Axle driving apparatus

An axle driving apparatus for being mounted on the body frame of a vehicle, said axle driving apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• only one axle supported by said housing, said one axle defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted in said housing and a distal end portion extending outwardly only from one side of said housing;
• a pair of oppositely disposed hollow tube portions defined by said housing, and substantially coaxially aligned with said longitudinal axis of said one axle for alternatively receiving therethrough said one axle;
• an enlarged region defined by said housing;
• and
• a hydraulic stepless speed change assembly disposed within said enlarged region, said speed change assembly including a hydraulic pump having an input shaft projecting from said enlarged region and including a hydraulic motor having an output shaft drivingly connected to said single axle.

An axle driving apparatus for being mounted on the body frame of a vehicle, said axle driving apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• a single axle defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted in said housing and a distal end portion extending outwardly from a first side of said housing;
• a pair of oppositely disposed hollow tube portions defined by said housing and substantially coaxially aligned with said longitudinal axis of said single axle for alternatively receiving therethrough said single axle, one of said pair of hollow tube portions being open to project said single axle from said housing and the other one of said pair of hollow tube portions being sealed to prohibit fluid communication with the interior of said housing through said other one of said pair of hollow tube portions;
• an enlarged region defined by said housing;
• and
• a hydraulic stepless speed change assembly disposed within said enlarged region, said speed change assembly including a hydraulic pump having an input shaft projecting from said enlarged region and including a hydraulic motor having an output shaft drivingly connected to said single axle.

An axle driving apparatus for being mounted on the body frame of a vehicle and for independently rotating first and second wheel members, said axle driving apparatus comprising:

• first and second housings adjacently mounted on said body frame, each said first and second housing having first and second side portions;
• a single axle rotatably supported by each said first and second housings, said single axle of said first housing defining a first longitudinal axis and having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted in said first housing and a distal end portion extending outwardly from said first side portion of said first housing for supporting said first wheel member, said single axle of said second housing being substantially coaxially aligned with said single axle of said first housing and having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted in said second housing and a distal end portion extending outwardly from said second side portion of said second housing for supporting said second wheel member, whereby said single axles are oppositely disposed so as to support said first and second wheel members on opposite sides of said adjacently mounted first and second housings;
• an enlarged region defined by each said first and second housing;
• and
• a speed change assembly disposed within each said enlarged region, each said speed change assembly including an input shaft disposed on a second longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to said first longitudinal axis so as to project from an upper side of said enlarged region of said first and second housing operatively associated therewith, and including an output shaft drivingly connected to one said single axle.

An axle driving apparatus for being mounted on the body frame of a vehicle and for independently rotating first and second wheel members, said axle driving apparatus comprising:

• first and second housings adjacently mounted on said body frame, each said first and second housing having first and second side portions;
• a single axle rotatably supported by each said first and second housing, said single axle of said first housing defining a first longitudinal axis and having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted in said first housing and a distal end portion extending outwardly from said first side portion of said first housing for supporting said first wheel member, said single axle of said second housing having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted in said second housing and a distal end portion extending outwardly from said second side portion of said second housing for supporting said second wheel member, whereby said single axles are oppositely disposed so as to support said first and second wheel members on opposite sides of said adjacently mounted first and second housings;
• an enlarged region defined by each said first and second housing, said enlarged regions extending substantially horizontally as said first and second housings are mounted on said body frame of said vehicle;
• and
• a speed change assembly disposed within each said enlarged region, each said speed change assembly including a substantially vertically disposed input shaft having a distal end projecting from an upper side of said enlarged region operatively associated therewith, said distal end of each said input shaft carrying an input pulley for rotating said input shaft, and including a driving belt for drivingly connecting each said input pulley to a prime mover on said vehicle.

An axle driving apparatus for being mounted on a body frame of a vehicle, said axle driving apparatus comprising:

• first axle for supporting a first wheel member and a second axle for supporting a second wheel member;
• a first housing for containing said first axle and a second housing for containing said second axle, each said first and second housing defining a length greater than the width of said first and second housing, said length of each said first and second housing extending rectangularly and horizontally with respect to the longitudinal axes of said first and second axles;
• a speed change assembly disposed within each said first and second housings, each said speed change assembly including a substantial vertical input shaft and output shaft;
• and
• a power transmitting means disposed within each said first and second housing, for drivingly connecting said output shafts and said axles;
• wherein each said input shaft is disposed along the length of said first and second housing at a first end portion of said first and second housing, said power transmitting means is disposed within, and along the length of, said first and second housing proximate the middle of said first and second housing, and said first and second axles are disposed along the length of said first and second housing, respectively, at a second end portion of said first and second housing.