Patent ID: 8857554

Claim:
A transaxle assembly for driving a plurality of wheels of a vehicle, comprising: a transmission comprising a transmission housing having a first end and a second end, a first driven shaft extending out the first end and a second driven shaft extending out the second end; a first pinion gear disposed on an external end of the first driven shaft and a second pinion gear disposed on an external end of the second driven shaft; a first pivot bearing support connected to the first end of the transmission housing and a second pivot bearing support connected to the second end of the transmission housing, each pivot bearing support comprising a pivot bearing support opening; a first steerable axle support disposed at the first end of the transmission housing and a second steerable axle support disposed at the second end of the transmission housing; a first axle rotatably supported in and extending through the first steerable axle support and a second axle rotatably supported in and extending through the second steerable axle support; a first driven axle gear fixed on one end of the first axle and a second driven axle gear fixed on one end of the second axle, wherein a second end of each of the first axle and the second axle is engaged to and drives one of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle; a first shaft support tube pivotably supported by and extending through the first pivot bearing support so that both ends of the first shaft support tube extend into mating openings formed in the first steerable axle support; a second shaft support tube pivotably supported by and extending through the second pivot bearing support so that both ends of the second shaft support tube extend into mating openings formed in the second steerable axle support; a third driven shaft rotatably mounted in and extending through the first shaft support tube and having a first driven gear fixed on one end and a first driving gear fixed on a second end, wherein the first driven gear is engaged to and driven by the first pinion gear and the first driving gear is engaged to and drives the first driven axle gear; and a fourth driven shaft rotatably mounted in and extending through the second shaft support tube and having a second driven gear fixed on one end and a second driving gear fixed on a second end, wherein the second driven gear is engaged to and driven by the second pinion gear and the second driving gear is engaged to and drives the second driven axle gear.