Patent ID: 7326145

Claim:
Differential ( 1 ) for motor vehicles, installed between two half-shafts ( 2 , 3 ) on which two drive wheels are keyed, comprising a box ( 4 ) driven by an engine of the motor vehicle by means of connecting means ( 5 ) which cause the box to rotate about the longitudinal axes (L-L) of said half-shafts ( 2 , 3 ), on free ends of the half-shafts there being keyed two bevel gears ( 6 , 7 ) housed inside the box ( 4 ) and the differential ( 1 ) and the half-shafts ( 2 , 3 ) being contained inside a casing ( 8 ), each of flanges ( 9 , 10 ) through which the half-shafts ( 2 , 3 ) penetrate into the box ( 4 ) having a cylindrical extension ( 11 ) outwards, at least an end of which has a plurality of grooves ( 12 i ) which are complementary with respect to other grooves ( 13 i ) formed on an surface of a coaxial cavity ( 14 ) formed in a sleeve ( 15 ) slidable coaxially on each half-shaft ( 2 ) and rotationally locked thereto, mounted inside the said casing ( 8 ) and provided with means ( 16 ) which, when actuated, cause the sleeve to slide in two directions (A, B) causing engagement between the grooves ( 12 i , 13 i ) or disengagement thereof, respectively locking together the box ( 4 ) and the half-shafts ( 2 , 3 ) or performing disengagement thereof, in the differential ( 1 ), the external surface of the sleeve ( 15 ) has an annular slot ( 17 ) inside which there engages in a complementary manner a fork member ( 18 ) which is approximately semi-circular and fixed to the casing ( 8 ) and designed with dimensions so that the sleeve ( 15 ) is able to slide with respect thereto in the two directions (A, B) so as to perform the said engagement and disengagement of the grooves ( 12 i , 13 i ), characterized in that the fork member ( 18 ) is fixed to the casing ( 8 ) by means of two projecting parts ( 19 , 20 ), which are aligned and pass through the casing, projecting on opposite sides, the two projecting parts ( 19 , 20 ) being formed by two portions ( 19 s , 19 t , 20 s , 20 t ) which can be connected together in a reversible manner.