Transfer and differential reduction box for motor vehicles

Claim 2

In a vehicle having a pair of rear axles and a front axle, a transmission assembly comprising parallel power input and output shafts, drive-selection means connected between said shafts for selecting a neutral, direct drive, or step-down transmission from said power input to said power output shaft, gear-drive means operatively connected with said power output shaft for transmitting a drive therefrom, differential means operatively connected to said gear-drive means to be driven thereby and having a pair of differential outputs driven with a predetermined differential therebetween by said differential means, a pair of rear axle drive shafts respectively connected operatively to said differential outputs to be driven thereby and operatively connected to said pair of rear axles for driving the latter, differential lock-out means operatively connected with said pair of differential outputs for selectively providing a predetermined relationship therebetween independently of said differential means for locking out the latter so as to drive the pair of rear axles with a predetermined ratio when said differential means is locked out, said differential lock-out means including a pair of gears respectively fixed to said differential outputs for rotary movement therewith, a shaft situated adjacent said differential means and extending parallel to said outputs, and a pair of gears carried by the latter shaft, one of said pair of gears being permanently enmeshed with one of the gears on one of said differential outputs and a clutch operatively connected with the other of said pair of gears for acting on the latter to place said shaft which carries said pair of gears either in driving engagement with said gear on the other of said differential outputs or out of driving engagement therewith, so that through said clutch a transmission can be provided for locking out said differential means, a front drive shaft operatively connected to the front axle for driving the latter, and means operatively connected with said differential lock-out means for transmitting a drive from one of said differential outputs to said front drive shaft only when said differential lock-out means is operative to lock out said differential means, so that when said differential means is locked out said front axle will be driven in a predetermined manner with respect to both rear axles.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 and wherein a pair of power take-off means are operatively connected to said power output shaft to be driven thereby.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 and wherein each of said power take-off means includes a means for selectively connecting each power take-off means to or disconnecting it from said power output shaft.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 and wherein said gear-drive means includes a means for selectively connecting said gear-drive means to or disconnecting it from said power output shaft, so that either one of both of said power take-off means may be driven with or without driving said pair of rear axles and with or without driving said front axle.

Claim 6

In a vehicle having a pair of rear axles and a front axle, a transmission assembly comprising parallel power input and output shafts, drive-selection means connected between said shafts for selecting a neutral, direct drive, or step-down transmission from said power input to said power output shaft, gear-drive means operatively connected with said power output shaft for transmitting a drive therefrom, differential means operatively connected to said gear-drive means to be driven thereby and having a pair of differential outputs driven with a predetermined differential therebetween by said differential means, a pair of rear axle drive shafts respectively connected operatively to said differential outputs to be driven thereby and operatively connected to said pair of rear axles for driving the latter, differential lock-out means operatively connected with said pair of differential outputs for selectively providing a predetermined relationship therebetween independently of said differential means for locking out the latter so as to drive the pair of rear axles with a predetermined ratio when said differential means is locked out, a front drive shaft operatively connected to the front axle for driving the latter, and means operatively connected with said differential lock-out means for transmitting a drive from one of said differential outputs to said front drive shaft only when said differential lock-out means is operative to lock out said differential means, so that when said differential means is locked out said front axle will be driven in a predetermined manner with respect to both rear axles, a pair of power take-off means operatively connected to said power output shaft to be driven thereby, each of said power take-off means including a means for selectively connecting each power take-off means to or disconnecting it from said power output shaft, said gear-drive means including a means for selectively connecting said gear-drive means to or disconnecting it from said power output shaft, so that either one or both of said power take-off means may be driven with or without driving said pair of rear axles and with or without driving said front axle, said power input shaft and one of said rear axle drive shafts being in line and having a common axis, said front axle drive shaft and the other of said rear axle drive shafts being in line and having a common axis parallel to the axis of said power input shaft, said pair of differential outputs having a common axis situated between and parallel to the pair of axes of said rear axle drive shafts.

