Apparatus and Method for Mounting a Transmission

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for mounting a transmission to a vehicle frame.

2. Background Art

A variety of fork lift trucks are available wherein the transmission is connected to the vehicle frame at a location directly behind the lift mast. Usually, the transmission is bolted to the frame at three locations thereon so that the transmission is fully supported. At least one of these locations is adjacent the rear end portion of the transmission and is accessible for disconnection from the vehicle frame by access thereto from beneath the vehicle. Therefore, in order to remove the transmission from the vehicle frame for service or repair, it is necessary that the service technician elevate the fork lift truck and from beneath the vehicle unbolt a plurality of transmission mounts and remove the transmission from beneath the fork lift truck. Such a procedure while effective to accomplish its desired end results is complex and time consuming.

Accordingly, there is a need to provide a transmission mounting arrangement for a fork lift truck which permits the transmission to be easily accessed and removed from the vehicle which overcomes one or more of the problems as set forth above.

In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a mounting arrangement for connecting a transmission to a vehicle frame is provided. The mounting arrangement has a first trunnion and a second trunnion releasably connected to a first and second side of the transmission respectively. The first trunnion is slidably disposed in an aperture in a first side of the vehicle frame and the second trunnion is slidably disposed in an aperture in the second side of the frame. A guide member slidably connects a second end of the transmission to the frame at a location spaced from the first and second trunnion and guides the transmission for movement in directions substantially normal to a transverse axis defined by the trunnions.

The method of an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of sliding a first axle shaft from connection with a transmission, sliding a second axle shaft from connection with the transmission, releasing a first trunnion from connection with a first side of the transmission, sliding the first trunnion away from the transmission first side and toward a first side of a frame, releasing a second trunnion from connection with a second side of the transmission, sliding the second trunnion away from the transmission's second side and toward a second side of the frame, and sliding a first end of the transmission through an end opening of the frame to disengage a first guide shaft connected to a second end of the transmission from engagement with a bore of a frame mounted bushing.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic isometric view of a transmission mounted on a portion of a vehicle frame by the mounting arrangement of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the transmission and frame of FIG. 1 showing portions of the mounting arrangement broken away;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic rear elevational view of the transmission and frame of FIG. 1 with portions of the frame broken away to better illustrate the mounting arrangement; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded diagrammatic view of a guide assembly of the mounting arrangement located at a second end of the transmission.

With reference to the drawings of FIGS. 1-3, a forward portion of a frame 10 of a fork lift truck 12 is shown. Frame 10 includes a first and second side 14 and 16, and upper 18 and lower 20 plates. The upper plate 18 is connected to an upper end 22 of the first and second sides 14 and 16, and the lower plate 20 is connected to a lower end 24 of the first and second sides 14 and 16. The sides 14 and 16 are spaced a preselected distance apart and the upper and lower plates are spaced a preselected distance apart so as to provide a forwardly located opening 26 of a predetermined size at a front end 27 of the fork lift truck 12. The frame also includes a transverse support member 28 which is interconnected to the vehicle frame. Each of the first and second side members 14 and 16 have an upwardly opening forwardly extending hook portion 30 for mounting a lift mast thereon.

A transmission 32 has a first and second side 34 and 36 and a first front and second rear end 38 and 40.

A first trunnion 42 having a flange 44 and a sleeve 46 is mounted on the first side 34 of the transmission 32 by a plurality of bolts 48. A bore 50 is disposed in the first trunnion and extends through the sleeve and flange 44 and 46. A second trunnion 52 having a flange 54 and a sleeve 56 is mounted on the second side 36 of the transmission 32 via a plurality of bolts 58. A bore 60 is disposed in the second trunnion and extends through the sleeve 56 and flange 54. The sleeve 46 of the first trunnion 42 is slidably disposed in a through bore 62 in the first side member 14 of the frame and the sleeve 56 of the second trunnion 52 is slidably disposed in a through bore 64 in the second side member 16 of the frame 10.

