Deere + Company

Stephen M Upchurch

Christopher T McCord

Marlin L Goodnight

Chad L Helland

Tien-Chuong Lim

Andrew M Smock

A bi-directional tractor exhaust system with ground speed detection includes a downwardly directed exhaust pipe, an upwardly directed exhaust pipe, and an intermediate exhaust pipe connected to the outlet of a diesel particulate filter. An exhaust pipe valve may be opened or closed by an actuator to direct exhaust through the downwardly directed exhaust pipe during regeneration of the diesel particulate filter if a signal from a ground speed sensor indicates ground speed above a first speed, or through the upwardly directed exhaust pipe if the ground speed is below a second speed.

Bi-directional tractor exhaust system with ground speed detection

A tractor park brake force sensing system includes a force sensor switch that is actuated if a tensile force applied to a linkage between a park brake lever and a park brake is adequate to compress a spring in the linkage a pre-specified amount as the park brake lever is moved to a park brake set position. A controller connected to the force sensor switch and to a tractor motion sensor turns on a solid indicator light if the force sensor switch is actuated, and flashes the indicator light if the park brake lever is moved to the park brake set position and the tractor motion sensor indicates the tractor is moving.

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Evans, GA, United States of America

Stephen M Upchurch