Sprayer vehicle comprising telescoping parallel linkage and related methods
AssigneeAGCO Corporation
InventorEvan Thomas Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sprayer vehicle includes a mobile frame, a boom, and a boom-positioning mechanism. The boom is spaced from the frame. The boom-positioning mechanism is configured to support the boom on the frame for selective movement between a raised boom position and a lowered boom position. The boom-positioning mechanism includes a positioning actuator and a telescoping parallel linkage providing constant spacing between the boom and the frame in the raised boom position and lowered boom position. The positioning actuator is configured to raise the boom to the raised boom position and to lower the boom to the lowered boom position. The sprayer vehicle may further include a controller for positioning the boom relative to the frame, an underlying surface, or another reference.
Claims18
A sprayer vehicle, comprising:
- a mobile frame;
- a tank carried by the mobile frame and configured to store a spray material;
- a boom spaced from the frame;
- and
- a boom-positioning mechanism configured to support the boom on the frame for selective movement between a raised boom position and a lowered boom position,
- the boom-positioning mechanism comprising:
- a positioning actuator, and
- a telescoping parallel linkage comprising a top pivot link and a bottom pivot link, the telescoping parallel linkage configured to maintain a constant lateral spacing between the boom and the frame in the raised boom position and the lowered boom position;
- wherein the top pivot link and the bottom pivot link are each selectively extendable between a retracted position and an extended position;
- wherein the top pivot link is pivotally connected to each of an upper boom-side pivot and an upper frame-side pivot;
- wherein the bottom pivot link is pivotally connected to each of a lower boom-side pivot and a lower frame-side pivot;
- and
- wherein the positioning actuator is pivotally connected to the boom and the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.