Abstract: A low cost cotton harvester (10) utilizing a tractor chassis (12) operated in the reverse direction includes a row unit is located forwardly of the drive wheels (20), and a single operator station (36) is situated above the drive wheels (20). A basket (60) is mounted above the engine (22) and the steerable wheels (18). The transmission (26) on the chassis (12) includes a mechanical front wheel drive (MFWD) output (30) located between the drive wheels (20) and the steerable rear wheels (18) which is connected to the row unit drive (50) to synchronize row unit drive speed with tractor drive wheel speed. The harvester fan (62) is connected to the existing power take off (PTO) shaft (32) on the tractor chassis (12) for operation independently of the row unit drive (50). Drop wheel axle structure (90) for the wheels may be used to provide crop clearance and to facilitate use of the chassis as a sprayer when the row unit (46) is removed.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a compound helically toothed planet gear for a planetary gear set wherein the individual gear elements of the compound planet gear have different leads. The method identifies and utilizes the several factors affecting gear timing for compound helical planet gears having different leads to provide planet gears capable of attaining equal load share among the several gears of the planetary gear set. Specifically, the method of the present invention utilizes a mounting shoulder and bore axis to provide common locating features for use throughout the manufacturing process The method further provides for bore honing and removal of equal amounts of material from both sides of each gear tooth in the gear finishing process so as not to alter gear timing between the compound gear elements.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a compound helically toothed planet gear for a planetary gear set wherein the individual gear elements of the compound planet gear have different leads. The method identifies and utilizes the several factors affecting gear timing for compound helical planet gears having different leads to provide planet gears capable of attaining equal load share among the several gears of the planetary gear set. Specifically, the method of the present invention utilizes a mounting shoulder and bore axis to provide common locating features for use throughout the manufacturing process The method further provides for bore honing and removal of equal amounts of material from both sides of each gear tooth in the gear finishing process so as not to alter gear timing between the compound gear elements.

Abstract: In a hydro-mechanical transmission having a hydrostatic unit and a mechanical gear train, the hydrostatic unit is resiliently mounted in the transmission housing to reduce the transmission of noise and vibration to the housing. Movement of the hydrostatic unit is facilitated by mounting the planetary carrier on a ball bearing instead of taper roller bearings. The ball bearing allows the carrier limited movement transverse to the axis of rotation of the carrier. To further reduce wear of the gear faces, one or more of the meshing gears at the point of relative movement have crowned gear faces rather than straight gear faces. This avoids a single line of contact of the meshing teeth at the tooth edge.

Abstract: A hydro-mechanical transmission having a planetary system with three planetary gear sets including a reversing planetary gear set together with two clutches and a reverse brake to provide an infinitely adjustable speed change over the speed range from −20 kph to 60 kph without an additional direction change gear set. The transmission has two forward speed ranges and one reverse speed range. The planetary system has fixed mechanical and hydrostatic power input elements and a fixed output element. The low and high range clutches and the reverse brake direct power flow through the transmission along different paths to produce the different gear ratios. Transmission efficiency is maximized at the field use speed and the transport road speed where an agricultural tractor is most often operated.