Deere + Company

Carl E Kittle

Douglas J Kluge

Thomas Eugene Boe

Richard A Wittren

Gordon K Wiegardt

Gregory E Sparks

Mark Allen Bergene

Gary R Bluem

Bruce Craig Newendorp

Trent Lynn Goodnight

Stephen P Lang

Peter Leslie Falck

Dallas R Humphrey

Richard A Schafer

Seaton Moon

Kenneth D Baxter

Michael O Youngblood

Eugenio Espiritu Santo

James Allan Koch

Thomas W Hanks

James E Roach

David S Price

Jeffrey A Jackson

Dennis L Paxton

Arthur J LaFave

David L Olson

James L Price

Frank H Gardner

Abraham Camacho

Michael D Wagner

Lynn E Porter

John J Freund

Robert L Rigdon, Sr

Gary J Stratton

Daniel J Harken

Trend L Goodnight

A tractor includes various actuators or functions, such as a powershift transmission, a hitch and hitch control system, a PTO, a plurality of selective control valves, etc., all controlled by one or more control units in response to sensed parameters and operator manipulated control devices, such as switches, knobs and levers. A function management system includes a programmed control unit which has a learn/save mode which is operable while the vehicle is moving. During the learn/save mode the operator performs a sequence of manual manipulations of the operator control devices, and the control unit records and then stores information pertaining to the sequence of operations, together with information pertaining to the distances traveled by the tractor between operations. The control unit also has an execute or replay mode, operable in response to an operator command signal, wherein the control unit automatically performs the stored sequence of operations so that the sequence of operations is performed at the same distance intervals at which they were learned, regardless of the speed of the vehicle.

Vehicle function management system

A microprocessor-based control system includes an automatic calibration and configuration feature. A calibration and configuration algorithm operates to establish the sensor ranges of all sensors installed and disables certain configurable features if the associated sensors are not present. The algorithm also provides a functional test of the control system during the calibration process.

Control system calibration

A wheel tread adjusting device has a flat plate provided with a plurality of holes. Two of the holes align with the jack screw bores normally present in a tapered sleeve-type hub to mount the plate to the tapered sleeve. A cut-out bore allows the plate to rest flush against the tapered sleeve without interfering with the normally present lug bolts. Two additional bores are positioned radially outside of the tapered sleeve and hold jack screws to unwedge the tapered sleeve from the hub. An adjustment rod is selectively engageable with either of two adjustment bores in the plate. Another portion of the rod can be threaded through a bracket mounted to the end of the axle, or through a lug bolt bore in the hub of an outer wheel, if dual wheels are present. The structure is extremely simple, uses the normally present bores to the maximum extent, and is made predominantly of standard available parts.

Wheel tread adjusting device

A clutch control system for the front wheel drive clutch of a four-wheel drive vehicle engages the front wheel drive clutch as a function of three brake-operated switches, a pair of manually-operated 'OFF-ON-AUTO' mode switches and a pair of speed responsive switches connected between a battery and the solenoid of a front wheel drive clutch control valve. The system engages the clutch when vehicle speed is above a limit speed and both service brakes are applied even when the mode switches are in their 'OFF' position wherein the clutch is normally disengaged.

Front wheel drive clutch control system

A removable wheel tread adjusting device used for facilitating the axial displacement of a tractor wheel assembly is adaptable to the exterior surface of the wheel assembly and can be utilized for the same task on similar wheel assembly structures. Specifically, the removable adjusting device supports a gear which intermeshes with a rack extending lengthwise along the axle and is capable of receiving torque from a tool so as to effect the axial displacement of the wheel assembly relative to the axle.

Removable wheel tread adjusting device

A draft force sensor includes a bracket fixed to a tractor frame part. The bracket includes a pair of laterally-spaced legs which support a shaft to which is coupled the fore-end of a draft link. An end of the shaft is coupled to one end of a load strap. The other end of the load strap is pinned at the bracket to allow fore-and-aft loading of the strap from the shaft. A strain sensor is received in an aperture in a central portion of the load strap.

Draft sensor including strain sensor coupled to load strap

A differential lock control system includes an hydraulically-operated differential lock operated by a solenoid valve. Energization of the solenoid valve is controlled by a circuit which includes a normally open latching relay and series-connected switches which open and unlock the differential in response to sensed vehicle speed and brake application. The differential may be locked by closing a normally open momentary contact switch. A multiple relay circuit is coupled to the latching relay and is operable to automatically re-lock the differential when certain conditions relating to vehicle functions, such as steering pressure, wheel slip and draft force, are met.

