Gear Box Arrangement

Abstract

A gearbox arrangement includes a gearbox housing, a first shaft supported in bearings in the housing, the first shaft containing a cavity which extends eccentrically to the axis of rotation of the first shaft, a second shaft supported in the cavity for rotation and having an end region projecting from the cavity and being provided with gear teeth, and a third shaft supported in the gear box housing for rotation, with the axis of rotation of the third shaft cooperating with the axis of rotation of the first shaft to define a plane. Leakage of lubricant from the housing is prevented by fastening a plate to the first shaft so as to prevent axial movement of the second shaft while containing an opening for the end region of the second shaft. Sealing devices are provided for all of the openings of the gearbox housing as well as for the opening in the plate in order to prevent the escape of lubricant from the gearbox housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawing shows and embodiment of the invention on the basis of which the invention as well as its advantages and the advantageous further developments and embodiments of the invention shall be explained and described in greater detail in the following.

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a gearbox arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the gearbox arrangement of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the gearbox arrangement of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the second shaft of the gearbox arrangement of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the shaft end section of the second shaft shown if FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a journal arrangement of the gearbox arrangement of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the journal arrangement of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the plate of the gearbox arrangement of FIG. 1 with an opening for the second shaft.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the plate shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of a bearing for a journal of the gearbox arrangement shown in FIG. 1

Claims

1. In a gearbox arrangement including a housing, a chamber enclosed by said housing, a first shaft supported in a first pair of bearings in the gearbox housing for rotation about a first axis of rotation, with one of said first pair of bearings being located in a first opening in the housing, a stepped cylindrical cavity provided in said first shaft in concentric relationship to a second axis of rotation disposed in parallel eccentric relationship to said first axis of rotation and with an end of said cavity defining an opening at one end of said first shaft, a second shaft being supported in a second pair of bearings provided in said cavity, with said second shaft being provided with at least one gear tooth area and being provided with an end region projecting axially from said cavity, and a third shaft supported in a third pair of bearings respectively provided in second and third openings in said gearbox housing, for rotation about a third axis of rotation which is angled relative to a plane lying on said first axis of rotation, the improvement comprising: said gearbox arrangement further including a plate fixed to said first shaft and being located for preventing axial movement of said second shaft; said plate containing a fourth opening in which is received said end region of said second shaft; and a plurality of sealing devices being provided for respectively sealing said first, second and third openings in said housing and said fourth opening in said plate in such a way that an escape of lubricant from said gearbox housing between the gearbox housing and the first and third shafts, and between the plate and second shaft is prevented.

2. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 1 wherein said one end of said first shaft defines a flat end face extending perpendicular to said first axis of rotation; and said plate being fastened flat against said flat end face.

3. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing is provided with at least one closure plug arranged along said first axis of rotation.

4. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of sealing devices are configured as shaft sealing rings.

5. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 1, wherein said second shaft includes a bearing region supported in one of said third pair of bearings located in said cavity in the vicinity of said opening of said cavity; and said plate engaging and immobilizing said one of said third pair of bearings from moving axially from said cavity.

6. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 1, wherein said second shaft is configured as a one-piece component including a plurality of individual axially extending regions including said end region, with outside diameters of all of said individual regions, excluding said end region, being no longer than an outside diameter of said end region.

7. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 1, and further including an internal gear fixed to said housing and being meshed with said gear tooth area of said second shaft.

8. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said third pair of bearings is a needle bearing.

9. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 1, wherein another of said third pair of bearings is immobilized axially in the direction to the outside of the gearbox housing by a snap ring contained in a ring groove provided in said housing.

10. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 9, and further including a first angle gear located on said third shaft and having a bearing area engaged by said another of said third pair of bearings; and a snap ring being provided in a snap ring groove in said third shaft for preventing axial movement of said first angle gear further into said gearbox chamber.

11. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 10, and further including a second angle gear fastened to said first shaft and meshed with said first angle gear; and another of said second pair of bearings being received on a bearing area of said second angle gear so as to constrain said second angle gear and said first shaft in a radial direction relative to said first axis of rotation.

12. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 1, wherein said gearbox housing is provided with a further opening; a cover being coupled to said housing in sealing relationship to said further opening; and a ventilating arrangement being provided in said covering for connecting an interior of said chamber with surroundings outside said housing.

13. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 1, and further including a journal mounted to said shaft end region of said second shaft and having a journal axis extending eccentric to said axis of rotation of said second shaft.

14. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 13, wherein said journal includes a rolling contact bearing.

15. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 14, wherein said rolling contact bearing is enclosed by a bushing having an outer surface which is bowed spherically; and a bearing pan being provided with an inner surface that is congruent to, and engages said outer surface of said bushing.

16. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 15, wherein said bushing and said bearing pan define a closed circumference, with said bearing pan being equipped with recesses located radially opposite each other and extending axially along an inner surface of said bearing pan for permitting said bushing to be inserted into said recesses.

17. The gearbox arrangement, as defined in claim 15, and further including a connecting device, which is adapted for connection to a cutter head, being coupled to said bearing pan.