Deere + Company

Richard A Schafer

Carl E Kittle

Bennie Joe Vaughn

David S Price

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

An improved draft sensing device for a tractor draft control system, the draft sensing device including a tapered load pin having its large end rigidly attached to the tractor and its free end pivotally carrying the tractor draft link through a load arm which imposes a torsional load on the load pin in proportion to the draft load. A bracket secured to the load arm amplifies and measures the load pin motion.

Draft sensing device including load pin with free end

An implement hitch for an articulated agricultural four-wheel drive tractor includes draft links secured to the rear section of the tractor by spherical bearings and carrying couplers to connect an implement. Loads applied by the implement act along lines through spherical bearings in the ends of each draft link and extend into the tractor to converge and intersect slightly in front of the rear axle of the rear section of the articulated tractor.

Tractor implement hitch

A tractor hitch having a rockshaft pivotally carried between a pair of tractor frames behind and below the rear axle which carries a bellcrank to which a pair of draft links and drawbar are pivotally attached. A pair of lift arms are attached to the rockshaft, one on either side of the bellcrank, and are connected by connecting links to the draft links to support and lift the draft links and drawbar upon actuation of a pair of lift cylinders connected to the midpoints of the lift arms. A coupler frame with a three-point hitch is carried by the rear end of the draft links and is held in an upright position by three links connected to the upper portion of the tractor frames to define a four-bar linkage to allow translation of the coupler frame relative to the rear axle. A bellcrank actuator is actuable to rotate the bellcrank to move the draft links either forward or back to tilt the coupler frame and move the drawbar forward and back. Sway links are connected to the bellcrank and to the draft links to provide sway control for the draft links and drawbar.

Tractor hitch

A ball coupling includes a tractor drawbar mounted hitch ball, substantially englobed by a cap assembly which is slidable on the hitch ball. The cap assembly includes a cap having a frusto-conical surface which non-rotatably engages a frusto-conical through opening in an implement drawbar attached adapter. A lockable fastener abuts the adapter and protrudes into the smaller base of the adapter opening and threads into a threaded hole in the smaller base of the cap to draw the cap assembly into the adapter.

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Traer, IA, United States of America

Richard A Schafer