Caterpillar Tractor Co.

James D Sickinger

David J Balzer

A power drive assembly (10) wherein a driven member (14), such as an input clutch gear of a final drive (11), is removably connected to a driving member (12) by a shaft (17), such as a quill shaft, having splined connection (19,20) to the driving member (12) and splined connection (22,23) to the driven member (14). A control rod (24) is connected to the quill shaft (17) and is adjustably positioned within a final drive shaft (15) of power drive assembly (10) so as to effect selectively connection and disconnection of the quill shaft splines relative to the driving member (12) and driven member (14). Access to the control rod is through an opening (39) in a wall portion (38) of the power drive assembly housing (35) which may be selectively closed by a closure member (40) and which is adapted to mount a pulling device (43) removably connected to the control rod. The assembly (10) is arranged to permit disconnection of the driving member from the driven member so as to permit independent operation of the vehicle engine when desired, or to permit towing of the vehicle with the final drive (11) disconnected from the driving member (12) when desired. The arrangement further permits the removal of the bevel gear of the cross shaft drive arrangement when desired without removing the final drive (11).

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Peoria, IL, United States of America

James D Sickinger