Mechanism for mounting a radiator above a vertical shaft engine

Claim 2

A vehicle, comprising: a frame to which a plurality of ground engaging wheels are coupled, an engine mounted to the frame via mounting units which allow the engine to vibrate with respect to the frame for reducing the amount of vibration that is transmitted from the engine to the frame during operation of the engine, said engine being operatively coupled to the ground engaging wheels for driving said ground engaging wheels, a radiator positioned directly above the engine, and having a weight, support members operatively coupled directly with and extending upwardly from the frame, the support members being operatively coupled with the radiator and support generally the entire weight of the radiator.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1, wherein said engine is a vertical shaft engine.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1, and further comprising a fan coupled with the engine and positioned above the engine and beneath the radiator.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3, wherein a fan shroud is fixed with the radiator.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 3, wherein a plate member is fixed to the support members, and the radiator and a fan shroud are fixed with the plate member.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 1, wherein said support members are rigidly fixed with the frame, and the radiator is rigidly fixed with the support member.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 1, wherein the mounting units include elastic members which allow the engine to vibrate with respect to the frame during operation for hindering the vibrations of the engine from being transmitted to the frame.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 1, wherein the support members further comprise rod members fixed with and extending upwardly from the frame.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 1, wherein the radiator is rigidly fixed with the support members, and the support members are rigidly fixed with the frame, and the support members hold the radiator in fixed position with respect to the frame and spaced from the engine for isolating the radiator from vibrations emanating from the engine.

Claim 11

A vehicle, comprising: a frame supporting a plurality of ground engaging wheels, a vertical shaft engine mounted to the frame via mounting units which allow vibratory motion of the engine with respect to the frame for reducing the amount of vibration that is transmitted from the engine to the frame during operation of the engine, said engine being operatively coupled to the ground engaging wheels for driving said ground engaging wheels, a fan coupled with the engine directly above the engine, and a radiator positioned directly above the engine and fan, the radiator having a weight, support members operatively rigidly fixed with and extending upwardly from the frame, and the support members are rigidly fixed with the radiator and support generally the entire weight of the radiator.

Claim 12

A vehicle, comprising: a frame supporting a plurality of ground engaging wheels, a vertical shaft engine mounted to the frame via mounting units which allow vibratory motion of the engine with respect to the frame for reducing the amount of vibration that is transmitted from the engine to the frame during operation of the engine, said engine being operatively coupled to the ground engaging wheels for driving said ground engaging wheels, a fan coupled with the engine directly above the engine, and a radiator positioned directly above the engine and fan, the radiator having a weight, support members operatively rigidly fixed with and extending upwardly from the frame, and the support members are rigidly fixed with the radiator and support generally the entire weight of the radiator.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 10, wherein the mounting units include elastic members which allow the engine to vibrate with respect to the frame during operation, said elastic members thereby hinder the vibrations of the engine from being transmitted to the frame.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 11, wherein said elastic members further comprise rubber members.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 12, and further comprising a fan shroud generally enclosing the fan and operatively rigidly fixed with the radiator.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 13, wherein a plate member is rigidly fixed to the support members, and the radiator and fan shroud are rigidly fixed with the plate member.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 14, wherein the support members further comprise rod members rigidly fixed with and extending upwardly from the frame.

Claim 18

The invention of claim 15, wherein the support members hold the radiator in fixed position with respect to the frame and spaced from the engine for isolating the radiator from vibrations emanating from the engine.

Claim 19

The invention of claim 10, and further comprising a fan shroud generally enclosing the fan and operatively rigidly fixed with the radiator.

Claim 20

The invention of claim 10, wherein a plate member is rigidly fixed to the support members, and the radiator and a fan shroud are rigidly fixed with the plate member.

Claim 21

The invention of claim 10, wherein the support members further comprise rod members rigidly fixed with and extending upwardly from the frame.

Claim 22

The invention of claim 10, wherein the support members hold the radiator in fixed position with respect to the frame and spaced from the engine for isolating the radiator from vibrations emanating from the engine.

