356 results about "Agricultural tractor" patented technology

An automatic steering system and method are provided for a vehicle including an hydraulic primary steering system. The automatic steering system includes a guidance module with a GPS receiver and a microprocessor adapted to process and store GPS data defining travel paths, which can be associated with a cultivated field in an agricultural vehicle application. An automatic steering module is connected to the guidance module and to a steering valve control block, which provides pressurized hydraulic fluid in parallel with the vehicle's primary hydrostatic steering system. The automatic steering system utilizes a constant factor, such as steering rate, for predictability and simplicity in the operation of the automatic steering system. A feedback loop from the vehicle hydrostatic steering system uses the vehicle's actual turning rate for comparison with a desired turning rate. The system is adapted for original equipment installation and retrofitting on vehicles, such as farm tractors, with various primary hydrostatic steering system configurations. An automatic steering method includes the steps of: initializing the system; adjusting the steering with an hydraulic valve to provide a constant steering rate; providing feedback corresponding to the vehicle's actual turning rate and combining the feedback with other input signals to provide automatic steering.

An automatic steering system and method are provided for a vehicle including an hydraulic primary steering system. The automatic steering system includes a guidance module with a GPS receiver and a microprocessor adapted to process and store GPS data defining travel paths, which can be associated with a cultivated field in an agricultural vehicle application. An automatic steering module is connected to the guidance module and to a steering valve control block, which provides pressurized hydraulic fluid in parallel with the vehicle's primary hydrostatic steering system. The automatic steering system utilizes a constant factor, such as steering rate, for predictability and simplicity in the operation of the automatic steering system. A feedback loop from the vehicle hydrostatic steering system uses the vehicle's actual turning rate for comparison with a desired turning rate. The system is adapted for original equipment installation and retrofitting on vehicles, such as farm tractors, with various primary hydrostatic steering system configurations. An automatic steering method includes the steps of: initializing the system; adjusting the steering with an hydraulic valve to provide a constant steering rate; providing feedback corresponding to the vehicle's actual turning rate and combining the feedback with other input signals to provide automatic steering.

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a system for positioning a drawn implement having a transverse tool bar being pulled by a vehicle traveling generally along a desired path of movement, the vehicle having a mounting hitch on the rear end thereof where a system hitch is configured to adjust its angular orientation and that of the tool bar relative to the vehicle mounting hitch and a global positioning system having an antenna mounted on the system hitch operable to detect the position of the tool bar of the implement relative to the desired path as the vehicle moves generally along the desired path and generate a signal that is indicative of the lateral position of the implement relative to the desired path and means for controlling the hitch means to adjust the angular orientation of the hitch means and the tool bar so that the implement follows the desired path of movement in response to the global positioning system signals.

A control system for the drive of a power take-off mechanism on an agricultural tractor that records machine-specific values of the implement attached to the tractor. The drive train between the tractor engine and the power take-off includes a CVT transmission. The control device is connected with a processor via a signal lead for receiving its output signals. The control device is connected for the formation of output signals via input leads with switches, controls, sensors, and actuators for the tractor to read the machine specific parameters of the attached implement.

A PTO control system and method for engaging a PTO clutch of a vehicle or work machine such as, but not limited to, an agricultural tractor, that can effectively utilize both engine speed and PTO output speed values for determining a predicted and / or actual PTO load and other variable conditions which can effect engagement, and which can responsively calibrate the system for engagement under the load and other conditions and adaptively control applied acceleration and torque during the engagement.

An arrangement of radiators (2–6) for a utility vehicle, e.g., an agricultural tractor, comprising three or more cooling radiators which together define a chamber (7), optionally with some of the walls formed by perforated plates instead of radiator elements. One of the radiator elements may be pivotally mounted with respect to the others to provide access to the chamber. The arrangement of radiators may be mounted on a common support (1).

This invention concerns a new grain unloading system using an integrated ramp, horizontal transfer conveyor and elevating system. The unit is towed, positioned and powered by an agricultural tractor.

A tractor has a frame defined by two side rails extending longitudinally carried on ground wheels with a cab on the frame at one end and an engine compartment at the other end. The cab has doors on each side and there are provided two operator platforms each attached to the frame at a respective side with suitable ladder, guard rails and surface by which the operator can climb to the cab. Each operator platform is mounted for movement longitudinally of the frame on levers allowing movement along the side of the frame from the cab entry position to an engine service position. The platform can cover operator serviceable parts which in the cab position which are exposed when the platform is moved to the engine service position.

