Kill switch

In combination:

• a tractor, the tractor having a power take-off, the tractor being provided with a controller operable between an active state and an inactive state, wherein, in the active state, power is provided to the power take off, and, in the inactive state, the power take off is unpowered, the controller being operative for switching from the active state to the inactive state upon reception of a kill electrical signal;
• a piece of machinery;
• a rotary drive shaft extending between the piece of machinery and the power take-off for transmitting power from the power take-off to the piece of machinery;
• and
• a kill switch including:
• a switch assembly including an actuating element receiving portion and first and second electrical terminals each electrically connected to the controller, the switch assembly being operable between switch first and second configurations, wherein, when the switch assembly moves from the switch first configuration to the switch second configuration with the switch assembly operatively connected to the controller, the kill electrical signal is generated across the first and second electrical terminals;
• and
• a control element, the control element including a cord secured to the piece of machinery and to the switch assembly so as to extend along the rotary drive shaft in a substantially parallel and spaced apart relationship relative thereto, and a switch actuating element extending from the cord, the switch actuating element being removably secured to the actuating element receiving portion;
• wherein, when the switch assembly is in the switch first configuration and the switch actuating element is secured to the actuating element receiving portion, the switch actuating element maintains the switch assembly in the switch first configuration, and when the switch actuating element is removed from the actuating element receiving portion, the switch assembly moves to the switch second configuration, the switch actuating element being removable from the actuating element receiving portion by pulling with the cord;
• and
• wherein the switch assembly includes a housing, the housing including a housing first portion, a housing second portion and a link member extending therebetween, the housing first portion being mounted to the tractor and the housing second portion including the actuating element receiving portion, the link member being configured and sized so that the housing first and second portions are movable relative to each other.

In combination:

• a tractor, the tractor having a power take-off, the tractor being provided with a controller operable between an active state and an inactive state, wherein, in the active state, power is provided to the power take off, and, in the inactive state, the power take off is unpowered, the controller being operative for switching from the active state to the inactive state upon reception of a kill electrical signal;
• a piece of machinery;
• a rotary drive shaft extending between the piece of machinery and the power take-off for transmitting power from the power take-off to the piece of machinery;
• and
• a kill switch including:
• a switch assembly including an actuating element receiving portion and first and second electrical terminals each electrically connected to the controller, the switch assembly being operable between switch first and second configurations, wherein, when the switch assembly moves from the switch first configuration to the switch second configuration with the switch assembly operatively connected to the controller, the kill electrical signal is generated across the first and second electrical terminals;
• and
• a control element, the control element including a cord secured to the piece of machinery and to the switch assembly so as to extend along the rotary drive shaft in a substantially parallel and spaced apart relationship relative thereto, and a switch actuating element extending from the cord, the switch actuating element being removably secured to the actuating element receiving portion;
• wherein, when the switch assembly is in the switch first configuration and the switch actuating element is secured to the actuating element receiving portion, the switch actuating element maintains the switch assembly in the switch first configuration, and when the switch actuating element is removed from the actuating element receiving portion, the switch assembly moves to the switch second configuration, the switch actuating element being removable from the actuating element receiving portion by pulling with the cord;
• wherein the switch assembly includes a housing;
• and
• wherein the piece of machinery includes moving parts distinct from the rotary drive shaft exposed to the environment through at least one of side, top and rear portions of the piece of machinery, the cord further extending along the piece of machinery along the moving parts, the cord being attached to the piece of machinery at an attachment location with the cord being movable relative to the piece of machinery between the attachment location and the actuating element receiving portion, the attachment location being further away from the housing along the cord than the moving parts.

