Abstract: A self-propelled crop harvester has opposite upright frame sides in truss form with horizontal frame members extending between them. A grain tank in saddle configuration straddles crop processing means and an engine, and sections of the walls of the saddle portions of the tank serve as the center bays of the truss frame sides. The saddle portions of the tank are also structurally connected at their lower extremities to the housing of a transverse auger conveyor which transfers grain from one saddle portion of the tank to the other. In addition to its conveyor function, the housing serves as a horizontal frame member. The transverse conveyor housing, and the front and rear axle assemblies which interconnect the frame sides at their forward and rearward ends respectively, all have substantial torsion strength. The principal functional units of the harvester are self contained, and pinned joints are used to facilitate their assembly to and removal from the harvester as modular units.

Abstract: A vehicle final drive and wheel mounting, having particular utility on relatively large machines, such as an agricultural harvesting combine or the like, includes a hollow axle housing with a vertical wheel mounting flange at its outer end. The wheel is journaled on the axle housing by means of a large annular ball bearing with an internal ring gear integral with the inner bearing race, one of the bearing races being attached to the wheel and the other being attached to the axle housing flange. A drive shaft extends through the axle housing and the mounting flange and has a gear at its outer end for connecting the drive shaft to the internal ring gear to drive the wheel.