ARTICULATING DRIVE SHAFT ARRANGEMENT FOR VEHICLE

An axle arrangement having an outer bevel gear arrangement and an inner bevel gear arrangement. Each bevel gear arrangement allowing large rotation of the axle shaft around a respective swing axis through the bevel gear arrangement, perpendicular to the axle shaft to permit the axle to swing through large angles with negligible impact on transmission of torque. The axle shaft having multiple portions connected in series between the bevel gear arrangements. Between two of the shaft portions is a slidable connection. Between two of the shaft portions is an inner rotatable coupling and between two of the shaft portions is an outer rotatable coupling. Both couplings are stabilised by hinged casings located relative to the bevel gear arrangements with a hinge axis through the rotatable coupling. Each hinge axis is perpendicular to the primary axis of the shaft portion(s) between the rotatable couplings and perpendicular to the respective swing axis.