Vehicle drive, particularly for lift trucks or the like, having a hydrostatic torque converter

Claim 1

A hydrostatic torque converter for driving a vehicle comprising: a housing; a first horizontal drive shaft rotatably mounted in said housing; means engageable with a first end of said first drive shaft for imparting rotary motion thereto; an axial-piston pump at a second end of said first drive shaft, coaxial therewith and engaged thereby, said pump having a swing body surmounting said first drive shaft for adjustment of the piston stroke thereof; an upwardly extending pin on said swing body; an axially slidable cam disposed above said swing body and engaging said pin for the swinging displacement of said swing body relative to said housing; a horizontally displaceable cylinder above said cam and connected therewith; a nondisplaceable piston head disposed within said cylinder; a connecting rod horizontally mounted on said housing and extending from either side of said piston head and passing through the ends of said cylinder; bores provided in each of said connecting rods communicating with the interior of said cylinder on either side of said piston head and connected with a source of pressurized fluid for the displacement of said cylinder; means for controlling the flow of said pressurized fluid; an axial-piston motor driven by said axial-piston pump surrounding said first drive shaft between said means for imparting rotary motion and said axial-piston pump; a first spur gear rotatably mounted relative to said first drive shaft between said means for imparting rotary motion and said axial-piston motor and driven by said axial-piston motor; a second spur gear mounted in said housing and driven by said first spur gear; a second horizontal drive shaft rotatably mounted in said housing beneath said first drive shaft and parallel thereto; a third spur gear engaging a first end of said second drive shaft and driven by said second spur gear; a pinion mounted at a second end of said second drive shaft; a third horizontal drive shaft rotatably mounted in said housing transverse to said first drive shaft and said second drive shaft and lying within the length of said first drive shaft; a valve plate surrounding said first shaft and common to said motor and said pumps; a sleeve mounted in said valve plate and surrounding said first shaft while carrying said motor and said pump; a bevel crown wheel mounted on said third drive shaft and having an upper portion substantially at the level of said first drive shaft and driven by said pinion; and an extension provided at said second end of said first drive shaft for driving an external apparatus at a constant speed by said means for imparting rotary motion.