International Harvester Company

Randolph G Fardal

Edward L Robinson, Jr

William C Swanson

Calvin P Rickerd

David Anderson

The planter height and control system is adapted for use with an agricultural planter assembly which is adapted to be mechanically and hydraulically coupled to a tractor and which includes a frame, a plurality of equally spaced planter units mounted to the frame, and at least two wheel assemblies on each side of the planter assembly. Each wheel assembly is pivotally mounted to the frame and includes a piston and cylinder mechanism which, when the piston rod thereof is extended, pivots the wheel assembly downwardly to effect raising of the planter units. The system includes an electrical-hydraulic control circuit for parallel coupling the piston and cylinder mechanisms of the at least two wheel assemblies on each side of the planter assembly and for limiting the retraction of each piston rod of each piston and cylinder mechanism to a predetermined limit less than the full return stroke of the piston rod on the lowering of the planters thereby to control the height of the planter frame above the ground and thereby to provide limited relative movement of the piston rods of the piston and cylinder mechanisms for the at least two wheel assemblies on each side of the planter assembly as the planter assembly traverses uneven ground.

Planter height and marker control system

The automatic alternating marker system is adapted for use with an agricultural planter assembly which has a plurality of planter units, which is adapted to be mechanically and hydraulically coupled to a tractor, and which has hydraulically actuated, first and second extendable markers, each mounted on one side of the planter assembly. Each marker is used to mark, respectively, the track that a tractor wheel should follow on a return planting sweep of the planter assembly for planting properly spaced adjacent rows after the planter assembly has made a first sweep to plant a plurality of rows. The system includes an electrical control circuit for causing extension of the first marker and retraction of the second marker upon the raising of the planters and the turning of the tractor 180.degree., and for causing extension of the second marker and retraction of the first marker upon the next raising of the planters and the next turning of the tractor 180.degree.. The electrical control circuit includes a pressure sensitive switch connected to the input of a toggle bistable multivibrator which has first and second outputs connected to driver circuits which in turn are connected to first and second solenoid operated valves for operating a respective piston and cylinder assembly for causing extension or retraction of one of the markers.

Automatic alternating marker system

A system is provided for monitoring and controlling the level of a working element of an agricultural implement including a digital comparator which compares stored digital signals with digital signals corresponding to the actual position of the working element. A secondary valve is controllable from the digital comparator to limit lowering movement. The actual position digital signals are developed by counters which count clock pulses during a pulse developed by a transducer circuit and having a duration corresponding to the vertical position of the working element. Such actual position digital signals are applied to latching circuits from which a signal may be applied upon operation of a memory reset button to memory latch circuits operative to provide the stored signals and such signals may also be applied to display latching circuits.

Digital memory depth tillage system

A system is provided for automatically controlling the forward speed of travel of a combine in response to feeder and separator loading and to reduce speed in proportion to grain losses exceeding predetermined limits. A hydrostatic transmission between the combine engine and drive wheels is controlled by a control element actuated by a hydraulic cylinder which is controlled from a control valve actuated by solenoids connected to the output of a comparator circuit. Signals from separator and feed load sensors and also from grain loss monitors are combined and applied to one input of the comparator circuit and a signal from a feedback sensor coupled to the hydraulic cylinder is applied to the second input of the comparator. The load sensors include potentiometers coupled to spring-loaded idler pulleys which are engaged with drive belts for the separator and feeder drive shafts and the feedback sensor is also a potentiometer. Switching means are connected in circuit with the load sensing potentiometers for obtaining optimum levels and sensitivities and the proper proportions of the separator and feeder load signals, according to machine load conditions. A manual control operates in conjunction with the transmission control element to limit maximum forward speed and to permit override of the automatic control.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Randolph G Fardal