초록 ▼

A tracked vehicle includes a track operatively connected to a driveshaft. An output shaft of a hydrostatic motor is selectively rotationally engaged with the driveshaft via a clutch mechanism. When the clutch mechanism is engaged, the motor drives the track. When the clutch mechanism is disengaged,

A tracked vehicle includes a track operatively connected to a driveshaft. An output shaft of a hydrostatic motor is selectively rotationally engaged with the driveshaft via a clutch mechanism. When the clutch mechanism is engaged, the motor drives the track. When the clutch mechanism is disengaged, the tracked vehicle may be towed without rotating the output shaft of the motor. The clutch mechanism includes splined surfaces on the driveshaft and output shaft that are adapted to rotationally engage a splined surface of an axially-movable clutch shaft. The clutch mechanism further includes an engagement controller that selectively axially moves the clutch shaft into and out of rotational engagement with the output shaft while maintaining continuous rotational engagement between the clutch shaft and the driveshaft.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A vehicle comprising:a frame; a hydrostatic motor mounted to the frame, the hydrostatic motor having an output shaft; a drive system supported by the frame; a driveshaft connected to the drive system; and a clutch mechanism disposed between the output shaft and the driveshaft, the clutch mechanis

1. A vehicle comprising:a frame; a hydrostatic motor mounted to the frame, the hydrostatic motor having an output shaft; a drive system supported by the frame; a driveshaft connected to the drive system; and a clutch mechanism disposed between the output shaft and the driveshaft, the clutch mechanism having (a) an engaged position in which the driveshaft and the output shaft are rotationally engaged with each other, and (b) a disengaged position in which the driveshaft and the output shaft are rotationally disengaged from each other, wherein the driveshaft and the output shaft have a common rotational axis, and wherein a first axially-extending spline is disposed on the driveshaft, and wherein a second axially-extending spline is disposed on the output shaft, and wherein the clutch mechanism comprises a clutch shaft having a third axially-extending spline, the clutch shaft being selectively movable along the rotational axis, the first and second splines rotationally engaging the third spline when the clutch mechanism is in the engaged position, the third spline being disengaged from one of the first and second splines when the clutch mechanism is in the disengaged position. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the clutch mechanism further comprises:a disengaging rod having a first portion connected to the clutch shaft and a second portion; a disengaging member connected to the second portion of the disengaging rod, wherein selective movement of the disengaging member in a disengaging direction moves the clutch shaft axially, thereby disengaging the clutch shaft from the output shaft. 3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the disengaging member is prevented from being less than a predetermined axial distance from the output shaft.4. The vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a plate connected to the driveshaft at a fixed axial position relative to the output shaft,wherein when the disengaging member abuts the plate, the plate prevents the disengaging member from being less than the predetermined axial distance from the output shaft. 5. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the second portion of the disengaging rod is threaded, and wherein the disengaging member is a nut threaded onto the second portion, and wherein the selective movement of the disengaging nut comprises selective rotational movement.6. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the clutch mechanism further comprises a resilient member having first and second portions, the first portion being disposed at a fixed axial position relative to the driveshaft, the second portion being disposed at a fixed axial position relative to the clutch shaft, the resilient member applying an engaging force to the clutch shaft that tends to move the clutch shaft into engagement with the output shaft, and wherein when the clutch mechanism is in the disengaged position, movement of the disengaging member in an engaging direction allows the resilient member to apply the engaging force to the clutch shaft.7. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising:a first stop member connected to the driveshaft at a predetermined axial position on the driveshaft, the first stop member engaging the first portion of the resilient member; and a second stop member connected to the disengaging rod at a predetermined axial position on the disengaging rod, the second stop member engaging the second portion of the resilient member. 8. A hydrostatic motor mounting assembly comprising:a hydrostatic motor having an output shaft; a driveshaft; and a clutch mechanism disposed between the output shaft and the driveshaft, the clutch mechanism having (a) an engaged position in which the driveshaft and the output shaft are rotationally engaged with each other, and (b) a disengaged position in which the driveshaft and the output shaft are rotationally disengaged from each other, wherein the driveshaft and the output shaft have a common rotational axis, and wherein a first axially-extending spline is disposed on the driveshaft, and wherein a second axially-extending spline is disposed on the output shaft, and wherein the clutch mechanism comprises a clutch shaft having a third axially-extending spline, the clutch shaft being selectively movable along the rotational axis, the first and second splines rotationally engaging the third spline when the clutch mechanism is in the engaged position, the third spline being disengaged from one of the first and second splines when the clutch mechanism is in the disengaged position. 