All-terrain vehicle

Claim 2

A vehicle comprising a frame, an engine mounted on said frame and including a crankshaft, a gear case mounted on said frame, a pair of hydrostatic transmissions respectively detachably mounted on the opposed sides of the exterior of said gear case and each including an input shaft extending into said gear case, an output shaft extending into said gear case in parallel relation to said input shaft, a pivotally mounted swash plate to provide for swash plate movement in response to control arm movement whereby to locate said swash plate in positions affording neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions of said transmissions, power input means connected to said crankshaft exteriorly of said gear case and connected to said hydrostatic transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear case, power output means connected interiorly of said gear case to said hydrostatic transmission output shafts and including a pair of axle shafts, first and second sprockets fixed respectively on said axle shafts, first and second endless flexible tracks respectively trained about said first and second sprockets, and means for moving said control arms to provide for coordinated speed and direction control of said tracks.

Claim 3

A vehicle comprising a frame, an engine mounted on said frame and including a crankshaft, a gear case mounted on said frame, a pair of hydrostatic transmissions respectively detachably mounted on the opposed sides of the exterior of said gear case and each including an input shaft extending into said gear case, an output shaft extending into said gear case in parallel relation to said input shaft, a pivotally mounted swash plate, and a control arm connected to said swash plate to provide for swash plate movement in response to control arm movement whereby to locate said control arm and swash plate in positions affording neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions of said transmissions, power input means connected to said crankshaft exteriorly of said gear case and connected to said hydrostatic transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear case, power output means connected interiorly of said gear case to said hydrostatic transmission output shafts and including a pair of axle shafts, first and second sprockets fixed respectively on said axle shafts, first and second endless flexible tracks respectively trained about said first and second sprockets, a control member, means mounting said control member on said frame for movement about a first axis, means mounting said control member on said frame for movement about a second axis at right angles to said first axis, a pair of links connected respectively to said control arms and to said control member at the same distance from and on opposite sides of said first axis and at the same distance from and on the same side of said second axis, a stop including a blocking portion, means mounting said stop on said frame for movement of said blocking portion relative to a position in the path of control member movement about one of said axes to limit control member movement about said one axis to thereby prevent movement of said control arm to reverse drive positions, and a spring connected to said stop for biasing said blocking portion to said position.

Claim 4

A vehicle comprising a frame, an engine mounted on said frame and including a crankshaft, a gear case mounted on said frame, a pair of hydrostatic transmissions respectively detachably mounted on the opposed sides of the exterior of said gear case and each including an input shaft extending into said gear case, an output shaft extending into said gear case in parallel relation to said input shaft, a pivotally mounted swash plate, and a control arm connected to said swash plate to provide for swash plate movement in response to control arm movement whereby to locate said control arm and swash plate in positions affording neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions of said transmissions, power input means connected to said crankshaft exteriorly of said gear case and connected to said hydrostatic transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear case, power output means connected interiorly of said gear case to said hydrostatic transmission output shafts and including a pair of axle shafts, first and second sprockets fixed respectively on said axle shafts, first and second endless flexible tracks respectively trained about said first and second sprockets, a control member, means mounting said control member on said frame for movement about a first axis, means mounting said control member on said frame for movement about a second axis at right angles to said first axis, a pair of links connected respectively to said control arms and to said control member at the same distance from and on opposite sides of said first axis and at the same distance from and on the same side of said second axis, a stop including a blocking portion, means mounting said stop on said frame for movement of said blocking portion relative to a position in the path of control member movement about one of said axes to limit control member movement about said one axis to thereby prevent movement of said control arm to reverse drive positions, and a spring connected to said stop for biasing said blocking portion to said position.

Claim 5

A vehicle comprising a frame, an engine mounted on said frame and including a crankshaft, a gear case mounted on said frame, a pair of hydrostatic transmissions respectively detachably mounted on the opposed sides of the exterior of said gear case and each including an input shaft extending into said gear case, an output shaft extending into said gear case in parallel relation to said input shaft, a pivotally mounted swash plate, a control arm conneCted to said swash plate to provide for swash plate movement in response to control arm movement whereby to locate said swash plate in positions affording neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions of said transmissions, and hydraulic fluid passages, power input means connected to said crankshaft exteriorly of said gear case and connected to said hydrostatic transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear case, power output means connected interiorly of said gear case to said hydrostatic transmission output shafts and including a pair of axle shafts, a hydraulic fluid radiator mounted on said frame and including hydraulic fluid passages, a hydraulic fluid circulation system including hydraulic connections coupling said transmission passages, said radiator passages and said gear case in a closed series hydraulic circuit, first and second sprockets fixed respectively on said axle shafts, first and second endless flexible tracks respectively trained about said first and second sprockets, and means for moving said control arms to provide for coordinated speed and direction control of said tracks.

