Patent ID: 7896771

Claim:
A differential lock mechanism for use in an axle assembly having a differential, an input member and first and second axles, the differential having a stationary case, a rotatable carrier journalled within the stationary case, the rotatable carrier being coupled to the input member and the first and second axles, the differential lock mechanism comprising: a lock sleeve co-axially disposed about the first axle, the lock sleeve being laterally movable relative to the first axle and rotatable with the first axle; a lock collar co-axially disposed about the lock sleeve, the lock collar being laterally movable relative to the lock sleeve between outboard and inboard positions; a biasing member effective for biasing the lock sleeve toward the rotatable carrier; and a lock fork engaged with the lock collar, the lock fork being operable for moving the lock collar between the outboard and inboard positions; wherein the lock collar is disengaged with the rotatable carrier when the lock collar is in the outboard position; the lock sleeve, the first axle and the second axle are free to rotate relative to the rotatable carrier when the lock collar is in the outboard position; the lock collar is engaged with both the rotatable carrier and the lock sleeve when the lock collar is in the inboard position; and the lock sleeve, the first axle, the second axle and the rotatable carrier are operably rotatable at the same speed when the lock collar is in the inboard position.