CONTROL SYSTEM FOR FLUID MOTOR

• US 3,589,109 A
• Filed: 02/14/1969
• Issued: 06/29/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amos O. Payne
• Original Assignee: Amos O. Payne
• Inventors: Payne, Amos O.
• Application Number:
  US04/799,198
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• US Class Current: 56/10.20R
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/12 Details of combines
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 57/025 with synchronised driving means

Abstract

A speed control unit for controlling the speed of a device driven by a hydraulic motor and in which the speed of the device is controlled by the flow of pressured fluid to the fluid motor. The speed control unit includes a first element which is rotated as a function of the speed of the harvesting machine and a second element which is rotated as a function of the speed of the device with means for automatically varying the flow of fluid whenever either of the element'"'"''"'"'s rotational speed is varied.

Claims

1. In a harvesting machine having prime mover means for propelling the machine along a path, a driven device, fluid motor means driving said driven device, first and second fluid conduits connected to said fluid motor and a source of fluid under pressure adapted for conveying pressured fluid for driving said fluid motor means and control valve means included in one of said conduits for controlling the flow of the pressured fluid and thus the speed of the driven device, the improvement of means for correlating the speed of said driven device with the speed of the machine along the path and comprising a sensing unit operably connected to said machine for sensing the speed of said machine along path, and means operably connected to said sensing unit, said driven device and said control valve for positioning said control valve means as a function of the speed of said machine and said driven device whereby the flow of pressured fluid and thus the speed of said driven device are automatically correlated to the speed of said machine along said path.

2. A harvesting machine as defined in claim 1, in which said last means comprises a first element connected to said sensing unit to be rotated at the speed of said machine along said path, a second element connected to said driven device to be rotated at the speed of said driven device, cooperating means operably connecting said elements for maintaining a fixed relation between said elements when the elements are rotating at a predetermined speed ratio and for producing relative movement between said elements when the speed of said elements to said control valve means to correlate the position of said valve to the reLative position of said elements.

3. A harvesting machine as defined in claim 2, in which said cooperating means comprise mating threads on said elements interengaged to axially movably interconnect said elements.

4. A harvesting machine as defined in claim 2, including the further improvement of a housing enclosing said said first and second elements and said control valve, said means operatively connecting one of said elements to said control valve comprising a lever having one end connected to said one element and the opposite end pivoted on a support member restrained within said housing with said lever operatively connected intermediate its ends to said control valve, said support member being selectively movable to change the pivot position of said lever to thereby adjust the correlated speed of said driven device to a given speed of said machine.

5. In a combine having a harvesting mechanism propelled at a given speed and a harvesting reel driven by a fluid motor and pressured fluid, the flow of which is selectively controlled by a valve spool of a control valve, the improvement of means cooperating with said valve spool for positioning said valve spool as a function of the speed of said reel and said harvesting mechanism whereby to maintain a predetermined ratio of said reel speed with respect to said harvesting mechanism speed.

6. In combination with a harvesting machine propelled at varying speeds and a device rotated on said machine by a fluid motor driven by flowing pressured fluid and including a control valve which controls the flow of said pressured fluid, a speed control unit for maintaining a predetermined ratio between the speed of said machine and speed of rotation of said device, said unit including a first element rotated about an axis at a speed which is a function of the speed of said harvesting machine, a second element rotated about said axis at a speed which is a function of the speed of rotation of said device, threaded means interconnecting said elements and normally maintaining a fixed axial relation between said elements at said predetermined speed ratio but causing axial shifting of said elements at changes in speed of rotation of either of said elements and pivoted lever means connecting one of said elements to said control valve whereby axial shifting of said one element changes the flow of pressured fluid to said motor to thereby reestablish said predetermined speed ratio.

7. The combination as defined in claim 6, in which said speed control unit includes a rotating roller engaging the ground with said first element driven by said roller and said second element includes a rod operably connected to said rotatable device and threadedly received in an opening in said first element to define said threaded means.

8. In a combine having a harvesting reel rotated by a fluid motor fluidly connected to a source of fluid under pressure and to a control valve, said control valve having a valve spool controlling the flow of pressured fluid to said fluid motor and means for maintaining a predetermined rotational speed of said reel, the improvement of said means comprising a first rotating element defining a control speed for said reel, a second element, means rotating said second element as a function of the rotational speed of said reel, means operatively interconnecting said elements and maintaining a fixed relation between said elements when said reel is rotating at said predetermined rotational speed but causing relative movement between said elements when said reel is rotating at other than said predetermined rotational speed, and means connected to one of said elements for shifting said valve spool in response to relative movement of said elements whereby to vary the flow of pressured fluid to maintain said predetermined rotational speed of said reel.