Unloading auger control system

• US 4,455,922 A
• Filed: 09/30/1982
• Issued: 06/26/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Sperry Corporation
• Inventors: Glass, Emmett F., Brelsford, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maslousky, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US06/431,516
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 91/358 A, 91/358 R, 414/701, 414/699, 414/700, 137/624.27, 251/68, 251/297
• US Class Current: 91/358.00A
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1217 Unloading mechanisms

Abstract

In a crop harvesting and threshing machine there is provided apparatus that will permit the unloading auger and tube to be automatically moved from at least an inboard first position to an outboard second position by the momentary manual engagement of the control apparatus for substantially less time than that required for the unloading auger and tube to move from the first position to the second position.

Claims

1. A fluid directional control valve connectable to a fluid powered working apparatus and in fluid flow communication with a fluid reservoir comprising:

(a) an elongate main housing with at least one open center bore of generally uniform diameter therein;

(b) at least two reversible flow ports within the main housing operatively associated with said open center bore;

(c) at least one inflow port and one outflow port in the housing to receive the fluid from and return it to the fluid reservoir;

(d) a first spool selectively linearly movable within the bore to control the flow of fluid through the flow ports;

(e) a second spool having a periphery of predetermined shape functionally connected to the first spool, the second spool having at least a first groove, a second groove and a third groove each of a predetermined depth and linearly spaced apart about at least a portion of the periphery;

(f) a centering spring operatively associated with the first spool and the second spool and intermediate thereof;

(g) a second housing having a second open center bore of generally uniform diameter connected to the main housing and coaxial with the bore in the main housing;

(h) a solenoid fastened to the second housing and connectable to an electrical power source via an electrical circuit, the solenoid having a movable detent means cooperable with the second spool so that when the detent means engages the first groove in response to the movement of the second spool in a first predetermined direction the fluid is directed from the reservoir through the control valve in a first working predetermined path of travel to the working apparatus and when the detent means engages the second groove in response to the movement of the second spool in a second predetermined direction the fluid is directed from the reservoir through the control valve in a second working predetermined path of travel to the working apparatus and when the second spool is positioned in response to the centering spring so that the detent means is intermediate of the first and second grooves the fluid flows through the control valve in a third non-working predetermined path of travel;

(i) at least one switch remote from the solenoid and the second housing included in the electrical circuit; and

(j) a second electrical switch fastened to the second housing and connected in series via the circuit to the solenoid and the remote switch cooperable with the third groove such that when the second spool is positioned so that the electrical switch engages the third groove the circuit is broken and the detent means is selectively engageable with the first groove in response to the movement of the second spool in the first predetermined direction and the second groove in response to the movement of the second spool in the second predetermined direction to continue the flow of fluid in the desired path of travel to operate the working apparatus until the electrical circuit is again completed by the remote switch thereby causing the solenoid to disengage the detent means from the second spool permitting the centering spring to return the second spool to the position where the detent means is intermediate of the first and second grooves.

2. A valve mechanism connectable to a fluid powered working apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid between said working apparatus and a fluid reservoir comprising:

a valve body having a longitudinal bore therein and a plurality of fluid flow ports operatively associated with said bore for the flow of fluid between said working apparatus and said fluid reservoir through said valve mechanism;

spool means selectively linearly movable within said bore between a first position, a second position and a control neutral portion to control the flow of fluid through said flow ports, said spool means including first and second spaced apart grooves formed therein, said valve mechanism directing the flow of fluid along a first working path of travel to power the movement of said working apparatus to a first working position when said spool is in said first position and along a second working path of travel to power the movement of said working apparatus to a second working position when said spool is in said second position, said valve mechanism directing the flow of fluid along a non-working path of travel when said spool is in said neutral position;

a centering spring operatively connected to said spool means to bias said spool means toward said neutral position;

a solenoid mounted on said valve body and connectable to an electrical power source via an electrical circuit, said solenoid controlling a movable detent means engageable with said first groove when said spool means is in said first position and with said second groove when said spool means is in said second position to releasably lock said spool means in the selected said position; and

sensing means connected to said solenoid and operatively associated with said working apparatus to sense the movement of said working apparatus into said first and second working positions, said sensing means being operable to actuate said solenoid to effect a release of said detent means from the respective said groove when said working apparatus has moved to the corresponding said working position to permit said spool means to be moved into said neutral position by said centering spring.

3. The valve mechanism of claim 2 wherein said detent means includes a first movable ball engageable with said first and second grooves when said spool means is moved to said first and second positions, respectively, said solenoid urging said first ball into engagement with said spool means when in a non-energized state, said solenoid becoming energized when said electrical circuit is closed to permit said first ball to move away from said spool means so that said centering spring can return said spool means to said neutral position.

4. The valve mechanism of claim 3 wherein said first ball rides on said spool means intermediate said first and second grooves when said spool means is in said neutral position.

5. The valve mechanism of claim 4 wherein said spool means includes a first spool in operative communication with said fluid flow ports to control the flow of fluid therethrough along said paths of travel and a second spool connected to said first spool and cooperable with said detent means, said first and second grooves being formed in said second spool.

