Kubota Corporation

501 Kubota, Ltd.

Yuichi Kitao

Masaru Nakata

Akio Inamori

A steering apparatus for a front wheel drive tractor comprising, at each of opposite lateral sides thereof, a front axle, a front axle case housing the front axle, a kingpin, a transmission case provided in an outer end region of the front axle case to be pivotable about the kingpin, and a front wheel attached to the transmission case and including a hub shaft. The kingpin is operatively connected to the front axle through a bevel gear transmission, and the hub shaft is operatively connected to the kingpin through a bevel gear transmission and a planetary reduction mechanism. The front wheel has a substantially zero camber angle, and the kingpin is inclined such that a lower portion of the transmission case disposed inwardly with respect to a center of the tractor is substantially contained inside a rim of the front wheel.

Steering apparatus for a front wheel drive tractor

A four wheel drive vehicle comprising an engine, a transmission connected to the engine, a front wheel drive line, a rear wheel drive line, and an automatic switch mechanism for operatively connecting the front wheel and rear wheel drive lines to the transmission to selectively provides a two wheel drive mode and a four wheel drive mode. The front wheel drive line and the rear wheel drive lines are constructed such that front wheels are driven at a lower speed than rear wheels. The automatic switch mechanism includes an input portion connected to the transmission, a first output portion connected to the front wheel drive line, a second output portion connected to the rear wheel drive line, and a clutch for connecting the first and second output portions to the input portion. The clutch is operable to disconnect the first output portion from the input portion upon receipt of a torque exceeding a predetermined value.

Growing community of inventors

Ashiya, Japan

Yuichi Kitao