Position Adjustment Assembly For An Agricultural Conveyor

• US 20130180831A1
• Filed: 01/14/2013
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Canada Limited (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Ryder, Nicholas G.A., Kowalchuk, Trevor L., Bent, Ethan C.S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,974,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/617
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/003 Bulk fertiliser or grain handling in the field or on the farm
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 41/002 Pivotably mounted

Abstract

A position adjustment assembly for an agricultural product conveyor, which delivers a product to a storage system, such as an air cart, includes an inner arm having a first end rotatably coupled to the air cart and a second end. An outer arm has a first end and a second end. The second end of the inner arm is rotatably coupled to the outer arm proximate to the first end of the outer arm. An intermediate link has a lateral positioning assembly to vary the length of the intermediate link.

Claims

1. A position adjustment assembly for an agricultural product conveyor, which delivers a product to a storage system, such as an air cart, comprising:

an inner arm having a first end and a second end, the first end rotatably coupled to the air cart;

an outer arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the inner arm is rotatably coupled to the outer arm proximate to the first end of the outer arm; and

an intermediate link having a lateral positioning assembly to vary the length of the intermediate link.

2. The position adjustment assembly of claim 1 wherein the lateral positioning assembly includes a linear actuator and a telescoping member.

3. The positioning adjustment assembly of claim 2 wherein the linear actuator is a hydraulic cylinder.

4. The positioning adjustment assembly of claim 3 wherein:

the hydraulic cylinder has a first end and a second end;

the telescoping member has a first end and a second end;

the intermediate link further includes a first mounting member and a second member;

the first end of the hydraulic cylinder and the first end of the telescoping member are mounted to the first mounting member; and

the second end of the hydraulic cylinder and the second end of the telescoping member are mounted to the second mounting member.

5. The positioning adjustment assembly of claim 2 wherein the linear actuator and the telescoping member are integrally formed as a single device.

6. A position adjustment assembly for orienting an agricultural product conveyor with respect to a frame and with respect to an air cart mounted on the frame, the position adjustment assembly comprising:

an inner arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the inner arm configured to rotatably coupled to the frame;

an outer arm having a first end, a second end, and a pivot positioned between the first end and the second end, wherein;

a second end of the inner arm is rotatably coupled to the pivot of the outer arm, and

the product conveyor is rotatably coupled to the second end of the outer arm;

an intermediate link having a first end, a second end, a length, and a lateral positioning assembly, wherein;

the first end is configured to be coupled proximate to the frame,

the second end is rotatably coupled to the first end of the outer arm,

and the lateral positioning assembly varies the length of the intermediate link.

7. The position adjustment assembly of claim 6 wherein the lateral positioning assembly includes a linear actuator and a telescoping member.

8. The positioning adjustment assembly of claim 7 wherein the linear actuator is a hydraulic cylinder.

9. The positioning adjustment assembly of claim 6 wherein the intermediate link is mounted generally parallel to the inner arm.

10. The positioning adjustment assembly of claim 9 wherein the second end of the outer arm is configured to rotate about the pivot of the outer arm responsive to the lateral positioning assembly varying the length of the intermediate link.

11. The positioning adjustment assembly of claim 10 wherein the second end of the outer arm is configured to move towards the frame as the lateral positioning assembly increases the length of the intermediate link and the second end of the outer arm is configured to move away from the frame as the lateral positioning assembly decreases the length of the intermediate link.

12. The positioning adjustment assembly of claim 11 wherein a bracket is arranged between the second ends of the outer arm and the intermediate link for connecting the second ends of the outer arm and the intermediate link to each other.

13. The positioning adjustment assembly of claim 12 wherein the outer arm includes a first member and a second member arranged on opposite sides of the pivot of the outer arm such that the first and second members rotate in opposite directions during rotation of the outer arm about the pivot of the outer arm.

14. The positioning adjustment assembly of claim 13 wherein the bracket connects the second end of the intermediate link to the first member of the outer arm.

15. A method of delivering product to an air cart from a supply vehicle via an agricultural product conveyor, comprising the steps of:

controlling a first positioning assembly to adjust a lateral position of the product conveyor with respect to the air cart, and

controlling a second positioning assembly to adjust a longitudinal position of the product conveyor with respect to the air cart.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein controlling the lateral position of the product conveyor with respect to the air cart further comprises the steps of:

controlling a first linear actuator to rotate an inner arm relative to the air cart; and

controlling a second linear actuator to vary a length of an intermediate link.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first and the second linear actuators are hydraulic cylinders.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein controlling the longitudinal position of the product conveyor with respect to the air cart further comprises the step of adjusting an angle between the inner arm and an outer arm via the intermediate link and a rotation control assembly.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the intermediate link is operatively connected to the inner arm and the angle is adjusted in tandem with controlling the first linear actuator.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising arranging a pivot between a first end and a second end of the outer arm and controlling the second linear actuator to move the first and of the outer arm in a first direction relative to the air cart and the second end of the outer arm and a second, opposite, direction relative to the air cart for lateral positioning of a hopper of the product conveyor relative to the air cart.