Allis-chalmers Corporation

Midland Brake, Inc.

Haldex Brake Corporation

Roger D Hanaway

Larry R James

Robert J McMullen

Garry W Busboom

Albert D Fisher

John P Nelson

Joseph G Baalmann

John Heard, Iii

Scot C Reeder

A system for electrically detecting different positions of a movable piston within a piston housing of a hydraulic system is provided. The system includes at least two electrically conductive pads mounted on the piston housing at different locations along the path of movement of the piston, an electrically conductive segment mounted on the piston housing along the path of movement of the piston adjacent the conductive pads, and an electrical coupler, such as a spring-loaded conductor, attached for movement with the piston to provide an electrical connection between each conductive pad and the conductive segment as the piston moves along within the piston housing. The system also includes an electronic control unit, which may be a microprocessor, coupled to each conductive pad and the conductive segment to detect electrical connection between each conductive pad and the conductive segment. Each electrical connection corresponds to a specific position of the piston.

System for electrically detecting piston positions in a hydraulic system

A hydraulic system for accommodating fluid pressure variations is provided. The system includes a housing for an actuating piston with the housing having a first end with a hydraulic fluid port and a second end. The actuating piston includes a body portion, having a face, and a rod portion. A first resilient member is confined between the actuating piston and the second end of the housing. A second resilient member is confined between the body portion and the face of the actuating piston. The face of the actuating piston is preferably a pressure accommodating piston which moves relative to the body portion of the actuating piston. Preferably, the second resilient member has a tension force greater than the tension force of the first resilient member. As the actuating piston moves against the bias of the first resilient member toward the second end of the housing in response to hydraulic fluid entering the housing through the fluid port, the movement of the actuating piston is limited by a stop. If there is an increase in hydraulic fluid pressure with the actuating piston in the stopped position, the additional pressure is accommodated by compression of the second resilient member.

Hydraulic system for accommodating fluid pressure variations

A long-stroke fail-safe spring brake assembly for heavy duty vehicles comprises aligned first and second cups secured adjacent one another to form a housing for a compressed power spring which biases a spring piston, a hollow tubular push rod having one end open and sealingly secured, preferably by press fitting, to the spring piston and the other end closed and extending sealingly through the second cup for reciprocal control of a brake actuator by the power spring, an annular-shaped flexible diaphragm having an outer periphery radially-sealingly secured adjacent between the cups and an inner periphery sealingly secured adjacent the outer periphery of the spring piston, the intermediate portion of the diaphragm being disposed radially-outwardly of the spring piston. The spring piston is disposed to compress the compressed spring still further toward the first cup under the influence of a compressed fluid medium, the push rod, and the spring piston being sealingly secured to each other. The hollow interior of the push rod houses an elongated caging member having a distal portion confined therein which prevents separation of the compressed spring from the first cup in the event the latter is separated from the second cup. The push rod reciprocates sealingly through the second cup by a centerseal bearing comprising opposed interlocked plastic components sealed to each other by fused contact.

Long stroke spring brake actuator

The tailings of a combine harvester may be optionally returned to either the cleaning section or the threshing section through operation of a flapper valve in a bifurcated gravity flow chute receiving the tailings from a tailings elevator. Side wall openings are provided at the front and rear of a foraminous threshing cage through which tailings are optionally returned to either the threshing section or to the cleaning section.

Divertable tailings return

The capacity of a harvester grain bin (12 or 120) is increased by foldable extensions (37, 38, 39, 41 or 101, 102, 103, 107) pivoted to the upper lips (27, 28, 29, 31 or 113, 114, 128, 129) by hinges (46, 47, 51, 52 or 111, 112, 130, 135) which permit the extensions to be raised from lowered positions to raised positions in which they are secured by corner pins (81, 82, 83, 84 or 104, 106, 108, 109).

Harvester grain bin with foldable extensions

The idler drum shaft (59) of a feeder conveyor (28, 29) has a pair of detachable extensions (68, 69, 168) which when removed permit a floating idler roller (47) and the central portion (63) of the shaft (59) to be removed in a direction parallel to the conveyor side walls (41, 42, 116). The idler roller support arms (66, 67) of inside mounted tensioning mechanisms (56, 57) are connected with the shaft extensions (68, 69, 168) and also serve as abutments cooperating with upper and lower stops (81, 82) limiting vertical swinging movement of the floating idler roller (47). Washers (114) may be used to lengthen the idler drum shaft and to maintain a predetermined minimum lateral spacing between the idler drum support arms (66, 67).

