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A method and apparatus for providing improved lubrication of a spline connection between a PTO driver and a bevel gearbox in which lubricant from the bevel gear housing is directed to a location above and radially outwardly from the splined connection and the apparatus then directs the lubricant flo

A method and apparatus for providing improved lubrication of a spline connection between a PTO driver and a bevel gearbox in which lubricant from the bevel gear housing is directed to a location above and radially outwardly from the splined connection and the apparatus then directs the lubricant flow toward the splined connection by force of gravity. The apparatus is configured to be self-aligning when installed in an existing receptacle in the gearbox housing thereby enabling the apparatus to be conveniently installed in a housing designed to utilize gearbox lubricant to lubricate the splines.

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1. In a gearbox for driving a cutterbar of an agricultural header, the gearbox having a main housing with an interior portion containing at least one drive gear and configured for holding lubricant and a shaft connected to the at least one drive gear by an axially displaceable connector, the shaft e

1. In a gearbox for driving a cutterbar of an agricultural header, the gearbox having a main housing with an interior portion containing at least one drive gear and configured for holding lubricant and a shaft connected to the at least one drive gear by an axially displaceable connector, the shaft extending generally vertically therefrom along an axis, the improvement in the gearbox comprising: a pilot cavity disposed generally above the interior portion;an opening within the housing between the interior portion and said pilot cavity, said opening arranged along said axis and allowing passage of the shaft and the lubricant between the interior portion and said pilot cavity;at least one conduit extending through the housing from the interior portion to said pilot cavity for conveying the lubricant to said pilot cavity;a lubricant deflector having a central axis and a generally planar annulus from which a plurality of tabs extend to define an outer periphery, each of said plurality of tabs having a width and being spaced apart from the adjacent tab creating a gap therebetween, an aperture aligned on said central axis, and a tapered portion extending downward from the annulus to the aperture; and;wherein said tabs are configured to sit in said pilot cavity and configured such that a portion of said at least one conduit is unobstructed by said deflector maintaining a flow path from the interior portion through the conduit and past an upper surface of the deflector toward the aperture. 2. The improvement of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of conduits extending from the interior portion to said pilot cavity, wherein said plurality of tabs is configured such that at least one of said plurality of conduits remains unobstructed by said plurality of tabs on said deflector, regardless of the rotational position of said deflector in said pilot cavity. 3. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said aperture has a diameter greater than the diameter of the shaft thereby creating an annular opening therebetween. 4. The improvement of claim 3, wherein said plurality of tabs symmetrically disposed around said outer periphery and have generally planar lower surfaces with one another. 5. The improvement of claim 3, wherein the shaft is rotatable with respect to the deflector. 6. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said conduit is positioned in alignment with a periphery of a gear located in the main housing. 7. A lubrication system for a gearbox comprising a gearbox housing comprising at least one vertically oriented shaft disposed within, the housing configured for containing lubricant and having a first interior portion and a second interior portion disposed above the first interior portion, at least one conduit extending within the housing between the first interior portion and said second interior portion, and an opening within the housing through which the shaft extends from the first to the second interior portion; anda lubricant guide comprising a generally planar base structure having a central axis, an interior periphery, and an exterior periphery, said interior and exterior peripheries symmetrically disposed about said central axis;a plurality of positioning structures extending radially outwardly from said exterior periphery, said plurality of positioning structures configured to define an outer perimeter, said plurality of positioning structures having a plurality of gaps in said outer perimeter between adjacent positioning structures, wherein the positioning structures are positioned to allow at least a portion of lubricant flow to pass through the at least one conduit; anda deflector formed from a surface extending from said interior periphery downwardly and radially-inwardly to an aperture and forming a conical structure centered on said central axis;wherein said positioning structures are positioned to provide support to the lubricant guide in the second interior portion and the deflector configured to direct a flow of lubricant from the at least one conduit to flow inwardly toward said aperture. 8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of conduits extending from the interior portion to the second interior portion, wherein said plurality of positioning structures is configured such that at least one of said plurality of conduits remains unobstructed by said plurality of positioning structures, regardless of the rotational position of said apparatus in the second interior portion. 9. The system of claim 7, wherein said aperture has a diameter greater than the diameter of the shaft thereby creating an annular opening therebetween when said lubricant guide is operationally positioned in the second interior portion. 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the shaft is rotatable with respect to the deflector. 11. The system of claim 7, wherein said plurality of positioning structures is symmetrically disposed around said exterior periphery. 12. A method for oiling coupling connection in a vertically oriented shaft disposed along an axis in a gearbox housing, the housing having a first interior portion containing a volume of lubricant, a second interior portion disposed above the first interior portion and above the coupling connection, the method comprising the steps of: providing at least one conduit extending through the housing between the first and the second interior portions aligned above a movable component of the gearbox, providing an opening in the housing through which the shaft extends from the first interior portion through the second interior portion toward the exterior of the housing;providing a lubricant guide having a generally base structure, an interior periphery, and an exterior periphery, each said periphery symmetrically disposed about the axis, the guide further having a plurality of positioning structures extending radially outwardly from the exterior periphery to define an outer perimeter, the plurality of positioning structures by a plurality of gaps between adjacent positioning structures, a deflector extending radially inwardly from said interior periphery, the deflector angled from the base structure to create a conical structure centered on the axis, and a generally circular aperture in the deflector centered on the axis;positioning the lubricant guide in the second interior portion such that the shaft extends through the aperture and the deflector is angled downwardly toward the shaft; andoperating the gearbox, such that movement of the component directs lubricant from the first interior portion through the at least one conduit to the second interior portion whereupon a portion of the lubricant passes through at least one of the plurality of gaps onto an upward-facing surface of the lubricant guide and toward the aperture and the coupling connection on the shaft. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing at least one conduit includes providing a plurality of conduits extending between the first and the second interior portions; the method further comprising the steps of:configuring the plurality of positioning structures in a manner such that no more than one of the plurality of conduits is obstructed by the plurality of positioning structures regardless of the rotational orientation of the guide. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the component is a gear and the at least one conduit is positioned in alignment with the periphery of the gear located in the housing.