Steering Cylinder Mounting Arrangement Used With A Length-Adjustable Axle

Abstract

A self-propelled windrower includes a rear axle having end sections which are adjustable to vary the tread width of caster-mounted rear wheels having upright spindles mounted for swiveling within cylindrical receptacles defining outer ends of the axle end sections. Front wheels of the windrower are steerable and a steering assist is provided including right and left steering cylinders having barrels respectively mounted to right and left reaction arms by a mounting permitting the cylinder to pivot vertically and horizontally, with the rods being coupled to respective steering arms fixed to the top of the spindles. In a first embodiment, right and left brackets are respectively fixed to forward surfaces of opposite end regions of a tubular center section of the rear axle in which the axle end sections are received for telescopic adjustment. The right and left reaction arms are respectively mounted to the right and left brackets when the end sections are in inward narrow tread width positions, and are respectively mounted to forward surface locations of outer end regions of the axle end sections when the latter are in outward wide tread width positions. In a second embodiment, the reaction arms are mounted to spindle receptacles at the outer ends of the axle sections such that the reaction arms may be secured in an infinite number of angular positions about the spindle receptacles so as to accommodate different tread widths of the steered rear wheels and/or different machine configurations and/or improved access to the machine without interference with other parts, other attachments, or for any other reasons.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.