A draft load control system for an agricultural tractor towing a trailed, ground-engaging implement that monitors implement height using sensors located on the tractor or sensors coupled to an on-board control communications system and adjusts the implement position in relation to the ground based on draft load, implement height, and tractor wheel-slip to maintain a more accurate, consistent draft load on the tractor while maintaining the implement engaged with the ground and preventing the tractor-implement ground speed from being reduced to zero.

An automatic steering of an agricultural tractor on a surface of a field to be processed is accomplished by equipping the tractor with a camera for taking a picture of a region of the field, which is in front of the tractor, including the surface that is to be processed, generating a pixel data file from a picture signal of the camera, generating texture information with respect to the texture of the surroundings of the pixels contained in the data file, classifying the pixels of the pixel data file while considering the texture information, in order to generate a binary information as to whether or not a particular pixel is to be associated with the surface that is to be processed, generating a steering signal based on the results of the classification, and repositioning the steering device of the harvesting machine according to the steering signal so that the machine is steered automatically along the surface that is to be processed.

A cooler arrangement for agricultural implements, particularly for tractors is quickly and easily moved to permit access thereto for cleaning. The cooler block contains at least a front cooler, a central cooler, and a rear cooler. The rear cooler is attached at a fixed position on the frame of the agricultural tractor and the central cooler can be moved away from the rear cooler while the front cooler can also be moved away from the central cooler. The front cooler is suspended so that is can move sufficiently upwardly and, if necessary, also forwardly, that the central cooler can be swung away from the rear cooler unhindered to the side at about a right angle. The front cooler is joined to a tilting mechanism having a lever arm pointing in the direction of travel of the tractor.

A hydrostatic agricultural tractor has front ground wheels mounted on the frame at fixed angles parallel to each other and parallel to a center line of the frame and rear ground wheels mounted on a respective castor, with each of the front ground wheels being driven by a respective drive motor which allows variable speed in both the first and second directions such that steering of the tractor is effected by a differential in speed between the front wheels with the rear wheels following the steering in a castoring action. A pair of damper cylinders is provided each connected between a bracket on a rear axle of the frame and a lever in the castor plane of the castor so as to provide a damping force tending to restrict rotation of the respective second wheel about the respective vertical pivot axis with the damping force at a maximum value when the rear wheels are parallel to the center line in either the forward or reverse directions.

A draft load control system for an agricultural tractor coupled to a semi-trailed, ground-engaging implement that monitors implement height using sensors located on the tractor or sensors coupled to an on-board control communications system and adjusts the implement position in relation to the ground through coordinated action of the three-point hitch and the on-implement position actuator based on draft load, implement height, and tractor wheel-slip to maintain a more accurate, consistent draft load on the tractor while maintaining the implement engaged with the ground and preventing the tractor-implement ground speed from being reduced to zero.

This invention concerns a new grain unloading system using an integrated ramp, horizontal transfer conveyor and elevating conveyor. The unit is towed, positioned and activated by an agricultural tractor.

A hybrid power train for farm tractors, wherein the elements defining at least one of the electric machines are housed in a structural casing formed in one piece. The structural casing forms an integral part of the supporting structure of the tractor in the form of a half-shell open on one side, so as to permit assembly of an insulating element, a stator, and a shaft fitted with a respective rotor to form the electric machine part of the hybrid power train. The diesel engine of the agricultural tractor is mechanically connected to the Power take-off mechanism by routing the PTO shaft through a number of hollow shafts for transmitting power from the diesel engine to and from the two electric machines by means of a conventional epicyclic gear train.

A tractor has a frame defined by two side rails extending longitudinally carried on ground wheels with a cab on the frame at one end and an engine compartment at the other end. The cab has doors on each side and there are provided two operator platforms each attached to the frame at a respective side with suitable ladder, guard rails and surface by which the operator can climb to the cab. Each operator platform is mounted for movement longitudinally of the frame on levers allowing movement along the side of the frame from the cab entry position to an engine service position. The platform can cover operator serviceable parts which in the cab position which are exposed when the platform is moved to the engine service position.

