Disclosed herein is an all-terrain vehicle including a body, a power generating and transmission group, and a track suspension group, each of which can be separately initially fabricated and subsequently assembled. After assembly of the power generating and transmission group and the track suspension group to the body, a motor hood, drive sprocket, and tracks may additionally be assembled to complete the vehicle. Also disclosed herein is a track suspension system affording both transverse and lateral resiliently flexible support to an endless track and a releasably locked and pivotally mounted rear bogie wheel assembly which, when pivoted from its normal operating position, affords assembly of or removal of the endless track relative to the sprocket and bogie wheels. Also disclosed herein is a track sprocket affording maximum open area for the escape of mud, snow, ice and the like. Also disclosed herein is a hydrostatic transmission including a control having a reverse lock-out preventing accidental movement of the control into position effecting reverse operation. Still further, there is disclosed herein a hydraulic oil circulating system which utilizes the gear box as a sump for the circulating system and which is in heat exchanging relation with an air circulating system.
A hydrostatic zero turn transaxle is provided with two identical transmission housings, wherein the housings and the output axle for the hydrostatic transmission can be easily adapted to be use for left-hand or right-hand drive, without the need for changing the casing or any of the internal gearing. A further feature of the invention is an improved parking brake feature comprising a brake shaft forming part of the output gear train and means for securing said brake shaft when the gear train is stopped to prevent movement of the gear train and the vehicle.
A sprocket assembly adapted for rotational cooperation with a flexible, toothed driving belt and used in a crop handling device such as a forage harvester or the like is constructed of a pair of parallel sidewall members or disks which are interconnected by a central hub rotatable about a center axis. The outer surface of the hub is contoured so as to include a middle section of reduced diameter together with additional sections of generally conical configuration extending away from the middle section toward the sidewalls. Sets of drive lugs are provided on the inner surfaces of each of the sidewalls and arranged in a circular pattern so as to cooperate with the teeth of the drive belt. A stationary wiper arm is mounted adjacent to the rotatable hub and includes a portion extending into the space between the sidewalls and between the two sets of drive lugs such that an end portion of the wiper arm is positioned in close proximity to the middle section of the hub. Foreign material carried into the sprocket assembly by the drive belt winds about the hub surface and is channelled by the conical sections thereof toward the middle section whereupon the wiper arm disintegrates the material and ejects it from the assembly.
Separate left and right hydrostatic transmission (15) for controlling rotation of left and right final drive wheels (11) of a working vehicle independently are disposed laterally inwardly of the drive wheels in a vertical posture such that, while an input shaft (23) extends upwardly, an output shaft (24) extends downwardly. To each of the hydrostatic transmissions is attached a L-shaped gear box (16) which extends over lower and outer sides of the hydrostatic transmission and supports the axle (17) of final drive wheel at its upstanding portion. within the box is housed first and second reduction gear trains which form a L-shaped transmission path between the output shaft and axle.
A sprocket wheel with a generally equilateral polygonal rim and a plurality of spaced axially aligned teeth extending from at least one side of the rim.
A transaxle assembly having at least two transaxle housings for a zero turn or similar vehicle, where both housings mount separate hydrostatic transmissions. A mounting plate is provided to secure to the bottom of both of the housings to mount the housings to a vehicle frame and if required to seal openings formed in the bottom of both of the housings. The connection plate may include tabs or other structure to secure it to the vehicle frame to increase the ease of assembly of the transaxle unit in the vehicle.
