Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-28
2001-02-27
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S510000, C280S477000, C172S275000, C172S439000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193259
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
A mounting frame according to this invention is intended to be mounted on the rear of a powered vehicle to attach a towed vehicle or implement or accessory equipment to the powered vehicle. This mounting frame is of the type that is particularly useful when mounted on a standard three point hitch that is commonly employed on a tractor, although the frame could be mounted on other vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One approach to attaching a towed vehicle to a tractor is to use a drawbar extending from the rear of the tractor. When the drawbar is located at a fixed height, the towed vehicle must be jacked to the appropriate height to attach the implement hitch to the drawbar. This requires the operator to both adjust the towed vehicle and move the tractor, increasing the time and energy spent on this rather rudimentary procedure.
Other tractors employ a conventional three-point hitch in which two draft links are pivoted relative to a tractor chassis. Each of these two draft links is attached to a lift link which is in turn attached to a hydraulically actuated rockshaft to move the draft links up and down. A center link is located above the two lower links and is attached to the towed vehicle. After the implement is attached to the three point hitch, the implement or towed vehicle can be raised or lowered by actuating the tractor rockshaft. An additional component that can be used with a conventional three point hitch is a hitch bar that can be mounted between the two lower links and would include a number of hitching means along its length so that different implements or devices can be attached to the tractor.
Another prior approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,227 which includes a five sided frame for attachment to a three point hitch. This frame is intended to facilitate turning when a power take off is used. The attachment point for this frame is closer to the tractor than the ends of the draft links so that the frame does not interfere with a power take off during turns.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Prior art devices do not provide means for simplifying the attachment of an implement to a tractor. An improved mounting frame that would allow an operator to attach a variety of implements and towed vehicles to the tractor without having to dismount the tractor is needed so that the time to attach a tractor to a device is reduced. Furthermore this improved hitching apparatus should be of the type that can be used by one person, requiring no additional help. A simple hitching apparatus should allow an operator to merely back the tractor into engagement with the towed device and should require only vertical movement of the mounting frame in order to securely attached the implement to the tractor.
The improved mounting device should also provide means for attaching various adaptors and accessory devices to the tractor. For example, the mounting frame should be easily adaptable by a single person to employ either a male or female attachment member, so that the mounting frame could be used with towed devices having attachment devices of either gender. The mounting frame should also provide means for attaching accessory equipment to the frame to perform such tasks as grading, hauling and dumping, transporting round hay bails without the need for a towed vehicle. All of these devices should be interchangable and should require only simple attachment operations that could be easily performed by one person. Furthermore the mounting frame should not obstruct the power takeoff employed with standard towed implements, such as combines or other equipment.
The mounting frame according to the preferred embodiment of this invention accomplishes these and other objectives, and the simple mounting frame can be attached to a three point hitch on a tractor.
An implement attachment apparatus, according to this invention, is for use with a three point hitch on a powered vehicle, such as a tractor, includes a frame attachable to the three point hitch. The frame can be shifted by the three point hitch, and the frame includes a horizontal bar attachable at opposite ends to the three point hitch, and a central attachment point located above the horizontal bar. An implement attachment socket, such as a ball socket is located on the horizontal bar and below the central attachment point. The frame is movable vertically in response to movement of the three point hitch so that the implement attachment socket can be positioned beneath an attachment member on a towed implement.
This implement attachment apparatus can be used to selectively attach wheeled and nonwheeled implements to a powered vehicle in order to transport the implements or to selectively attach implements directly to the three point hitch. The frame includes a lower beam and an upper beam, substantially parallel to the lower beam. Left and right upright supports extend between the upper and lower beams. The left and right upright supports, or side rails, are spaced apart so that the frame is open between the upper and lower beams. A pivoting attachment member is attached to the upper beam. Left and right pivoting attachment points are located adjacent ends of the lower beam so that the frame can be pivoted relative to the powered vehicle for performing work and for attaching or detaching an implement to the powered vehicle.
This mounting apparatus is especially useful for selectively attaching a plurality of farm implements to a tractor. The apparatus frame is attachable to bottom links of a three point hitch on the tractor and a telescoping arm comprises the central link of the three point hitch. The telescoping arm is attachable to the center of the frame above and between the bottom links. The frame includes an implement attachment socket on the bottom of the frame. The height of the frame is altered by movement of the three point hitch, and the frame is tilted upon extension of the telescoping arm in the absence of any other movement of the three point hitch.
This apparatus for selectively attaching implements to a tractor at three points comprises a peripheral frame, a telescoping arm and an implement attachment member. The peripheral frame includes hinge pins for attaching the frame to the tractor adjacent opposite ends of the base of the frame and at the center of the top of the frame. The peripheral frame is open in the center to provide clearance for a power takeoff from the tractor. The telescoping arm extends between the center of the top of the frame and the tractor. The telescoping arm includes telescoping members that are releasable to permit the frame to tilt upon release of one telescoping member relative to the other telescoping member. The implement attachment member, such as a ball socket, is located on the base of the frame for attaching an implement to the frame.
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Johnson Brian L.
Lerner Avraham H.
Pitts Robert W.
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