Claim 23

A vehicle, comprising: a frame to which a plurality of ground engaging wheels are coupled, an engine mounted to the frame via mounting units which allow the engine to vibrate with respect to the frame for reducing the amount of vibration that is transmitted from the engine to the frame during operation of the engine, said engine being operatively coupled to the ground engaging wheels for driving said ground engaging wheels, support members operatively coupled with and extending upwardly from the frame, a radiator positioned directly above the engine, said radiator being supported in its position above the engine by being coupled with the support members without being otherwise supported by the engine, and wherein said support members are rigidly fixed with the frame, and the radiator is rigidly fixed with the support member.

Claim 24

A vehicle, comprising: a frame to which a plurality of ground engaging wheels are coupled, an engine mounted to the frame via mounting units which allow the engine to vibrate with respect to the frame for reducing the amount of vibration that is transmitted from the engine to the frame during operation of the engine, said engine being operatively coupled to the ground engaging wheels for driving said ground engaging wheels, support members operatively coupled with and extending upwardly from the frame, a radiator positioned directly above the engine, said radiator being supported in its position above the engine by being coupled with the support members without being otherwise supported by the engine, and wherein said support members are rigidly fixed with the frame, and the radiator is rigidly fixed with the support member.

Claim 25

A vehicle, comprising: a frame to which a plurality of ground engaging wheels are coupled, an engine mounted to the frame via mounting units which allow the engine to vibrate with respect to the frame for reducing the amount of vibration that is transmitted from the engine to the frame during operation of the engine, said engine being operatively coupled to the ground engaging wheels for driving said ground engaging wheels, support members operatively coupled with and extending upwardly from the frame, a radiator positioned directly above the engine, said radiator being supported in its position above the engine by being coupled with the support members without being otherwise supported by the engine, and wherein the support members further comprise rod members fixed with and extending upwardly from the frame.

Claim 26

A vehicle, comprising: a frame to which a plurality of ground engaging wheels are coupled, an engine mounted to the frame via mounting units which allow the engine to vibrate with respect to the frame for reducing the amount of vibration that is transmitted from the engine to the frame during operation of the engine, said engine being operatively coupled to the ground engaging wheels for driving said ground engaging wheels, support members operatively coupled with and extending upwardly from the frame, a radiator positioned directly above the engine, said radiator being supported in its position above the engine by being coupled with the support members without being otherwise supported by the engine, and wherein the support members further comprise rod members fixed with and extending upwardly from the frame.

Claim 27

A vehicle, comprising: a frame to which a plurality of ground engaging wheels are coupled, an engine mounted to the frame via mounting units which allow the engine to vibrate wits respect to the frame for reducing the amount of vibration that is transmitted from the engine to the frame during operation of the engine, said engine being operatively coupled to the ground engaging wheels for driving said ground engaging wheels, support members operatively coupled with and extending upwardly from the frame, a radiator positioned directly above the engine, said radiator being supported in its position above the engine by being coupled with the support members without being otherwise supported by the engine, and wherein the radiator is rigidly fixed with the support members, and the support members are rigidly fixed with the frame, and the support members hold the radiator in fixed position with respect to the frame and spaced from the engine for isolating the radiator from vibrations emanating from the engine.

Claim 28

A vehicle, comprising: a frame to which a plurality of ground engaging wheels are coupled, an engine mounted to the frame via mounting units which allow the engine to vibrate wits respect to the frame for reducing the amount of vibration that is transmitted from the engine to the frame during operation of the engine, said engine being operatively coupled to the ground engaging wheels for driving said ground engaging wheels, support members operatively coupled with and extending upwardly from the frame, a radiator positioned directly above the engine, said radiator being supported in its position above the engine by being coupled with the support members without being otherwise supported by the engine, and wherein the radiator is rigidly fixed with the support members, and the support members are rigidly fixed with the frame, and the support members hold the radiator in fixed position with respect to the frame and spaced from the engine for isolating the radiator from vibrations emanating from the engine.