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US 11,473,600 B1Granted
Piston lock system for agricultural equipment
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorsTim Oliebos, Stijn Bailliu, Bjorn Depoortere
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A piston lock system having first and second cylinders, first and second pistons telescopically connected to the cylinders, and first and second piston locks. The piston locks are movable in a transverse direction within a planar region between the cylinders, between unlocked positions in which the piston locks are not located between the free ends of the cylinders and the free ends of the piston, and locked positions in which the piston locks are located between the free cylinder ends and the free piston ends. A control link is operatively connected to the piston locks, and configured to simultaneously move the piston locks between the locked and unlocked positions.
Claims20
A piston lock system comprising:
- a first cylinder extending from a first fixed cylinder end to a first free cylinder end;
- a second cylinder extending from a second fixed cylinder end to a second free cylinder end, wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are spaced in a transverse direction to define a planar region therebetween;
- a first piston telescopically connected to the first cylinder and extending through the first free cylinder end from a first sliding piston end contained in the first cylinder to a first free piston end located outside the first cylinder;
- a second piston telescopically connected to the second cylinder and extending through the second free cylinder end from a second sliding piston end contained in the second cylinder to a second free piston end located outside the second cylinder;
- a first piston lock movably connected to the first cylinder and extending from a first proximal lock end to a first distal lock end, the first piston lock being movable in the transverse direction within the planar region between a first unlocked position in which the first piston lock is not located between the first free cylinder end and the first free piston end, and a first locked position in which the first piston lock is located between the first free cylinder end and the first free piston end;
- a second piston lock movably connected to the second cylinder and extending from a second proximal lock end to a second distal lock end, the second piston lock being movable in the transverse direction within the planar region between a second unlocked position in which the second piston lock is not located between the second free cylinder end and the second free piston end, and a second locked position in which the second piston lock is located between the second free cylinder end and the second free piston end;
- and
- a control link operatively connecting the first piston lock to the second piston lock, and configured to simultaneously move the first piston lock between the first locked position and the first unlocked position, and the second piston lock between the second locked position and the second unlocked position.
5 more elements
The piston lock system of 11, further comprising a second handle connected to the second piston lock, wherein the second handle is positioned outside the planar region when the second piston lock is in the second locked position.
An agricultural combine comprising:
- a chassis configured for movement on a surface;
- a feeder housing pivotally connected to the chassis;
- a first cylinder extending from a first fixed cylinder end to a first free cylinder end;
- a second cylinder extending from a second fixed cylinder end to a second free cylinder end, wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are spaced in a transverse direction to define a planar region therebetween;
- a first piston telescopically connected to the first cylinder and extending through the first free cylinder end from a first sliding piston end contained in the first cylinder to a first free piston end located outside the first cylinder;
- a second piston telescopically connected to the second cylinder and extending through the second free cylinder end from a second sliding piston end contained in the second cylinder to a second free piston end located outside the second cylinder;
- a first piston lock movably connected to the first cylinder and extending from a first proximal lock end to a first distal lock end, the first piston lock being movable in the transverse direction within the planar region between a first unlocked position in which the first piston lock is not located between the first free cylinder end and the first free piston end, and a first locked position in which the first piston lock is located between the first free cylinder end and the first free piston end;
- a second piston lock movably connected to the second cylinder and extending from a second proximal lock end to a second distal lock end, the second piston lock being movable in the transverse direction within the planar region between a second unlocked position in which the second piston lock is not located between the second free cylinder end and the second free piston end, and a second locked position in which the second piston lock is located between the second free cylinder end and the second free piston end;
- a control link operatively connecting the first piston lock to the second piston lock, and configured to simultaneously move the first piston lock between the first locked position and the first unlocked position, and the second piston lock between the second locked position and the second unlocked position;
- and
- a hydraulic system configured to simultaneously move the first piston relative to the first cylinder and the second piston relative to the second cylinder;
- wherein:
- the first fixed cylinder end and the second fixed cylinder end are operatively connected to one of a vehicle chassis and a feeder housing;
- and
- the first free piston end and the second free piston end are operatively connected to the other of the vehicle chassis and the feeder housing.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.