Planetary reduction drive

Claim 2

A planetary reduction drive comprising; a mounting flange having a hollow spindle extending outwardly from one side thereof, said spindle having an outer end, means for securing said flange to a support member, and means for mounting a drive motor on the other side of said flange with its output shaft extending into said spindle; an input shaft coaxial with said motor shaft having a first portion extending into said spindle and a second portion extending outwardly from said outer end thereof; means for coupling said first portion of said input shaft to said motor shaft; a fixed ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, and means for securing said fixed ring gear to said spindle adjacent said outer end thereof; a housing having a first hub portion surrounding and rotatably mounted on said spindle, a second hub portion sUrrounding said fixed ring gear, and an annular flange intermediate said first and second hub portions for mounting a wheel thereon; an output ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, secured to said second hub portion of said housing, and spaced outwardly from said fixed ring gear; a planet carrier within said ring gear and supporting at least two planet shafts in spaced, parallel relationship with said second portion of said input shaft, each of said planet shafts having a cluster of first and second planet gears thereon connected to rotate in unison, said first planet gears meshing with said fixed ring gear and said second planet gears meshing with said output ring gear; at least one sun gear on said second portion of said input shaft and meshing with one planet gear of each cluster; and means for connecting said sun gear to said second portion of said input shaft for rotation therewith.

Claim 3

A planetary reduction drive comprising: a mounting flange having a hollow spindle extending outwardly from one side thereof, said spindle having an outer end, means for securing said flange to a support member, and means for mounting a drive motor on the other side of said flange with its output shaft extending into said spindle; an input shaft coaxial with said motor shaft having a first portion extending into said spindle and a second portion extending outwardly from said outer end thereof; means for coupling said first portion of said input shaft to said motor shaft; a fixed ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, and means for securing said fixed ring gear to said spindle adjacent said outer end thereof; a housing having a first hub portion surrounding and rotatably mounted on said spindle, a second hub portion surrounding said fixed ring gear, and an annular flange intermediate said first and second hub portions for mounting a sprocket thereon; an output ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, secured to said second hub portion of said housing, and spaced outwardly from said fixed ring gear; a planet carrier within said ring gear and supporting at least two planet shafts in spaced, parallel relationship with said second portion of said input shaft, each of said planet shafts having a cluster of first and second planet gears thereon connected to rotate in unison, said first planet gears meshing with said fixed ring gear and said second planet gears meshing with said output ring gear; at least one sun gear on said second portion of said input shaft and meshing with one planet gear of each cluster; and means for connecting said sun gear to said second portion of said input shaft for rotation therewith.

Claim 4

A planetary reduction drive comprising: a mounting flange having a hollow spindle extending outwardly from one side thereof, said spindle having an outer end, means for securing said flange to a support member, and means for mounting a drive motor on the other side of said flange with its output shaft extending into said spindle; an input shaft coaxial with said motor shaft having a first portion extending into said spindle and a second portion extending outwardly from said outer end thereof; means for coupling said first portion of said input shaft to said motor shaft; a fixed ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, and means for securing said fixed ring gear to said spindle adjacent said outer end thereof; a housing having a first hub portion surrounding and rotatably mounted on said spindle, a second hub portion surrounding said fixed ring gear, and an annular flange intermediate said first and second hub portions for mounting a sprocket thereon; an output ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, secured to said second hub portion of said housing, and spaced outwardly from said fixed ring gear; a planet carrier within said ring gear and supporting at least two planet shafts in spaced, parallel relationship with said second portion of said input shaft, each of said planet shafts having a cluster of first and second planet gears thereon connected to rotate in unison, said first planet gears meshing with said fixed ring gear and said second planet gears meshing with said output ring gear; at least one sun gear on said second portion of said input shaft and meshing with one planet gear of each cluster; and means for connecting said sun gear to said second portion of said input shaft for rotation therewith.

