# US 4,366,664 A · Swather

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- Number: US 4,366,664 A
- Document ID: US4366664A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/182,403
- Filed: 1980-08-26
- Granted: 1983-01-04
- Earliest claimed: 1979-08-27
- Assignees: Versatile Cornat Corporation
- Inventors: Bernard Penner; Arthur Kempan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4366664A

## CPC

- A01D 75/28: Control mechanisms for harvesters or mowers when moving on slopes; Devices preventing lateral pull
- A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING

## Abstract

A drive system for a pull-type swather or windrower in which a sensing device senses the side-draft of the swather under operating conditions. The sensing device indicates to a compensating device which is operable from the sensing device whether to increase, decrease or leave unchanged the rotational speed of drive wheels which are provided on the swather and powered by a power plant. The drive wheels act to keep the swather in an effective cutting position substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tractor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A position compensating system to alter the side-draft of a pull-type implement pulled by a source of pull power, said system comprising:
(a) a drive wheel for supporting the frame of said implement and adapted to drive said implement;
(b) drive means connected to said drive wheel to drive said drive wheel;
(c) at least two hitch members forming a part of a connection between said source of pull power and said implement, one of said hitch members being movable relative to the other of said hitch members;
(d) a sensing mechanism mounted between said hitch members for sensing said relative movement of said hitch members; and
(e) a compensating means to which said sensing means is connected and connected to said drive means and operable in response to said sensing mechanism for automatically varying the output of said drive means.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A position compensating system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hitch members are relatively axially movable, and said sensing mechanism comprises a connection between said hitch members limiting the amount of said relative axial movement, a lever pivotally mounted on one of said hitch members and rotatable about said pivotal mounting upon relative axial movement between said hitch members.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A position compensating system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive means is a hydraulic motor and said compensating means comprises means for varying the flow of fluid to said hydraulic motor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A position compensating system as in claim 3 in which said drive means further includes a hydraulic pump acting to supply fluid to said motor, and said compensating means comprises means for varying the supply of fluid from said pump to said motor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A position compensating system as in claim 4, wherein said compensating means comprises a hydraulic actuation valve and a hydraulic cylinder to which said valve is connected, said cylinder being mechanically connected to said hydraulic pump.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A position compensating system as in claim 5 wherein said lever is connected to the spool of said hydraulic actuation valve.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

A position compensating system as in claim 5 wherein said hydraulic actuation valve is a four-way, three-position valve and said hydraulic cylinder is double-acting.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

A position compensating system as in claim 4 wherein said compensating means comprises a pressure compensator and a hydraulic cylinder to which said pressure compensator is connected, said cylinder being mechanically connected to said pump.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A position compensating system as in claim 8 wherein said hitch members are relatively axially movable, and said hitch members have a connection therebetween for limiting the amount of said relative axial movement, and said sensing mechanism comprises a lever pivotally mounted on one of said hitch members and adapted to rotate about said pivotal connection upon said relative axial movement.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2, 9)

A position compensating system as in claim 2 or 9 wherein said implement is a swather.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A position compensating system as in claim 10 wherein said hydraulic cylinder is single-acting and spring returnable.