a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing and installing a differential from and to a vehicle where the differential and a hoisting assembly supporting the differential are supported by the frame of the vehicle.
b) Background Art
The prior art disclosures are primarily directed toward supporting a differential by applying a force to elevate and support the differential where the surrounding ground surface is the primary direct area for support. For example, the following prior art referenced as are discussed herein below.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,061 (Maser et al) discloses a “Universal Axle and Differential Carrier Stand”. The disclosure shows a wheeled base frame having two upper horizontal support rails 12 to which are mounted vertically aligned support arms 24 which are adjustably mounted by sliding supports 25. At the upper end of these arms are a pair of axle clamp assemblies 30 which fit into the members 24 so that these can be placed at different elevations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,999 (Goettl) relates to a particular type of mechanism by which the differential can be lifted. In column 1, under “Background of Invention,” beginning on line 36, it is stated that it is a common practice to weld a lifting eye or loop to an exterior of the case of the differential, and this can be used to accept the hook of a hoist. It is indicated that this is done by welding, and this can weaken the case of the differential at that point. The disclosure is directed to the particular type of hoist attaching mechanism, and this comprises upper and lower jaws 20 and 22 which grip the flange of the differential, and there are also various bolt connections.
Other US patents disclose various methods of supporting a differential such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,905 (Gerstner) shows a floor jack attachment which is intended to be used as a means to hold and move a differential. U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,722 (Gagliano) shows a floor jack that is intended to be used to support a differential as it is removed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,981 (Abshear) shows a wheeled device that is secured to a differential, and used to remove it from the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,311 (Shupe) provides yet another differential support intended to be secured to a jack on the floor. U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,258 (Jonanovich) shows a repair stand that may be secured to a floor jack to move the differential about the shop. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,459 (Orr) shows a jack attachment intended to support a differential.
In general the invention relates to a hoisting assembly for removing a differential that is adapted to be mounted on a frame of a vehicle. The vehicle having a differential that is adapted to be attached thereto the hoisting assembly. The hoisting assembly has a central frame having first and second lateral ends and a central area. A hoisting device is adapted to be mounted to the central area of the central frame. The hoisting device comprising an attachment member that is adapted to be mechanically attached to the differential of the vehicle.
The hoisting device is adapted to raise the attachment member vertically and the differential attached thereto and support the differential where the central frame is positioned substantially vertically above the differential.
The following is a detailed description of an embodiment of the hoisting assembly 20. The various components of the hoisting assembly are discussed further herein following a description of the general operating environment. To aid the description an axis system is defined where as shown in
The general environment of the hoisting assembly 20 is for removal and replacement of a differential and differential housing. As shown in
As shown in
The differential 50 further comprises a longitudinally forward region having a smaller diameter circular flange 60 which in normal practice a clevis extends therefrom. The clevis is generally coupled to a drive shaft which is not shown in the figures.
There will now be detailed discussion of the hoisting assembly 20 with initial reference to
In one form, end portions 84 and 86 are positioned in the first and second lateral locations 74 and 76. The end portions 84 and 86 each have lateral inward surfaces 88 and 90 that are adapted to engage the lateral outward surfaces 33 and 35 of the frame 24. The laterally extending member 71 and the longitudinally extended members 80 and 82 collectively provide a lower support surface 92. The lower support surface has a first lateral subregion 94 and a second lateral subregion 96. The lateral subregions 94 and 96 are particularly adapted to engage the upper support surface 32 of the frame 24. The lower support surface 92 further has a perimeter region that is defined as the outer boundaries of the support surface that can support a load and not topple the hoisting assembly 20. It should be further noted that the subregion surfaces 94 and 96 are adapted to engage in the longitudinal direction where the support from the central frame 70 positioned sufficiently broad enough in the horizontal plane to support the action of the hoisting device 72 described further herein.
The hoisting device 72 is attached to the laterally extending member 71 of the central frame 70. As shown in
As shown in
The cable 102 in one form is a metallic cable of sufficient strength to support a differential 50 with a factor of safety that is common in the industry. For purposes of definition in this application, a cable is defined as any flexible device adapted to support a load in tension such as a strap made a various materials such as nylon, Kevlar or other types of materials as well as a metallic type of flexible material like woven metal or chains and other flexible tension type members can be employed of various materials such as, polymers, or other devices to support a differential 50 can be employed.
