Upper hitch link electronic draft sensing
AssigneeCase Corporation
InventorStephen E. Burns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A draft control mechanism for a tractor having a three-point hitch for attachment of a ground-engaging implement. The draft control mechanism utilizes an upper link arm connected to the tractor with a single load pin which houses a strain sensor for generating the control signals to control a lift mechanism connected to the implement. The pin is attached between two flanges of an upper link bracket to the rear of the tractor. Each flange includes a bushing surrounding the portion of the pin disposed therein. The pin includes a pin extension protruding from the outer side of one of the bracket flanges. A sealing cover is disposed over the pin extension with a rotation stop to restrict pin rotation.
Claims13
A lifting mechanism for being controlled by a hitch control to raise and lower a work implement that is attached to a work vehicle, the mechanism comprising:
- a first member attached at one end to the work vehicle, and at the other end to the implement;
- a load pin having an axis and a sensor configured to generate and provide a signal representative of the loads generated in the load pin to the hitch control;
- an upper link bracket disposed on the work vehicle, with the pin fixed against rotation about the axis to the upper link bracket and disposed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the force;
- an upper link arm disposed between the implement and vehicle, the upper link arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the implement at a location on the implement which is above the first member, and wherein the second end of the upper link arm is pivotally mounted on the load pin to apply forces generated in the upper link arm to the load pin to generate load therein.
A draft control mechanism for a tractor having at least a three-point hitch for attachment of a ground-engaging implement to the rear of the tractor, wherein a force is applied to the implement when it engages the ground, the mechanism comprising:
- at least two lower link arms, with one end of each lower link arm attached to the rear of the tractor, and with the other end thereof for attachment to an approximately vertical mast on the ground-engaging implement;
- at least two lift arms, with one end of each lift arm attached to the rear of the tractor and with the other end of each lift arm attached to the respective lower link arms;
- a load pin having a longitudinal axis and configured to generate a signal representative of the force applied thereto;
- an upper link bracket with two parallel flanges attached to the rear of the tractor, with the pin supported within the upper link bracket and disposed between the flanges so the longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the direction of the force, wherein the pin further includes a pin extension protruding from one of the flanges, and further includes a wire which exits the pin extension to provide the signal representative of the force applied to the pin;
- a sealing cover disposed over the pin extension and the wire, the sealing cover including a rotation stop for restricting the rotation of the pin;
- and
- a single upper link arm pivotally attached at one end to the implement at an attachment point above the attachment points for the lower link arms, the upper link arm pivotally mounted at its other end on the single pin so that the force is applied through the upper link arm to the pin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.