Deere + Company

Derek Malcolm Eagles

James A Miller

Thomas Eugene Boe

William Guy Alexander

Larry M Delfs

Douglas M Durant

Ronald Lee Pratt

Yifei Raymond Hou

Donald J Macdonald

Jeffrey David Dawson

Gregory Joseph Laudick

Jianming Yu

A steering system for a work vehicle having a steerable wheel. The steering system includes a steering input device configured to provide a first steering input and a second steering input to move the steerable wheel. A pilot system is operatively connected to the steering input device and includes a first pilot line operatively connected to the first steering input and a second pilot line operatively connected to the second steering input. A piloted system is operatively connected to the pilot system and includes a direction control valve operatively connected to each of the first and second pilot lines and to a steering cylinder. The steering cylinder is coupled to the steerable wheel. The direction control valve responds to each of the pressure signals of the first and second pilot lines to adjust the position of the steering cylinder which in turn moves the steerable wheel.

Electro-hydraulic steering control system

A towed scraper control system automatically lowers the scraper blade to a working position at the start of a scraping operation according to a certain method. The method includes sensing a ground speed of the vehicle and sensing a draft force applied by the scraper to the vehicle. With the vehicle pulling the scraper at or near a target ground speed over terrain with the blade positioned above a surface of the ground, the blade is automatically lowered with respect to the scraper frame at a first rate until the blade begins to engage the surface of the ground. Thereafter, while the vehicle continues to move forward at or near the target ground speed, the blade is lowered with respect to the frame at a second rate and for a duration related to the sensed ground speed so that lowering of the blade stops when the scraper wheel begins to enter a cut produced by the blade. With the blade fixed with respect to the scraper frame, the scraper is moved forward at the target ground speed for a distance determined as a function of the sensed draft force. Thereafter, the blade is raised with respect to the frame at a rate which matches a lowering rate of the wheels as they descend along the cut, and the blade is raised at this matching rate until the position of the blade matches the position of the blade after the first lowering step. Preferably, the second rate is slower than the first rate.

Towed scraper blade control method

A method is provided for automatically determining a hitch raise rate calibration value for a hitch control system having a hydraulic actuator for moving the hitch, a valve for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid to the actuator and an electronic hitch control unit. The method includes applying a first control signal to the valve to cause the hitch to raise, determining a first hitch velocity as the hitch moves in response to the first control signal, and repeating these steps for a second control signal. The raise rate calibration value is then calculated as a function of a desired raise velocity, the first and second control signals and the first and second velocities.

Hitch raise rate calibration method

A hydraulic system having a standpipe in a sump with ports on the side of the standpipe and one smaller port on the top of the standpipe. The majority of the oil flows into the standpipe through the side ports thereby reducing the downward suction and flow at the top of the standpipe to eliminate the formation of a vortex at the top of the standpipe. As a result, less air is drawn into the oil producing a more consistent oil/air mixture and more consistent sump oil level.

Hydraulic system sump standpipe

Left and right two stage brake valves communicate fluid pressure to left and right brake mechanisms, each brake valve having an inlet for receiving pressurized brake fluid, a reservoir, a stepped bore and a stepped piston. The stepped bore and the stepped piston forming a high volume prefill chamber and a high pressure chamber. A prefill drain valve communicates the prefill chambers to the reservoir only when pump pressure is available at the inlet and blocks communication between the left and right prefill chambers and between the prefill chambers and a reservoir when pump pressure is not available at the inlet.

Brake valve with prefill chamber unloading valve

A hydraulic system includes a hydraulic pump which provides pressurized fluid at an output port as a function of pressure in a load sensing port, a hydraulic reservoir, and a load pressure sensing line connected to the load sensing port. A solenoid operated implement control valve controls fluid communication to and from a hydraulic function such as a cylinder. A supply control valve has a first position wherein the reservoir is communicated with the load sensing port and a second position wherein the pump output port is communicated with the load sensing port. A spring urges the valve member to its first position, and a solenoid is energizable to move the valve member to its second position. The solenoid is energized when the implement control valve is activated so that the supply control valve communicates pump pressure to the load sensing port and the pump will operate at full capacity whenever the second hydraulic function is operated.

Supply valve arrangement for closed center hydraulic system

A charge flow distribution valve routes all charge pump flow into a main pump until the main pump has sufficient inlet pressure. The valve opens to a first stage which routes excess charge flow to lubrication circuits. At a slightly higher main pump inlet pressure, it also routes oil to an inlet of the charge pump.

