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US 5,103,924 AGranted
Mechanically coupled automatic guidance system for agricultural tractors
OwnerDean B. Walkerinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerDean B. Walkerinventor
Estimating the term…
A simple and inexpensive, mechanically coupled automatic guidance system for tractors comprising a ground line sensor which is directly coupled to a steering system comprising limited, partial, spatial disengagement or play about a narrow steering angle within which the automatic guidance system provides steering control, unencumbered by the forces of the primary steering system, especially the steering forces of a power-steered-tractor. The play in the steering system provides spatial relief of steering forces which could not otherwise be overridden by a purely mechanical system. The ground line sensor comprises three degrees of freedom permitting adjustable variation to the shape, breadth, and attitude of the sensor to conformably match a previously prepared ground line. At least two movement degrees of freedom allow the sensor to horizontally and vertically follow ground line and tractor path anomalies while providing feedback to the automatic guidance system. A sensor attachment tongue vertical controller allows an operator to disengage the ground line sensor allowing alternate safe operation of the steering system without damage to the steering system or to the automatic guidance system. The limited range of the automatic steering angle provides for re-engagement of the primary steering system by turning the primary steering beyond the narrow automatic steering angle. Thus, when the automatic guidance system is disengaged from the ground line, the tractor is dirigible only by the primary steering system.
An agricultural tractor comprising dirigible wheels, a steering system and an in-field automatic control system by which automatic steering of the tractor occurs along a ground line, said in-field automatic control system comprising:
An agricultural tractor according to claim 6 wherein said sensing means comprise adjustment means whereby orientation of said sensing means is adjusted to best respond to the ground line.
An agricultural tractor comprising dirigible wheels and a composite steering system associated with the dirigible wheels, the composite steering system comprising first steering means comprising operator responsive steering control means associated with the dirigible wheels by which steered turns in excess of a predetermined amount are manually caused to occur, the composite steering means further comprising second steering means comprising ground engaging alignment sensing means solely coupled by mechanical linkage means to the dirigible wheels by which steering turns less than said predetermined amount are caused to occur.
An agricultural tractor comprising a power steering means and in-field steering means which responsively guides the tractor by directional feedback received from a guidance apparatus solely coupled by mechanical linkage means;
An agricultural tractor comprising power steering means and in field steering means which responsively guides the tractor by directional feedback received from a mechanically coupled guidance apparatus;
An agricultural tractor comprising:
An agricultural tractor comprising:
A method for operating an agricultural tractor comprising the steps of;
A method of equipping a tractor with an automatic, tractor guidance system comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.