Integral power distribution assembly for engine

A drive assembly for a vehicle having an engine disposed in an engine housing, the drive assembly comprising:

• a crankshaft driven by the engine and having a first axis of rotation, and a drive train disposed within the engine housing and engaged to and driven by the crankshaft;
• an output driven by the drive train and having a second axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the first axis of rotation, the output having a first shaft end extending out a first side of the engine housing and a second shaft end extending out a second side of the engine housing opposite to the first side;
• a power take off mechanism to selectively couple an auxiliary output shaft to the crankshaft, wherein the auxiliary output shaft is collinear with the crankshaft, the power take off mechanism comprising:
• a hydraulic power take off clutch disposed in the engine housing and connected to the auxiliary output shaft;
• an oil pump disposed in the engine housing and providing charged hydraulic fluid to a porting system;
• and
• a clutch actuation valve connected to the porting system for actuating the hydraulic power take off clutch.

A drive assembly for a vehicle having an engine disposed in an engine housing, the drive assembly comprising:

• a crankshaft having a proximal end driven by the engine and a distal end, the crankshaft having a longitudinal axis of rotation and comprising an internal oil passage extending along the length thereof in the direction of the longitudinal axis of rotation, a first cross passage formed in the crankshaft closer to the proximal end and a second cross passage formed in the crankshaft closer to the distal end, wherein both the first cross passage and the second cross passage are connected to the internal oil passage;
• an auxiliary output shaft collinear with the crankshaft and extending out of the engine housing;
• a power take off clutch disposed in the engine housing and connected to the auxiliary output shaft, the power take off clutch comprising a set of clutch plates and a set of brake plates disposed about the periphery of the crankshaft, a clutch engagement piston disposed between the set of clutch plates and the set of brake plates, a fluid pressure chamber adjacent the clutch engagement piston and a spring disposed around the periphery of the crankshaft and providing a spring force to the clutch engagement piston away from the set of clutch plates;
• an oil pump disposed in the engine housing and providing charged hydraulic fluid to a porting system;
• and
• a valve connected to the porting system for actuating the power take off clutch, whereby actuation of the valve permits hydraulic fluid to flow from the porting system to the first cross passage and through the internal oil passage to the second cross passage, and therein to the fluid pressure chamber to force the clutch engagement piston toward the set of clutch plates and away from the set of brake plates in order to engage the power take off clutch and permit the auxiliary output shaft to be rotated by the crankshaft.