Differential lock control system responsive to a plurality of vehicle

A tractor includes a hitch for pulling a ground-engaging implement. A hydraulic cylinder is extendable and retractable to lower and raise the implement. A control system senses operating parameters, including wheel slip, engine speed, draft force and implement or rackshaft position. Error signals derived from the sensed wheel slip, engine speed and draft force are combined into a composite or combined error signal. The larger of the combined error signal, or a separately determined position error signal, is selected and converted to a pulsewidth modulated valve control signal which is applied to a control valve which then actuates the cylinder to move the implement to reduce the magnitude of the selected error signal.

Vehicle with control system for raising and lowering implement

A multiple mode single lever control lever assembly includes a lever fixed for pivotal movement with a pivot member rotatably mounted in a housing. The pivot member includes detent recesses, a centering, spring-engaging tab and a friction disk-engaging finger. An arm is slidable in a bore in the housing, is biased towards the pivot member and carries a detent follower and a centering spring-engaging tab. A rotatable index member includes cam surfaces which cooperate with corresponding cam surfaces on the housing so that the index member moves axially to frictionally engage clutch disks with the friction disks upon rotation of the index member while a ramp surface on the index member engages the arm to uncouple the arm from the centering spring and to uncouple the detent follower from the pivot member.

Multiple mode control lever assembly

A control lever assembly includes a housing with a pivot member rotatably mounted therein on a pivot pin. A pair of cam members are pivotally mounted on the pivot pin adjacent opposite sides of the pivot member. One cam member is frictionally coupled to the housing. The other cam member is biased to a neutral position by a centering spring. A cross arm is movable in the pivot member to alternately couple and uncouple one or the other of the cam members from the pivot member, depending upon the energization state of a mode-select solenoid. A detent follower releasably holds the pivot member in a displaced position when in the spring-centered mode. A rotary potentiometer coupled to the pivot member generates an electrical signal representing the position of the pivot member and a lever handle attached thereto.

Dual mode control lever assembly

A multiple mode control lever assembly includes a lever fixed for rotation with a disk rotatable on a central pivot in a housing. The disk includes detent recesses and carries a brake segment. A detent element is pivotal about a second pivot and carries a roller engageable with the detent recesses. A brake element is also pivotal about the second pivot and carries a brake shoe engageable with the brake segment. An index cam is rotatable on the central pivot to couple and uncouple the detent and friction elements from the disk. The index cam is rotated by a ratchet with a pawl reciprocated by a solenoid fixed in the housing. A centering spring continuously coupled between the housing and the disk urges the lever to a neutral position.

A hitch system includes a yoke pivotally supported by the ends of a rockshaft extending from the sides of the tractor housing. The yoke includes left and right side panels and a two-piece bottom. A drawbar is pivotally coupled to the yoke between the two bottom pieces. Left and right draft links have fore ends pivotally coupled to the yoke and are sway limited in the down position by sway links connecting each draft link with an inboard portion of the yoke. The draft links are sway limited in the raised position by sway surfaces on the sides of the yoke. Lift arms are splined to the rockshaft ends and are pivoted by a pair of lift cylinders coupled between the lift arms and the housing. A pair of lift links connect the lift arms to the draft links. A yoke positioning and draft sensing link includes a fore end connected to a bottom side of the housing and an aft end connected to the yoke. Draft loads from the draft links and from the drawbar are communicated via the yoke to a draft sensor in the yoke positioning and draft sensing link.

Tractor hitch with yoke having pivotally supported upper end

A load transducer for sensing longitudinal tension includes a pair of deformable members with spaced-apart central portions, the spacing between which varies as a function of the longitudinal tension applied to the ends of the deformable members. The plates of a variable parallel plate capacitor are carried by insulating supports attached to each of the central portions. Alignment rods maintain the plates in parallel alignment. A circuit produces an output signal with a frequency proportional to the tension sensed by the draft sensor.

Capacitance transducer

The disclosure is of a control mechanism including a rockshaft carried by a support and itself having fixed thereto an upstanding rocker element. A cam is disposed alongside the rocker element, having a lower end formed with an opening that loosely embraces the rockshaft so as to enable relative movement of the cam within at least the limits of the opening. Lost-motion means interconnects the rocker element and cam for rocking of the two in unison about the rockshaft axis while permitting the aforesaid limited movement. Adjusting means is provided between the cam and rocker element for achieving adjustment of the cam relative to the rocker element while retaining the floatability or relative movement of the cam.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Falls, IA, United States of America

Carl E Kittle