Live spindle vehicle drive wheel assembly with axially moveable axle
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a vehicle wheel assembly having a live spindle mounted for rotation in a mounting member, said live spindle having a central aperture, the improvement comprising, in combination:
- assembly maintenance means within said central aperture of said live spindle for maintaining said live spindle mounted in said mounting member, said assembly maintenance means having a central aperture;
a driveable axle within said central aperture of said assembly maintenance means, the peripheral surface of said axle being in an inwardly spaced relationship from a surface defining said central aperture; and
drive means connecting said live spindle to said driveable axle for causing said spindle to rotate when said driveable axle rotates and for enabling said driveable axle axial movement with respect to said live spindle whereby when a drive train connected to said driveable axle changes in length due to a change in position of said wheel assembly with respect to said drive train said axial movement of said driveable axle with respect to said live spindle enables relief of stress imposed on said drive train.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly maintenance tube maintains a live spindle mounted within a bore of a vehicle mounting component. The maintenance tube has a central aperture for receiving in a spaced relationship a drivable axle. The axle is drivingly connected to the live spindle in a manner which allows axial movement of the axle relative to the spindle to relieve stress in the drive train which drives the axle.
24 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. In a vehicle wheel assembly having a live spindle mounted for rotation in a mounting member, said live spindle having a central aperture, the improvement comprising, in combination:
-
assembly maintenance means within said central aperture of said live spindle for maintaining said live spindle mounted in said mounting member, said assembly maintenance means having a central aperture; a driveable axle within said central aperture of said assembly maintenance means, the peripheral surface of said axle being in an inwardly spaced relationship from a surface defining said central aperture; and drive means connecting said live spindle to said driveable axle for causing said spindle to rotate when said driveable axle rotates and for enabling said driveable axle axial movement with respect to said live spindle whereby when a drive train connected to said driveable axle changes in length due to a change in position of said wheel assembly with respect to said drive train said axial movement of said driveable axle with respect to said live spindle enables relief of stress imposed on said drive train. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. In a vehicle wheel assembly having a live spindle mounted for rotation in a mounting component fixedly engaged to a portion of a vehicle, said assembly having bearings interposed between said mounting component and said spindle, said spindle having a central aperture having a threaded portion, wherein the improvement comprises:
an assembly maintenance tube within said central aperture of said spindle, said tube having a radially extending flange for contacting at least a portion of said bearings and a threaded portion threadedly engaged with said threaded portion of said central aperture in said spindle for enabling tightening said tube flange into engagement with said bearings for maintaining said mounting component, said bearings and said spindle as an assembly. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
11. A vehicle wheel assembly of the live spindle type, said assembly having an inboard axial side and an outboard axial side, said assembly comprising, in combination:
-
a mounting member having means for attaching said member to a vehicle, said mounting member having a bore; a spindle mounted for rotation in said bore of said mounting member, said spindle having a central aperture having a threaded portion, said spindle further having a radially extending shoulder; bearing means interposed between said bore and said spindle for facilitating rotation of said spindle with respect to said bore, said bearing means having an inboard and an outboard axial side and said shoulder on said spindle contacting at least a portion of said outboard side bearing means for limiting axial inboard movement of said spindle relative to said mounting member; and an assembly maintenance tube in said central aperture of said spindle, said tube having a central aperture for receiving a driveable axle, said tube further having a threaded portion threadedly engaged with said threaded portion of said central aperture of said spindle and a radially outwardly extending flange for contacting at least a portion of an axial inboard portion of said bearing means for limiting axial outboard movement of said spindle relative to said mounting member whereby said mounting member, said bearing means and said spindle are maintained as an assembled unit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
Specification