Did You Know...
...that power steering was invented by independent inventor Francis W. Davis? As chief engineer in the 1920s of the truck division of the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company, he saw how hard it was to steer heavy vehicles. So that he would be able to keep the profits from his future invention, Davis left his job, rented a small engineering shop in Waltham, Mass., and developed a hydraulic power steering system that led to power steering.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7326145 | Differential for motor vehicles with device for locking thereof A differential for motor vehicles installed between two half-shafts on which two drive wheels are keyed includes a box driven by the engine by a connecting element which causes it to rotate about axes of the half-shafts, on free ends of the latter there being keyed ... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7294085 | Three stages differential assembly and method of operating the same Differential assembly and a method of operating the same. The assembly includes a differential case and a pinion housing including a first pinion gear and a second pinion gear positioned substantially therein. A first side gear and a second side gear are operably co... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7220209 | Multimodal vehicle traction system This invention relates to multiple driven axle vehicles, and particularly to all-terrain vehicles equipped for rear wheel drive, four wheel drive, and on-demand front wheel drive. The invention is directed toward a system of switchable traction options allowing the ... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7192376 | Axle driving apparatus An axle driving apparatus comprises a housing. The housing contains a hydrostatic transmission, a differential unit driven by the hydrostatic transmission, a pair of axles mutually differentially connected through the differential unit, and a restricting mechanism f... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7111377 | Method for assembling power transfer apparatus The invention is related to a method for assembling a power transfer apparatus for selectively changing the speed of the output shaft relative to the speed of the input shaft. The method includes assembling an oil pump driving pin to the output shaft, assembling an ... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7086984 | Differential lock mechanism A differential lock mechanism for use in a vehicle and having a cam mechanism that may be actuated by the vehicle user. The cam mechanism transfers rotational movement to linear movement along the axis of the vehicle axles to move an engagement mechanism into or out... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7048668 | Position compensating differential locking mechanism A differential with an improved locking mechanism is provided. The differential includes first and second clutch members in the form of a differential case having a first set of teeth and a an axle shaft mounted clutch collar having a second set of teeth. A yoke urg... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7018317 | Recreational vehicle locking differential The present invention relates to a transmission for a recreation vehicle, such as an all-terrain vehicle that includes a locking assembly for locking a differential joint in the front- or rear-end portion of the transmission. A vehicle having both front and rear dif... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7011598 | Drive assembly for wind turbines A drive assembly for a wind turbine includes a rotor hub, a supporting structure, a planetary gear transmission unit having sun, planet and ring gears and a planet carrier. The ring gear is non-rotatably secured to the supporting structure. A main bearing rotatably ... | 03/14/2006 |
| 7001302 | Differential drive with lightweight differential carrier A differential drive having a drive housing in which a differential carrier (14) is rotatably supported around its longitudinal axis (A). The drive has sideshaft gears (18, 19) which are supported so as to be rotatable relative to the differential carr... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6975047 | Temperature-based cooling device controller apparatus and method A temperature-based cooling device controller is implemented in an integrated circuit such as a microprocessor. The temperature-based cooling device controller includes a register to store a threshold temperature value, a thermal sensor, and clock adjustment logic t... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6935982 | Differential gear A recess is formed on the side surface of output-side cams on the right side with through holes being formed on the sidewall of the case body of the differential case at positions corresponding to the recesses. An annular member is placed on the case body so as to b... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6837821 | Differential The differential includes a differential casing configured to be rotatably driven by a motor under a driving force. The differential includes a differential mechanism which includes a pair of first and second side-gears for distributing a torque of the differential ... | 01/04/2005 |
| 6835155 | Position compensating differential locking mechanism A differential with an improved locking mechanism is provided. The differential includes first and second clutch members in the form of a differential case having a first set of teeth and a an axle shaft mounted clutch collar having a second set of teeth. A yoke urg... | 12/28/2004 |
| 6790153 | Roller clutch assembly An over-running clutch assembly comprises an outer race having a cylindrical inner surface and an inner race having a cammed outer surface coaxial with the cylindrical inner surface and defining a gap therebetween and a roller clutch disposed within the gap; a biasi... | 09/14/2004 |
| 6755763 | Vehicle driveline system with electronically controlled roller clutch assembly A vehicle driveline assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a differential assembly adapted to transfer torque proportionally between first and second axle half-shafts. An over-running clutch is adapted to selectively lock the differential assembly thereby effec... | 06/29/2004 |
| 6695086 | Differential limiting apparatus for all-terrain vehicle A differential limiting mechanism produces a changeable differential limiting torque. A differential limiting mechanism operating lever is disposed so as to be operated and turned by a hand gripping a handgrip attached to a handlebar. The operating lever ... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6432021 | Three mode differential A differential for a wheel set provided with three modes of operation. A stub axle and wheel axle in combination provide drive torque to one wheel of the wheel set. A single wheel axle provides torque to the other wheel of the wheel set. The stub axle and... | 08/13/2002 |
