US 5,353,890 AGranted

Locking hub clutch system

AssigneeWarn Industries, Inc.

InventorKip Clohessy

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Abstract

An integrated wheel end for a vehicle is disclosed. The integrated wheel end has a hub rotatably mounted to a bearing pack. The integrated wheel end is secured to the vehicle by fastening the bearing pack to a knuckle of the vehicle. The integral hub has a spindle portion for receiving an end portion of a drive axle, a clutch housing for receiving a locking clutch mechanism and a flange for the mounting of a brake rotor and a vehicle supporting wheel. A locking hub clutch is mounted in the clutch housing and is selectively operated to provide unity of rotation between the axle and the hub or to provide independent rotation of the axle and the hub. The clutch housing is suited for installing different clutch mechanisms including manually operated and pressure operated either by negative or positive pressure. The integrated wheel end has a sealed defined cavity and an air circuit for the introduction or withdrawal of air to operated the pressure operated clutch mechanisms. A manual override feature may be provided with the pressure operated clutch mechanisms to operate the clutch mechanisms manually in the event of air circuit failure.

Claims6

Dependent claims

In a part-time four-wheel drive vehicle having a clutch mechanism associated with a wheel mounting and wheel axle for engaging and disengaging the wheel mounting and wheel axle to convert between two-wheel and four-wheel drive, a mechanism comprising;

a knuckle fixed to the frame of a vehicle and defining a bearing enclosure, a spindle rotatably mounted within the bearing enclosure of the knuckle and defining a further bearing enclosure, and an axle rotatably mounted within the further bearing enclosure of the spindle,
a hub for mounting a vehicle wheel and a hub clutch housing protruded from said hub and the combined hub and hub clutch housing affixed rotatively to the spindle and independent rotatively of the axle, said axle extended into the housing, and a clutch mechanism including overlapping portions of an axle exterior and a housing interior and splines provided on said overlapping portions, a clutch member slidably mounted relative to the housing and axle overlapping portions and being slidably movable between a first position wherein the splines of both portions are interengaged for interlocking the axle and housing and a second position wherein the splines of one of the portions are disengaged from said clutch member for permitting relative free rotative movement therebetween, and actuator means for actuating slidable movement of said clutch member between said first and second positions,
said spindle having a tubular section extended partially into the bearing enclosure and extended partially outside the bearing enclosure and defining an exterior end, said hub comprising a flange formed integral with the tubular section of the spindle at the exterior end and flared radially outwardly from the axis of the tubular section and including means for attaching a wheel to the flange,
and said hub clutch housing having a cylindrical section integral with the spindle and hub and extending axially outwardly of said hub flange through the center of a wheel mounted on said flange, said spindle, hub, hub flange, and hub housing including the portion of the housing provided with splines accordingly integrally formed and requiring no fasteners for affixing the hub and hub clutch housing rotatively to the spindle,
said cylindrical section of said hub clutch housing having an open end, and a removable cap normally closing said open end, said mechanism and hub clutch housing cooperatively structured whereby installation and maintenance of the clutch mechanism are provided through said open end.

2 more elements

A hub locking system for a part-time four-wheel drive vehicle comprising;

a wheel hub, a drive axle, and a clutch member movable relative to the wheel hub and drive axle between a first and second position for relative rotative interlocking and unlocking of the wheel hub to the drive axle,
automatic actuator means selectively and remotely operable by a vehicle operator to induce movement of the clutch member from the one position to the other position, and a first spring acting against the clutch member and opposing the operation of the automatic actuator means to urge movement of the clutch member in the opposite direction, said first spring generating a lesser force than the automatic actuator means when actuated, whereby the operation of the actuator means overcomes the opposing force of the first spring;
a manual override that allows manual operation when the automatic actuator means is not actuated comprising, a second spring opposing the first spring and urging the clutch member to the position opposite that urged by the first spring, one of said first and second springs generating a stronger force than the other, and a dial mechanism manually operable from outside the wheel hub to retract the strong spring and remove its effect on the clutch member movement whereby the weaker spring controls clutch member induced movement when the actuator means is not actuated.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/972,425Filed 5 Nov 1992
Granted: 11 Oct 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F16D 25/061
In which the fluid actuates a piston incorporated in, i.e. rotating with the clutch: the clutch having interengaging clutch members
B60K 17/3515
Including arrangements for suppressing or influencing the power transfer, e.g. viscous clutches: with a clutch adjacent to traction wheel, e.g.…
B60K 23/08
Arrangement or mounting of control devices for vehicle transmissions, or parts thereof, not otherwise provided for: for changing number of driven…
F16D 11/14
Clutches in which the members have interengaging parts: with clutching members movable only axially