Power transmission apparatus

A power transmission apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• (a) an apparatus housing;
• (b) a first front wheel drive hub extending in a first direction;
• (c) a second rear wheel drive hub disposed coaxially with said first drive hub;
• (d) a center differential gear for differentially distributing power to said first and second hubs, respectively;
• (e) a drive shaft extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and having an axis which is located laterally offset from and above an axis of said first and second drive hubs when the power transmission is mounted on the vehicle;
• (f) a rotary direction change mechanism including said drive shaft, for changing a rotative direction along said first and second hubs to another rotative direction along said drive shaft;
• and
• (g) lubricating means for supplying lubricant accumulated at a bottom of the apparatus housing to said rotary direction change mechanism, said lubricating means including:
• (1) a rotary cover member coupled to any one of said first and second drive hubs and formed with at least one oil stirring portion for stirring lubricant accumulated at a bottom of the apparatus housing;
• (2) an oil sump formed inside the apparatus housing for accumulating lubricant stirred by said oil stirring portion of said rotary cover member;
• (3) an oil passage formed in a drive shaft housing for said drive shaft and being in communication with said oil sump, for supplying lubricant accumulated on said oil sump to said rotary direction change mechanism.