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A gearbox assembly comprising a casing defining a cavity for housing gears of an engine-driven apparatus, the casing having at least one substantially flat exterior surface for receiving a cooler plate, and a cooler plate mounted to the casing at the substantially flat exterior surface, the cooler p

A gearbox assembly comprising a casing defining a cavity for housing gears of an engine-driven apparatus, the casing having at least one substantially flat exterior surface for receiving a cooler plate, and a cooler plate mounted to the casing at the substantially flat exterior surface, the cooler plate isolated from the cavity by the flat exterior surface, the cooler plate having a channel for receiving a liquid for cooling the casing and at least one port in communication with the channel. At least one further embodiment includes a gearbox assembly where the channel is aligned with the exterior surface for supplying liquid in contact with the surface. The invention also includes a cooler plate for attachment at a closed exterior surface of a gearbox in order to supply cooling liquid in contact with the gearbox surface to cool the gearbox.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A cooler plate for attachment to an exterior surface of a gearbox in order to supply cooling liquid in contact with the exterior surface of the gearbox to cool the gearbox, said cooler plate comprising: a body having a first side and a channel wall, said channel wall defining a liquid-

We claim: 1. A cooler plate for attachment to an exterior surface of a gearbox in order to supply cooling liquid in contact with the exterior surface of the gearbox to cool the gearbox, said cooler plate comprising: a body having a first side and a channel wall, said channel wall defining a liquid-receiving channel for receiving the cooling liquid, said liquid-receiving channel having at least one direction-reversing turn, at least a portion of said liquid-receiving channel exposed to view from said first side, at least a portion of said channel wall comprising an upper-most portion of said cooler plate; an insert port in communication with said liquid-receiving channel and in communication with a side other than said first side; and an exit port wherefrom the cooling liquid exits said liquid-receiving channel; whereby the cooling liquid travels through said liquid-receiving channel in contact with the exterior surface of the gearbox to which said cooler plate attaches in order to cool the gearbox. 2. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein substantially all of said liquid-receiving channel is exposed to view at said upper side. 3. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein said cooler plate includes mounting means for mounting said cooler plate to the gearbox. 4. A cooler plate according to claim 3 wherein said mounting means includes an aperture defined by said body. 5. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein said liquid-receiving channel has at least two direction-reversing turns. 6. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein said body is made of cast iron and is rectangular in shape. 7. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein said body defines a groove positioned between said liquid-receiving channel and a perimeter of said cooler plate. 8. A cooler plate according to claim 7 wherein said cooler plate includes an O-ring which is received by said groove. 9. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein said cooler plate includes a drain valve for draining the liquid from said liquid-receiving channel. 10. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein said cooler plate includes liquid supply means for supplying cooling liquid to said insert port. 11. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein said body includes a second side and wherein said insert port is in communication with said second side. 12. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein said first side includes a first side face, wherein said channel wall includes a channel wall face, and wherein at least a portion of said channel wall face is flush with said first side face. 13. A cooler plate according to claim 12 wherein said channel wall and said first side face comprise an upper-most portion of said cooler plate. 14. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein said body includes an exit tunnel in communication with said exit port. 15. A cooler plate according to claim 1 wherein said body includes an insert tunnel in connection with said insert port. 16. A cooler plate for covering a substantially flat and closed portion of the exterior surface of a gearbox in order to cool the gearbox, said cooler plate comprising: a body having a first side and a channel wall, said channel wall defining an exposed-to-view channel for receiving a cooling liquid, said exposed-to-view channel having at least one direction-reversing turn, at least a portion of said channel wall comprising an upper-most portion of said cooler plate; an insert port in communication with said exposed-to-view channel; and an exit port wherefrom the cooling liquid exits said exposed-to-view channel; whereby the cooling liquid travels through said exposed-to-view channel in contact with the exterior surface of the gearbox of which said cooler plate covers in order to cool the gearbox. 17. A cooler plate according to claim 16 wherein said body has a second side defining said insert port. 18. A cooler plate according to claim 16 wherein said cooler plate includes mounting means for mounting said cooler plate to the gearbox. 19. The cooler plate according to claim 18 wherein said mounting means includes at least one aperture for receiving a mounting bolt. 20. The cooler plate according to claim 16 wherein said body includes an insert tunnel in communication with said insert port. 21. The cooler plate according to claim 16 wherein said body includes an exit tunnel in communication with said exit port. 22. The cooler plate according to claim 16 wherein said exposed-to-view channel has at least two direction-reversing turns. 23. A gearbox assembly, said assembly comprising: a casing defining a cavity housing gears of an engine-driven apparatus, said casing having at least one substantially flat exterior surface for receiving a cooler plate; and a cooler plate mounted to said casing at said substantially flat exterior surface, said cooler plate having a channel and at least one port in communication with said channel, said channel for receiving a liquid for cooling said casing, said channel having at least one direction-reversing turn, said channel in communication with said flat exterior surface, said channel isolated from communication with said cavity. 24. A gearbox assembly according to claim 23 wherein said cooler plate includes a return port in communication with said channel. 25. A gearbox assembly according to claim 23 wherein said channel includes at least two direction-reversing turns. 26. A gearbox assembly according to claim 24 wherein said cooler plate includes a drain valve for draining the liquid from said channel. 27. A gearbox assembly according to claim 24 wherein said cooler plate includes an exit tunnel in communication with said return port. 28. A gearbox assembly according to claim 23 wherein said cooler plate includes an insert tunnel in communication with said at least one port. 29. A gearbox assembly according to claim 23 wherein said cooler plate includes a substantially solid body having an upper side and a lower side, said channel defined by said upper side. 30. A gearbox assembly, said assembly comprising: a casing defining a cavity for housing gears of an engine-driven apparatus, said casing having at least one substantially flat exterior surface for receiving a cooler plate; and a cooler plate mounted to said casing at said substantially flat exterior surface, said cooler plate having a channel wall defining a channel, said channel for receiving and positioning a liquid in contact with said exterior surface for cooling said casing, said channel isolated from said cavity, at least one port in communication with said channel, said channel wall having at least one direction-reversing turn, at least a portion of said channel wall in contact with said exterior surface. 31. A gearbox assembly according to claim 30 wherein said cooler plate includes a return port in communication with said channel. 32. A gearbox assembly according to claim 30 wherein said channel wall has at least two direction-reversing turns. 33. A gearbox assembly according to claim 30 wherein said cooler plate includes an insert tunnel in communication with said at least one port. 34. A gearbox assembly according to claim 30 wherein said cooler plate includes an exit tunnel in communication with said channel. 35. A method of cooling a gearbox having a casing defining a cavity, said method comprising: providing a cooler plate having a first side and a channel wall, said channel wall defining a liquid-receiving channel for receiving a cooling liquid, said liquid-receiving channel having at least one direction-reversing turn, at least one port in communication with said channel; mounting said cooler plate to the casing of the gearbox while isolating said channel from the cavity and while positioning said channel in communication with the casing; and introducing liquid through said port in communication with said channel and in contact with the casing to thereby cool the gearbox.