Deere & Company

Aaron David Wikner

Thomas George Ore

William E Crookes

Dean Arden Boyce

Frank Buhrke

Michael Deininger

Bernard Martin Gruman

Brian T Brown

A compact creeper gear arrangement () for a multiple speed transmission () in which the creeper gear input () and output shafts () are laterally spaced from and parallel to the major shafts within the transmission. The creeper gear arrangement () utilizes an input gear () integral with one of the speed range gears () and selectively coupled to a shaft () that provides an input to a mechanical front wheel drive assembly (). The creeper gear arrangement () is a dual speed selectively engageable transmission where much of the mechanism is located within otherwise unused space within the transmission.

Compact creeper gear arrangement for a transmission

A shift rail interlock system is disclosed for a transmission assembly having a gear unit with a plurality of selectable gear ratios. The interlock system includes three shift rails that are each movable to select between respective gear ranges. Two of the shift rails cooperate to define a plane. The third shift rail is a creeper rail located in a position that is out of the plane defined by the first and second shift rails. The interlock system includes a creeper interlock that is moveable between lock and release positions, which respectively prevent and permit movement of the creeper rail. The interlock system also includes a range rail interlock that is moveable between two different lock and release positions. The range rail interlock is coupled to the creeper interlock such that when one of the range rails or the creeper rail is in the engaged position, the others are in their respective locked out positions.

Transmission creeper interlock

Engine enclosure

A fan shroud having an integrated aspirator is provided comprising a first section and a second section. The first section and second section are designed to mateably engage one another so as to form an air passage between a fan and a cooling module of a vehicle. The first section of the shroud includes an air duct formed by a channel in the shroud and a similar channel in a duct cover, so that when the duct cover is mated to the first section of the shroud an air duct is created. A first end of the air duct terminates at an aperture disposed in an end of shroud situated proximal to the fan. A second end of the air duct curves upwardly to a nozzle provided on the top side of the duct cover. A pre-cleaner unit having an air intake and an air exhaust is aspirated through an aspirator port. When the pre-cleaner is mounted to the shroud, the aspirator port is disposed in the nozzle of the duct cover. The aspirator port is thus in communication with the air duct and the shroud aperture. The vacuum necessary for proper aspiration of the pre-cleaner is provided by air movement, induced by the fan, between the air intake of the pre-cleaner and the shroud aperture via the aspirator port and air duct. Because the pre-cleaner is fitted directly to the air duct, no additional aspirator hoses or clamps are necessary and considerable space is conserved under the vehicle hood.

Integrated aspirator and fan shroud

A fan shroud is provided having upper and lower sections. The sections are designed to mateably engage one another at mating flanges so as to form an air passage between a fan and a cooling module of the vehicle. The upper section of shroud includes an aspirator portal in an upper surface thereof. An aspirator is provided having an air intake and an air outlet. The aspirator is supported in the lower section of the shroud proximal to the fan with the air outlet facing the fan. An engine intake air pre-cleaner unit having an air intake, an aspirator port, and an air exhaust is mounted to the shroud by aligning mounting tabs on the pre-cleaner with mounting bosses on the shroud so that the aspirator port is disposed in proximity to the aspirator portal in the upper section of shroud. One end of an aspirator hose is connected to the aspirator port of the pre-cleaner and passes through the aspirator portal. The other end of the aspirator hose is connected to the air intake of the aspirator. The aspirator hose passes generally through the middle of the shroud from the upper section to the lower section. The vacuum necessary for proper aspiration of the pre-cleaner is accomplished by air movement, induced by the fan, between the air intake of the pre-cleaner and the aspirator via the aspirator port and the aspirator hose. No additional hoses or fittings are required outside the shroud to provide aspiration to the pre-cleaner so that considerable space is conserved under the vehicle hood.

Growing community of inventors

Waterloo, IA, United States of America

Aaron David Wikner