Drive units and drive assemblies

Abstract

A threaded nipple ( 26 ) at the closed end of a linear hydraulic motor ( 12 ) is received within a recess ( 82 ) in a frame member ( 78 ). Single clamp members, or individual clamp members ( 88 ), have recesses ( 92 ) that receive lower portions of the nipples ( 26 ). Bolts ( 94 ) extend through the clamp members ( 88 ) and screw into threaded openings in the frame member ( 78 ). This clamps the nipples ( 26 ) between the frame member ( 78 ) and the removable clamp members ( 88 ). End members ( 22 ) at the rod ends of the cylinders ( 12 ) include keys ( 66 ) that are received within recesses ( 80 ) formed in another frame member ( 76 ). Bolts ( 76 ) extend through the end member ( 22 ) and screw into threaded openings ( 84 ) in the member ( 76 ). A mounting frame has transverse mounting frame members ( 74, 102, 74′, 102 ′) that are used for mounting the drive assembly in an installation. The mounting frame members ( 74′, 102 ′) may have end portions ( 208, 210, 212, 214, 240, 242 ) that serve as cells in a trailer installation. The drive units may have a continuous piston-rod ( 50 ′) or short piston-rods ( 50, 50 ″) that are attached to push-rods ( 14, 14 ′). The connection may allow a limited amount of pivotal movement between the push-rod ( 14 ′) and the piston-rod ( 50 ″).

1 - 11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . A linear hydraulic drive unit, comprising: 
 a cylinder body having an open end and a closed end;    a piston head inside of said cylinder body;    a piston rod having a first end portion connected to the piston head inside the cylinder body, and a second end portion outside of the cylinder body, said piston rod extending from the piston head out through the open end of the cylinder body to its second end portions, said second end portion of said piston rod having a convex, substantially semi-spherical end shape;    an elongated push rod;    said push rod including a bell shaped end member having a concave inner end surface substantially conforming to the convex end shape on the piston rod, and a convex outer surface of substantially spherical curvature;    a coupler connected to the piston rod axially inwardly of the convex end of said piston rod, said coupler including an annular wall portion surrounding the second end portion of the piston rod and having a concave inner surface substantially conforming to the convex outer surface on the bell shaped end member on the push-rod; and    said convex and concave surfaces on said bell-shaped end member and said concave surface on said coupler and said convex end shape on said piston rod, together forming a ball joint within the coupler by which the piston rod is pivotally connected to the push rod.    
   
   
       13 . The linear hydraulic drive unit of  claim 12 , wherein the push rod end member has a second end portion that connects to the elongated push rod.  
   
   
       14 . The linear hydraulic drive unit of  claim 13 , wherein the elongated push rod has a tubular end portion that is internally threaded and the second end portion of the end member is externally threaded and threads into the end portion of the push rod.  
   
   
       15 . The linear hydraulic drive unit of  claim 12 , wherein the coupler is axially split into two halves and bolts extend between the halves and secure them together.  
   
   
       16 . The linear hydraulic drive unit of  claim 15 , wherein the piston rod and the two halves of the coupler include interlocking portions where the two halves of the coupler contact the piston rod, said interlocking portions preventing axial movement of the coupler halves relatively along the piston rod.  
   
   
       17 . In a drive assembly having a mounting frame, a plurality of linear hydraulic drive units that are connected to the mounting frame, transverse drive beam connected to each drive unit a transverse mounting member at an end of the mounting frame, and the improvement comprising: 
 said transverse mounting frame member;    a bottom web having a center opening and two end openings, opposite side flanges extending upwardly from the web, lips extending laterally inwardly from upper portions of the flanges;    a center wall extending upwardly from the opposite ends of the center cutout to a horizontal top;    said flanges being parallel to each other and being spaced apart laterally across the frame member;    said flanges being perpendicular to the web and to the top of the center member;    said lips being in coplanar parallelism with each other, and being parallel to the web and the top of the center member and being perpendicular to the flanges; and    wherein the web includes outer end portions which form with outer end portions of the flanges and outer end portions of the lips a pair of spaced apart outwardly directed channel members at each end of the frame member separated by said end openings in said web.    
   
   
       18 . The improvement of  claim 17 , wherein the lips extend the full length of the mounting frame.  
   
   
       19 . The improvement of  claim 17 , wherein the end openings have closed inner ends and open outer ends, and the web extends inwardly from the inner ends of said openings to the center wall.  
   
   
       20 . The improvement of  claim 19 , wherein the center wall has two end portions that are spaced apart, said end portions having lower edges that are connected to the bottom web and extend upwardly to the top of the center member.  
   
   
       21 . The drive assembly of  claim 17 , further including a second transverse mounting member at a second end of the mounting frame, said second transverse mounting member having a center portion and two opposite end portions, the opposite end portions being channel members including a web and top and bottom flanges and the central portion being a channel member comprising a web and top and bottom flanges, wherein the two end portions and the center portions have a common upper flange that extends the full length of the mounting frame member, said center portion has a lower flange that is faced downwardly from the