Method and apparatus for automatically connecting a drive member to a driven member

#The present invention relates to an apparatus used to automatically couple a drive member of a power source and a driven member of an implement. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus for automatically coupling a power take off of a tractor and a power take off shaft of an implement.

#Currently, drive vehicles such as conventional farm tractors, are equipped with a three point hitch system for connecting the tractor to an implement with a two or three point attachment, and a separate draw-bar hitch for connecting the tractor to pull type equipment. Tractors are also equipped with a power take off arrangement, which is used to provide power to an implement to serve a mechanical, operational function. Typically, a tractor's power take off output connects to an implement by way of a power take off shaft carried by the implement.

#The connection of hitches on tractors to corresponding connections on farm implements constitutes an onerous task. The tractor operator needs to back the tractor up to the implement, line up the hitches, then dismount from the tractor and position the connection points together and manually insert pins for connection. In addition, the operator needs to couple the power take off from the tractor to the power take off shaft of the implement. Both tasks are time consuming and dangerous.

#FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary vehicle, a tractor, and implement uncoupled.

#FIG. 2 is a side view of the tractor and implement coupled.

#FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the tractor carried attachment piece of the present invention.

#FIG. 1 shows one application of the present invention to automatically couple two pieces of equipment. FIG. 1 depicts a tractor 20 with attachment points 24 and an implement 22 with attachment points 26. FIG. 2 shows the tractor 20 and its attachment points 24 coupled to the implement 22 and its attachment points 26 by an automatic coupler 28 which is the present invention.

#The present invention comprises a first attachment piece 30, a second attachment piece 62, and a mechanism for operably coupling the first and second attachment pieces.

#In one embodiment, the attachment pieces have square frames. FIGS. 3 and 4 are a cross-sectional view and a side view of the first attachment piece of this embodiment. In one embodiment, the first attachment piece 30 is a square frame 36 made from square tubing. The frame 36 has a vertical channel 34 bisecting it. One side of the frame 36 has hitch attachment pieces 52, 48 to attach to a three point hitch of a tractor 116, 118 so that when attached, the frame is held in a generally vertical position.