Deere & Company

Darrell L Wright

William E Crookes

James M Conner

Terrill Wayne Woods

Raymond D Thompson

Robert Henry Casterton

Larry J Phippen

Ross K Brown

William F Purcell

A suspended operator station within the cab of a tractor or similar vehicle adjusts the height of the seat and thereafter the positions of the steering wheel, foot pedals and other controls relative to the seat for maximum visibility and comfort of operators of different size, and permits attenuated movement of the seat and controls together. The seat is mounted on a platform which is suspended above the cab floor by an attenuator assembly permitting limited, attenuated movement of the platform in a generally horizontal plane and a height adjustable support having vertical shock absorption and which positions the height of the seat for optimum visibility. The seat is mounted on the platform via tracks which permit fore-aft adjustment of the seat relative to controls coupled to the platform. In one embodiment a tiltable and telescoping steering wheel and foot pedals are mounted on a subfloor which is coupled to and adjustable in height relative to the platform. In an alternative embodiment the foot pedals are mounted on the platform and a tiltable and telescoping steering wheel is mounted on a console extending from the armrest of the seat.

Suspended operator station

An air distribution system for a vehicle cab. The system uses two blowers: a first constant-volume blower for drawing fresh outside air into the cab and a second variable-speed blower for recirculating the inside air. An air filter is positioned upstream of both blowers for filtering out dust and other contaminants. As the fresh outside air passes through the first blower, it is mixed in a mixing zone with inside air which passes thorugh the second blower. This intermixed air is then passed through a temperature controller which includes a heating unit and an air conditioning unit. The temperature controller treats the air stream before it is routed through a series of ductwork to various parts of the operator's compartment of the cab. This two-blower air distribution system is a vast improvement over conventional air distribution systems in that it always provides for a positive air pressurization within the cab thereby preventing the influx of dust.

Air distribution system

Growing community of inventors

Waterloo, IA, United States of America

Darrell L Wright