All wheel drive utility vehicle with bogey beam suspension
View Patent ↗A utility vehicle that has a bogey beam suspension for the front steered wheels is also provided with all wheel drive by mounting a drive shaft within the bogey beam so that power can be furnished to the front axle. For a six wheel vehicle the middle axle is mounted on the rear of the bogey beam and driven from the rear drive axle by a universal drive assembly. In the four wheel version in which a resilient member is attached between the vehicle and the rear of the bogey beam, the rear drive axle is interconnected with the rear of the front wheel drive shaft by a universal drive assembly.
1. In a utility vehicle having a frame supported by a front steering axle with a pair of front steered wheels mounted upon the front steering axle, a rear drive axle with a pair of driven rear wheels mounted upon the rear drive axle, and a longitudinally oriented bogey beam with the front steering axle attached at the front end of the bogey beam and a resilient member attached at the rear end of the bogey beam and to the vehicle, and the bogey beam attached to the vehicle at and pivoting about a pivot point between the front steering axle and the resilient member, the improvement comprising:
a drive shaft interconnected with the front steered wheels and interconnected with the rear drive axle.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the bogey beam is hollow, and the drive shaft is enclosed within the hollow bogey beam.
3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the resilient member is a suspension strut.
4. The vehicle of claim 1 further including a drive assembly interconnecting the rear drive axle to the drive shaft to transfer power to the Front steering axle.
5. The vehicle of claim 1 further including a transmission which powers the rear axle and a universal drive assembly interconnecting the transmission to the drive, shaft to transfer power to the front steering axle, wherein the universal drive assembly comprises a universal joint connected to each of the drive shaft and the transmission and an assembly with telescoping shafts interconnecting the two universal joints.
6. A utility vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a front steering axle with a pair of front steered and driven wheels mounted upon the front steering axle;
a rear drive axle with a pair of driven war wheels mounted upon the rear drive axle;
a longitudinally oriented bogey beam with the front steering axle attached at the front end of the bogey beam and a resilient member attached to the vehicle and to the bogey beam at the rear end of bogey beam, and the bogey beam attached to the vehicle at and pivoting about a pivot point between the front steering axle and the resilient member; and
a drive shaft interconnected with the front steered wheels and interconnected with the rear drive axle and driving the front steered wheels.
7. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the bogey beam is hollow, and the drive shaft is enclosed within the hollow bogey beam.
8. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the resilient member is a suspension strut.
9. The vehicle of claim 6 further including a drive assembly interconnecting the rear drive axle to the drive shaft to transfer power to the front steering axle.
10. The vehicle of claim 6 further including a transmission which powers the rear axle and a universal drive assembly interconnecting the transmission to the drive shaft to transfer power to the front steering axle, wherein the universal drive assembly comprises a universal joint connected to each of the drive shaft and the transmission and an assembly with telescoping shafts interconnecting the two universal joints.