Differential gear mechanism

Abstract

A locking differential mechanism comprises a differential gear means including an input gear and a pair of output gears. A locking mechanism locks up the differential in response to a predetermined amount of differentiating action occurring. The locking mechanism functions to lock one of the output gears to the case of the differential. The actuator for actuating the locking mechanism to effect the lockup comprises an oscillating weight actuator mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A differential gear mechanism comprising a differential gear case defining a gear chamber, differential gear means located in said gear chamber, said differential gear means including at least one input gear and a pair of output gears, lockup means for locking up said differential gear means to retard differentiating action, and actuator means for actuating said lockup means, said lockup means including a member rotatable relative to said actuator means upon differentiating action occurring, and said actuator means including an oscillating weight engageable with said member upon rotation thereof relative to said actuator means to retard rotation thereof, and means for moving said member to actuate said lockup means upon a predetermined degree of retardation of rotation of said member. 
     
     
       2. A differential gear mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said lockup means comprises a clutch means for drivingly coupling said case and one of said output gears. 
     
     
       3. A differential as defined in claim 1 further including means for mounting said weight on said case and supporting said weight for pivotal movement relative to said case about a pivot axis. 
     
     
       4. A differential gear mechanism as defined in claim .[.3.]. .Iadd.2 .Iaddend.wherein said clutch means comprises a disc pack having a plurality of discs which are splined to the case and a plurality of discs which are splined to said one output gear, and said member comprises an axially movable member which is moved axially upon a predetermined degree of rotation thereof relative to said one output gear to load said disc pack. 
     
     
       5. A differential gear mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said member comprises a cam member having cam surfaces cooperable with cam surfaces on said one output gear, said cam surfaces having a frictional engagement tending to cause said cam member and said one output gear to rotate as a unit and said retardation retarding said cam member from rotation with said output gear, and said cooperating cam surfaces upon rotation of said one output gear relative to said cam member effecting axial movement of said cam member to effect said loading of said disc pack. 
     
     
       6. A differential gear mechanism as defined in claim .[.5.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.wherein said cam member has a hub portion and said disc pack includes a first plurality of discs keyed to said case and a second plurality of discs keyed to said one output gear and to said hub portion of said cam member. 
     
     
       7. A differential gear mechanism as defined in claim .[.5.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.wherein said cam member has a hub portion and said disc pack includes a first plurality of discs keyed to said case and a second plurality of discs all of which are keyed to said hub portion of said member. 
     
     
       8. A differential gear mechanism as defined in claim 5 wherein said cam member has a plurality of teeth on the outer periphery thereof, and said oscillating weight comprises a member carried by said case and which has co-operating teeth which project into the path of movement of the teeth on said cam member. 
     
     
       9. A differential gear mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said oscillating weight comprises a weight member carried by said case and rotatable therewith, means supporting said weight member for pivoting movement relative to said case, said cam member having surfaces engageable with said weight member to effect oscillation of said weight about its pivot axis upon rotation of said .[.cam.]. member relative to said weight member, the reaction force of said cam member causing said oscillation of said mass retarding rotation of said cam member. 
     
     
       10. A differential gear mechanism as defined in claim 9 wherein said .[.cam.]. member has teeth which project peripherally therefrom and said oscillating weight has cooperating teeth which move into and out of the path of movement of said teeth on said member, said teeth on said .[.cam.]. member having surfaces which engage said teeth on said oscillating weight to effect oscillation thereof. 
     
     
       11. A differential gear mechanism comprising a differential gear case defining a gear chamber, differential gear means located in said gear chamber, said differential gear means including at least one pinion gear carried by and rotatable with said case and a pair of output side gears having a meshing relationship with said pinion gear, a clutch means in the form of a disc pack interposed between one of said side gears and said case and when energized locking said case and said one side gear drivingly together to thereby retard differentiating action, said one side gear having cam surfaces on an axial side thereof, a cam member interposed between said axial side of said gear and said disc pack and having cooperating cam surfaces which engage said cam surfaces on said side gear, said cam surfaces constructed so that upon relative rotation of said cam means and said side gear said cam means is moved axially to effect a loading of said disc pack to thereby lock up said differential, and means for retarding rotation of said cam means with said side gear at a predetermined degree of differentiating action, said means comprising an oscillating weight carried by said case and pivotal relative thereto about a pivot axis, said oscillating weight having a surface intermittently engageable with a surface portion of said cam member, said intermittent engagement causing said cam member to effect oscillation of said weight with the reaction force acting on said cam member tending to retard rotation thereof with said side gear. 
     
     
       12. A differential gear mechanism as defined in claim .[.8.]. .Iadd.5 .Iaddend.wherein said cam member has a plurality of teeth on the outer periphery thereof and said oscillating weight has spaced teeth thereon located on opposite sides of said pivot axis, one of said teeth on said cam member effecting when in engagement with one of the teeth on said oscillating weight rotation of said oscillating weight in one direction, another tooth on said cam member being engageable with the other tooth on said weight to effect oscillation of said weight member in the opposite direction. 
     
     
       13. A differential gear mechanism comprising a differential gear case defining a gear chamber, differential gear means located in said gear chamber, said differential gear means including at least one input gear and a pair of output gears, lockup means for locking up said differential gear means to retard differentiating action, and actuator means for actuating said lockup means, said lockup means including a member rotatable relative to said actuator means upon differentiating action occurring, and said actuator means including a weight, means supporting said weight for oscillating movement, said weight having a portion engageable with said member upon rotation thereof relative to said actuator means to effect oscillation of said weight with the reaction force acting on said member to retard rotation thereof, and means for moving said member to actuate said lockup means upon a predetermined degree of retardation of rotation of said member. .Iadd. 14. A differential gear mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said clutch means includes a disc pack, and said member is axially movable on a predetermined degree of rotation thereof relative to said one output gear to load said disc pack, said member comprising a cam member having cam surfaces cooperable with cam surfaces on said one output gear, said cam surfaces having a frictional engagement tending to cause said cam member and said one output gear to rotate as a unit and said retardation retarding said cam member from rotation with said output gear, said cooperating cam surfaces upon rotation of said one output gear relative to said cam member affecting axial movement of said cam member to affect said loading of said disc pack. .Iaddend.