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Bevel steering gear integrated drive transmission

  • US 5,722,501 A
  • Filed: 05/24/1996
  • Issued: 03/03/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An electric motor powered wheeled vehicle comprising:

  • a frame defining transversely spaced coaxially aligned bearings;

    a pair of shafts respectfully journalled in said bearings for rotation about a horizontal axis, said shafts having end portions respectively projecting axially beyond said beatings;

    a pair of primary ground engaging wheels respectively driven by said end portions of said shafts;

    secondary ground engaging wheels mounted on said frame in longitudinally spaced relation to said primary ground engaging wheels;

    a pair of identical planetary gear drive systems respectively coaxially mounted on said frame in axially spaced, coaxial relationship, each of said planetary gear systems comprising a sun gear, a planetary gear housing, a plurality of angularly spaced planet gears mounted on said housing and cooperating with the respective sun gear, and a ring gear surrounding said planetary gears and having internal teeth cooperating with each said planet gear of the respective planetary gear system;

    said planetary gear housings being respectively operatively connected to said shafts;

    a first reversible electric motor mounted on said frame;

    means for energizing and selecting the direction of rotation of said first electric motor;

    means for operatively connecting said first electric motor to one of said sun gear and ring gear of each said planetary gear drive systems to concurrently drive said shafts and said primary ground engaging wheels at equal speeds when the other of said sun gears and said ring gears are secured against relative movement;

    a second reversible electric motor mounted on said frame;

    means for energizing and for selecting the direction of rotation of said second reversible electric motor;

    a primary bevel gear axially shiftably mounted on said frame for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said planetary gear systems, said primary bevel gear being rotatable in a selected direction by said second electric motor; and

    means for axially shifting said primary bevel gear into operative engagement with said other of said sun gears and ring gears that are not operatively connected to said first electric motor, whereby energization of said second electric motor changes the relative rotational speed of said primary ground engaging wheels to effect the steering of the vehicle.

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