6. The valve mechanism of claim 5 further comprising:

a ball switch included in said electrical circuit and mounted on said valve body, said ball switch including a second movable ball engageable with a third groove formed in said second spool when said spool means is in said neutral position, said second ball becoming disengaged from said third groove when said spool means is moved to said first and second positions to close said ball switch.

7. The valve mechanism of claim 6 wherein said fluid flow ports include two reversible flow ports connected to said working apparatus, said spool means directing fluid through said reversible flow ports in opposing directions corresponding to said first and second working paths of travel.

8. A valve mechanism connectable to a fluid powered working apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid between said working apparatus and a fluid reservoir comprising:

an elongate housing having an open center bore of generally uniform diameter therein and a plurality of fluid flow ports operatively associated with said bore for the flow of fluid between said working apparatus and said fluid reservoir through said valve mechanism;

spool means selectively movable within said bore between an operative position and a neutral position to control the flow of fluid through said flow ports such that the flow of fluid can be directed along a working path of travel to operatively power said working apparatus when said spool means is in said operative position and a non-working path of travel that does not operatively power said working apparatus when said spool means is in said neutral position, said spool means having first and second spaced apart grooves formed therein;

a centering spring operatively connected to said spool means to bias said spool means toward said neutral position;

first and second spaced apart balls mounted within said housing for engagement with said first and second grooves, respectively;

a solenoid in operative communication with said housing for engagement with said first ball to control the position thereof relative to said spool means, said solenoid being connectable with an electrical power source via an electrical circuit to effect an energizing of said solenoid when said electrical circuit is closed, said solenoid being operable to urge said first ball into engagement with said spool means when said solenoid is not energized and operable to permit said first ball to move away from said spool means when said solenoid is energized;

a first switch included in said electrical circuit and operatively associated with said working apparatus such that when said working apparatus has moved to a predetermined position said first switch is closed; and

a second switch included in said electrical circuit and mounted on said housing for engagement with said second ball such that when said second ball is engaged with said second groove said second switch is open, said second switch being closed when said second ball is disengaged from said second groove,

said first and second balls being positioned such that when said spool means is in said neutral position, said first ball is disengaged from said first groove and said second ball is engaged with said second groove, whereby said electrical circuit is open and said solenoid can not be energized, the selective movement of said spool means to said operative position causing said first ball to engage said first groove to retain said spool means in said operative position and causing said second ball to be disengaged from said second groove and close said second switch, said solenoid becoming energized to permit said first ball to move away from said first groove and allow said centering spring to return said spool means to said neutral position when both said first and second switches are closed.

10. The valve mechanism of claim 8 or 9 wherein said spool means includes a first spool in operative communication with said fluid flow ports to control the flow of fluid therethrough along said working and non-working paths of travel and a second spool connected to said first spool for operative association with said second switch and said solenoid detent control means.

11. The valve mechanism of claim 10 wherein said electrical circuit includes a third switch manually positionable in an open or closed position.

12. The valve mechanism of claim 11 wherein said electrical circuit includes a fourth switch connected in parallel with said first switch, said fourth switch being connected to said working apparatus to close said electrical circuit when said working apparatus has moved to a second predetermined position and said second and third switches are closed to effect a movement of said spool means to said neutral position.

9. A valve mechanism connectable to a fluid powered working apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid between said working apparatus and a fluid reservoir comprising:

an elongate housing having an open center bore therein and a plurality of fluid flow ports in operative communication with said bore for the flow of fluid between said working apparatus and said fluid reservoir through said valve mechanism;

spool means selectively movable within said bore between an operative position and a neutral position to control the flow of fluid through said flow ports along a working path of travel to operatively power said working apparatus when said spool means is in said operative position and along a non-working path of travel which does not operatively power said working apparatus when said spool means is in said neutral position, said spool means having a groove formed therein;

a centering spring operatively connected to said spool means to bias said spool means toward said neutral position;

solenoid detent control means mounted on said housing for engagement with said spool means to releasably retain said spool means in said operative position against the biasing force exerted by said centering spring when said spool means is moved to said operative position, said solenoid detent control means being connectable to an electrical power source via an electrical circuit to energize said solenoid detent control means when said electrical circuit is closed such that said solenoid detent control means is operable to release said spool means to permit said centering spring to return said spool means to said neutral position when said electrical circuit is closed;

a first switch included within said electrical circuit and connected to said working apparatus such that said first switch is closed when said working apparatus has moved to a predetermined position; and

a second switch included within said electrical circuit and operatively associated with said spool means such that when said spool means is moved to said operative position said second switch is closed, said solenoid detent control means becoming energized when both said first and second switches are closed to permit movement of said spool means to said neutral position, said second switch being opened when said spool means is in said neutral position, said second switch being a ball switch having a movable ball engageable with said groove formed in said spool means, said second switch being open when said ball is engaged with said groove and closed when said ball becomes disengaged from said groove, the movement of said spool means from said neutral position to said operative position causing said ball to be disengaged from said groove.