Patent ID: 8931719
Filing Date: 2015-01-13
Classification: A01G

Abstract:
1. An irrigation system comprising: a water pipeline supported upon a plurality of spaced-apart drive towers; each of said drive towers having an elongated main beam with opposite ends; at least one of said drive towers having a support frame fixed to each of the ends of said main beam, said support frame having a first side and a second side; a support structure coupled to said first side of each of said support frames; a sleeve bearing coupled to each of said support structures; a wheel/tire assembly rotatably secured to each of said support frames, each of said wheel/tire assemblies positioned at said first side of the associated said support frame, each of said wheel/tire assemblies including a drive shaft extending through the associated said support structure and the associated said sleeve bearing, said drive shaft having a first end and a second end; a motor driven gearbox operatively secured to each of said support frames; each of said motor driven gearboxes operatively connected to said second end of said drive shaft of the associated said wheel/tire assembly to rotate the same, wherein at least a portion of the reactionary forces are transferred by way of each said sleeve bearing to the associated said drive tower; and a sleeve bearing configured to receive said drive shaft, said sleeve bearing coupled to said first side of said support frame, wherein at least substantially all reaction forces are transferred into at least one drive tower of said plurality of drive towers via said sleeve bearing and said drive shaft, and wherein said first end of each of said drive shaft is received by an outer tube, each said outer tube including at least one flange for supporting a wheel/tire, wherein each said sleeve bearing is configured to slidably receive the associated said outer tube over the associated said sleeve bearing, and wherein said wheel/tire assembly is supported in a cantilever fashion.