Fluid handling – With casing – support – protector or static constructional... – Vehicle
Patent
1974-12-04
1976-05-04
Klinksiek, Henry T.
Fluid handling
With casing, support, protector or static constructional...
Vehicle
74606R, B05B 902, E01H 302
Patent
active
039541207
ABSTRACT:
A gear box having an extended hub or nose is disclosed herein which is adapted for use on a self-propelled, center pivot irrigation system. The gear box includes a housing, an input shaft extending thereinto, and an output shaft extending outwardly therefrom at a right angle to the input shaft. A gear means in the housing connects the input and output shafts. The housing is mounted on the drive frame of the system with the outer end of the output shaft being connected to a drive wheel which is mounted on the drive frame. The output shaft has a sufficient length so that clearance is provided between the input shaft and the tire on the drive wheel. An extended hub is secured to the housing and extends outwardly therefrom to support the outer end of the output shaft closely adjacent the center of the load imposed on the drive wheel.
Generally speaking, center pivot irrigation systems employ a plurality of wheeled support towers which are secured to and spaced along the length of the water distribution pipe. Ordinarily, each of the towers comprises a drive frame having a pair of spaced apart drive wheels rotatably mounted on the ends thereof. Suitable arms connect the drive frame and the pipe to support the pipe above the ground surface. A power means such as an electrically operated gear motor is usually secured to the drive frame intermediate the ends thereof. A pair of drive shafts extend from opposite sides of the gear motor to gear boxes mounted on the ends of the drive frame. Each of the gear boxes comprises input and output shafts which are disposed at a right angle with respect to each other. The outer end of the output shaft is connected to the drive wheel to supply rotational power thereto so that the distribution pipe is moved about its center pivot. A problem exists with this structure due to the fact that the drive wheels must be spaced outwardly from the drive frame to permit their rotation and the drive wheels must be sufficiently spaced from the drive frame to provide clearance between the tires on the drive wheels and the shafts connecting the gear motor and the input shafts of the gear boxes. If the output shaft of the gear box is lengthened to provide the necessary clearance between the tire and the input shaftl an "overhung" load results which puts tremendous weight and strain on the outer end of the output shaft and such weight and strain usually results in failure of the output shaft.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2657591 (1953-11-01), Kaelin
patent: 2939344 (1960-06-01), Harris
patent: 3053103 (1962-09-01), McAninch et al.
patent: 3623662 (1971-11-01), Reinke
patent: 3662776 (1972-05-01), Bryant et al.
Zimmerer Arthur L.
Zimmerer Bernard J.
Zimmerer Paul B.
Klinksiek Henry T.
Lindsay Manufacturing Co.
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