Machine element or mechanism – Elements – Gear casings
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2001-07-10
Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Elements
Gear casings
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257090
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an axle housing assembly for an industrial vehicle such as a forklift or the like.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In a forklift, usually, front wheels are drive wheels, and a front axle for transmitting a drive force to the front wheels and a differential gear are received in the axle housing. Such an axle housing is conventionally, in general, composed of a differential housing for receiving a differential gear, and axle tubes coupled by welding, respectively, to the right and left opening portions of the differential housing for receiving a front axle.
Also, a type in which the axle housing is separated from an engine portion in order to suppress transmission of vibrations from the engine portion (including a transmission) becomes popular. In such a separation type axle housing, in order to resist the drive repulsive force generated during a starting operation, a braking operation or the like, a proximal portion of a ring portion of an axle bracket is fitted to be fixed to each of axle tubes by welding. The axle brackets are fixed to a base frame by bolts. (refer to the Japanese Patent No. 2,689,819)
As described above, in the conventional axle housing assembly, the integral formation is carried out by welding between the differential housing and the axle tubes and between the axle tubes and the axle brackets.
However, the welded portion is likely to receive an adverse affect such as a fatigue or the like by the drive repulsive force and there is a problem that non-uniformity in welding quality is likely to occur due to an ability of an individual welding worker.
Also, in the case where the axle housing assembly is assembled into the base frame, it is necessary to align through holes for bolt fastening formed in the axle brackets and the base frame, respectively, and a high dimensional precision is required. However, in the case where the differential housing, the axle tubes and axle brackets are integrally formed by welding, a welding strain or the like would occur. As a result, in order to ensure a desired dimensional precision, a high welding ability or technique is required. For this reason, the conventional axle housing assembly has been costly.
Furthermore, in the conventional structure, in the case where one of the structural components is broken down or damaged, it is difficult to replace the damaged component only. It is therefore necessary to replace the overall axle housing assembly, resulting in defects in maintenance property.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-noted defects, an object of the present invention is to provide an axle housing assembly that has a stable strength against the drive repulsive force and is excellent in a dimensional precision and maintenance property in low cost.
In order to attain the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided an axle housing assembly comprising a differential housing for receiving a differential gear, first and second axle tubes mounted integrally on both sides of the differential housing for receiving respective drive axles, a first axle bracket fixed to a frame of the vehicle and mounted on the first axle tube for receiving a repulsive force, first and second bolt means for fixing the first and second axle tubes, respectively, to the differential housing and a third bolt means for fixing the first axle bracket to the first axle tube.
In such a structure, since the coupling between the respective components may be performed by the bolt means, there is no problem that degradation in dimensional precision would occur due to the welding strain or the like. Also, in case of the bolt fastening, the product quality may be kept constant and the replacement of the components may be facilitated.
In the case where the repulsive force receiving axle bracket is fixed to the first axle tube by bolts, it is preferable that the bracket mounting portion is formed integrally with an outer circumferential surface of the axle tube, and the axle bracket for receiving the repulsive force is mounted on the bracket mounting portion by the bolt means without coupling with the first axle tube. In this case, it is possible to remove the axle bracket away from the axle tube simply by removing the bolt means without removing the overall axle housing assembly away from the base frame.
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Arakawa Masayasu
Kuzuya Mamoru
Shima Hideaki
Bucci David A.
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
Kim Chong H.
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
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