Deere & Company

Michael J Jenkins

David Lawrence Phillips

Jack E Arfstrom

A hydraulic mechanism for driving a vehicle, and having right and left laterally spaced hydraulic motors which drive respective ground engaging wheels, an axle structure extending laterally between the right and left hydraulic motors for receiving operating loads from the ground engaging wheels, the right and left hydraulic motors being coupled with the axle structure for generally enclosing and sealing the axle structure, said generally sealed axle structure being adapted for containing hydraulic fluid and serving as a fluid reservoir, a hydraulic pump which drives the hydraulic motors, said pump being in operative fluid communication with the interior of the axle structure for drawing fluid therefrom, the pump being positioned outside the axle structure. The motors include input and output ports which are positioned within the axle structure, and hydraulic lines extend between the pump and the input and output ports. Portions of said hydraulic lines extend within the interior of the axle structure, and the interior lines include rigid and non-rigid lines which facilitate assembly and disassembly of the mechanism.

Combined hydraulic reservoir and line coupling

Combined hydraulic reservoir and vehicle axle

A V-belt guide is provided for the drive belt of a vehicle-implement combination wherein the implement is capable of vertical up and down floating movement relative to the vehicle. The guide is positioned above the strands of the belt, just ahead of the drive pulley, and serves to restrict the angle at which the belt strands can enter into and exit from the drive pulley. The guide takes the form of a plate having a gently curving surface around which the belt is guided into or out of the drive pulley. Vertically projecting members are attached to the guide plate and restrict excessive lateral movement of the belt strands.

Growing community of inventors

Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Michael J Jenkins