Motor vehicles – Having four wheels driven – With differential means for driving two wheel sets at...
Patent
1986-01-08
1987-06-09
Love, John J.
Motor vehicles
Having four wheels driven
With differential means for driving two wheel sets at...
180248, 747105, 192103F, B60K 1734, F16H 144
Patent
active
046713778
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention concerns an all-wheel drive specially meant for heavy agricultural vehicles, tractors and building machines, in which at least 2 axles can be driven by a central driving motor and an automatic form-locking clutch for driving connection of parallel transverse differentials when necessary of a type known per se effects the connection between a secondary output rod and the respective axles or wheels whenever speed or torque differences occur. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,598 (column 1, lines 1-39). Conventional longitudinal differentials of said kind and arrangement (for instance, German published application Nos. 32 23 076 "System Nospin" or 23 32 997 "System Torsen") have the disadvantage that driving conditions may occur, for instance, when descending, which cause the longitudinal differential to interrupt takeup of the corresponding axle, due to a speed or torque difference that throws the frictional or form-locking connection out of gear at precisely the time when for reasons of security in traveling or guiding a greater importance is to be attached to retaining the all-wheel drive. In such cases undesired accelerations and overloading or failure of the brakes can also occur. Automatic operation can be an obstacle in the frequent changes of direction and forward and reverse motions often desired in certain building machines. Although it has been sought to overcome said disadvantage by using sensor-controlled clutches (for instance, DE-C No. 30 40 120), these are not suited for form-locking clutches, being inexpensive to make and complicated to fine-tune to the respective types of vehicles and conditions of the intended use so that practical results are still unsatisfactory. Situations (for instance, plowing) where automatic operation of the clutch is not needed at all and where it can wear out quickly can also occur. Although manual contact means for connecting and disconnecting the automatic clutch as needed has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,598 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,411, their optimal use for traveling conditions is not always ensured;
The problem to be solved by the invention is to propose for all-wheel drives of the above mentioned kind longitudinal differential mechanisms which even though changing gear entirely automatically and having a clutch that is in itself automatic can nevertheless be reliably prevented from automatically opening or closing during certain travel conditions (such as descending, plowing, reverse motion and the like) without speed meters, special adjusting devices, etc. The solution to this problem consists in coordinating an adjusting device and a service brake with the automatic clutch of a type known per se whereby the clutch can be opened or kept open and/or prevented from opening or be closed, even when speed or torque uniformity is to be expected on the clutch but differences in speed could still occur, for instance, during a speed increase on the takeup side (such as when descending). Thus, a locking or switching of the clutch is provided which is automatic in normal operation but which the driver can freely manipulate as needed for a shorter or longer period, which is workable without the expense, for instance, of electronic speed comparators and corresponding computers, which functions in forward and reverse effective form-locking, and which ensures braking action over all wheels. According to the invention, the operative connection between the adjusting device and the automatic clutch provides a possibility of individual regulation or activation in a simple way which works with practically no delay and with no additional control system. With no additional monitoring expense whatsoever it is possible to prevent a reduction of the action of the motor brake (such as caused by an eventual undesired disengagement of the takeup rod in question during critical traveling conditions) by adding a simple adjusting device that the driver can activate as needed. Automatic operation is maintained during normal functioning so that, for instance, the tilling when p
REFERENCES:
patent: 1704861 (1929-03-01), Lewis
patent: 3217847 (1965-11-01), Petrak
patent: 3627072 (1971-12-01), Smirl
patent: 3656598 (1972-04-01), Goble
patent: 3827520 (1974-08-01), Mueller
patent: 3894446 (1975-07-01), Snoy et al.
patent: 4192411 (1980-03-01), Fogelberg
patent: 4304317 (1981-12-01), Vanzant et al.
patent: 4462271 (1984-07-01), Stieg
Ehrlinger Friedrich
Sailer Hubert
Love John J.
McGiehan Donn
Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AG
LandOfFree
All-wheel drive for a vehicle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with All-wheel drive for a vehicle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and All-wheel drive for a vehicle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1823433