US 4,811,804 AGranted

Fire truck with rear-mounted engine

AssigneeEmergency One, Inc.

InventorsRonald L. Ewers, William F. McCombs

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Abstract

A fire truck characterized by its reduced operating noise level and improved drive train includes a frame having front and rear regions. An occupant cab is mounted upon the frame front region, and the engine is located at the rear region having a transmission associated therewith. A gear box mounted upon the frame intermediate the front and rear regions includes a close coupled fire pump attached thereto and the gear box includes an input shaft directly connected to the engine transmission. An output shaft of the gear box is directly connected to the differential associated with the vehicle rear wheels, and shifting means within the gear box selectively connects the engine and transmission to the differential or the fire pump. The fire pump gear box eliminates an intermediary transfer case and provides significant cost and weight advantages as well as eliminating the need for special power transmitting components.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A fire truck comprising, in combination, an elongated frame having a front region and a rear region, a passenger cab mounted on said frame front region, steerable wheels mounted on said frame front region, drive wheels mounted on said frame rear region, a differential drivingly associated with said drive wheels having an input shaft extending toward said frame front region, an engine mounted on said frame rear region, a transmission mounted on said frame rear region operatively connected to said engine and having an output shaft extending toward said frame front region, a fire pump drive gear box mounted on said frame forwardly of said drive wheels and said differential and having a front side facing said frame front region and a rear side facing said frame rear region and including an input shaft extending rearwardly toward said transmission having an adapter adjacent said gear box rear side, an output shaft extending rearwardly toward said differential having an adapter adjacent said gear box rear side and a fire pump drive shaft, shiftable power drive means selectively connecting said gear box input shaft to said gear box output shaft and directly to said fire pump drive shaft, a fire pump mounted on said gear box extending from said drive gear box front side and having an impeller in driven relationship to said fire pump drive shaft, a first power train shaft having a first end connected to said transmission output shaft and a second end connected to said gear box input shaft adapter, and a second power train shaft having a first end connected to said gear box output shaft adapter and a second end connected to said differential input shaft whereby said gear box shiftable power drive means selectively connects said engine and transmission to said differential or said fire pump.

A fire truck comprising, in combination, an elongated frame having a front region and a rear region, a passenger cab mounted on said frame front region, steerable wheels mounted on said frame front region, drive wheels mounted on said frame rear region, a differential drivingly associated with said drive wheels having an input shaft extending toward said frame front region, an engine mounted on said frame rear region, a transmission mounted on said frame rear region operatively connected to said engine and having an output shaft extending toward said frame front region, a fire pump drive gear box mounted on said frame forwardly of said drive wheels and said differential having an input shaft extending rearwardly toward said transmission, an output shaft extending rearwardly toward said differential and a fire pump drive shaft, shiftable power drive means selectively connecting said gear box input shaft to said gear box output shaft and said fire pump drive shaft, a fire pump mounted on said gear box having an impeller in driven relationship to said fire pump drive shaft, a first power train shaft having a first end connected to said transmission output shaft and a second end connected to said gear box input shaft, and a second power train shaft having a first end connected to said gear box output shaft and a second end connected to said differential input shaft, bearing means within said fire pump drive gear box rotatably supporting said gear box input shaft, output shaft and fire pump drive shaft in spaced parallel relationship, said shiftable power drive means including a first gear mounted on said gear box input shaft and keyed thereto axially shiftable between first and second operative positions, gear shifting means operatively associated with said first gear for shifting said first gear between operative positions, a second gear keyed to said gear box output shaft, said first gear meshing with said second gear at said first gear first position to drivingly connect said gear box input and output shafts, and a third gear keyed to said gear box fire pump drive shaft, said first gear meshing with said third gear at said first gear second position to drivingly connect said gear box input shaft and said fire pump drive shaft and disconnect said gear box input and output shafts whereby said gear box shiftable power drive means selectively connects said engine and transmission to said differential or said fire pump.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.