Further, the cable and power retraction system could be in the nature of a linkage system where a linkage having an attachment member attached to one location is employed where a combination of levers give mechanical advantage to support the differential 50 and allow it to be removed or installed into the vehicle 22 in similar manner as the process described further herein. In one form the attachment member is a hooklike device but could further be other methods of connecting member such as a chain or other similar item that is adapted to wraparound a substantial portion of the differential to support it. Further, a connection device can be welded to the differential with a connection member adapted to connect thereto. Further, any other device that is adapted to securely mounted the end portion of the cable 102 to differential can function as the attachment member 104 and is hereby defined as such for the connection member.
The power retraction system is mounted to a housing component 106 (see
There will now be discussion of the removal process and method of the differential when employing the hoisting assembly with initial reference to
When the central frame 70 is mounted to the frame 24, it is held in place by the frictional forces between the surfaces of these frame members. Therefore, the hoisting assembly 20 can be repositioned in the longitudinal direction so the hoisting assembly 20 is substantially above the differential 50 as shown in
To remove the differential 50, the attachment member 104 is inserted into the engagement location 58. In one form as mentioned above, the attachment member 104 is a hook like device that is attached to the cable 102.
The power retraction system 100 of the hoisting device 72 is adapted to allow free extension of the cable 102 when desired by the operator, can further lock in place at a set length, and be retracted into the housing of the power extractor 100 forcefully (i.e. with sufficient tension to support the weight applied thereto) to generate tension in the cable 102. After the attachment member 104 is secured to the engagement location 58 of the differential 50, the power retraction system 100 is employed and the cable 102 is retracted or tension is applied thereto and a sufficient amount of vertical force is imparted upon the differential to counteract the weight of the same. Then the bolts 48 are removed as shown in
Thereafter as shown in
Now referring to
A repaired or new differential can be reattached to the axle 40 in a similar manner as the removal process but in the reversal of steps. To attach or install the differential to a vehicle, first the hoisting assembly 20 is positioned substantially vertically above (as also defined supra where the hoisting assembly is positioned at a vertical location greater than the vertical location of the differential irrespective of the horizontal location) and the attachment member 104 is attached to the attachment location of the differential. The hoisting assembly 20 is attached to the frame of the vehicle. In one form, the hoisting assembly rests upon the upper support surface 32 of the frame 24 of the vehicle. The attachment member is operatively connected to the cable 102 which in turn is connected to the hoisting device 72. The hoisting device forcefully retracts the cable and supports the differential. The hoisting device has a vertical adjustment system where the length of the extracted cable is adjusted whereby adjusting the height of the differential with respect to the axis 40. Thereafter, if necessary the hoisting assembly 20 and the differential 50 are repositioned in the longitudinal direction in a matter as shown in
It should be noted that in some forms there are two differentials on a truck which would be referred to as a front differential and a rearward differential. Of course the hoisting assembly 20 is adapted and well-suited to remove and replace either front or rear differentials were either are referred to as differentials.
Of course various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The invention is broadly defined and only limited by the limitations in the claims below.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1343283 | Sanderson | Jun 1920 | A |
1357279 | Denny | Nov 1920 | A |
1698397 | Fow | Jan 1929 | A |
1857579 | Armstrong | May 1932 | A |
1952238 | Dice | Mar 1934 | A |
2072398 | Faulk | Mar 1937 | A |
2294757 | Larsen et al. | Sep 1942 | A |
2522267 | Hardin | Sep 1950 | A |
2730244 | Berggren | Jan 1956 | A |
2748459 | Orr | Jun 1956 | A |
2903258 | Jovanovich | Sep 1959 | A |
3012311 | Shupe | Dec 1961 | A |
3318464 | Vernor | May 1967 | A |
3539152 | Harley | Nov 1970 | A |
3559981 | Abshear | Feb 1971 | A |
3831773 | Haley | Aug 1974 | A |
4294176 | Brooks | Oct 1981 | A |
4549722 | Gagliano | Oct 1985 | A |
4570905 | Gerstner | Feb 1986 | A |
5566999 | Goettl | Oct 1996 | A |
6122811 | Shirley | Sep 2000 | A |
6322061 | Maser et al. | Nov 2001 | B1 |