| 6361466 | Temperature based differential lock control The temperature-based differential lock control monitors the temperature of a differential lock in a vehicle driveline. Depending on the detected temperature, the differential lock is automatically disengaged to avoid potential damage to the differential ... | 03/26/2002 |
| 6354978 | Differential and method for variable traction control A differential having variable traction control and permitting preferably infinite planet or side gear braking adjustment during differential operation. In some preferred embodiments, an actuation element is movable during differential operation to exert ... | 03/12/2002 |
| 5947859 | Locking differential A lockable differential having a carrier and opposed bevel gears which engage respective shafts, and opposed pinion gears which engage the bevel gears, wherein a locking means includes a selector annulus engaging the carrier, a locking annulus engaging th... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5816971 | Method for locking a differential A locking differential is provided for selectably locking a first axle to a second axle. The locking differential utilizes a dog clutch assembly characterized by two interlocking clutch members positioned between the differential side gears on opposing si... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5759129 | Locking differential actuator assembly A locking differential is provided for selectably locking a first axle to a second axle. The locking differential utilizes a dog clutch assembly characterized by two interlocking clutch members positioned between the differential side gears on opposing si... | 06/02/1998 |
| 5673776 | Pinion mounted parking brake A vehicle drive mechanism as shown and described includes both a differential lock and an operating mechanism therefor, and a parking brake and an actuator mechanism therefor, in which the mechanism is constructed and arranged so that the differential loc... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5673777 | Differential lock assembly spacer system A spacer system for a differential lock assembly having a fixed clutch and a sliding clutch with a sliding-clutch collar. The spacer system comprises a shift fork member and a bearing adjuster which contact when the sliding clutch and fixed clutch are eng... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5591098 | Locking differential A locking differential comprising a differential carrier1 housing a pair of bevel gears 2, 3 and at least one pinion gear 4 which meshes with the pair of bevel gears, a locking ring 6 positioned within the differential carrier1 between the carrier and one... | 01/07/1997 |
| 5451188 | Driver-controlled differential lock control system A driver-controlled differential lock control system allows vehicles with automatic, electronic and single range manual transmissions and air pressure actuated differential locking devices to have the vehicle differential thereof locked on only at low spe... | 09/19/1995 |
| 5366041 | Vehicle control system A four-wheel drive vehicle control system has a differential mode control device which operates in at least a first mode, in which differential action of a differential is variably restricted between an unlocked state and a locked state according to drivi... | 11/22/1994 |
| 5350340 | Lockable differential gear In a differential, a clutch links an axially stationary planet carrier with an axially mobile output shaft so that they rotate together. Engaging gears with engaging surfaces parallel to the main axis link an axially stationary clutch part with the output... | 09/27/1994 |
| 5273499 | Claw coupling with large angle of deflection and small retaining and releasing force In a clutch (6) for locking a differential gear for a vehicle, a movable half (60) of the clutch (6) is pushed indirectly via a sliding sleeve (70) and intermediate members (77) in an engaging direction. Then the sliding sleeve (70), with a locking surfac... | 12/28/1993 |
| 5267489 | Drive axle assembly for use in tandem axle arrangements and pinion shaft subassembly therefor A drive axle assembly and subassembly for use in tandem driving axle arrangements has a removable drive pinion shaft subassembly. An input shaft is journalled in an axle housing and is coupled to an output shaft also journalled in the housing by an inter-... | 12/07/1993 |
| 5171192 | Locking differential A locking differential includes a case which is rotatably driven by a power source. A cross shaft is mounted within the case for rotation therewith. A pair of pinion gears are rotatably mounted on the ends of the cross shaft. The pinion gears mesh with si... | 12/15/1992 |
| 5098360 | Differential gear with limited slip and locking mechanism To realize a small-sized differential gear provided with both differential limiting and locking functions simultaneously without markedly modifying the conventional differential case, the differential gear comprises a differential mechanism having a diffe... | 03/24/1992 |
| 5021038 | Differential unit A differential gear unit includes a viscous coupling for restricting the differential rotation of output gears (27, 29), with the conneciton of one of the parts (31) of the viscous coupling to one output gear being by way of a releasable connecting device... | 06/04/1991 |
| 4955853 | Differential gear unit for motor vehicle drive axles A differential gear unit for the drive axles of motor vehicles has a positive differential lock comprising a jaw clutch plate which is connected non-rotatably but movable axially with the differential case and which works in conjunction with a jaw clutch ... | 09/11/1990 |
| 4943269 | Differential with lock-out mechanism Disclosed is a differential mounted between two drive wheels of a vehicle, the differential having a lock-out mechanism for disabling the differential and forcing the drive wheels to rotate at the same speed.... | 07/24/1990 |
| 4884470 | Power transmission apparatus In a power transmission apparatus of viscous coupling type, when two first and second output shafts are kept rotated at two big different speeds for many hours as when the ordinary tire is replaced with a spare tire, temperature and pressure within viscou... | 12/05/1989 |
| 4873892 | Power transfer device A power transfer device for a vehicle comprises a power input part; an intermediate gear mechanism having an intermediate input gear and an intermediate output gear meshing together; a first gear meshing with the intermediate input gear; a first shaft con... | 10/17/1989 |
| 4793207 | Pedal actuators A pedal actuator in which a pedal 10 is movable by the application of foot pressure between raised and depressed positions to actuate a device such as a vehicle differential lock 11 via an operating device 12,13,14,16. The pedal is biased towards its rais... | 12/27/1988 |
| 4788888 | Two-and-four-wheel drive shifting system A two-and-four-wheel drive shifting system of the type not including a differential gear unit comprises a pair of output shafts extending opposedly from each other and mounted rotatably independently of each other, an input member mounted concentrically a... | 12/06/1988 |