Claim 7

In a vehicle having a pair of rear axles and a front axle, a transmission assembly comprising parallel power input and output shafts, drive-selection means connected between said shafts for selecting a neutral, direct drive, or step-down transmission from said power input to said power output shaft, gear-drive means operatively connected with said power output shaft for transmitting a drive therefrom, differential means operatively connected to said gear-drive means to be driven thereby and having a pair of differential outputs driven with a predetermined differential therebetween by said differential means, a pair of rear axle drive shafts respectively connected operatively to said differential outputs to be driven thereby and operatively connected to said pair of rear axles for driving the latter, differential lock-out means operatively connected with said pair of differential outputs for selectively providing a predetermined relationship therebetween independently of said differential means for locking out the latter so as to drive the pair of rear axles with a predetermined ratio when said differential means is locked out, a front drive shaft operatively connected to the front axle for driving the latter, and means operatively connected with said differential lock-out means for transmitting a drive from one of said differential outputs to said front drive shaft only when said differential lock-out means is operative to lock out said differential means, so that when said differential means is locked out said front axle will be driven in a predetermined manner with respect to both rear axles, a pair of power take-off means operatively connected to said power output shaft to be driven thereby, each of said power take-off means including a means for selectively connecting each power take-off means to or disconnecting it from said power output shaft, said gear-drive means including a means for selectively connecting said gear-drive means to or disconnecting it from said power output shaft, so that either one or both of said power take-off means may be driven with or without driving said pair of rear axles and with or without driving said front axle, said power input shaft and one of said rear axle drive shafts being in line and having a common axis, said front axle drive shaft and the other of said rear axle drive shafts being in line and having a common axis parallel to the axis of said power input shaft, said pair of differential outputs having a common axis situated between and parallel to the pair of axes of said rear axle drive shafts.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 5 and wherein said power output shaft is situated at the side of said power input shaft opposite from said pair of differential outputs, and said pair of power take-off means including a pair of coaxial front and rear power take-off shafts situated at the side of said power output shaft opposite from said power input shaft.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6 and wherein said means for selecting a given drive between said power input and power output shafts and said means for connecting said gear-drive means to or disconnecting it from said power output shaft each include first and second longitudinal parallel shafts, a connecting rod extending between and pivotally connected with said first and second shafts, said first shaft being formed with an elongated groove and with a recess near an end of said first shaft and said second shaft being formed with a pair of recesses respectively corresponding to said groove and recess of said first shaft, and a pair of transverse locking rods extending between said first and second shafts and having rounded ends for engaging in said groove and recess of said first shaft and said recesses of said seconD shaft, and a pair of spring-pressed balls engaging said first and second shafts for being selectively received in the recesses near the ends thereof to alternately lock one or the other of said first and second shafts.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7 and wherein an end stop means coacts with each of said first and second shafts for limiting the movement thereof.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8 and wherein a shiftable gear and clutch ring is operatively connected with one of said first and second shafts to be controlled thereby.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 6 and wherein said differential lock-out means and said means for engaging said front axle drive shaft include a pair of clutch rings, a pair of end rods operatively connected with said clutch rings for actuating the latter, respectively, and a pair of intermediate rods connected in series to each other and connected between said pair of end rods for simultaneously actuating the latter to engage said front drive shaft when said differential lock-out means is engaged and to disengage said front drive shaft when said differential lock-out means is disengaged, a rocker operatively connected with one of said intermediate rods for actuating the latter to operate said end rods, and an actuating nut operatively connected with said rocker.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 10 and wherein an eccentric means is operatively connected with said rocker for adjusting said rods.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 11 and wherein an elongated threaded rod carries said actuating nut and has an pair of opposed ends one of which is formed with a recess, end-stop means coacting with the other end of said threaded rod, and a spring-pressed ball coacting with said recess of said threaded rod.