# US 11,078,034 B2 · Connection for an agricultural vehicle

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- Number: US 11,078,034 B2
- Document ID: US11078034B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/525,177
- Filed: 2019-07-29
- Published: 2019-12-26
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-19
- Assignees: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.
- Applicants: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.
- Inventors: Ethan Curtis Stephen Bent; Dennis W. Chahley; Gerard J. Gadzella; Ehsan Sharbati
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078034B2

## CPC

- B65G 53/46: Gates or sluices, e.g. rotary wheels
- A01C 7/08: Broadcast seeders; Seeders depositing seeds in rows
- A01C 7/082: {Ducts, distribution pipes or details thereof for pneumatic seeders}
- A01C 7/20: Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed
- A01C 15/00: Fertiliser distributors ({combined with seeders} A01C7/06)
- A01C 15/005: {Undercarriages, tanks, hoppers, stirrers specially adapted for seeders or fertiliser distributors}
- A01C 23/00: Distributing devices specially adapted for liquid manure or other fertilising liquid, including ammonia, e.g. transport tanks or sprinkling wagons
- A01C 23/007: {Metering or regulating systems}
- A01C 23/008: {Tanks, chassis or related parts}
- B65G 53/16: Gas pressure systems operating with fluidisation of the materials
- B65G 53/36: Arrangements of containers (hoppers B65D3/06; containers in general B65D)
- A01C 7/124: {with top delivery of the seeds}
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00)

## Abstract

An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis, a tank carried by the chassis, and at least one meter module coupled to the tank. The at least one meter module has at least one gate. A gate control link is coupled with the at least one gate of the at least one meter module. A control rod is carried by the chassis. A connector couples the control rod to the gate control link at a connection interface such that movement of the control rod controls an open state of the at least one gate of the at least one meter module. The connector has a frangible portion adjacent the connection interface; the control rod and the gate control link uncouples from one another upon a breaking force causing the frangible portion to break.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A metering system for an agricultural vehicle, comprising:
at least one meter module having at least one gate;
a gate control link coupled with said at least one gate of said at least one meter module;
a control rod; and
a connector coupling said control rod to said gate control link at a connection interface such that movement of said control rod controls an open state of said at least one gate of said at least one meter module, said connector having a frangible portion adjacent said connection interface, wherein said frangible portion includes at least one notch formed therein, said control rod and said gate control link uncoupling from one another upon a breaking force causing said frangible portion to break; wherein said connection interface defines a shear plane and a bottom of said at least one notch is aligned with said shear plane; wherein said connector includes at least two spaced apart legs defining a split therebetween; and wherein said gate control link includes a link surface having a link connection opening formed therein, at least two of said spaced apart legs partially filling said link connection opening and including a hooked insertion end with a shoulder abutting against said link surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein said split defines a split axis through said connector, at least one of said legs having a protrusion extending orthogonally relative to said split axis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein said frangible portion is configured to break due to a breaking force which is smaller than a force that would damage the connected control rod and the at least one gate.