Integrated fan and axle arrangement for an agricultural vehicle

An integrated fan and axle arrangement for an agricultural vehicle having an impeller with an axis of rotation that extends laterally across a chassis of the agricultural vehicle, wherein a plurality of blades attached to the impeller define an outer boundary of the impeller as the impeller rotates about the axis of rotation, the integrated fan and axle arrangement comprising:

• a fan housing including a fan scroll, the fan scroll defining an air-flow gap between the fan scroll and the outer boundary of the impeller, wherein, as the impeller rotates about the axis of rotation, the impeller moves air through the air-flow gap;
• and
• a front axle assembly configured to support one or more front wheels of the agricultural vehicle, the front axle assembly including:
• a first side plate on a first lateral side of the axle assembly;
• a second side plate on a second lateral side of the axle assembly;
• a rearward support plate extending laterally between the first and second side plates of the axle assembly;
• and
• an upper support structure extending laterally between the first and second side plates;
• wherein the rearward support plate forms at least part of the fan scroll of the housing for the impeller, such that the support plate defines, at least in part, the air-flow gap;
• and
• wherein the upper support structure and the rearward support plate are disposed to define passage between the upper support structure and the rearward support plate, the passage extending in a direction from outside of the front axle assembly to an internal volume of the front axle assembly.

An integrated fan and axle arrangement for an agricultural vehicle having an impeller with an axis of rotation that extends laterally across a chassis of the agricultural vehicle, wherein a plurality of blades attached to the impeller define an outer boundary of the impeller as the impeller rotates about the axis of rotation, the integrated fan and axle arrangement comprising:

• a fan housing including a fan scroll, the fan scroll defining an air-flow gap between the fan scroll and the outer boundary of the impeller, wherein, as the impeller rotates about the axis of rotation, the impeller moves air through the air-flow gap;
• and
• a front axle assembly configured to support one or more front wheels of the agricultural vehicle, the front axle assembly including:
• a first side plate on a first lateral side of the axle assembly;
• a second side plate on a second lateral side of the axle assembly;
• and
• a rearward support plate extending laterally between the first and second side plates of the axle assembly;
• wherein the rearward support plate forms at least part of the fan scroll of the housing for the impeller, such that the support plate defines, at least in part, the air-flow gap;
• wherein the rearward support plate includes a scroll section and a support section;
• wherein the scroll section defines at least part of the air-flow gap between the fan scroll of the housing and the outer boundary of the impeller;
• and
• wherein the support section extends outwardly away from the scroll section and the impeller such that support section is excluded, at least in part, from the fan scroll of the housing.