Patent ID: 8307728

Claim:
A rear end gear box for a racing car having an engine and a rear axle, said rear end gear box being operable to transfer rotational power from said engine to said rear axle, comprising: a housing having an input cowling, a transfer cowling and a ring gear cowling; an input driveline extending generally longitudinally through said input cowling and including: a power input shaft connected to said engine to receive rotational power therefrom; a swivel coupling recessed into said input cowling to be protected from damage by said housing and being rotatably supported by a first bearing mounted within said housing, both said swivel coupling and said first bearing being in flow communication with an interior of said housing so that lubricating oil within said housing will provide lubrication for said swivel coupling and said first bearing, said swivel coupling including a coupling sleeve formed with rounded crown splines that accommodate slight movements of said power input shaft relative to said housing; a transfer shaft apparatus operatively coupled to said coupling sleeve to receive rotational power therefrom, said transfer shaft apparatus including a shift coupler interconnecting said transfer shaft and a first stub shaft and being operable to disconnect said transfer shaft from said first stub shaft to prevent rotational power from being transferred to said rear axle, said first stub shaft having a first transfer gear mounted thereon and being rotatably supported in said transfer cowling; and an output driveline including a second transfer gear mounted for rotation within said transfer cowling in engagement with said first transfer gear, said output driveline including a pinion engaged with an output gear affixed to said rear axle to affect a rotation thereof.