GB1579804A

GB1579804A - Tractor with four-wheel drive

Info

Publication number: GB1579804A
Application number: GB2234378A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Kloeckner Humboldt Deutz AG
Current assignee: Kloeckner Humboldt Deutz AG
Priority date: 1977-08-09
Filing date: 1978-05-25
Publication date: 1980-11-26
Also published as: DE2735798A1; FR2399941B1; FR2399941A1

Description

(54) TRACTOR WITH FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (71) We, KLöcKNER-HuMsoLDT- DEUTZ AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, a German Body Corporate, of Koln-Deutz, German Federal Republic, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a tractor with four-wheel drive comprising a steerable live front axle, an internal combustion engine having a downwardly projecting oil sump and mounted rearwardly of the front axle, and a cardan shaft connecting a direct or indirect power drive from the engine to the front axe.

A tractor of the type defined above, with four-wheel drive, is known, in which the front axle differential is arranged centrally.

The oil sump of the internal combustion engine, due to its downward projection, protrudes into a region lying between the gearbox and the differential, so that a direct connection of the two units by means of a cardan shaft is not possible. By-passing of the oil sump by the cardan shaft has therefore been arranged, for which purpose the cardan shaft is led underneath the oil sump by providing several universal joints. However, this measure involves considerable complication and is costly, and the cardan shaft is also subject to very severe wear because of the very sharp angles at the universal joints. In addition, the parts of the cardan shaft led underneath the oil sump can be easily damaged, for instance when driving over obstacles.

The aim of the invention, in a tractor of the type defined above, is to construct the oil sump of the internal combustion engine in such a way that, firstly, the cardan shaft extends substantially rectilinearly between the gearbox and the front axle differential and, secondly, the oil supply for the internal combustion engine from the oil sump is ensured by the usual means.

The above stated aim is achieved in accordance with the invention by providing a tractor with four-wheel drive comprising a steerable live front axle, an internal combustion engine having a downwardly projecting oil sump and mounted rearwardly of the front axle, and a cardan shaft connecting a direct or indirect power drive from the engine to the front axle, in which one side of the oil sump is formed with a recess to enable the cardan shaft to pass beneath it.

With this àrrangement nothing projects into the path of the cardan shaft in the region of the oil sump, and special costly constructions of the cardan shaft are avoided. In addition, the cardan shaft is protected from being damaged by the part of the oil sump which projects downwardly. Moreover, this protection also substantially prevents the gathering of stalks or the like which are wound on to the cardan shaft in the region of the oil sump.

In a further development of the invention the recess extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tractor over more than half the width of the oil sump. Advantageously, the oil sump has a cross-sectional shape generally similar to an inverted L.

Further features and advantages of the present invention are explained in the following description of the accompanying drawings, which show an embodiment of the invention by way of example.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a tractor with an oil sump arranged in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 shows the tractor of Figure 1 in side elevation.

Referring to the drawings, the tractor illustrated is driven by an internal combustion engine 2 arranged under a bonnet 1, rearwardly of a steerable live front axle.

Attached to the internal combustion engine 2 by a flange is a clutch housing 3 with an adjoining gearbox 4. A cardan shaft 5 is connected at one end to a direct or indirect power take-off from a change-speed gear accommodated in the gearbox 4, via a friction clutch 6. At its other end the cardan shaft 5, which comprises two universal joints 7 and 8, is connected to a differential 9 of the steerable live front axle 10. The axis of the cardan shaft 5 is contained in a vertical plane which also contains the longitudinal central axis of the tractor. The internal combustion engine 2 is fitted with an oil sump of which the lower portion 12 extends into the region of the cardan shaft 5. To provide a direct unobstructed path between the power takeoff and the differential 9 of the steerable front axle 10 without requiring a change in the path of the cardan shaft 5, a recess 14 is provided along one longitudinal side of the oil sump 11 in accordance with Figure 1. This recess 14 is formed by offsetting a side wall 15 in the lower region of the oil sump 11. The part 16 of the oil sump 11 remains above the recess 14 and allows a free path for the cardan shaft 5 in the recess 14.

By virtue of the provision of the recess 14, the lower region of the oil sump 11 continues to serve as an oil sump, so that the oil supply for the internal combustion engine 2 is ensured without special measures and using the normal means. Leading the cardan shaft 5 through the recess 14 offers additional protection for the cardan shaft 5, more especially against the winding of stalks or the like on to the shaft. Protection of the cardan shaft 5 can be improved even more by providing a guard sheet (not illustrated) on the open side of the recess 14, the guard sheet being secured to the oil sump 11 at the bottom and/or the top of the sump.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A tractor with four-wheel drive comprising a steerable live front axle, an internal combustion engine having a downwardly projecting oil sump and mounted rearwardly of the front axle, and a cardan shaft connecting a direct or indirect power drive from the engine to the front axle, in which one side of the oil sump is formed with a recess to enable the cardan shaft to pass beneath it.

2. A tractor according to claim 1, in which the recess extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tractor over more than half the width of the oil sump.

3. A tractor according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which, due to the presence of the recess, the oil sump has a cross-sectional shape generally similar to an inverted L.

4. A tractor with four-wheel drive comprising a steerable live front axle, an internal combustion engine having a downwardly projecting oil sump and mounted rearwardly of the front axle, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

2 by a flange is a clutch housing 3 with an adjoining gearbox 4. A cardan shaft 5 is connected at one end to a direct or indirect power take-off from a change-speed gear accommodated in the gearbox 4, via a friction clutch 6. At its other end the cardan shaft 5, which comprises two universal joints 7 and 8, is connected to a differential 9 of the steerable live front axle 10. The axis of the cardan shaft 5 is contained in a vertical plane which also contains the longitudinal central axis of the tractor. The internal combustion engine 2 is fitted with an oil sump of which the lower portion 12 extends into the region of the cardan shaft 5. To provide a direct unobstructed path between the power takeoff and the differential 9 of the steerable front axle 10 without requiring a change in the path of the cardan shaft 5, a recess 14 is provided along one longitudinal side of the oil sump 11 in accordance with Figure 1. This recess 14 is formed by offsetting a side wall 15 in the lower region of the oil sump 11. The part 16 of the oil sump 11 remains above the recess 14 and allows a free path for the cardan shaft 5 in the recess 14.

By virtue of the provision of the recess 14, the lower region of the oil sump 11 continues to serve as an oil sump, so that the oil supply for the internal combustion engine 2 is ensured without special measures and using the normal means. Leading the cardan shaft 5 through the recess 14 offers additional protection for the cardan shaft 5, more especially against the winding of stalks or the like on to the shaft. Protection of the cardan shaft 5 can be improved even more by providing a guard sheet (not illustrated) on the open side of the recess 14, the guard sheet being secured to the oil sump 11 at the bottom and/or the top of the sump.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A tractor with four-wheel drive comprising a steerable live front axle, an internal combustion engine having a downwardly projecting oil sump and mounted rearwardly of the front axle, and a cardan shaft connecting a direct or indirect power drive from the engine to the front axle, in which one side of the oil sump is formed with a recess to enable the cardan shaft to pass beneath it.
2. A tractor according to claim 1, in which the recess extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tractor over more than half the width of the oil sump.
3. A tractor according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which, due to the presence of the recess, the oil sump has a cross-sectional shape generally similar to an inverted L.
4. A tractor with four-wheel drive comprising a steerable live front axle, an internal combustion engine having a downwardly projecting oil sump and mounted rearwardly of the front axle, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.