A first axle shaft 66 is removably connected to transmission 32 and extends from the transmission through bore 50 to a location beyond the first side member 14 of vehicle frame 10. Likewise, a second axle shaft 68 is removably connected to the transmission and extends from the transmission through the bore 60 to a location beyond the second side member 16 of vehicle frame 10. It is to be noted that the first and second trunnions 42 and 52 are in alignment one with the other and define an axis 70 which is transverse to the vehicle frame. The first and second trunnions 42 and 52 connects the transmission to the frame and allows a limited amount of pivotal movement of the transmission about the trunnions and a limited amount of axial movement along said transverse axis 70.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, a guide apparatus 72 is provided for slidably connecting the transmission second end 40 to the frame 10. More specifically, the guide apparatus 72 slidably connects the transmission second end to the transverse support member 28 and guides the transmission for movement in directions substantially normal to the trunnion axis 70. The guide apparatus includes first 74 and second 76 shafts having a preselected length and a first 78 and second 80 bushing each having a bore 82 of a preselected length. The first and second shafts 74 and 76 are connected to the second or rear end 40 of the transmission 10 at a location adjacent one another and a preselected distance apart. The shafts are oriented so that they are parallel to one another along their length. The first and second bushings 78 and 80 are connected to the transverse support member 28 and oriented so that their bores 82 are spaced apart the same preselected distance as that of the first and second shafts 74,76 and parallel along their bore length. The first and second shafts are slidably disposed in the bore 82 of the first and second bushings 78 and 80 respectively. The first shaft 74 and first bushing 78 define a first longitudinal axis 84 relative to the frame 10 which is substantially normal to the trunnion axis 70 and the second shaft 76 and second bushing 80 define a second longitudinal axis 86 relative to the frame which is substantially normal to the transverse trunnion axis 70. The first 74 and second 76 shafts predetermined length permits a preselected amount of slidable movement of the transmission 32 prior to disengagement of the shafts 74 and 76 from their respectively engaged bushings 78 and 80.

More specifically, the first and second shafts 74 and 76 are connected to a flange 88, such as by welding, and the flange 88 is bolted to the second end 40 of the transmission 10. A bracket 90 having a first and second bore 92 and 94 and a first and second resilient bushing 96 and 98 each having a bore 100 is provided for mounting the first and second bushings to the transverse support member 28. The first and second bushings are securely positioned in the bore 100 of the first and second resilient bushings 96 and 98 respectively and the resilient bushings are securely positioned in the first 92 and second bores 94 respectively of bracket 90. Bracket 90 is secured to flanges 102 which are welded to the transverse support member 28 and bolted to the bracket 90.

First 104 and second 106 clamps, in the form of a U-clamp which is well known in the art, are connected to the first and second trunnions 42 and 52 respectively. Specifically, the first clamp is positioned about the sleeve 46 of the first trunnion at a location between the first side 34 of transmission 32 and the first side 14 of frame 10 and clampingly connected thereto. The second clamp 106 is disposed about the sleeve 56 of the second trunnion 52 at a location between the second side 36 of transmission 32 and the second side 16 of frame 10 and clampingly secured thereto. Both clamps 104 and 106 retain the transmission from transverse movement when in place and permit sliding motion of the trunnions 42 and 52 along the trunnion axis 70 when removed.

Due to the mounting arrangement as previously described installation and removal of the transmission from the vehicle frame 10 may be performed while the vehicle is resting on a surface and without the need of elevating the vehicle to a raised position from the surface. To disassemble the transmission from the vehicle frame 10 and subsequent to removal of the lift mast (not shown) from the vehicle frame the following steps are to be taken. Firstly, the first and second axle shafts 66 and 68 are slid from connection with the transmission outwardly of the vehicle frame and removed therefrom. Secondly, the clamps 104 and 106 are loosened and removed from their respective trunnions 42 and 52. The plurality of bolts 48 and 58 are then removed from their respective trunnions 42 and 52 which releases the trunnions from connection with the transmission 32. The trunnions are then slid outwardly, away from the transmission, and toward the adjacent first and second side frame members. The front end of the transmission is thus free from connection to the vehicle. The transmission is then slid forwardly toward the front of the vehicle through the opening 26 until the first and second shafts 74 and 76 are free from connection with the first and second bushings 78 and 80 respectively. At this point the transmission is totally free from connection of the vehicle 12 and may be totally removed therefrom from the front of the frame 10.

Thus, it can be seen that the guide apparatus 72 not only resiliently supports the second end 40 of the transmission but serves to support the second end of the transmission during removal and installation thereof to facilitate assembly as previously mentioned without requiring servicing from beneath the vehicle frame.

It is also to be noted that although two shafts and two bushings have been described in detail with respect to the guide apparatus 72 a single shaft and single bushing would also provide the functional advantages as herein described.

Installation of the transmission in the vehicle are achieved in the same manner as removal, but in reverse order.

In view of the foregoing, there is provided a mounting arrangement for connecting a transmission to a vehicle frame 10 through an end opening thereof. Thus the need for raising the vehicle to an elevated positioning for installation from therebeneath is eliminated.

Other aspects, objects and advantages of the invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, disclosure and appended claims.