Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-05
2001-03-20
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203049
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices for attaching towed loads to vehicles, and more particularly to implement connection devices which allow an implement to move independently of the position and orientation of the towing vehicle.
2. Background Information
The typical manner in which farming implements are attached to a tractor is by the use of a solid draw bar which is rectangular in cross-section. The draw bar has a hole in it through which a pin is placed which holds an implement in connection with the draw bar and the tractor. The implement typically has a rectangular piece with a hole in it through which the pin is inserted, or it may have two rectangular pieces, each with a corresponding hole, which are oriented with one bar directly above another bar. In this configuration, the draw bar of the tractor slips between the two attachment plates of the implement, and the pin goes through all three holes.
The problem with this arrangement of attaching an implement to a tractor is that this type of connection is either built with a lot of slop between the parts, or it develops slop as the parts wear against each other. When an implement connected by the typical connection is pulled behind a tractor, for instance, the tractor pulls it forward with great force. The force is transmitted from the tractor to the pin which holds the implement to the draw bar. The implement also can be resisting movement with great force, as plows, discs, scrapers or other implements work the earth behind the tractor. This results in great force being applied to the pin hole in the draw bar, to the pin, and the pin hole in the implement attachment bars. The holes get larger and larger, and the pin gets smaller and smaller. After a period of time, even in normal unstressed travel, such as on a paved road, the slop in the fit between the locking pin and the pin holes causes the implement to bounce back and forth and to further enlarge the pin holes and to further wear down the pin. This jarring and bouncing back and forth also causes damage to the implement itself.
Sometimes the amount of play or slop in the connection is intentional, and is built in to allow the implement to move in a plane different than the tractor. For instance, when the tractor is on level ground, but the implement is on a side hill, the connection must have enough play or flex to allow the implement to twist in relation to the tractor, or the connecting parts would bend or break.
Some manufacturers of implements have tried to address the problem of too much play by placing two pin holes in the draw bar, and using bolts with washers and nuts to secure the implement to the draw bar, instead of using a drop-in pin. This approach greatly improves the wear and tear on all parts of the system, but it is slow and awkward to attach an implement in this way, and requires the use of tools.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system by which a farm implement or another towed object can be attached to a tractor, or another towing vehicle, in a manner which does not allow the pin hole or the pin of the connection to develop excessive slop through wear.
It is another object of the invention to provide a connection between a towed object and a towing vehicle which allows the towed object to orient itself according to the terrain it is traveling over, and independent of the orientation of the vehicle towing it. It is a further object that this connection system does not require the use of tools to make the connection.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description as follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects and advantages are attained by the terrain following hitch of the invention. The terrain following hitch of the invention is a device for attaching a towed vehicle or object to a towing vehicle. The towed vehicle or object could include farm vehicles, a trailer pulled by a tractor trailer rig, a trailer pulled by a vehicle, an earth moving implement pulled by a large earth moving vehicle, or any kind of towed vehicle or object which is attached to a towing vehicle. In the situation of a tractor and a farm implement, a draw bar of the tractor is utilized to attach the farm implement to the tractor. The equivalent of the draw bar of a tractor is present in other towing situations in the form of a trailer hitch, or other connections for attaching the tongue of the towed vehicle or object to the towing vehicle. The invention includes a means of attaching the terrain following hitch to the draw bar. In the example of a tractor towing a farm implement, this can be a hole in the draw bar through which a locking pin is inserted.
The terrain following hitch also includes a first hinge, composed of two hinge leaves, and a hinge pin. The hinge allows the implement or towed object to rotate within a first plane. The first hinge is attached to the draw bar by the means of attachment, and it is also attached to a second hinge. The second hinge also has two leaves, and a second hinge pin. The second hinge allows the rotation of the towed vehicle or object within a second plane, which is at 90° to the first plane. The second hinge is attached to the first hinge and to a third hinge. The third hinge has at least one third leaf, and a third hinge pin. The third hinge allows rotation of the towed vehicle or object within a third plane, which is at a 90° angle to the first and second plane. The third hinge is attached to the second hinge utilizing the third hinge pin to attach to the second hinge. This configuration using three hinges in the terrain following hitch allows the towed vehicle or object to rotate in three planes and seek a position which conforms to the configuration of the ground over which it is traveling, and independent of the position of the towed vehicle.
In one configuration of the terrain following hitch, the third hinge is constructed so that the third hinge pin is attached to a leaf of the second hinge. On the third hinge pin is mounted a third leaf, which is a tubular and generally cylindrical component, which surrounds the third hinge pin. An implement, towed vehicle, or object is connected to the third leaf of the third hinge. The tubular leaf is able to rotate around the third hinge pin, and allows the towed vehicle or object to also rotate around the third hinge pin.
The terrain following hitch can utilize a means of attachment to the draw bar which is a draw bar attachment tube. The draw bar attachment tube has at least one hole, but can have more than one hole for the passage of a locking pin. The draw bar attachment tube mounts over the draw bar and receives the locking pin which also passes through the pin hole of the draw bar, and the pin hole of the draw bar attachment tube. In one configuration, the draw bar attachment tube is rectangular in cross section, and closely fits the cross-sectional configuration of the draw bar. It has two pairs of opposing sides, with a pin hole in each of two of those opposing sides. These pin holes are configured to align with the corresponding pin hole in the draw bar, so that when the draw bar is fully inserted into the draw bar attachment tube, the three holes line up, and the pin can be dropped into place without the use of tools. Although the locking pin is placed in position without the use of tools, the draw bar attachment tube fits snugly around the draw bar, and over a considerable length of the draw bar so that a single pin results in a firm connection of the draw bar attachment tube to the draw bar, with very little play or slop. Any lateral forces between the towing vehicle and the towed object, vehicle
Dykas Frank J.
Johnson Brian L.
Luby Matthew
Shaver Robert L.
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