Deere + Company

Richard Treichel

Benjamin Michael Witte

Seaton Moon

Jeffrey C Marks

Timothy J Mattson

Daniel M Johnson

Mark A Taute

James Allan Koch

A control linkage is disclosed for a vehicle such that the vehicle's transmission can be connected to a shift lever located in an isolated cab structure. Movement of the shift lever will obtain corresponding shifting of gear ratios within the transmission. The control linkage permits such shifting while compensating for relative motion between the cab structure and the transmission. The control linkage includes a rotatable shaft which is secured between the cab structure and the transmission and which is also capable of angularly moving relative to both structures. A sleeve is positioned about the support shaft and is secured to it so that both can rotate simultaneously. Extending radially outward from the sleeve is a pair of arms, both of which contain a spherical attachment member positioned adjacent to their outer ends. Attached to these spherical connections are first and second rods which are aligned approximately perpendicular to the support shaft. The first rod connects the shift lever to one of the arms while the second rod connects the transmission to the other arm. As relative motion occurs, the support shaft will pivot about one of its ends such that the displacement of the second rod will be less than that needed to displace the gear shift mechanism an undesirable amount.

Control linkage

A draft control system of the type in which a mechanical spring is employed to balance the draft forces of an implement trailed behind the tractor so as to correct the working depth of the implement in accordance with changes in draft forces, in which the feature is the use of a hydraulic force-amplifying device to increase the responsiveness of the system so as to minimize the forces required to effectuate regulation of the working depth of the implement.

Draft control system for agricultural tractor

An agricultural tractor with over-size front tires for use with a mechanical front wheel drive is provided with large caster angle front wheels to allow a front wheel to tuck under the tractor to achieve small radius turns.

Tractor with large caster angle to improve steering clearance

The lower draft link of a tractor three-point hitch includes a sensor to sense draft loads imposed on the draft link by an earth-working implement. Variations in the draft load cause variations in the pressure of the fluid in the sensor from a preselected pressure. A pilot-operated, load control valve is connected to the sensor and is shiftable in response to pressure above and below the preselected pressure to actuate a control mechanism. The control mechanism actuates a direction control valve for directing fluid to and from a hydraulic lift cylinder for respectively raising and lowering the draft link to adjust the implement so as to maintain the preselected pressure and thus maintain the desired draft load.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Falls, IA, United States of America

Richard Treichel