Mounting arrangement for tractor front grille to shroud

• US 8,276,699 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Elhardt, Paul M., Latchaw, Joseph P., Lard, Jared B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hau
• Application Number:
  US12/894,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20120080255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 180/69.21, 180/68.1, 180/68.4, 180/68.6, 180/69.2, 180/68.5, 180/69.24, 296/100.1, 296/100.08, 296/100.09
• US Class Current: 180/68.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/08 Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor radiator or grille guards B60R19/52
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/52 Radiator or grille guards ; Radiator grilles cooling aspects B60K11/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/525 Radiator grilles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/084 Radiator supports
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/10 Bonnets or lids , e.g. for trucks, tractors, busses, work vehicles for truck beds B60J7/1607; for boats B63B19/12; doors arranged at the vehicle rear B60J5/10; inlet covers for vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/05; for protecting non-occupants of a vehicle B60R21/38
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/00 Tractors of walk type B62D51/04; endless- track features B62D55/00 ; transport specially adapted for underground galleries E21F13/02

Abstract

A mounting arrangement for a tractor front grille to a shroud includes a one-piece shroud having a radiator mounted thereto and a central opening to draw air through the radiator, and a tractor front grille slidably mounted to the shroud so that the grille can only move substantially vertically to access a battery behind the front grille. The battery may be positioned on a battery shelf that extends forwardly from and is integral with the shroud.

Claims

1. A mounting arrangement for a tractor front grille to a shroud, comprising:

the shroud being one-piece and having a radiator mounted thereto and having a central opening to draw air through the radiator; and

the tractor front grille being slidably mounted to the shroud so that the grille can only move substantially vertically to access a battery behind the front grille;

wherein the shroud has sides that wrap at least partially around a front end of a tractor.

2. The mounting arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a battery shelf extending forwardly from the shroud and integral with the shroud.

3. The mounting arrangement of claim 1 wherein one of the shroud and the front grille has a pair of substantially vertically aligned rib structures on a left side and a right side thereof, and the other of the shroud and the front grille has a pair of substantially vertically aligned slots that the rib structures slide in.

4. A mounting arrangement for a tractor front grille to a shroud, comprising:

a rib structure having a sliding interfit with a channel on each side of a central opening through the shroud, the rib structure and channel securing the grille to the shroud and being substantially vertically aligned so that the grille can move only substantially vertically with respect to the shroud; and

a battery tray that is integral with and extends substantially horizontally from the shroud;

wherein the grille is a one piece plastic structure having a left side and a right side that wrap at least partially around a front end of a tractor.

5. The mounting arrangement of claim 4 further comprising a radiator mounted to the shroud.

6. The mounting arrangement of claim 4 wherein the shroud is molded plastic.

7. A mounting arrangement for a tractor front grille to a shroud, comprising:

a battery positioned on a substantially horizontal shelf extending forwardly from and integral with the shroud; and

the front grille having a front, a left side and a right side around the battery, the left side and right side being slidably mounted to the shroud for moving the front grille only substantially vertically to access the battery.

8. The mounting arrangement of claim 7 further comprising a radiator mounted to the shroud forwardly of a central opening in the shroud.

9. The mounting arrangement of claim 7 further comprising a rib structure that slides in a slot on each of the left and the right sides of the tractor front grille to slidably mount the front grille to the shroud.