Collapsible guide rod assembly for a tractor guidance system
First Claim
1. A collapsible guide rod assembly for a tractor guidance system comprising,said guide rod assembly including a pair of spaced apart guide rods pivotal between an operative open substantially parallel position to a transport closed collapsed position wherein said rods extend toward each other,lifting means for raising and lowering said guide rod assembly, andactuation means for pivoting said guide rod assembly between said open and closed positions.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A guide rod assembly is mounted on the front end of a tractor with the guide rods closely adjacent the front wheels and the crop rows to transmit steering signals to a steering guidance system. The pair of guide rods pivot from a downwardly extending parallel position upwardly toward a raised closed collapsed transport position. When the guide rods reach a horizontal position, continued upward movement by the lift arms cause the guide rods to pivot inwardly toward each other to a collapsed transport position eliminating interference with the steerable tractor front wheels.
22 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A collapsible guide rod assembly for a tractor guidance system comprising,
said guide rod assembly including a pair of spaced apart guide rods pivotal between an operative open substantially parallel position to a transport closed collapsed position wherein said rods extend toward each other, lifting means for raising and lowering said guide rod assembly, and actuation means for pivoting said guide rod assembly between said open and closed positions.
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6. A collapsible guide rod assembly for a tractor guidance system comprising,
a mounting plate means, a pair of support arms pivotally connected to said mounting plate means and extending in opposite directions therefrom, each of said support arms including a perpendicular guide rod, said support arms positioned to pivot about a vertical axes between an operative open position with said guide rods being substantially parallel to a transport closed collapsed position wherein said guide rods extend toward each other, an actuation plate means positioned between said pair of support arms and including tie rod means extending in opposite directions into engagement with said support arms at points remote to said vertical axes, and power means operatively connected to said mounting plate means and said actuating plate means to cause relative rotational movement about a first horizontal axis between a first position with said guide rods being in said open position, and a second position with said guide rods being in said closed position.
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10. A collapsible guide rod assembly for a tractor guidance system comprising,
a guide rod assembly support frame, a guide rod assembly including mounting plate means pivotally mounted on said support frame for pivotal movement about a first horizontal pivot axis, said assembly including oppositely extending guide rod support arms pivotal about spaced apart vertical axes and having outer ends from which guide rods extend perpendicular to said arms in spaced apart relationship when said guide rods are in an open position, said arms being pivotal to move said guide rods to a closed position in which said guide rods are extending toward each other, an actuating plate means pivotally mounted on said mounting plate for pivotal movement about a second horizontal axis, a pair of tie rod means connected to said actuating plate means and extending in opposite directions for connection to said support arms, an actuating stop arm on said actuating plate means positioned to engage said support frame when said assembly is pivoted about said first pivot axis such that engagement of said stop arm with said support frame allows only said mounting plate means to continue to pivot about said first axis while causing said actuating plate means to pivot in the opposite direction about said second pivot axis and moving said tie rod means from a first over center position when said guide rods are in said open position to a second over center position when said guide rods are in said closed position, and spring means interconnecting said mounting plate means and said actuating plate means to bias said tie rod means to said first over center position with said guide rods in said open position.
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14. A collapsible guide rod assembly for a tractor guidance system comprising,
a tractor lifting means moveable between raised and lowered positions, a guide rod assembly connected to said lifting means and including a pair of spaced apart guide rods pivotal between an operative open substantially parallel position to a transport closed collapsed position wherein said guide rods extend toward each other, said pair of guide rods being pivotal between a horizontal position in said raised position to a downwardly extending position when in said lowered position, and coordinating means connecting said lifting means to said pair of guide rods to cause said guide rods when in said lowered downwardly extending position upon being moved upwardly toward said raised position to also begin pivoting upwardly to said horizontal position, and upon reaching said horizontal position continue upward movement toward said raised position causing said guide rods to pivot to said transport closed collapsed position.
Specification