Claim 5

A planetary reduction drive comprising: a mounting flange having a hollow spindle extending outwardly from one side thereof, said spindle having an outer end, means for securing said flange to a support member, and means for mounting a drive motor on the other side of said flange with its output shaft extending into said spindle; an input shaft coaxial with said motor shaft having a first portion extending into said spindle and a second portion extending outwardly from said outer end thereof; means for coupling said first portion of said input shaft to said motor shaft; a fixed ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, and means for securing said fixed ring gear to said spindle adjacent said outer end thereof; a housing having a first hub portion surrounding and rotatably mounted on said spindle, a second hub portion surrounding said fixed ring gear, and means for mounting a rotatable driven element on said housing; an output ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, secured to said second hub portion of said housing, and spaced outwardly from said fixed ring gear; a planet carrier within said ring gear and supporting at least two planet shafts in spaced, parallel relationship with said seconD portion of said input shaft, each of said planet shafts having a cluster of first and second planet gears thereon connected to rotate in unison, said first planet gears meshing with said fixed ring gear and said second planet gears meshing with said output ring gear; first and second sun gears on said second portion of said input shaft and respectively in mesh with said first and second planet gears; connecting means for selectively connecting one or the other of said sun gears to said second portion of said input shaft for rotation thereby and for providing two different speed reduction ratios for said drive, said selective connecting means having an axially movable sleeve surrounding and having a splined connection with said second portion of said input shaft, said sleeve having first and second ends, said sun gears being rotatably mounted on said sleeve between said ends thereof, said first sun gear being associated with said first end and said second sun gear being associated with said second end, said sun gears respectively having clutch teeth on the sides thereof facing said respective associated ends of said sleeve, said sleeve having clutch teeth respectively formed on said first and second ends thereof, and means for selectively and axially shifting said sleeve between a first position wherein the clutch teeth on said first sun gear engages the clutch teeth on said first end and the clutch teeth on said second sun gear are disengaged from the clutch teeth on said second end, and a second position wherein the clutch teeth on said first sun gear are disengaged from the clutch teeth on said first end and the clutch teeth on said second sun gear are engaged with said clutch teeth on said second end; and a braking member having braking teeth thereon, said sleeve having braking teeth formed on one of said first and second ends thereof, and means for selectively moving said braking member between a braking position wherein said braking teeth on said braking member engage said braking teeth of said sleeve, and an inactive position wherein said braking teeth on said braking member are disengaged from the braking teeth on said sleeve.

Claim 6

A planetary reduction drive comprising: a mounting flange having a hollow spindle extending outwardly from one side thereof, said spindle having an outer end, means for securing said flange to a support member, and means for mounting a drive motor on the other side of said flange with its output shaft extending into said spindle; an input shaft coaxial with said motor shaft having a first portion extending into said spindle and a second portion extending outwardly from said outer end thereof; means for coupling said first portion of said input shaft to said motor shaft; a fixed ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, and means for securing said fixed ring gear to said spindle adjacent said outer end thereof; a housing having a first hub portion surrounding and rotatably mounted on said spindle, a second hub portion surrounding said fixed ring gear, and means for mounting a rotatable driven element on said housing; an output ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, secured to said second hub portion of said housing, and spaced outwardly from said fixed ring gear; a planet carrier within said ring gear and supporting at least two planet shafts in spaced, parallel relationship with said seconD portion of said input shaft, each of said planet shafts having a cluster of first and second planet gears thereon connected to rotate in unison, said first planet gears meshing with said fixed ring gear and said second planet gears meshing with said output ring gear; first and second sun gears on said second portion of said input shaft and respectively in mesh with said first and second planet gears; connecting means for selectively connecting one or the other of said sun gears to said second portion of said input shaft for rotation thereby and for providing two different speed reduction ratios for said drive, said selective connecting means having an axially movable sleeve surrounding and having a splined connection with said second portion of said input shaft, said sleeve having first and second ends, said sun gears being rotatably mounted on said sleeve between said ends thereof, said first sun gear being associated with said first end and said second sun gear being associated with said second end, said sun gears respectively having clutch teeth on the sides thereof facing said respective associated ends of said sleeve, said sleeve having clutch teeth respectively formed on said first and second ends thereof, and means for selectively and axially shifting said sleeve between a first position wherein the clutch teeth on said first sun gear engages the clutch teeth on said first end and the clutch teeth on said second sun gear are disengaged from the clutch teeth on said second end, and a second position wherein the clutch teeth on said first sun gear are disengaged from the clutch teeth on said first end and the clutch teeth on said second sun gear are engaged with said clutch teeth on said second end; and a braking member having braking teeth thereon, said sleeve having braking teeth formed on one of said first and second ends thereof, and means for selectively moving said braking member between a braking position wherein said braking teeth on said braking member engage said braking teeth of said sleeve, and an inactive position wherein said braking teeth on said braking member are disengaged from the braking teeth on said sleeve.

