Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. An arrangement(100) for mounting a propeller shaft(102) on a tractor, said arrangement(100) comprising:
a. a front and rear guard(116A, 116B) configured to be disposed on enclosing ends of the propeller shaft(102), wherein said front and rear guard(116A, 116B) configured to be slid above the front axle shaft(114) of the front axle housing(110) and 4-WD shaft(124) of the dropbox housing(112) of the tractor; and
b. fastening means(117) configured to secure said front and rear guard(116A, 116B) along with the shaft(102) to the front axle housing(110) and the dropbox housing(112) via the seal hub(106).
2. The arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a guard tube (126) is disposed on the propeller shaft (102).
3. The arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said front and rear guard (116A, 116B) are configured to cover the guard tube (126) at enclosing ends of the propeller shaft (102).
4. The arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said guard tube (126) has O-rings (122) provided thereon to facilitate packing of the guard (126) onto the propeller shaft (102).
5. The arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein said O-rings (122) are of a material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone, polyurethane, nitrile, neoprene, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, fluorocarbon, and any combination thereof.
6. The arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front guard (116A) along with the shaft (102) is fastened with a seal hub (106) via said fastening means (117) at the front axle housing (110) surrounding the front axle shaft (114).
7. The arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rear guard (116B) along with the shaft (102) is fastened with a seal carrier (106) via said fastening means (117) at the drop box housing (112) surrounding the 4-WD shaft (124).
8. The arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein said fastening means (117) is selected from the group consisting of pins, studs, rivets, bolts, screws, spring dowels and dowels.
9. The arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spring dowel (120) is used for coupling said front guard (116A) along with the shaft (102) to the front axle housing (110) and the drop box housing (112) of the tractor.
10. The arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rear guard (116B) is configured to be slid inside the seal hub (106) at the front axle housing (110) and inside the seal carrier (106) at the drop box housing (112).
11. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said front and rear guard (116A, 116B) is manually slid.
12. The arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front and rear guards (116A, 116B) at enclosing ends of the propeller shaft (102) covers the coupler (128) at the front axle shaft (114) and the 4-WD shaft (124).
13. A method for mounting a propeller shaft(102) on a tractor, said method comprising:
a. providing a guard tube(126);
b. providing, front and rear guard(116A, 116B) on enclosing ends of propeller shaft(102);
c. covering, said guard tube(126) at enclosing ends of shaft(102) by said front and rear guards(116A, 116B);
d. sliding said front guard (116A) over front axle shaft(114);
e. coupling, said front guard(116A) to front axle housing(110);
f. sliding said rear guard(116) over a 4-WD shaft(124);
g. coupling, said rear guard(116B) to drop box housing(112); and
h. fastening, said front and rear guards(116A, 116B) at front axle housing(110) and at drop box housing(112).
14. The method (100) as claimed in claim 13, which includes method step of sliding said front and rear guards (116) inside the seal hub (106) at the front axle housing (110) and inside the seal carrier (106) at the drop box housing (112).
15. The method as claimed in claim 13, which includes step of fastening said front and rear guards (116A, 116B) at the front axle housing (110) and at the drop box housing (112) by a fastening means (117) via the seal hub (106) and the seal carrier (106) respectively.

Dated this 31st day of March, 2022

_______________________________
MOHAN RAJKUMAR DEWAN, IN/PA – 25
of R.K.DEWAN & CO.
Authorized Agent of Applicant

TO,
THE CONTROLLER OF PATENTS
THE PATENT OFFICE, AT DELHI
, Description:FIELD
The present disclosure relates to the field of arrangement for mounting propeller shafts.
DEFINITION
As used in the present disclosure, the following term(s) are generally intended to have the meaning as set forth below, except to the extent that the context in which they are used indicate otherwise.
The term ‘4-WD shaft’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a vehicle in which all four wheels receive power from the engine simultaneously.
BACKGROUND
The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.
