Quick hitch guidance device

• US 5,511,623 A
• Filed: 09/12/1994
• Issued: 04/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Textron Financial Corporation (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Orthman Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Frasier, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): BATSON, VICTOR D
• Application Number:
  US08/304,257
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 172/2, 172/5, 172/6, 172/26, 172/190, 172/191, 280/455.1, 280/474, 280/412, 280/413, 180/79, 180/131, 364/424.01, 364/424.07, 318/580, 318/587
• US Class Current: 172/6
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 59/062 the connection comprising a rigid interface frame on the tractor
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/102 characterised by the location of the mounting on the tractor, e.g. on the rear part
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/003 Steering or guiding of machines or implements pushed or pulled by or mounted on agricultural vehicles such as tractors, e.g. by lateral shifting of the towing connection

Abstract

The invention relates to a quick hitch guidance system which allows an operator to maintain proper alignment with a farm implement while towing it behind a tractor. The device includes an exterior inverted U-shaped frame with an external quick hitch coupling element. Within the frame there is attached a double rod hydraulic cylinder which operatively moves internal linkage within the frame so that the distance between the device and the tractor is increased on one side and decreased on the other thereby steering the implement into proper alignment. The implement moves independent of the tractor so that as the tractor deviates laterally from alignment with the crop rows, the position of the implement is corrected and aligned with the rows to prevent crop damage.

Claims

1. A guidance device for a tractor-drawn crop implement, comprising:

a generally inverted, U-shaped frame having means for attachment to a forward end of said implement;

a linkage means for controllably increasing the distance between one end of said frame and a tractor and decreasing the distance between the other end of said frame and said tractor, including a horizontal connecting rod supported for linear movement with respect to said frame between a right steer position and a left steer position;

an upper bell crank responsively connected to said horizontal connecting rod and supported for rotational movement with respect to said frame about an upper pivot point;

a vertical connecting rod coupled at one end to said upper bell crank;

a lower bell crank responsively coupled to said vertical connecting rod and supported for rotational movement with respect to said frame about a lower pivot point, whereby linear movement of said horizontal connecting rod between said right steer position and said left steer position results in rotational movement of said lower bell crank; and

hydraulic means activated by a specified stimulus for controllably moving said horizontal connecting rod between said right steer position and said left steer position.

2. The guidance device of claim 1 wherein said stimulus is provided by a sensing means capable of sensing lateral movements of said guidance device in relation to crop rows and transmitting signals to said hydraulic means whereby said implement is guideable along said crop row independently of lateral movement of said tractor.

3. The guidance device of claim 2 wherein said hydraulic means comprises one double rod hydraulic cylinder.

4. The guidance device of claim 3 wherein said lower bell crank includes a means for locking said linkage means and preventing movement therein.

5. The guidance device of claim 4 wherein said linkage means includes a feed back sensor capable of determining said distance between one end of said frame and said tractor and transmitting said distance to a user.

6. A guidance device comprising the combination of linkage means for controllably increasing the distance between a frame and tractor, said linkage means having an upper bell crank responsively connected to a horizontal connecting rod and supported for rotational movement with respect to said frame about an upper pivot point, with a vertical connecting rod coupled at one end to said upper bell crank, and a lower bell crank supported for rotational movement about a lower pivot point whereby linear movement of said horizontal connecting rod results in rotational movement of said lower bell crank for controllably moving said horizontal connecting rod between a right steer position and a left steer position.