How exactly does a PTO work?

Question

I am slightly familiar with it, but do not fully comprehend the concept.

Answer 1

On a farm tractor, you'll see a splined shaft protruding from the back of the differential. This is used to power implements through a drive shaft. On larger trucks, there is a removable plate on the side of the transmission where the PTO is bolted on. A gear from the PTO lines up with a gear in the tranny and usually has an air cylinder, activated from inside the cab to engage or disengage it. This can be a hydraulic pump or a drive shaft to turn some equipment on the vehicle.

Answer 2

If you understand anything about how gears mesh and work, you'll understand a PTO. On manual transmissions, the PTO works off the reverse idler gear. It can be shifted in and out by a lever connected to a shifter fork. This is the simplest way I can explain it.
If you can get access to them, some farm machinery manufacturers have excellent training manuals that show how PTOs work. Some truck manuals do also.
Also, why don't you look it up on your computer?

Answer 3

PTO is short for Power Take Off. In todays machine world it is a belt, shaft or hydraulic pump that is attached to the engine and drives auxillary equipment commonly found on today's trucks, tractors, etc. It is common to see them activated by use of a lever or switch. I work using an aerial lift truck (cherry picker or bucket truck). The lift itself uses hydraulic cylinders to lift and move the different parts of the lift. To get the needed hydraulic power a pump is mounted on the engine, driven by a belt through a electrically activated clutch. Switching the pump on provides the hydraulic power to operate the lift.

Answer 4

pto is a pump system that runs of a belt system or shaft used to power a hyd system