Typically, a work vehicle such as a tractor includes a propeller shaft that is operatively coupled between the front axle shaft and the drop box shaft to drive the four wheels of the tractor. Conventional way of mounting the propeller shaft includes slidaby coupling a coupler, a dust shield and a hose to enclosing end of the propeller shaft. The propeller shaft along with a bearing bracket is fastened at the bottom portion of the tractor. Further, the seal hub/ seal carrier along with an oil seal is fastened around the front axle shaft of the front axle housing and the 4WD shaft of the drop box housing. The propeller shaft is aligned with the front axle output shaft and the 4WD shaft. Further, the coupler, dust shield and the hose is slid upon splines of the front axle shaft fixed with the help of spring dowel. Further, the coupler at the other end of the propeller shaft is slid upon the splines of the 4WD shaft and fixed with the help of bolts. Further, the propeller guard is fastened to cover the propeller shaft. During the assembly of the dust shield and the seal hub/ seal carrier, a gap needs to be maintained between the seal hub and the dust shield to allow relative motion to prevent wear and tear of the oil seal.
However, mounting the oil seal with the front axle housing is complex and many times damages the oil seal which disrupts the process and requires replacement of the oil seal, thereby adding extra cost. Furthermore, the mounting of all the aforementioned components is very tricky and consumes extra time.
There is, therefore felt a need of an arrangement that reduces mounting time of the propeller shaft and that alleviates the aforementioned drawbacks.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:
It is an object of the present disclosure to ameliorate one or more problems of the prior art or to at least provide a useful alternative.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide an arrangement for mounting a propeller shaft on a tractor.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an arrangement that facilitates ease of mounting of the propeller shaft.
Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide an arrangement that helps in reducing mounting time of the propeller shaft of a tractor.
Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide an arrangement that prevents damage to the components of the propeller shaft during mounting.
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures, which are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure envisages an arrangement for mounting a propeller shaft on a tractor. The arrangement comprises a front guard, a rear guard, and fastening means. The front guard and rear guard is configured to be disposed on enclosing ends of the propeller shaft. The front and rear guards are configured to be slid upon the front axle shaft of the front axle housing and 4-WD shaft of the drop box housing of the tractor. The fastening means is configured to secure the front and rear guards along with the shaft to the front axle housing and the drop box housing via the seal hub/ seal carrier.
In an embodiment, a guard tube is disposed on the propeller shaft.
In an embodiment, the front and rear guards are configured to cover the guard tube at enclosing ends of the propeller shaft, coupler, front axle shaft and 4-wd shaft.
In an embodiment, the guard has O-rings provided thereon to facilitate packing of the guard onto the propeller shaft.
In an embodiment, the O-rings are of a material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone, polyurethane, nitrile, neoprene, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, fluorocarbon, and any combination thereof.
In an embodiment, the front guard along with the shaft is fastened with the seal hub via the fastening means at the front axle housing surrounding the front axle shaft.
In an embodiment, the rear guard along with the shaft is fastened with the seal carrier via the fastening means at the drop box housing surrounding the 4-WD shaft.
In another embodiment, the fastening means is selected from the group consisting of pins, studs, rivets, bolts, screws, spring dowels, and dowels.
In an embodiment, a spring dowel is used for coupling the coupler to the front axle shaft and the 4wd-shaft of the tractor.
In an embodiment, the rear guard is configured to be slid inside the seal hub at the front axle housing and inside the seal carrier at the drop box housing.
In an embodiment, the front and rear guards at enclosing ends of the propeller shaft covers the coupler at the front axle shaft and the 4WD shaft of the tractor.
In an embodiment, each of the front and rear guard is manually slid.
The present disclosure also envisages a method of mounting the propeller shaft. The method comprises the following steps:
a. providing, guard;
b. providing, front and rear guards on enclosing ends of guard tube;
c. covering, the propeller shaft, coupler, front axle shaft and 4wd shaft at enclosing ends of shaft by the front and rear guards.
d. sliding the front guard over front axle shaft;
e. coupling, the front guard to front axle housing;
f. sliding, the rear guard over a 4-WD shaft;
g. coupling, the rear guard to drop box housing ; and
h. fastening, the front and rear guards at front axle housing and at drop box housing.
In an embodiment, the method includes step of sliding the front and rear guards inside the seal hub at the front axle housing and inside the seal carrier at the drop box housing.
In an embodiment, the method includes step of fastening the front and rear guards at the front axle housing and at the drop box housing by a fastening means via the seal hub and the seal carrier respectively.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
An arrangement for mounting a propeller shaft of the present disclosure will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a conventional arrangement of the propeller shaft depicting the propeller shaft being assembled offline along with front axle assembly with seal hub and the drop box assembly with seal carrier of a tractor;
Figure 2 and Figure 3 illustrate a side view of the conventional arrangement of Figure 1 depicting complete assembly of propeller shaft assembly with front axle assembly and drop box assembly and the further assembly of guard with prepared till available assembly.