Claim 7

The drive of claim 3 further comprising first actuator means mounted in said spindle for actuating said means for shifting said sleeve, and second actuator means mounted in said spindle for actuating means for selectively moving said braking member.

Claim 8

A planetary reduction drive comprising: a mounting flange having a hollow spindle extending outwardly from one side thereof, said spindle having an outer end, means for securing said flange to a support member, and means for mounting a drive motor on the other side of said flange with its output shaft extending into said spindle; an input shaft coaxial with said motor shaft having a first portion extending into said spindle and a second portion extending outwardly from said outer end thereof; means for coupling said first portion of said input shaft to said motor shaft; a fixed ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, and means for securing said fixed ring gear to said spindle adjacent said outer end thereof; a housing having a first hub portion surrounding and rotatably mounted on said spindle, a second hub portion surrounding said fixed ring gear, and means for mounting a rotatable driven element on said housing; an output ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, secured to said second hub portion of said housing, and spaced outwardly from said fixed ring gear; a planet carrier within said ring gear and supporting at least two planet shafts in spaced, parallel relationship with said second portion of said input shaft, each of said planet shafts having a cluster of first and second planet gears thereon connected to rotate in unison, said first planet gears meshing with said fixed ring gear and said second planet gears meshing with said output ring gear; at least one sun gear on said second portion of said input shafT and meshing with one planet gear of each cluster; means for connecting said sun gear to said second portion of said input shaft for rotation therewith; and braking means for arresting rotation of said housing.

Claim 9

A planetary reduction drive comprising: a mounting flange having a hollow spindle extending outwardly from one side thereof, said spindle having an outer end, means for securing said flange to a support member, and means for mounting a drive motor on the other side of said flange with its output shaft extending into said spindle; an input shaft coaxial with said motor shaft having a first portion extending into said spindle and a second portion extending outwardly from said outer end thereof; means for coupling said first portion of said input shaft to said motor shaft; a fixed ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, and means for securing said fixed ring gear to said spindle adjacent said outer end thereof; a housing having a first hub portion surrounding and rotatably mounted on said spindle, a second hub portion surrounding said fixed ring gear, and means for mounting a rotatable driven element on said housing; an output ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, secured to said second hub portion of said housing, and spaced outwardly from said fixed ring gear; a planet carrier within said ring gear and supporting at least two planet shafts in spaced, parallel relationship with said second portion of said input shaft, each of said planet shafts having a cluster of first and second planet gears thereon connected to rotate in unison, said first planet gears meshing with said fixed ring gear and said second planet gears meshing with said output ring gear; at least one sun gear on said second portion of said input shafT and meshing with one planet gear of each cluster; means for connecting said sun gear to said second portion of said input shaft for rotation therewith; and braking means for arresting rotation of said housing.

Claim 10

The drive of claim 5 wherein said first hub portion of said housing has a plurality of radially spaced slots formed in its outer surface,and said braking means comprises a pin adapted to be extended into one of said slots.

Claim 11

the drive of claim 5 wherein said braking means comprises an annular brake disc mounted on said housing, and means including caliper brake elements for selectively engaging said brake disc.