Deere + Company

David Carl Winter

James Thomas Noonan

John D Long

Kevin Jacob Goering

Timothy Arthur Deutsch

Richard Wayne Hook

Donald Ray Peck

Terry L Lowe

James W Hall

Michael Lee Pearson

Myron L McCunn

Maurice A Popelier

David H Bucher

Glenn D Head, Jr

William R Wood

Ronald E Rohren

Louis P Bredesky, Jr

William C Le Master

Dennis L Marchael

A lift system includes parallel connected cylinder circuits with cylinders mechanically tied together on a first lift wheel arm. The base end of a third cylinder connected to a second lift wheel arm is connected in parallel with the pair of cylinders. The rod end of the third cylinder is constrained for movement with the rod end of a fourth cylinder also connected to the second wheel arm. The rod end of one of the pair of cylinders is connected in series with the base end of the fourth cylinder to thereby constrain the third and fourth cylinders on the second lift wheel arm to move in unison with the pair of cylinders on the first lift wheel arm. Series cylinder circuits move the wing cylinders in unison with the main frame cylinders to keep the implement level. The hydraulic circuit is also plumbed to retract outer wing wheels during wing fold operations to eliminate outer wing wheel interference.

Cylinder synchronization for an implement lift system

A flexible insert for a cotton stripper finger assembly adapted for stripping cotton bolls from cotton plants planted in narrow row or broadcast configuration. The insert comprises a flexible plastic strip sandwiched between a conventional metal stripping finger and a metal hold-down member. The insert has edges extending outwardly from the metal stripping finger edges to reduce the effective width of the gap between fingers to more efficiently strip cotton bolls from cotton plants having relatively thin stalks. The portions of the insert which project beyond the metal stripping finger are sufficiently flexible to permit efficient stripping of cotton plants with thicker stalks. Since the effective gap width can change with changing plant conditions, the need to change gap-adjusting inserts is eliminated. The plastic material, which preferably is polyurethane having a durometer of approximately 93, resists sap build-up and improves cotton flow over the fingers.

Flexible finger inserts for cotton stripper fingers

A floating row crop cultivator rig is supported behind a rigid guide tire. A guide wheel standard straddles a bracket which mounts the forward end of a rig parallel bar linkage to a toolbar. A tool support depends from the aft end of the parallel bar linkage and carries a ground engaging element directly rearwardly of the guide tire. Instead of a conventional rig tire to control rig depth, an adjustable length member with a lost motion connection controls the lowermost position of the linkage and thus of the tool support while permitting upward movement of the linkage when an obstacle is encountered. A rod threaded through a trunnion on the tool support has a forward end supported in a slotted bracket on the lower bar of the parallel linkage to adjustably limit the lowermost position of the linkage while permitting the linkage to pivot upwardly against the bias of rig weight and an adjustable down pressure spring arrangement to clear obstacles. A spring trip standard may be supported by the tool support to additionally provide trip protection.

Adjustable guide rig structure for an agricultural implement

Knock-on sweep mounting structure includes a combination of first and second tapers, and mating notch structure in the sweep connecting portion and in the mounting structure on the shank, to provide easy installation and prevent sweep loss. The notch structure facilitates easy connection of the sweep on the mounting structure by rotational movement of the sweep at a single narrowed attaching location between the tapers. Once on the mounting structure, the sweep can slide along the shank. By forcing the sweep upwardly, the sweep is wedge-locked in the field-working position on the first taper. The second taper, opposite in direction from the first taper, fits against the naturally occurring shape of the bottom of the sweep connecting portion to retain the sweep on the shank if the sweep is dislodged from the first taper. The combination of tapers with the notch structure located therebetween substantially reduces the possibility of a sweep accidentally falling off the shank.

Agricultural sweep and mounting

A one-way pressure bleed off path is provided between the series cylinder depth control circuit and an additional hydraulic circuit for an agricultural implement to prevent pressure build-up and hose expansion that otherwise would cause uneven series cylinder extension and uneven implement depth. A line including an orifice and a one-way check valve is added between the depth control circuit and the second circuit, such as the wing fold circuit for the implement, to bleed off any series cylinder pressure build-up through the otherwise unused second circuit. The orifice limits the amount of oil that is returned to reservoir during operation of the series circuit to lower the implement. The check valve isolates the depth control circuit and the second circuit to prevent unwanted cylinder operation while the wings are being folded.

Pressure relieving circuit for a series cylinder depth control

Leaves and other debris arranged in piles along a roadway are lifted by a flail-type rotary cutting device towed centrally behind a tractor. The device includes a containment hood having a forwardly opening throat which is adjustable to conform generally to the size of the piles for receiving the piles and restricting the material from being thrown forwardly from under the hood particularly at the end of a pile. The lifted material is delivered into a receptacle towed behind the cutting device. The rotary cutting device can handle leaves and other debris in states ranging from dry and fluffy to frozen and snow-covered. The tractor and/or additional brushes may be used for preliminary piles sizing and positioning. Brushes may also be added to the machine for additional cleaning action and to help part wide piles.