Figure 4 illustrates a side view of a propeller shaft coupled with front and rear guards on either side of the shaft, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 5 illustrates a side view of the propeller shaft having the front and rear guards of Figure 4 being slid to be coupled with the seal hub and seal hub again is coupled with front axle housing and the seal carrier and seal carrier to drop box housing; and
Figure 6 illustrates a side view of the completely assembled propeller shaft assembly with front axle assembly and drop box assembly of Figure 4.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
100’ – Conventional arrangement
100 – Arrangement for mounting propeller shaft
101 – Dust shield
102 – Propeller shaft
104 – Oil seal
106 – Seal hub/ Seal carrier
110 – Front axle housing
111 – Bearing
112 – Drop box housing
113 – Bearing bracket
114 – Front axle shaft
115 – Hose
116A, 116B – Front and rear guard
117 – Fastening means/ Bolts
120 – Spring dowel
122 – O-rings
124 – 4-WD (Wheel drive) shaft
126 – Guard tube
128 – Coupler
130 – Sheet metal guard
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth, relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.
Terms such as “inner,” “outer,” "beneath," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," and the like, may be used in the present disclosure to describe relationships between different elements as depicted from the figures.
The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms "a,” "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms “including,” and “having,” are open ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, operations, elements and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Figure 1 through Figure 3 illustrates conventional arrangement 100’ for mounting the propeller shaft 102 on a tractor. Mounting the propeller shaft 102 typically includes coupling a coupler 128, a dust shield 101 and a hose 115 at enclosing ends of the propeller shaft 128. A bearing 111 is coupled along with a bracket 113 at the central portion of the propeller shaft 102 to allow fastening of the bracket 113 to the bottom portion of the tractor. Further, the seal hub 106 along with an oil seal 104 is fastened around the front axle shaft 114 of the front axle housing 110 and fastened around the 4WD shaft 124 of the drop box housing 112. The propeller shaft 102 is aligned with the front axle output shaft 114 and the 4WD shaft 124. Further, the coupler 128, dust shield 101 and the hose 115 is slid upon splines of the front axle shaft 102 and is fixed with a spring dowel 120. Further, the coupler 128 at the other end of the propeller shaft 102 is slid on the splines of the 4-WD shaft 120 and fixed by means of bolt 117. At last sheet metal guard 130 is assembled with available final assembly of propeller shaft assembly, front axle assembly and drop box assembly with the help of bolts 117. During the assembly of the dust shield 101 and the seal hub/ seal carrier 106, a gap needs to be maintained between the seal hub 106 and the dust shield 101 to allow relative motion and to prevent wear and tear of the oil seal 104.
However, mounting the oil seal 104 with the front axle housing 110 is complex and many times damages the oil seal 104 which disrupts the process and requires replacement of the oil seal 104, thereby adding extra cost. Furthermore, the mounting of all the aforementioned components such as the coupler 128, the oil seal 104, and the hose 115 is very tricky and consumes extra time.
Therefore, the present disclosure envisages an arrangement 100 for mounting the propeller shaft 102. The arrangement 100 (hereinafter referred to as “arrangement 100”) for mounting the propeller shaft 102 will now be described with reference to Figure 4 through Figure 6.
The arrangement 100 includes a front guard 116A and a rear guard 116B. The coupler 128 is coupled at the enclosing end of the propeller shaft 102. The coupler 128 is slid upon the splines of the front axle shaft 114 is fixed with the spring dowel. The propeller shaft 102 is aligned with the front axle shaft 114 and the 4WD shaft 124. The bearing bracket 113 is fastened to the bottom portion of the tractor. The front guard 116A is slid from guard tube 126 over the propeller shaft coupler 128 and front axle shaft 114 and fastened with seal hub 106 via means of bolting 117. Further, the seal carrier 106 is fastened to the drop box housing 112 surrounding the 4-WD shaft 124. Further, the coupler 128 at the other end of the propeller shaft 102 is slid on the splines of the 4-WD shaft 120 and fixed with spring dowel 120. The front guard 116A and the rear guard 116B are configured to be disposed on enclosing ends of the propeller shaft 102 and guard tube 126. The front guard 116A and rear guard 116A is configured to be slid upon the front axle shaft 114 of the front axle housing 110 and 4-WD shaft 124 of the drop box housing 112 of the tractor. The fastening means 117 is configured to secure the front and rear guards 116A, 116B along with the shaft 128 to the front axle housing 110 and the drop box housing 110 respectively via the seal hub/ carrier 106, thereby facilitating ease of mounting of the propeller shaft 102. At the end, the sheet metal guard 130 is fastened to the propeller shaft 102.