Charge flow priority circuit

A closed center, load sensing hydraulic system is disclosed which contains a primary work circuit which has priority in flow demand over a secondary work circuit. The system includes a variable displacement pump fluidly connected between a reservoir and a control valve with the primary work circuit. The primary work circuit includes a control valve which regulates fluid flow from the pump to a primary hydraulic function and which includes a feedback mechanism connected thereto. The secondary work circuit also includes a manually operable control valve for regulating fluid flow from the pump to a secondary hydraulic function. A priority valve is connected between the pump and the secondary work circuit and movable between an open and a closed position to regulate the pressure of fluid discharged by the pump. Pressurized fluid from the primary work circuit is conveyed through a load signal line to the priority valve such that the pressurized fluid will urge the priority valve towards a closed position thereby assuring that adequate fluid pressure is available from the pump to the primary work circuit. The system also includes a control valve for sensing pressure variations between the fluid discharged from the pump and fluid present in the load signal line. This valve controls fluid flow out of the primary hydraulic function, via the load signal line, when the pressure of the fluid discharged by the pump is less than the pressure of the fluid in the load signal line and thereby essentially eliminates kickback from the primary control valve.

Closed center, load sensing hydraulic system

An open center, load sensing hydraulic system is disclosed which contains a primary work circuit and a secondary work circuit. A fixed displacement pump is fluidly connected between a reservoir and both the primary and secondary work circuits for supplying pressurized fluid thereto. The primary work circuit includes a control valve which regulates fluid flow from the pump to a primary hydraulic function and which includes a feedback mechanism connected thereto. The secondary work circuit includes a manually operable control valve for regulating fluid flow from the pump to a secondary hydraulic function. A priority valve is connected between the pump and both the primary and secondary work circuits and is movable to regulate the pressure to the primary work circuit. Pressurized signals from the primary work circuit are transmitted through a load signal lne to the priority valve and are used to move the priority valve to a position which assures that adequate pressure is always available to the primary work circuit. The system also includes a control valve for sensing pressure variations between the fluid discharged from the priority valve and the fluid present in the load signal line. This valve prevents fluid flow out of the primary hydraulic function, via the load signal line, when the pressure of the fluid discharged by the pump is less than the pressure of the fluid in the load signal line and thereby essentially eliminates kickback from the primary control valve.

Open center load sensing hydraulic system

A load sensing hydraulic system is disclosed which essentially eliminates kickback from a feedback mechanism contained in a manually operable control valve which in turn is fluidly connected to a hydraulic function. The system includes a power on demand pump fluidly connected between a reservoir and the control valve for supplying pressurized fluid to the hydraulic function. A load signal line is also connected between the control valve and the pump which serves to transmit pressure signals, which are generated by loads acting on the hydraulic function, to the pump for controlling the pressurized output thereof. A load signal control valve is positioned in the load signal line and is fluidly connected to the discharge side of the pump. The load signal control valve is capable of sensing pressure variations between the fluid discharged by the pump and the upstream fluid present in the load signal line. As soon as the control valve senses that the pressure of the fluid discharged by the pump is less than the upstream pressure of the fluid in the load signal line, it moves to block off fluid flow from the hydraulic function and thereby eliminates kickback on the manually operable control member.

Load sensing hydraulic system

An open center hydraulic system is disclosed which contains a primary work circuit and a secondary work circuit. A fixed displacement pump is fluidly connected between a reservoir and the primary and secondary work circuits for supplying pressurized fluid thereto. The primary work circuit includes a control valve which regulates fluid flow from the pump to a primary hydraulic function and which includes a feedback mechanism connected thereto. The secondary work circuit also includes a manually operable control valve for regulating fluid flow from the pump to a secondary hydraulic function. A priority valve is connected between the pump and the secondary work circuit and is movable between an open and a closed position to regulate the pressure of fluid discharged by the pump. Pressurized fluid from the primary work circuit is conveyed through a load signal line to the priority valve such that the pressurized fluid will urge the priority valve towards the closed position thereby assuring that adequate fluid pressure is available from the pump to the primary work circuit. The system also includes a control valve for sensing pressure variations between the fluid discharged from the pump and fluid present in the load signal line. This valve controls fluid flow out of the primary hydraulic function, via the load signal line, when the pressure of the fluid discharged by the pump is less than the pressure of the fluid in the load signal line and thereby essentially eliminates kickback from the primary control valve.

Open center hydraulic system

An in-line filter element is disposed within a tubular valve spool which shifts to either meter or shut-off fluid flow through the valve in response to a preselected pressure differential across the valve and element which is some value below a value which could result in damage to the filter element.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Falls, IA, United States of America

Derek Malcolm Eagles