Walk-behind tractor with increased ground clearance
AssigneeTilmor LLC
InventorsGlenn M. Steiner, Chad R. Badger, Douglas L. Zehr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A walk-behind tractor has an increased ground clearance to define a plant receiving space that has a greater height than a conventional walk-behind tractor having a straight axle. The walk-behind tractor has trailing drop arms from a frame that carry wheel axles that result in an elevated height of a driveshaft. The elevated driveshaft increases the ground clearance for taller plants to pass therebeneath during operation of the walk-behind tractor which would otherwise be too tall to pass below a conventional straight axle walk-behind tractor.
Claims17
A walk-behind tractor comprising:
- at least two ground engaging wheels that rotate about a wheel axis and the at least two ground engaging wheels are transversely spaced from each other, wherein the wheel axis is at a first height relative to ground;
- a driveshaft for the ground engaging wheels located above the wheel axis at a greater second height relative to ground, wherein the driveshaft is coupled with the two ground engaging wheels to rotate the two wheels during operation of the walk-behind tractor;
- wherein the second height of the driveshaft being above the wheel axis is adapted to provide an increased ground clearance for the walk-behind tractor for plants to pass below the driveshaft between the two ground engaging wheels during operation of the walk-behind tractor.
A walk-behind tractor having an increased ground clearance comprising:
- a wheel axis about which at least two ground engaging wheels rotate during operation of the walk-behind tractor, wherein the wheel axis is disposed at a first height above ground;
- a ground clearance second height measured between the at least two ground engaging wheels from ground to one of (i) a lower surface of a frame and (ii) a lower surface of a drive assembly;
- wherein the ground clearance second height is in a range from 10% to 100% greater than the first height adapted to permit taller plants to pass below the walk-behind tractor during operation thereof than would be permitted if the ground clearance second height equaled the first height.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.