Power transmitting drive apparatus

Claim 2

A power transmitting drive apparatus for transmitting power from a single power source to a plurality of power consuming mechanisms, said apparatus comprising: housing structure, rotatable power input means positively positioned within said housing structure and operatively connected to a source of power, at least two intermediate power transmitting means rotatably driven by said power input means and supported within said housing structure by stationary support means that comprise a part of said housing structure, each of said intermediate means driving a plurality of power output means positively positioned and supported within said housing structure and operatively connected to said power consuming mechanisms, the improvement comprising each of said support means having a sufficient dimension along a line extending between the center of rotation of said input means and the center of rotation of each of said intermediate means that the latter can be mounted with its center of rotation at various locations along said line.

Claim 3

The drive apparatus of claim 1, wherein said housing structure includes a housing main body and said support means includes a journal box for each of said intermediate means.

Claim 4

The drive apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of said journal boxes integrally is formed with said main body and is substantially elliptical in cross section and has a long axis lying along said line and a short axis extending normal to said line.

Claim 5

A four pump drive apparatus for transmitting power from a single power source to each of a plurality of fluid pumps, said apparatus comprising: a housing main body, a drive gear centrally located and rotatably supported within said housing and being operatively connected to a source of power, a pair of idler gears driven by said drive gear and supported within said housing on opposite sides of said drive gear with the centers of rotation of said idler gears lying along a line passing through the center of rotation of said drive gear, said idler gears being supported by bearings mounted in openings formed in bearing support webs extending from said housing main body, four power output gears operatively connected to and driving four pumps, said output gears each being rotatably supported in one quadrant of said housing with a pair of said output gears being driven by each of said idler gears, said webs having a sufficient dimension along said line such that the locations of said openings can vary and each of said idler gears can be mounted with its center of rotation positioned at various locations along said line, whereby different sized idler gears can be utilized to drive each pair of output gears.

Claim 6

A four pump drive apparatus for transmitting power from a single power source to each of a plurality of fluid pumps, said apparatus comprising: a housing main body, a drive gear centrally located and rotatably supported within said housing and being operatively connected to a source of power, a pair of idler gears driven by said drive gear and supported within said housing on opposite sides of said drive gear with the centers of rotation of said idler gears lying along a line passing through the center of rotation of said drive gear, said idler gears being supported by bearings mounted in openings formed in bearing support webs extending from said housing main body, four power output gears operatively connected to and driving four pumps, said output gears each being rotatably supported in one quadrant of said housing with a pair of said output gears being driven by each of said idler gears, said webs having a sufficient dimension along said line such that the locations of said openings can vary and each of said idler gears can be mounted with its center of rotation positioned at various locations along said line, whereby different sized idler gears can be utilized to drive each pair of output gears.

Claim 7

A four pump drive apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said webs substantially are elliptical in shape and have a major axis lying along said line.

Claim 8

A four pump drive apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said openings are circular and each of said webs has a dimension along said major axis such that the position of the center of each of said openings can vary along said axis.

Claim 9

A housing for drive apparatus for transmitting power from a power source to a plurality of power consuming mechanisms, said housing having a main body defining a chamber, a centrally located main body wall portion defining a first opening and comprising a journal bearing support for an input shaft operatively connected to said power source and mounting a positively located drive gear on one end thereof within said chamber, first boSs means in each of four housing quadrants extending from said main body wall into said chamber for supporting bearings for each of four positively located output gears that is spaced from said input gear and is operatively connected to a power consuming mechanism, a pair of second boss means extending from said main body wall on opposite sides of said wall portion for supporting bearings for a pair of variably located idler gears, each of said idler gears being driven by said drive gear and driving a pair of said output gears, said second boss means each defining at least one circular second opening, the centers of said second openings lying on a line passing through the center of said first opening, said second boss means each having a sufficient dimension along said line such that the locations of the centers of said second openings can vary and different sized idler gears can be mounted by each of said second boss means.

Claim 10

A housing for drive apparatus for transmitting power from a power source to a plurality of power consuming mechanisms, said housing having a main body defining a chamber, a centrally located main body wall portion defining a first opening and comprising a journal bearing support for an input shaft operatively connected to said power source and mounting a positively located drive gear on one end thereof within said chamber, first boSs means in each of four housing quadrants extending from said main body wall into said chamber for supporting bearings for each of four positively located output gears that is spaced from said input gear and is operatively connected to a power consuming mechanism, a pair of second boss means extending from said main body wall on opposite sides of said wall portion for supporting bearings for a pair of variably located idler gears, each of said idler gears being driven by said drive gear and driving a pair of said output gears, said second boss means each defining at least one circular second opening, the centers of said second openings lying on a line passing through the center of said first opening, said second boss means each having a sufficient dimension along said line such that the locations of the centers of said second openings can vary and different sized idler gears can be mounted by each of said second boss means.

Claim 11

A housing according to claim 7, wherein each of said second boss means is substantially elliptical in shape and has a major axis lying along said line.