Vehicle hydraulic three-point hitch and power take-off shaft
OwnerRick L. Kosterinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inventive three-point hitch assembly that attaches to the front end of a truck or pickup and supports at three points a plurality of implements or tools. It has a belt-driven power take-off for rotary tools that is controlled by an electric clutch and driven by a pulley attached below the truck engine pulley. A hydraulic lift cylinder raises and lowers the hitch and implement or tool, which by the hitch parallelogram form maintains the implements in a vertical orientation. The lift cylinder hydraulic pressure is supplied by connections to the truck power steering system via electrically controlled solenoid valves.
Claims1
A three-point hitch assembly for attachment of an implement to a vehicle comprising:
- a. a frame bracket to attach to the vehicle frame;
- b. a pair of lower pivot arms pivotally attached to the frame bracket;
- c. hydraulic lift means mounted on the frame bracket for raising and lowering the pivot arms;
- d. an upper pivot arm connecting to the hydraulic lift means;
- e. a belt-driven power take-off assembly and electric clutch mounted on the frame bracket connected below a vehicle engine pulley, the power take-off assembly and electric clutch further comprising:
- 1) an engine bracket attached to the engine;
- 2) a pivotal threaded shaft attached to the engine bracket;
- 3) an adjusting nut on the threaded shaft;
- 4) an arm engaging the pivotal threaded shaft and adjusting nut;
- 5) a power take-off tube pivotally attached to the frame bracket;
- and
- 6) a jackshaft within the power take-off tube, wherein belt tension is set by the adjusting nut and constant tension is maintained on the belt regardless of engine motion;
- f. electrical control means to control the hydraulic lift means and electric clutch;
- and wherein the upper and lower pivot arms are maintained in a parallel configuration in a raised and lowered position thereby maintaining the implement in a vertical orientation in a raised and lowered position and in a continuum between the raised and lowered position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.