In an embodiment, the front guard 116A along with the shaft 102 is fastened with the seal hub 106 via the fastening means 117 at the front axle housing surrounding the front axle shaft 114. In an embodiment, the rear guard 116B along with the shaft 102 is fastened with the seal carrier 106 via the fastening means 117 at the drop box housing surrounding the 4-WD shaft 124. In another embodiment, the fastening means 117 is selected from the group consisting of pins, studs, rivets, bolts, screws, spring dowels, and dowels.
The rear guard 116B is coupled to the seal hub 106 and the seal carrier 106 of the tractor via bolts 117. The propeller shaft 102 is configured to be slid along with the front guard and rear guard 116A, 116B inside the seal hub 106 at the front axle housing 110 and inside the seal carrier 106 at the drop box housing 112 of the tractor.
In an embodiment, the front and rear guard 116A, 116B along with shaft is manually slid. In another embodiment, the rear and front guard 116A, 116B along with shaft is manually slid.
In an embodiment, the front and rear guards 116A, 116B at enclosing ends of the propeller shaft 102 covers the coupler 128 at the front axle shaft 114 and the 4-WD shaft 124 of the tractor.
Figure 4 and Figure 5 depict a guard tube 126 configured to be disposed on the propeller shaft 102. In an embodiment, the front guard and rear guard 116A, 116B is configured to cover the guard tube 126 at enclosing ends of the propeller shaft 102. In an embodiment, the guard tube 126 has O-rings 122 provided thereon at enclosing ends of the shaft 102 to facilitate packing of the guard tube 126 onto the propeller shaft 102.
Further, the bearing 111 along with the bracket 113 is fastened to the bottom portion of the tractor to secure the shaft 102 between the front axle housing 110 and the drop box housing 112 of the tractor (refer Figure 6).
In an embodiment, the O-rings 122 are of a material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone, polyurethane, nitrile, neoprene, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, fluorocarbon, and any combination thereof.
The arrangement 100 facilitates ease of mounting of the propeller shaft 102. Further, the arrangement 100 is less prone to damages as compared to the conventional arrangement 100’. Further, the components such as the front and rear guards 116A, 116B and the fastening means 117 makes the arrangement 100 less complex and make the entire process of mounting the propeller shaft 102 on the tractor easy.
The present disclosure also envisages a method for mounting the propeller shaft 102 on the tractor. The method comprises the following steps:
a. providing, the guard tube 126;
b. providing, the front and rear guards 116A, 116B on enclosing ends of propeller shaft 102;
c. covering, the guard tube 126 at enclosing ends of shaft 102 by the front and rear guards 116A, 116B;
d. sliding the front guard 116A over the front axle shaft 114;
e. coupling, the front guard 116A to front axle housing 110;
f. sliding, the rear guard 116B over the 4-WD shaft 124;
g. coupling, the rear guard 116B to drop box housing 112; and
h. fastening, the front and rear guards 116A, 116B at front axle housing 110 and at drop box housing 112.
The method includes a step of sliding the front and rear guard 116A, 116B inside the seal hub 106 at the front axle housing 110 and inside the seal carrier 106 at the drop box housing 112.

The method includes step of fastening the front and rear guards 116A, 116B at the front axle housing 110 and at the drop box housing 112 by a fastening means 117 via the seal hub 106 and the seal carrier 106 respectively.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS
The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of an arrangement for mounting a propeller shaft, that:
• facilitates ease of mounting of the propeller shaft;
• helps in reducing mounting time of the propeller shaft on a tractor; and
• prevents damage to the components of the propeller shaft during mounting.
The embodiments herein, the various features, and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
The disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully reveals the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.