Axle drive unit

An axle drive unit comprising:

• a housing;
• an oil sump formed in said housing;
• an axle disposed in said housing;
• a hydrostatic transmission disposed in said housing, said hydrostatic transmission being drivingly connected to said axle;
• an operating oil supply means fluidly connected to a component of said hydrostatic transmission for supplying operating oil to said transmission, said operating oil supply means having a suction port which is open at the side surface of said component;
• and
• a cylindrical oil filter disposed in said oil sump in such a manner that a longitudinal axis thereof is disposed along the inner bottom surface of said housing, wherein said oil filter is mounted to the side surface of said component of said hydrostatic transmission, thereby communicating at the interior of said oil filter with said suction port.

An axle drive unit comprising:

• a housing;
• an oil sump formed in said housing;
• an axle disposed in said housing;
• a hydrostatic transmission disposed in said housing, said hydrostatic transmission having a substantially vertical input shaft into which power from a prime mover is inputted and output shaft drivingly connected to said axles;
• a power transmitting means disposed in said housing, said power transmitting means interlocking said output shaft with said axles;
• oil supply means for supplying operating oil to said transmission, said oil supply means including a charging pump driven by said input shaft of said hydrostatic transmission;
• a pump casing disposed in said housing, said pump casing housing said charging pump;
• a suction port open at one side surface of said pump casing for transporting oil from said oil sump to said charging pump;
• and
• an oil filter for filtering said oil in said oil sump and supplying said oil to said suction port, said oil filter disposed below said axle adjacent to said power transmitting means.

An axle drive unit comprising:

• a housing;
• an oil sump formed in said housing;
• an axle disposed in said housing;
• a hydrostatic transmission disposed in said housing, said hydrostatic transmission being drivingly connected to said axle;
• an operating oil supply means provided at a component of said hydrostatic transmission for supplying operating oil to said transmission, said operating oil supply means having a suction port which is open at the side surface of said component;
• and
• an elongate oil filter disposed in said oil sump such that a longitudinal axis thereof is disposed along the inner bottom surface of said housing, wherein said oil filter is mounted to the side surface of said component of said hydrostatic transmission, thereby communicating at the interior of said oil filter with said suction port.

An axle drive unit comprising:

• a housing;
• an oil sump formed in said housing;
• an axle disposed in said housing;
• a hydrostatic transmission disposed in said housing, said hydrostatic transmission being drivingly connected to said axle;
• an operating oil supply means provided at a component of said hydrostatic transmission for supplying operating oil to said transmission, said operating oil supply means having a suction port which is open at the side surface of said component;
• and
• an oil filter disposed in said oil sump above the inner bottom surface of said housing, wherein said oil filter is mounted to the surface of said component of said hydrostatic transmission, thereby communicating with said suction port at the interior of said oil filter.