Street cleaning device for collecting leaves and debris

Hydraulic lift cylinders on a transversely extending implement frame, such as a multi-section hinged implement, are connected by valve and conduit structure to operate as single acting cylinders in parallel during an automatic depth control mode for individual cylinder control. An operator control valve and depth sensing valve permit the operator to change to a fast raise/fast lower mode wherein flow control structure causes the lift cylinders to operate substantially in series for raising and lowering the implement in level fashion across its width to and from a transport position.

Implement having parallel cylinder depth control and series cylinder lift

An improved hydraulic circuit for raising and lowering a three-point hitch-mounted implement having a lift assist assembly and for selectively lowering the lower draft links of the three-point hitch to transfer implement weight to the rear wheels of the tractor without affecting the normal operation of the tractor operator control valve. A shuttle valve connects the rockshaft control valve, which otherwise would be disabled, to the rockshaft cylinder which controls the lower draft links. The ball-check valve also connects the rockshaft cylinder to the operator control valve while isolating the rockshaft control valve from the operator control valve.

Hydraulic weight transfer system for an implement with a lift assist

A crop sheild is connected to the aft ends of a pair of parallel links by a bracket assembly which can pivot to permit the shield to dump trash. The bracket assembly is pivotally connected to the aft end of the lower link and includes a slot slidably received on a pin located on the aft end of the upper link to maintain the links in a generally parallel relationship. The weight of the shield normally biases the shield to a horizontal field-working position with the end of the slot stopped against the pin. When trash builds up, the shield pivots with respect to the lower link and the slot slides over the pin as the shield moves up against the bias over the trash. Dump forces are reduced since the shields pivot independently of the parallel links.

Self-dumping crop shield

A soil-smoothing or leveling tool, such as a harrow or press wheel gang, is rockably connected to the rear of the main frame of a tillage or seeding implement. The tool frame width is substantial compared to the width of the implement, and the height of the tool frame relative to the main frame is sensed to provide an accurate indication of the average depth of penetration across the width of the implement. The angle-sensing device operably connected to the drawbar of the trailing tool senses the angle between the main frame and the drawbar, and a control valve assembly responsive to the sensed angle controls the main frame lift system to maintain a preselected relationship between the tool and the main frame and thereby accurately control tillage or planting depth.

Depth sensing structure for an agricultural implement

Disclosed is a representative agricultural implement towed by a tractor equipped by a hydraulic power source connected to a lift mechanism for raising and lowering the implement frame so as to vary the ground-working depth of the working tools. The frame carries a sensor responsive to changes in implement depth above and below a preselected norm. This sensor serves as the input for the inventive control valve and system so as to control the implement lift system automatically. The valve is designed as a four-position valve, with one of the positions serving dual modes so that the system produces fast and slow raising, fast and slow lowering and a neutral or balanced position. The valve has a pressure port connected to the pressure side of the tractor source via a manual valve to afford three of the four active positions with one setting of the manual valve. The fourth active position (fast raise) is achieved by changing the manual valve to reverse the pressure and return ports in the depth control valve. Reversal of these ports activates a pressure chamber and pressure-receivable area on the valve spool of the depth control valve.

Depth control valve and system for agricultural implements

A bearing surface for a hollow link of rectangular cross section including a pair of replaceable axially aligned bushings press-fitted into a pair of seats swaged in opposite sidewalls of the link.

Bearing surface for thinwalled tube

To form a furrow for row guidance systems, a shank is mounted on a frame forwardly of a wheel which includes a V-shaped tire. The shank opens the ground and the tire crushes clods and packs the sides of the furrow. Depth bands on each side of the tire shape the edges of the furrow and prevent loose dirt from rolling back into the furrow. When utilized to reform a furrow, the frame is pivotally connected to the implement for rocking about an upright axis to allow the wheel to trail and average out guidance system corrections and driver steering corrections so that the reformed furrow will be more accurate for the next operation.

Method and apparatus for forming and reforming a furrow

A guidance system for use with tractor-mounted row crop cultivators and similar implements includes a pair of independent furrow followers mounted one behind the other on the implement for sensing implement position relative to a preestablished guidance furrow. Series-connected switches are controlled by furrow sensor arms to activate a solenoid valve-controlled hydraulic cylinder on a laterally movable parallel linkage hitch which replaces the standard three-point hitch on the implement. When the implement is raised from the ground, V-shaped stops under the sensor arms automatically position the sensors at the null point. Switches and an actuator on the hydraulic cylinder operate in response to movement of the tractor rockshaft to return the implement to center position in preparation for alignment with the next set of rows to be cultivated.

Implement with laterally movable frame structure

A flow drilling tool including a blunt-ended prepunch portion for punching a circular slug from the workpiece as the tool is rotated and moved axially with respect to the workpiece. Thereafter, a circular forming portion is rotated in contact with the workpiece to increase the length and diameter of the punched hole. The prepunch permits formation of a rimmed hole in a single step by eliminating predrilling. Variations and irregularities in the length and thickness of the rim portion surrounding the hole are reduced, and ragged tapered surfaces on the rim portion are eliminated. The axial location of the hole relative to the workpiece is controlled by adjusting the speed of rotation of the tool and the axial pressure of the tool against the workpiece, and by preheating the workpiece.

Growing community of inventors

Johnston, IA, United States of America

David Carl Winter