Compact drive apparatus

摘要

A hydrostatic transaxle with a bypass mechanism is disclosed, the transaxle having a center section engaged to a housing, an axial piston pump disposed on the center section and driven by an input shaft, and an axial piston motor disposed on the center section having a cylinder block engaged to a motor shaft. The pump is controlled by a swash plate having a pair of openings through which the input shaft and a bypass actuation rod pass. The bypass actuation rod has a cam formed on a first end that engages a block lift member. When the bypass actuation rod is rotated, the cam causes the block lift member to engage and lift the cylinder block of the axial piston motor off of the center section. A brake mechanism using brake puck disposed in a pocket formed in the center section is also disclosed.

主权项

1. A drive apparatus disposed in a housing, the drive apparatus comprising:
a pump running surface and a motor running surface disposed in the housing; an axial piston pump disposed on the pump running surface and controlled by a swash plate having a pair of openings formed therein; an axial piston motor comprising a motor cylinder block disposed on the motor running surface and in fluid communication with the axial piston pump; a motor shaft rotationally supported in the housing and drivingly engaged to the motor cylinder block; an input shaft drivingly engaged to the axial piston pump and rotationally supported in the housing, wherein the input shaft extends through one of the pair of openings in the swash plate and one end of the input shaft extends out of the housing; a block lift member moveably disposed adjacent the motor cylinder block; and a bypass actuation rod having a first end engaged to the block lift member, wherein the bypass actuation rod extends through the other one of the pair of openings in the swash plate and out of the housing; wherein, rotation of the bypass actuation rod causes the block lift member to contact and lift the motor cylinder block off the motor running surface to break the fluid communication between the motor cylinder block and the axial piston pump.