Axle driving apparatus having improved casing design

Abstract

An axle driving apparatus is provided an includes a main casing, a cap plate coupled to the main casing along a first split line where the first split line is substantially disposed in a horizontal plane, and an axle cap coupled to the main casing along a second split line where the second split line is substantially disposed in a vertical plane. A center section is supported solely by the main casing and has connected thereto a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor where the center section is disposed offset from both the first split line and the second split line. A pump shaft is linked to the hydraulic pump and is supported by the main casing where the pump shaft has an axis disposed perpendicular to the horizontal plane and parallel to and offset from the vertical plane. A motor shaft is linked to the hydraulic motor and has an axis parallel to and offset from the horizontal plane and perpendicular to the vertical plane. An axle is linked to the motor shaft and includes a first shaft section and a second shaft section wherein the first shaft section is supported solely by the main casing and the second shaft section is supported solely by the axle cap and further wherein the axle has an axis parallel to and offset from the horizontal plane and perpendicular to the vertical plane.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.