Patent ID: 9637000
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: B60K,B60W,B60Y,Y02T,Y10S

Claim:
1. An agricultural tractor for use with an implement selectively attached to the tractor, the tractor comprising a tractor frame providing a supporting chassis, an internal combustion engine for delivering torque, wheels or tracks for imparting a propulsive force to the ground, and a power takeoff shaft which terminates in a stub external to the supporting chassis for delivering torque to an implement selectively attached thereto, a mechanical drive connection between the engine and the power takeoff shaft, an electrical generator drivingly connected to the engine, and at least one electrical motor arranged to deliver a propulsion force to the wheels or tracks, the at least one electrical motor being electrically connected to, and powered by, the electrical generator, wherein the mechanical drive connection between the engine and the power takeoff shaft includes a power takeoff clutch to allow disengagement of the power takeoff shaft from torque delivered by the electrical motor, further comprising a power takeoff drive electrical motor being electrically connected to, and powered by, the electrical generator, the power takeoff drive electrical motor being drivingly connected to the power takeoff shaft on an output side of the power takeoff clutch so that the power takeoff shaft can be driven by the power takeoff drive electrical motor independently of the engine when the power takeoff clutch is disengaged, characterised in that the tractor further comprises a battery connected to the electrical generator and to the electrical motor, wherein said electrical generator is provided as a first motor/generator drivingly connected to the engine, and to which the battery is connected so that electrical energy can be passed therebetween, wherein the first motor/generator can operate as a motor so that the power takeoff shaft is at least partially powered by electrical energy from the battery.