Rider transaxle having improved hydrostatic transmission
AssigneeHydro-Gear Limited Partnership
InventorsRay M. Hauser, Alan W. Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved hydrostatic transmission which is compact, reliable and economical to manufacture, including a novel means for reducing the speed of the input to the transaxle using both hydraulics and mechanical gearing; an improved differential which is stronger and less complicated than prior art designs; a more effective and efficient means for braking the transaxle, an improved means for hydraulically bypassing the hydrostatic transmission and a unique check valve arrangement for maintaining oil pressure within the hydrostatic transmission.
Claims8
A differential gear unit powered by an input drive means and connected to an output means powered by said differential gear unit, comprising
- a) a ring gear engaged to and driven by said input drive means;
- b) a plurality of planet gears mounted in said differential gear unit, each said planet gear having a hub mounted on the rear thereof;
- c) an end cap unit secured to said ring gear, said end cap unit having hub mounting means formed therein to hold the hubs of said planet gears, and to transfer the rotational force of said ring gear to said planet gears to simultaneously move said planet gears which said ring gear and to allow rotation of said planet gears about their axis of rotation;
- d) a plurality of bevel gears engaged and driven by said planet gears and acting to driven said output means, said bevel gears being secured in a direction along their axis or rotation by said end cap unit.
A differential gear unit powered by an input drive means and connected to an output means powered by said differential gear unit, comprising
- a) a ring gear engaged to and driven by said input drive means;
- b) a plurality of planet gears mounted in said differential gear unit, each said planet gear having a hub mounted on the rear thereof;
- c) means for securing said planet gears, wherein at least a portion of each of said planet gear hubs is secured in an internal portion of said ring gear;
- d) at least one end cap unit secured to said ring gear, said end cap unit having a pocket formed therein to hold the hub of said planet gears, whereby said end cap units act to transfer the rotational force of said ring gear to said planet gears to simultaneously move said planet gears with said ring gear and to allow rotation of said planet gears about their axis or rotation;
- e) a plurality of bevel gears engaged and driven by said planet gears and acting to drive said output means, and said bevel gears being secured in a direction along their axis or rotation by said end cap unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.