Gear housing vent

Abstract

A vent assembly or breathing tube adapted to relieve pressure in an axle assembly or other gear housing. A vent tube may be disposed within a casing and terminates at an oblique or circular open end in a skirt portion of the tube. At least one hole may extend through the side of the casing to allow pressurized gases within the housing to escape through the vent tube via the oblique opening. The casing has a hole disposed at the bottom surface to allow the return of any lubricant which might enter the casing through the side hole. The side hole is preferably located on a side opposite the lubricant flow direction. The neck portion may be integrally formed with the top portion and skirt.

1 . A vent assembly for a gear housing containing a lubricating fluid and accommodating a gear mechanism, said vent assembly comprising: 
 a hollow casing including a continuous side wall having at least one hole there through, the hollow casing having an opening formed in a lower portion thereof; and    a vent tube extending within said hollow casing so as to form a cavity between an inner peripheral surface of said casing and an outer peripheral surface of said vent tube, said vent tube having a first open end disposed within said hollow casing and a second end extending outside said casing in communication with an external environment.    
     
     
         2 . The vent assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said vent tube and said hollow casing are substantially cylindrical and said cavity is between said casing and tube is substantially annular.  
     
     
         3 . The vent assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said first open end of said vent tube is beveled with respect to a length thereof and defining a long side and a short side along a longitudinal length of said vent, said at least one hole through said sidewall of said casing being located on a longitudinal first side portion of said casing adjacent said long side of said vent tube.  
     
     
         4 . The vent according to  claim 3 , wherein said at least one hole through said sidewall includes two holes longitudinally spaced apart and longitudinally coextensive along said first side portion of said casing.  
     
     
         5 . The vent assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said vent rube is non-truncated such that said first open end is obliquely formed and thereby defines a long side and a short side of said vent tube within said casing, said at least one hole through said sidewall of said casing being located on a longitudinal first side portion of said casing adjacent said long side of said vent tube.  
     
     
         6 . The vent assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said hollow casing includes a bottom wall substantially closing said hollow casing, said opening defined by a hole extending through said bottom wall to facilitate return of entrained lubricant to said gear housing.  
     
     
         7 . A gear housing for containing a gear assembly and lubricating fluid, said gear housing having a vent tube secured to and extending within the housing, said vent tube comprising: 
 a top portion secured adjacent the housing;    a skirt extending into the housing and having a continuous side wall extending circumferentially at least 180 degrees; and    a vent opening passing through said skirt, said vent opening being adjacent the top portion and opposite the side wall.    
     
     
         8 . The gear housing according to  claim 7 , wherein said skirt is formed as an annular body with a circular opening opposite said top portion.  
     
     
         9 . The gear housing according to  claim 7 , wherein said top portion is integrally formed with an external neck portion projecting from said top end wall portion.  
     
     
         10 . The gear housing according to  claim 9 , wherein said top end wall portion, said skirt and said external neck portion are integrally formed as a homogenous body.  
     
     
         11 . A gear housing for containing a gear assembly and lubricating fluid, said gear housing having a vent tube secured to and extending within the housing, said vent tube comprising: 
 a top portion secured adjacent the housing;    a skirt extending into the housing, said skirt being obliquely formed and defines a long side and a short side of said vent tube within said casing;    wherein said long side of said vent tube is upstream of lubricant flow so that an oblique opening formed by said skirt faces downstream of said lubricant flow to deflect lubricant away from said oblique opening.    
     
     
         12 . The gear housing according to  claim 11 , wherein said top end wall portion is integrally formed with an external neck portion projecting from said top end wall portion.  
     
     
         13 . The gear housing according to  claim 12 , wherein said top end wall portion, said skirt and said external neck portion are integrally formed as a homogenous body.