Variable speed transaxle
First Claim
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1. An axle assembly comprising:
- a housing including two main housing elements connected together along a parting plane to define an internal chamber;
a hydrostatic transmission encapsulated in said chamber and including a hydrostatic pump fluidly coupled to a pair of hydrostatic motors by means of a fluid coupling member non-rotatably supported in said housing,said fluid coupling member providing cylindrical surfaces to rotatably support said hydrostatic pump and said pair of hydrostatic motors;
a primary shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and extending into said chamber to carry a first gear;
a second gear rotatably supported on said fluid coupling member and drivingly engaged to said first gear, said second gear drivingly connected to said hydrostatic pump;
axle shaft rotatably supported in said housing on an axis substantially coincident with said parting plane;
and each one of said pair of hydrostatic motors being connected by speed reducing means to a respective one of said axle shafts.
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Abstract
A transaxle driving apparatus for a self-propelled vehicle such as a grass-mowing lawn tractor, the transaxle comprising a two-piece housing structure forming an internal chamber for encapsulation of a hydrostatic machine and associated reduction gearing. The hydrostatic machine may comprise in one form a single hydrostatic pump driven by an input shaft rotatably supported in the housing, and fluidly coupled to two hydrostatic motors. In a modified form, the hydrostatic machine may comprise two hydrostatic motors fluidly coupled to a pumping source remotely mounted outside the transaxle.
26 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An axle assembly comprising:
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a housing including two main housing elements connected together along a parting plane to define an internal chamber; a hydrostatic transmission encapsulated in said chamber and including a hydrostatic pump fluidly coupled to a pair of hydrostatic motors by means of a fluid coupling member non-rotatably supported in said housing, said fluid coupling member providing cylindrical surfaces to rotatably support said hydrostatic pump and said pair of hydrostatic motors; a primary shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and extending into said chamber to carry a first gear; a second gear rotatably supported on said fluid coupling member and drivingly engaged to said first gear, said second gear drivingly connected to said hydrostatic pump; axle shaft rotatably supported in said housing on an axis substantially coincident with said parting plane; and each one of said pair of hydrostatic motors being connected by speed reducing means to a respective one of said axle shafts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An axle assembly comprising:
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a housing including two main housing elements connected together along a parting plane and defining first, second and third internal chambers; a hydrostatic transmission encapsulated in said first chamber and including a hydrostatic pump fluidly coupled to a pair of hydrostatic motors by means of a fluid coupling member non-rotatably supported in said housing, said fluid coupling means providing cylindrical surfaces to rotatably support said hydrostatic pump and said pair of hydrostatic motors; a primary shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and extending into said first chamber to carry a first gear; a second gear rotatably supported on said fluid coupling member and drivingly engaged to said first gear, said second gear drivingly connected to said hydrostatic pump; speed reducing means contained within said second and third internal chambers; axle shafts rotatably supported in said housing on an axis substantially coincident with said parting plane; and wherein each one of said pair of hydrostatic motors is connected to said speed reducing means to a respective one of said axle shaft. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification