, unlocked condition of said differential, wherein said second coupling portion is completely disengaged from said carrier, wherein said shift actuator comprises an inner shift flange, and wherein said first coupling portion of said locking ring comprises a radially outer actuator receiving groove defined by a radially extending annulus and collar spaced axially therefrom, wherein said inner shift flange engages said actuator receiving groove, wherein said shift actuator further comprises a bracket situated externally of said case, and a plurality of stud shafts positioned for securement of said inner shaft flange and said bracket together for axial displacement of said shift actuator relative to said case.