Air conditioning apparatus for tractor cab

• US 4,072,487 A
• Filed: 12/10/1976
• Issued: 02/07/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Case Corporation (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Steiger Tractor, Inc.
• Inventors: Irwin, Gordon A.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Lloyd L.
• Application Number:
  US05/749,361
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 62/244, 62/239, 62/243, 180/54 R, 180/64 A, 180/69 C
• US Class Current: 62/244
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00378 for tractor or load vehicle cabins
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2003/0666 the filter element having non-rectangular shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/0633 with provisions for regenerating or cleaning the filter element

Abstract

Air conditioning apparatus for a tractor cab in which filter and air inlets are disposed in a portion of the roof projecting rearwardly beyond the cab, the air inlet being downwardly disposed so that foreign matter accumulating in the exterior of the filter is free to fall off of the filter and out through the air inlet. The heat exchange means for removing heat from the air is located behind and beneath the cab seat with the air outlet opening into the cab so as to direct cool air into the cab behind and beneath the operator. The cab may have one or more rear corner posts which are hollow and the air passing through the filter is passed through at least one of these hollow corner posts to the heat exchange means. The filter preferably extends transversely with respect to the cab. Two filters may be employed, these filters being spaced apart with a booster fan located between the filters and directing air passing through the filters downwardly to the heat exchange device. Preferably the main air circulating means is located adjacent the heat exchange means. The filter may be of the cylindrical type, the air passing from outside of the cylindrical surface into the cylindrical interior of the filter.

With the arrangement, the dirt not only tends to drop downwardly through the air inlet because of the vibrations occurring during normal operation of the tractor but it also tends to be forced off of the surface of the filter each time that the cab door is closed due to the pressure build-up within the cab being transmitted to the interior of the filter to force air through the filter in a reverse direction.

Claims

1. In combination, a tractor having an operator'"'"'s cab comprising a plurality of side walls and a roof, said side walls including a rear wall, and said roof having a portion projecting rearwardly beyond said rear wall,

an air conditioner for said cab including an air inlet, a filter, heat exchange means for changing the heat content of the air passing therethrough, an air outlet opening into said cab and air circulating means for causing air to enter said inlet and pass through said filter, said heat exchange means and out through said air outlet into said cab,

said rearwardly projecting portion of said roof having a compartment therein for said filter and a downwardly disposed air inlet disposed to the rear of said rear wall,

and means for mounting said filter in said compartment above said air inlet so that foreign matter accumulating on the exterior of said filter is free to fall off of said filter and out through said air inlet.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said filter extends transversely of said roof compartment.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which the filter is a cylindrical filter.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which the cab has an operator'"'"'s seat therein and in which said air outlet is located beneath and to the rear of said seat.

5. The combination of claim 1 in which the cab has an operator'"'"'s seat therein and in which said heat exchange means, said air outlet and said air circulating means are located beneath and to the rear of said seat.

6. The combination of claim 1 in which said cab has rear corner posts which are hollow, in which said heat exchange means and said air outlet are located in a lower portion of said cab, and in which air passing through said filter is passed through at least one of said hollow rear corner posts to said heat exchange means.

7. The combination of claim 6 in which there are a plurality of spaced filters and in which there is a further air circulating device disposed between said filters for drawing air therethrough and delivering it through at least one of said hollow rear corner posts to the intake of said previously named air circulating means.

8. The combination of claim 1 in which the cab has an operator'"'"'s seat therein and rear corner posts which are hollow, in which said heat exchange means and said air outlet are located beneath and to the rear of said seat, and in which air passing through said filter is passed through at least one of said hollow rear posts to said heat exchange means.

9. The combination of claim 1 in which there is a continuous air passage from the air outlet opening into the cab to the normally downstream side of the filter and in which the cab is sufficiently air tight that when the cab door is closed abruptly, the increase in pressure within the cab causes a reverse flow of air through said passage to dislodge foreign matter from the normally upstream side of the filter.