Claim 6

A vehicle comprising a frame, an engine mounted on said frame and including a crankshaft, a gear case mounted on said frame, a pair of hydrostatic transmissions respectively detachably mounted on the opposed sides of the exterior of said gear case and each including an input shaft extending into said gear case, an output shaft extending into said gear case in parallel relation to said input shaft, a pivotally mounted swash plate, a control arm conneCted to said swash plate to provide for swash plate movement in response to control arm movement whereby to locate said swash plate in positions affording neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions of said transmissions, and hydraulic fluid passages, power input means connected to said crankshaft exteriorly of said gear case and connected to said hydrostatic transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear case, power output means connected interiorly of said gear case to said hydrostatic transmission output shafts and including a pair of axle shafts, a hydraulic fluid radiator mounted on said frame and including hydraulic fluid passages, a hydraulic fluid circulation system including hydraulic connections coupling said transmission passages, said radiator passages and said gear case in a closed series hydraulic circuit, first and second sprockets fixed respectively on said axle shafts, first and second endless flexible tracks respectively trained about said first and second sprockets, and means for moving said control arms to provide for coordinated speed and direction control of said tracks.

Claim 7

A vehicle comprising a gear case, an engine connected to said gear case and including a crankshaft, a pair of transmissions respectively detachably mounted on the opposed sides of the exterior of said gear case and each including an input shaft extending into said gear case, an output shaft extending into said gear case in parallel relation to said input shaft, and a control arm operable to provide neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions, power input means connected to said crankshaft exteriorly of said gear case and connected to said transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear case, and power output means connected interiorly of said gear case to said transmission output shafts and including a pair of co-axial power output shafts extending exteriorly of said gear case.

Claim 8

A vehicle comprising a gear case, an engine connected to said gear case and including a crankshaft, a pair of transmissions respectively detachably mounted on the opposed sides of the exterior of said gear case and each including an input shaft extending into said gear case, an output shaft extending into said gear case in parallel relation to said input shaft, and a control arm operable to provide neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions, power input means connected to said crankshaft exteriorly of said gear case and connected to said transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear case, and power output means connected interiorly of said gear case to said transmission output shafts and including a pair of co-axial power output shafts extending exteriorly of said gear case.

Claim 9

A vehicle in accordance with claim 4 and including a frame and wherein said gear case and said engine are mounted on said frame, wherein said pair of transmissions comprise hydrostatic transmissions each also including a pivotally mounted swash plate, and wherein said control arm is connected to said swash plate to provide for swash plate movement in response to control arm movement whereby to locate said swash plates in positions affording neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions, and further including first and second sprockets fixed respectively on said power output shafts, first and second endless flexible tracks respectively trained about said first and second sprockets, and means for moving said control arms to provide for coordinated speed and direction control of said tracks.

Claim 10

A vehicle comprising a frame, an engine mounted on said frame and including a crankshaft, a gear box mounted on said frame, a pair of hydrostatic transmissions respectively detachably mounted on the opposed sides of the exterior of said gear box and each including an input shaft extending into said gear box, an output shaft extending into said gear box in parallel relation to said input shaft, a control arm operable to provide neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions, and hydraulic fluid passages, a power input means connected to said crankshaft exteriorly of said gear box and connected to said hydrostatic transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear box, power output means connected interiorly of said gear box to said hydrostatic transmission output shafts and including power output shafts extending exteriorly of said gear box, a hydraulic fluid radiator mounted on said frame and including hydraulic fluid passages, and a hydraulic fluid circulation system including hydraulic connections coupling said transmission passages, said radiator passages and said gear box in a closed series hydraulic circuit.

Claim 11

A vehicle comprising a frame, an engine mounted on said frame and including a crankshaft, a gear box mounted on said frame, a pair of hydrostatic transmissions respectively detachably mounted on the opposed sides of the exterior of said gear box and each including an input shaft extending into said gear box, an output shaft extending into said gear box in parallel relation to said input shaft, a control arm operable to provide neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions, and hydraulic fluid passages, a power input means connected to said crankshaft exteriorly of said gear box and connected to said hydrostatic transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear box, power output means connected interiorly of said gear box to said hydrostatic transmission output shafts and including power output shafts extending exteriorly of said gear box, a hydraulic fluid radiator mounted on said frame and including hydraulic fluid passages, and a hydraulic fluid circulation system including hydraulic connections coupling said transmission passages, said radiator passages and said gear box in a closed series hydraulic circuit.

