Lubrication system for transmissions

A transmission comprising:

• a housing;
• an oil reservoir within said housing having a supply of lubricating fluid;
• a shaft rotatably supported in said housing, said shaft having an axial bore;
• an oil distributing apparatus including an end plate secured to said housing and having an embossed segment formed therein, and an oil dam secured in said embossed segment of said end plate for defining an inlet and an oil chamber therewith, said oil dam having a spacer leg extending into said oil chamber and engaging said end plate and a tubular spout extending into said axial bore of said shaft for defining a oil flow path from said inlet to said axial bore of said shaft that is substantially hydraulically isolated from said shaft;
• and
• a lubrication system for conveying oil from said oil reservoir to said inlet of said oil chamber.

A transmission comprising:

• a housing;
• an oil reservoir within said housing having a supply of lubricating fluid;
• an input shaft rotatably supported in said housing, said input shaft having an axial bore;
• an output shaft rotatably supported in said housing, said output shaft having an axial bore;
• an oil distributing apparatus secured to said housing, said oil distributing apparatus defining first and second oil chamber each having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet of said first oil chamber communicating with said axial bore of said input shaft, said outlet of said second oil chamber communicating with said axial bore of said output shaft, said first oil chamber defining a first oil flow path from said inlet to said outlet thereof that is substantially hydraulically isolated from said input shaft and said output shaft, said second oil chamber defining a second oil flow path from said inlet to said outlet thereof that is substantially hydraulically isolated from said input shaft and said output shaft, said oil distributing apparatus includes an end plate secured to said housing, a first oil dam and a second oil dam, said end plate including a first embossed segment and a second embossed segment, said first oil dam connected to said end plate and cooperating with said first embossed segment to define said first oil chamber, said second oil dam connected to said end plate and cooperating with said second oil embossed segment to define said second oil chamber, and wherein each of said first and second oil dams includes a tubular spout extending into its respective axial bore in said input and output shafts and a spacer leg extending into its respective one of said first and second oil chambers and engaging said end plate;
• and
• a lubrication system for conveying oil from said oil reservoir to said inlet of said first and second oil chambers.

A method of assembling an oil directing apparatus for use in a transmission comprising the steps of:

• providing an end plate having a recessed portion and a post;
• providing an oil dam having a peripheral edge, a spacer leg, and a cylindrical spout, said spacer leg having a bore and a terminal end with an aperture formed therein, said bore and said aperture defining an opening extending through said spacer leg, said bore having a diameter, said aperture having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said axial bore thereby forming an annular lip;
• placing said oil dam adjacent said end plate such that said end plate post is disposed within said spacer leg aperture and said peripheral edge of said oil dam is proximate to said recessed portion of said end plate, said oil dam and said recessed portion of said end plate defining an oil chamber having an inlet;
• and
• deforming said end plate post into contact with said annular lip, whereby said terminal end of said spacer leg contacts said end plate and said peripheral edge of said oil dam contacts said recessed portion of said end plate for forcing said peripheral edge into a deflected position, thereby forming a seal between said end plate and said oil dam.