Differential and its use

摘要

In differentials, the stepped gears are the smallest, most highly stressed units. Each stepped gear operates with a single step and is in engagement with a single control gear. The driving power is transmitted to each stepped gear at a single point of contact. The differential according to the invention does not have this disadvantage of very high local stressing. It has first and second control gears (54, 55), which are arranged coaxially and rotatably and extend from the interior of the casing (20, 40) driven by a shaft (14) outwards. Their rotational speed can be varied independently. At their free ends, the shafts (52, 56) of the gears (54, 55) carry brakes (62, 63), situated outside the casing (20, 40), for varying the rotational speed of the two control gears (54, 55) individually. The stepped gears (30) are supported in the casing (20, 40), are arranged in a uniformly distributed manner around the control gears (54, 55) and are in alternate engagement with one of the two control gears. With part of the width of their first step (78), they are in engagement with the associated control gear (54) while, with the remaining part, they are in engagement with the adjacent stepped gears. The second steps mesh with the respectively associated driving gear (38, 49). Since the brakes are situated outside the casing (20, 40), there is sufficient space in the latter to make the stepped gears (30) of robust construction and provide them with a good engagement overlap.