Manifold actuator assembly
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorRandall A. Maro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A manifold actuator assembly is provided with a manifold comprising a block, and a hydraulic actuator connected to a solenoid valve within the block. The solenoid valve controls hydraulic, linear movement of a rod of the hydraulic actuator. The manifold actuator assembly may be used in a metering system to open and close movable gates disposed downstream from a meter roller before product enters a distribution system. The manifold actuator assembly may also be used as a locking apparatus to lock and unlock members in a wide variety of applications.
Claims20
A manifold actuator assembly comprising:
- a manifold comprising a block;
- a hydraulic actuator disposed within the block;
- and
- a solenoid valve disposed within the block, the solenoid valve connected to the hydraulic actuator, wherein the solenoid valve controls hydraulic, linear movement of a rod of the hydraulic actuator.
A metering system for metering product in a seeding machine comprising:
- a meter roller for metering product to a distribution system;
- a gate disposed between the meter roller and the distribution system, the gate movable between an open position in which product is allowed to flow from the meter roller to the distribution system and a closed position in which product is prevented from flowing from the meter roller to the distribution system;
- and
- a manifold actuator assembly comprising a hydraulic actuator and a solenoid valve both disposed within a manifold, wherein the solenoid valve controls hydraulic movement of the hydraulic actuator to move the gate from the open position to the closed position.
A locking apparatus comprising:
- a hydraulic actuator and a solenoid valve both disposed within a manifold;
- and
- first and second members, wherein the solenoid valve is arranged to move the hydraulic actuator from a first location in which the hydraulic actuator locks the first and second members together, to a second location in which the hydraulic actuator unlocks the first and second members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.