Machine element or mechanism – Gearing – With brake means for gearing
Patent
1982-06-18
1986-03-25
Staab, Lawrence J.
Machine element or mechanism
Gearing
With brake means for gearing
74467, F16H 5704, F16H 5710
Patent
active
045775249
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a vehicle transfer gear and drive line brake mechanism, and more particularly to a depending gear transfer train and a drive line brake assembly and a common lubrication system therefor.
2. Background Art
Some articulated vehicles, such as four-wheel drive farm tractors, have a depending gear transfer train for propelling the vehicle. The input of the transfer train is connected to a multi-speed transmission having a longitudinally oriented axis located at a considerable elevation above the axes of the wheels. A housing or drop box contains the depending gear transfer train and provides a sump for the transmission fluid. A pump is driven by the engine of the vehicle which serves to direct fluid from the sump through a control system for operating the transmission and lubricating the components of the transmission and the various gears and bearings of the transfer train.
Heretofore, a dry brake assembly has been located externally of the drop box in the drive line to the wheels for the purpose of serving as a parking brake or auxiliary brake. In such instance the primary dynamic service braking function has been provided by conventional brake mechanisms located at the individual wheels of at least one axle. But improper use of the relatively low energy capacity drive line brake assembly by an unskilled operator has occasionally led to excessive heat build up and wear thereof so that premature servicing problems are encountered. Moreover, these dry drive line brake assemblies are not usually positively sealed against the ingress of dirt and foreign matter with the result that wear of the friction elements is accelerated.
In view of the aforementioned factors it is desirable to make the known dry and open drive line brake assembly a fully enclosed and wet drive line brake assembly in order to extend its service life and to optionally increase its energy absorbing capacity. Under optimum conditions that brake assembly could even function as a dynamic service brake and result in a savings because the individual wheel brake assemblies could be decreased in capacity or eliminated entirely with a reduction in overall cost.
If the wet drive line brake and depending gear transfer train are enclosed in a common elevationally lower compartment the rotating elements of the brake assembly could churn through the lubricating fluid and cause a horsepower loss. While it is well known that it is undesirable to rotate a gear or the like in an appreciable amount of fluid it is not always simple to avoid this problem. Not only are fluid drag losses and fluid heating caused by this action, but also fluid aeration which could detrimentally influence the operation of the pump and associated control system.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,220,810 issued to K. Alquist on Mar. 27, 1917 discloses a gear mechanism that is directed to minimizing fluid drag losses by providing an elevated reservoir in the casing to which the lubricating fluid is directed by the tips of the gear teeth pumping against an associated casing wall. In other words, the gear teeth tips extend into a lower fluid reservoir to a limited extent, and a relatively low-fluid level is maintained therein by the action of the teeth tips as they sweep upwardly adjacent the casing wall.
Although the above-mentioned patent describes a mechanism that can be very effective in reducing fluid drag losses during operation, it requires a complex case and is not conveniently adaptable to the drop box, transfer train and drive line brake assembly discussed above.
Thus it would be advantageous to provide a common housing for containing both the depending gear transfer train and the drive line brake assembly so that they can share the economics of a common lubrication system in the vehicle.
Furthermore, the wet drive line brake assembly should be capable of being conveniently removed from the housing for servicing purposes. And, preferably, these elements should be integrated in such a way that fluid drag losses during operation of
REFERENCES:
patent: 1220810 (1917-03-01), Alquist
patent: 1220811 (1917-03-01), Alquist
patent: 1554081 (1925-09-01), Garrett
patent: 1604401 (1926-10-01), Fisher
patent: 2403579 (1946-07-01), Carpenter
patent: 2984122 (1961-05-01), Woolley
patent: 3097546 (1963-07-01), Kelbel et al.
patent: 3529698 (1970-09-01), Nelson
patent: 3621957 (1971-11-01), Howe
patent: 3625310 (1971-12-01), Herrick
patent: 3802289 (1974-04-01), Cheer
patent: 4378711 (1983-04-01), Daniel
patent: 4391351 (1983-07-01), Jirousek et al.
patent: 4461373 (1984-07-01), Pratt et al.
patent: 4475638 (1984-10-01), McCormick
Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AG WG-120 Model Transmission circa 1978-1979 per Exhibit "A".
Richards David L.
Windish Willis E.
Caterpillar Tractor Co.
Lanchantin, Jr. Charles E.
Staab Lawrence J.
LandOfFree
Vehicle transfer gear and drive line brake mechanism does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Vehicle transfer gear and drive line brake mechanism, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vehicle transfer gear and drive line brake mechanism will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-624372