Transmission on all wheel steer power machine

• US 6,425,453 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clark Equipment Company (Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Clark Equipment Company (Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Company Limited)
• Inventors: Krause, Charles H., Weber, Kenneth R., Knutson, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US09/733,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20020070058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 180/252, 180/253, 180/254, 180/255, 180/256, 180/257, 180/258, 180/259, 180/260, 180/261, 180/262, 180/305, 180/306, 180/307, 180/308, 180/357
• US Class Current: 180/256
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/00 Arrangement or mounting of transmissions in vehicles clutches per se, e.g. construction thereof, F16D; gearing per se, e.g. construction thereof, F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/22 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of main drive shafting, e.g. cardan shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/30 the ultimate propulsive elements, e.g. ground wheels, being steerable
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/342 having a longitudinal, endless element, e.g. belt or chain, for transmitting drive to wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/358 all driven wheels being steerable
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/04 by means of separate power sources
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/142 specially adapted for particular vehicles, e.g. tractors, carts, earth-moving vehicles, trucks

Abstract

A transmission in a power machine includes an axle having an inboard and outboard end. The outboard end is coupled to a wheel through a universal joint. The inboard end is coupled, through a sprocket assembly and chain drive linkage to a hydraulic motor. The axle is supported at it inboard end by a single spherical bearing.

Claims

1. A power vehicle transmission transmitting a drive output from a hydraulic motor mounted to a body of a vehicle to a wheel, the transmission comprising:

a sprocket assembly adapted to receive a drive input from a motor driven chain;

an axle rigidly coupled to the sprocket assembly, the axle having an inboard end and an out board end;

a single spherical bearing coupling the inboard end of the axle to the body of the vehicle;

a universal joint coupled to the outboard end of the axle; and

a wheel hub coupled to the universal joint.

2. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the sprocket assembly comprises:

a sprocket having a central region and an outer periphery, the outer periphery being adapted to receive the chain; and

a sleeve rigidly coupled about the inboard end of the axle and rigidly coupled to the central region of the sprocket.

3. The transmission of claim 2 wherein the axle includes an annular shoulder thereon and wherein the spherical bearing abuts an outboard side of the annular shoulder and is disposed about the axle inboard of the sleeve.

4. The transmission of claim 3 and further comprising:

a retaining ring disposed between the outboard side of the spherical bearing and the inboard side of the sleeve.

5. The transmission of claim 3 wherein the sleeve is coupled to the axle by a spline.

6. The transmission of claim 5 wherein the sprocket assembly further comprises:

an end cap rigidly coupled to the outboard end of the axle retaining the sleeve thereon.

7. The transmission of claim 2 and further comprising:

a yoke rigidly coupled to the outboard end of the axle.

8. The transmission of claim 7 wherein the yoke is rigidly coupled to the axle with a spline.

9. The transmission of claim 7 and further comprising:

an axle tube disposed about the axle over substantially an entire length of the axle.

10. The transmission of claim 9 wherein the axle tube is rigidly coupled to the body of the vehicle and further comprising:

a seal disposed about the outboard end of the axle and disposed about a portion of the yoke.

11. The transmission of claim 1 and further comprising:

a steering element coupled to the body of the vehicle and an outboard end of the universal joint to steer the wheel.

12. The transmission of claim 11 wherein the steering element comprises:

a hydraulic cylinder having a rod end and a base end and a plurality of hose couplings.

13. The transmission of claim 12 wherein the body portion comprises a chain case and wherein the hydraulic cylinder is coupled to the chain case such that the base end and all of the hose couplings are mounted within an interior portion of the chain case and such that the rod end of the hydraulic cylinder extends outside the chain case.

14. A power machine having a body, comprising:

a chain case coupled to the body;

at least one hydraulic motor coupled to the chain case;

a plurality of independently steerable and rotatable wheels;

a plurality of steering elements each coupled to one of the wheels and one of the chain case and the body;

a plurality of transmissions each coupled to one of the wheels and the at least one hydraulic motor, each of the transmissions comprising;

a sprocket assembly including a chain;

an axle rigidly coupled to the sprocket assembly, the axle having an inboard end and an out board end;

a single spherical bearing coupling the inboard end of the axle to the body of the vehicle;

a universal joint coupled to the outboard end of the axle; and

a wheel hub coupled to the universal joint.

15. The power machine of claim.14 wherein the steering element comprises:

.

a hydraulic cylinder having a rod end and a base end and a plurality of hose couplings.

16. The power machine of claim 15.wherein the hydraulic cylinder is coupled to the chain case such that the base end and all of the hose couplings are mounted within an interior portion of the chain case and such that the rod end of the hydraulic cylinder extends outside the chain case.

17. The power machine of claim;

14 wherein the sprocket assembly comprises.;

a sprocket having a central region and an outer periphery, the outer periphery being adapted to receive the chain; and

a sleeve rigidly coupled about the inboard end of the axle and rigidly coupled to the central region of the sprocket.

18. The power machine of claim 17 wherein the axle includes an annular shoulder thereon and wherein the spherical bearing abuts an outboard side of the annular shoulder and is disposed about the axle inboard of the sleeve.

19. The power machine of claim 14 wherein the plurality of wheels comprise four wheels and wherein the at least one hydraulic motor comprises two hydraulic motors each coupled to a pair of the four wheels.