9. The hydrostatic motor mounting assembly of claim 8, wherein the clutch mechanism further comprises:a disengaging rod having a first portion connected to the clutch shaft and a second portion; a disengaging nut connected to the second portion of the disengaging rod and disposed a fixed distance from the output shaft, wherein selective rotation of the disengaging nut in a disengaging direction moves the clutch shaft axially, thereby disengaging the clutch shaft from the output shaft. 10. The hydrostatic motor mounting assembly of claim 9, further comprising a plate connected to the driveshaft at a fixed axial position relative to the output shaft,wherein when the disengaging nut abuts the plate, the plate prevents the disengaging nut from moving axially closer the output shaft. 11. The hydrostatic motor mounting assembly of claim 10, wherein a stop member is attached at a fixed position to the disengaging rod, and wherein the clutch mechanism further comprises a resilient member disposed between the plate and the stop member, the resilient member applying an engaging force to the clutch shaft that tends to move the clutch shaft into engagement with the output shaft, and wherein when the clutch mechanism is in the disengaged position, rotation of the disengaging nut in an engaging direction allows the resilient member to apply the engaging force to the clutch shaft.12. A motor mounting assembly comprising:a low speed, high torque motor having an output shaft; a driveshaft selectively rotationally connected to the output shaft; and a disengaging mechanism connected between the output shaft and the driveshaft including an axially moveable shaft engageable between the output shaft and the driveshaft, a connecting rod coupled between the moveable shaft and the driveshaft, a biasing mechanism secured to the driveshaft and the connecting rod that biases the moveable shaft toward the output shaft, and an engagement device coupled to the connecting rod to selectively move the connecting rod relative to the driveshaft and thereby selectively engage and disengage the driveshaft and the output shaft. 13. A motor mounting assembly comprising:a low speed, high torque motor having an output shaft; a driveshaft selectively rotationally connected to the output shaft; and a disengaging mechanism connected between the output shaft and the driveshaft including an axially moveable shaft engageable between the output shaft and the driveshaft, a connecting rod coupled between the moveable shaft and the driveshaft, a biasing mechanism secured to the driveshaft and the connecting rod that biases the moveable shaft toward the output shaft, and an engagement device coupled to the connecting rod to selectively move the connecting rod relative to the driveshaft and thereby selectively engage and disengage the driveshaft and the output shaft, wherein the driveshaft and the output shaft have a common rotational axis, and wherein a first axially-extending spline is disposed on the driveshaft, and wherein a second axially-extending spline is disposed on the output shaft, and wherein a third axially-extending spline is disposed on the axially moveable shaft, the axially moveable shaft being selectively movable along the rotational axis, the first and second splines rotationally engaging the third spline when the driveshaft is rotationally connected to the output shaft, the third spline being disengaged from one of the first and second splines when the driveshaft is not rotationally connected to the output shaft. 14. The motor mounting assembly of claim 12, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a resilient member having first and second portions, the first portion being disposed at a fixed axial position relative to the driveshaft, the second portion being disposed at a fixed axial position relative to the moveable shaft, the resilient member applying an engaging force to the moveable shaft that tends to move the moveable shaft into engagement with the output shaft, and wherein when the disengaging mechanism is in the disengaged position, movement of the engagement device in an engaging direction allows the resilient member to apply the engaging force to the axially-movable shaft.15. A motor mounting assembly comprising:a low speed, high torque motor having an output shaft; a driveshaft selectively rotationally connected to the output shaft; and a disengaging mechanism connected between the output shaft and the driveshaft including an axially moveable shaft engageable between the output shaft and the driveshaft, a connecting rod coupled between the moveable shaft and the driveshaft, a biasing mechanism secured to the driveshaft and the connecting rod that biases the moveable shaft toward the output shaft, and an engagement device coupled to the connecting rod to selectively move the connecting rod relative to the driveshaft and thereby selectively engage and disengage the drive shaft and the output shaft, wherein the engagement device is a disengaging nut connected to a threaded end of the connecting rod, and wherein selective rotation of the disengaging nut in a disengaging direction moves the moveable shaft axially, thereby disengaging the moveable shaft from the output shaft.