Patent ID: 8231493

Claim:
A locking differential for automotive vehicle comprising: a housing and a differential mechanism supported in said housing, said differential mechanism including a pair of clutch members disposed in spaced axial relationship with respect to one another and operatively supported for rotation with said housing; a pair of side gears operatively adapted for rotation with a corresponding pair of axle half shafts, and a pair of clutch mechanisms operatively disposed between each corresponding pair of clutch members and said side gears; said pair of clutch members being axially moveable within said housing to engage a respective clutch mechanism to couple the axle half shaft together in the event of a predetermined amount of differential movement between the axle half shafts; each of said pair of clutch members presenting an inwardly directed face, each face including a groove disposed in facing relationship with respect to the other, and a cross pin received in said grooves and operatively connected for rotation with said housing; each of said grooves defining a first predetermined radius of curvature, said cross pin defining a second radius of curvature wherein said first predetermined radius of curvature of said groove is greater than the second predetermined radius of curvature of said cross pin such that contact between said cross pin and said groove defines a line extending along the axis of said cross pin; and wherein each of said grooves include a pair of planar working surfaces extending laterally relative to each other and wherein said first predetermined radius of curvature of said groove merges into said working surfaces.