Feeder idler drum shaft with removable extensions

A pair of tensioning mechanisms (56, 57) for an idler drum (47) of a conveyor (28) transferring crop material from the header (21) to the processor (31) of a harvester are located entirely within the conveyor housing (22). Each tensioning mechanism (56, 57) includes an arm (66 or 67) secured by a combined pivot and lost motion connection (88, 91, 93, 96 or 89, 92, 94, 97) to the conveyor housing side walls (41, 42) and biased by a tension spring (104 or 106) disposed at its inboard side.

Tensioning mechanism for feeder conveyor positioned within feeder housing

Grain and other small particles are separated from the stalks in a transverse cage and cylinder of an axial flow combine and pass through the concave and small radial openings in the cage. Distribution augers below the cage convey the threshed material to a pair of accelerator rolls, by way of a feeder slot, which accelerate the threshed material downwardly across a layer of rearwardly directed air. The grain is separated from the chaff in the cleaning section where clean grain auger delivers the clean grain to an appropriate elevator which in turn delivers the grain to a grain bin. The heavy material or tailings which does not pass through the sieves, such as grain or seed not completely removed from the hulls or pods, moves to a tailings auger which connects to a tailings elevator. The tailings elevator moves the tailings upwardly to one end of one of the distribution augers. The tailings are conveyed to the accelerator rolls by the distribution auger by way of the accelerator rolls feeder slot thus avoiding a second pass through the threshing cylinder and the attendant cracking of seed or grain.

Tailings return for an axial flow combine

A grain bin adapted to be mounted on the upper part of an agricultural combine is provided with at least one 'floating' bin side wall extension which is automatically movable into substantially vertical grain-retaining position as the bin approaches and reaches a full condition. Clean grain which has been separated from the straw, chaff or the like is conveyed by an elevating conveyor which discharges the grain via a chute into the intake end of an elongated 'floating' bin loading conveyor which is pivotally mounted for angular movement in a vertical plane. In the illustrated embodiment, the bin loading conveyor is an auger conveyor and the rotatable shaft of the floating auger conveyor is driven by a suitable drive means through a universal joint. As the grain level in the grain bin approaches a full condition, the bin loading conveyor moves angularly upwardly from a horizontal position due to an upward thrust on the bin loading conveyor caused by the reaction of the grain discharging from the bin loading conveyor against the upper surface of the already loaded grain. In the illustrated embodiment, a pair of oppositely disposed bin side wall extensions are hingedly connected to the fore and aft walls of the upper edges of the grain bin, the bin wall extensions normally being folded downwardly in a lowered position. The respective bin wall extensions are connected by suitable link means to the floating bin loading conveyor whereby upward pivotal movement of the loading conveyor, as the level of the grain in the bin approaches a full condition, causes the bin wall extensions to be swung upwardly about their hinge connections into a vertical grain-retaining position. When the grain bin is unloaded, the hinged bin wall extensions move downwardly with the pivoted bin loading conveyor to a substantially horizontal lowered position.

Floating grain bin extension for use with agricultural combine

A loading apparatus for the grain tank or bin of an agricultural combine. The grain tank or bin is located in the upper part of the combine, and, in the illustrated embodiment, the grain bin comprises a main grain bin and a grain bin extension mounted above the main grain bin. Clean grain which has been separated from the straw, chaff, or the like is conveyed by an elevating conveyor which discharges the grain via a chute into the intake end of an elongated pivotally mounted 'floating' auger conveyor. When the level of the grain in the bin is below a predetermined level, the floating auger conveyor will assume a horizontal position contiguous the upper portion of the bin. The rotatable shaft of the floating auger conveyor is connected in driven relation to a suitable rotatable drive means through a universal drive joint as the grain level in the grain bin approaches a full condition, the floating auger conveyor moves angularly upwardly from the horizontal position due to the reaction of the discharging grain with the upper surface of the already loaded grain, the floating auger conveyor riding on the upper surface of the already loaded grain. An important feature of the construction is that the universal drive joint by means of which the floating auger shaft is connected to the rotatable driving means is located out of the path of grain flow to the intake end of the floating auger conveyor.

Growing community of inventors

Blue Springs, MO, United States of America

Roger D Hanaway