In combination:

• a tractor, the tractor having a power take-off, the tractor being provided with a controller operable between an active state and an inactive state wherein, in the active state, power is provided to the power take off, and, in the inactive state, the power take off is unpowered, the controller being operative for switching from the active state to the inactive state upon reception of a kill electrical signal;
• a piece of machinery;
• a rotary drive shaft extending between the piece of machinery and the power take-off for transmitting power from the power take-off to the piece of machinery;
• and
• a kill switch including:
• a switch assembly including an actuating element receiving portion and first and second electrical terminals each electrically connected to the controller, the switch assembly being operable between switch first and second configurations, wherein, when the switch assembly moves from the switch first configuration to the switch second configuration with the switch assembly operatively connected to the controller, the kill electrical signal is generated across the first and second electrical terminals;
• and
• a control element, the control element including a cord secured to the piece of machinery and to the switch assembly so as to extend along the rotary drive shaft in a substantially parallel and spaced apart relationship relative thereto, and a switch actuating element extending from the cord, the switch actuating element being removably secured to the actuating element receiving portion;
• wherein, when the switch assembly is in the switch first configuration and the switch actuating element is secured to the actuating element receiving portion, the switch actuating element maintains the switch assembly in the switch first configuration, and when the switch actuating element is removed from the actuating element receiving portion, the switch assembly moves to the switch second configuration, the switch actuating element being removable from the actuating element receiving portion by pulling with the cord;
• wherein the switch assembly includes a housing;
• and
• wherein the housing includes a bore defining substantially opposed bore first and second ends and a bore axis extending therebetween, the bore being open at the bore first end, the switch assembly further including
• a switch element provided at the bore second end and extending electrically between the first and second electrical terminals, the switch element being movable between open and closed configurations in which the first and second electrical terminals are respectively electrically disconnected from each other and connected to each other by the switch element;
• and
• an actuating member inserted in the bore and protruding therefrom at the bore first end, the actuating member being axially movable along the bore between actuating member first and second positions, the actuating member being in the actuating member first and second positions when the switch assembly is in the switch first and second configurations respectively, the switch element either moving from the open configuration to the closed configuration or from the closed configuration to the open configuration when the actuating member moves from the actuating member first position to the actuating member second position;
• the actuating member defining the actuating element receiving portion, the actuating element receiving portion being outside of the bore in the actuating member first position;
• the housing being mounted to the tractor so that the bore axis is substantially parallel to the rotary drive shaft;
• the cord being offset from the bore axis and extending generally parallel thereto substantially adjacent the switch actuating element.

In combination:

• a tractor, the tractor having a power take-off, the tractor being provided with a controller operable between an active state and an inactive state, wherein, in the active state, power is provided to the power take off, and, in the inactive state, the power take off is unpowered, the controller being operative for switching from the active state to the inactive state upon reception of a kill electrical signal;
• a piece of machinery;
• a rotary drive shaft extending between the piece of machinery and the power take-off for transmitting power from the power take-off to the piece of machinery;
• and
• a kill switch including:
• a switch assembly including an actuating element receiving portion and first and second electrical terminals each electrically connected to the controller, the switch assembly being operable between switch first and second configurations, wherein, when the switch assembly moves from the switch first configuration to the switch second configuration with the switch assembly operatively connected to the controller, the kill electrical signal is generated across the first and second electrical terminals;
• and
• a control element, the control element including a cord secured to the piece of machinery and to the switch assembly so as to extend along the rotary drive shaft in a substantially parallel and spaced apart relationship relative thereto, and a switch actuating element extending from the cord, the switch actuating element being removably secured to the actuating element receiving portion;
• wherein, when the switch assembly is in the switch first configuration and the switch actuating element is secured to the actuating element receiving portion, the switch actuating element maintains the switch assembly in the switch first configuration, and when the switch actuating element is removed from the actuating element receiving portion, the switch assembly moves to the switch second configuration, the switch actuating element being removable from the actuating element receiving portion by pulling with the cord;
• and
• wherein the cord is provided with an attachment opposed to the switch actuating element, the attachment being attached to the tractor, the piece of machinery including at least one guiding loop provided substantially adjacent the rotary drive shaft, the cord being inserted through the at least one guiding loop so as to be slidable relative to the loop, the cord defining a cord first portion extending between the switch assembly and the piece of machinery and a cord second portion extending between the piece of machinery and the tractor, the cord first and second portions being substantially adjacent to the rotary drive shaft.