Claim 12

A vehicle comprising a body including a bottom wall, a front wall extending from said bottom wall, opposed side walls extending from said bottom wall and from said front wall, a powEr assembly including a frame connected to said body and including a dashboard, an engine mounted on said frame below said dashboard and including an air fan arranged to direct air over said engine from the rear thereof toward the front thereof, a gear box mounted on said frame, a pair of hydrostatic transmissions detachably mounted on the exterior of said gear box and each including hydraulic passages, an input shaft extending into said gear box, an output shaft extending into said gear box in parallel relation to said input shaft, and a control arm operable to provide neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions of said transmissions, power input means extending exteriorly of said gear box and connected to said transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear box, power output means connected interiorly of said gear box to said transmission output shafts and including power output shafts extending exteriorly of said gear box, a hydraulic fluid radiator mounted on said frame and including hydraulic fluid passages, a hydraulic circulation system including hydraulic connections coupling said transmission passages, said radiator passages and said gear box in a closed series hydraulic circuit, a hood detachably connected to said body and comprising a front section including side walls and a top wall and extending forwardly of said dashboard above said power assembly and to adjacent to said body front and side walls, and a rear section extending vertically from said dashboard to said bottom wall and between said side walls, a first baffle supported by said body and located between said engine and said gear box and extending generally vertically from said bottom wall to said front hood section and between said body side walls to define a forward compartment, and a rear compartment containing said engine and closed at the rear by said rear hood section, said first baffle including an opening therein, a second baffle supported by said body and extending generally horizontally across said forward compartment from said radiator to said first baffle and to adjacent said body front and side walls to divide said forward compartment into a lower compartment containing said gear box and an upper air intake compartment, a front air inlet located in one of said front hood section side walls and communicating with said air intake compartment, an air vent located in one of said front hood section side walls and communicating with said compartment containing said engine, a rear air inlet located in said front hood section top wall, baffle means supported by said frame and extending rearwardly of said rear air inlet for conducting air from said rear air inlet rearwardly and above said engine and underneath said dashboard for communication with the rear of said compartment containing said engine, whereby air entering said rear air inlet is supplied to the rear of said compartment containing said engine and is directed forwardly over said engine by said engine fan and discharged through said air vent, coupling means connecting said engine crankshaft and said power input means exteriorly of said gear box and extending through said opening, and a fan carried by said coupling means adjacent to and concentrically with said opening, whereby air is drawn inwardly of said front air inlet, through said intake compartment, through said radiator, through said compartment containing said gear box, and through said opening into said compartment containing said engine for discharge through said air vent.

Claim 13

A vehicle comprising a body including a bottom wall, a front wall extending from said bottom wall, opposed side walls extending from said bottom wall and from said front wall, a powEr assembly including a frame connected to said body and including a dashboard, an engine mounted on said frame below said dashboard and including an air fan arranged to direct air over said engine from the rear thereof toward the front thereof, a gear box mounted on said frame, a pair of hydrostatic transmissions detachably mounted on the exterior of said gear box and each including hydraulic passages, an input shaft extending into said gear box, an output shaft extending into said gear box in parallel relation to said input shaft, and a control arm operable to provide neutral, forward and reverse drive conditions of said transmissions, power input means extending exteriorly of said gear box and connected to said transmission input shafts interiorly of said gear box, power output means connected interiorly of said gear box to said transmission output shafts and including power output shafts extending exteriorly of said gear box, a hydraulic fluid radiator mounted on said frame and including hydraulic fluid passages, a hydraulic circulation system including hydraulic connections coupling said transmission passages, said radiator passages and said gear box in a closed series hydraulic circuit, a hood detachably connected to said body and comprising a front section including side walls and a top wall and extending forwardly of said dashboard above said power assembly and to adjacent to said body front and side walls, and a rear section extending vertically from said dashboard to said bottom wall and between said side walls, a first baffle supported by said body and located between said engine and said gear box and extending generally vertically from said bottom wall to said front hood section and between said body side walls to define a forward compartment, and a rear compartment containing said engine and closed at the rear by said rear hood section, said first baffle including an opening therein, a second baffle supported by said body and extending generally horizontally across said forward compartment from said radiator to said first baffle and to adjacent said body front and side walls to divide said forward compartment into a lower compartment containing said gear box and an upper air intake compartment, a front air inlet located in one of said front hood section side walls and communicating with said air intake compartment, an air vent located in one of said front hood section side walls and communicating with said compartment containing said engine, a rear air inlet located in said front hood section top wall, baffle means supported by said frame and extending rearwardly of said rear air inlet for conducting air from said rear air inlet rearwardly and above said engine and underneath said dashboard for communication with the rear of said compartment containing said engine, whereby air entering said rear air inlet is supplied to the rear of said compartment containing said engine and is directed forwardly over said engine by said engine fan and discharged through said air vent, coupling means connecting said engine crankshaft and said power input means exteriorly of said gear box and extending through said opening, and a fan carried by said coupling means adjacent to and concentrically with said opening, whereby air is drawn inwardly of said front air inlet, through said intake compartment, through said radiator, through said compartment containing said gear box, and through said opening into said compartment containing said engine for discharge through said air vent.