engine power unit

How about a line shaft down the center of the trailer with the engine and loads at the corners? They could be on hinged tensioning platforms so you can disconnect the unused ones and hang their belts on hooks, off the rotating shaft. That costs you the shaft, bearings and a pulley, maybe $100, and a rigid frame to support a pillow block at each pulley, but lets each drive be permanent and independent.

I think I would use four-bolt flanged blocks that attach to open- topped U frames so you can lift the shaft out to replace the belts.

jsw

Can you make the pump and compresor electrical, and run them off the generator?

Make everything fit a Cat 1 three point hitch format, i.e. one power pallet with a Cat 1 type output, and all attachments individual to fit Cat 1 hitch, so everything can be interchanged with a tractor if needed. The power unit is basically just an immobile tractor. You can forklift up the power unit with the 3pt attachment on it for easy movement.

I don't want to stifle any creativity here. But, my plan is to treat each of the power consuming units like a mold in a molding press. they will all be mounted to a plate say 18" by 24". The plate drops in a pocket and you impact wench on four bolts. The large plate with the pocket has the engine permanently mounted and is on a small skid. My real quandary at this point is the best way to attach the rotating power. I'm leaning to two of the roller chain couplings and a short shaft between engine and unit.

But, I do know this group can com up with great ideas I hadn't considered.

Karl

Do all the units need to turn the same direction to operate?

Paul

So all the loads turn in the same direction at about the same speed. My lineshaft suggestion allowed either direction and speed changes, with belt or chain drive.

If the plate slides instead of drops into the pocket, Lovejoy couplers should work OK. I think you can align them with plates like lathe faceplates, one on the engine and the other on the loads with adapter bushings. You jack and shim up the loads until the edges align with a small even gap all the way around.

jsw

You're reinventing the wheel. Just make the generator, pump, compressor, etc. Cat 1 3 point hitch attachments. Make your power unit with a Cat 1

I can't have everything on one pallet, it gets too big to haul around easily.

I like lovejoy idea. I didn't know they made them for 10+ horsepower. I'll look.

Karl

probably a good idea but I can make it smaller and more portable with the mold plate type concept. tractors are the wrong RPM so there's no need to fit a three point.

Karl

Or make the engine drive a hydraulic pump, and put hydraulic motors on each driven device. I suspect that they each want different speeds. It would also give you a "fourth" device, so to speak, that might have some other good applications from time to time.

Brian Lawson, Bothwell, Ontario.

You must have an exceptionally good source for free hydraulic parts. Have you priced even a short replacement hose?

jsw

The Cat 1 3pt will add about 18" to the length, pretty negligible. As for the RPM, my Cat 1 tractor (Kubota B7100DT) has 540, 1000 and 1500 RPM PTO speeds.

I have a ~50HP, 25KW diesel genset that uses the lovejoy style coupling.

I get hoses from Northern and Surplus Center. Very cheap. Typical offerings

Wayne

Could you make use of automotive IRS halfshafts?. IIRC some cars, BMW springs to mind, use a Lobro joint either end fixed with 6 bolts and would provide some plunge and cope with angular mis-alignment no problem, and are constant velocity. Some models, at least older ones have quite short shafts as they have drum handbrakes and the shafts are maybe 14" long IIRC, 300 series?. For quick connection maybe you would have to come up with something .

Last time I saw a roller chain coupling it was on a tractor pull unit in the UK. IIRC one V12 Jag engine in the centre and eight straight 6 Jaguar engines around that, 2 at each corner coupled end to end with a roller chain coupling, impressive but pedestrian compared to a RR Griffon engined tractor unit that ran later.

I'm for hooking up the generator and then putting motors on your two other loads.

Wes

-- "Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller

Surplus Center has a nice 12V clutch assy that would work perfect. Run the engine into a gear box setup using different ratios for the comsumers. Clutch each one on or off as needed. JR Dweller in the cellar

Karl Townsend wrote:

Princess Auto. And lots of stuff is available if you hit the right auction.

How many "hoses" did you figure? I thought just two, and a pair of QuickConnects on each motor.

Brian

I've repaired several multi stage pumps that were coupled to the prime mover using those "chain couplings". The problem is that while they do allow some small misalignment it isn't as much as perhaps it appears to be and any excessive results, in the cases above, to bearing failure. It is also noticeable that they aren't widely used..

My own inclination would be to use Vee belts which, as you said, can allow each item to run at it's optimum speed with the engine at a constant - best horsepower, or best torque, RPM.

Cheers,

John D. Slocomb (jdslocombatgmail)