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a system for positioning a drawn implement being pulled by a vehicle traveling generally along a desired path of movement, the vehicle having a mounting hitch on the rear end thereof where a system hitch is configured to adjust its angular orientation relative to the vehicle mounting hitch and a global positioning system receiver operable to detect the position of the implement relative to the desired path as the vehicle moves generally along the desired path and generate a signal that is indicative of the lateral position of the implement relative to the desired path and means for controlling the hitch means to adjust the angular orientation of the hitch means so that the implement follows the desired path of movement in response to the global positioning system signals.

An automated soil sampler is removably mounted on an agricultural tractor and collects soil samples in a farm field while the tractor is driven through the field. At a periodic interval, the soil sampler momentarily lowers a soil collection knife into the soil to collect a soil sample, raises the collection knife out of the soil, and transfers the collected soil sample into a bar-coded storage container. The GPS location of the soil sample is associated with the storage container's bar-code in a data file. The interval between successive periodic soil samples corresponds to a determined forward displacement of the tractor. Storage containers that have received soil samples are moved to a storage area until all of the soil samples for a given field have been collected.

A suspended articulated front axle for vehicles, in particular farm tractors, wherein each axle shaft has at least one portion whose longitudinal axis of symmetry slopes by a sweep-back angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the vehicle. The sweep-back angle is such that the outer end of the sloping portion is located further back than the inner end of the portion in the common forward traveling direction of the vehicle.

A cooling system is provided for a non-rail off-road vehicle, such as an agricultural tractor having an engine with a horizontally oriented rotation axis and a hood covering the engine. The cooling system includes an engine cooling radiator positioned above the engine and between the engine and the hood and a fan unit with electric motor-driven fans blowing air upwardly through the radiator. The fan unit is positioned above the engine and between the engine and the radiator. An engine charge air cooler is also positioned above the engine and between the engine and the hood, and a charge air cooler fan unit has electric motor-driven fans which blow air upwardly through the cooler. The hood has openings in its upper surface through which passes air blown by the radiator fan unit and the charge air cooler fan unit. This cooling system blows heated cooling air vertically upwardly, thus preventing the heated cooling air from being drawn back into the intakes of the cooling system and preventing heated air from being blown onto the exterior of the tractor cab.

A three-point hitch faceplate having a set of skid steer receiver attachment points to permit an all-purpose agricultural tractor to operably connect to skid steer attachments so that the agricultural tractor can utilize off-the-shelf skid steer attachments.

An agricultural tractor (10) comprises a cooling package (22) disposed in front of an engine (20) and under a hood (14) forward of a cab (12). The cooling package (22) comprises a cooler having a major surface into which air enters. The cooling package (22) and hood (14) is inclined so that the major surface slopes upwardly in the rearward direction. The hood (14) comprises an air inlet grille (36) in the upper surface to provide an upstream air inlet for the cooling package (22), thereby significantly improving the airflow dynamics.

An agricultural tractor having its engine longitudinally spaced along its frame from the operator cabin features at least two heat exchangers carried on the frame at a position located longitudinally between the operator cabin and the engine to perform air-cooling of at least one fluid associated with the engine. The two heat exchangers are arranged in parallel so as to each accept an intake stream of ambient air that is independent of a discharge stream of exhaust air from the other heat exchanger. Accordingly, each heat exchanger uses the coolest air possible to maximize the cooling potential of the system. The discharge stream of air from the heat exchangers is exhausted rearward to avoid recirculation of this heated air as the machine moves forward, and to direct the exhaust air past the engine for further cooling effect.

A method for rebuilding and maintaining vegetation ecosystem and pasture production system in semiarid wind sand area relates to the technical fields, such as agricultural water and soil conversation, prevention and control of desertification, pasture cultivation and ecological environment etc, wherein perennial pasture with properties of drought resistance, nitrogen fixing, cold resistance and saline alkali resistance is adopted to combine with a multifunctional ecological film compound fertilizer functioned to bond and fix sand, absorb dampness and infiltrate water, conserve water and soil, fertilize sand and nourish sprout, preserve heat and promote growth. The technical scheme is that: selecting in April or May in spring, on the basis of flat sandy land, after seed soaking, planting the perennial pasture plants, such as varied lobular clover, Astragalus adsurgens pall, sainfoin, vetch, Agropyron desertorum etc; then adopting a method of a spraying can or an agricultural tractor mating with a high pressure water pump; or burying a plastic pipe in the ground, one end of the plastic pipe being connected with a water pump of a large-scaled fertilizer film mixing tank and the other end thereof being connected with a spraying nozzle; spraying the multifunctional ecological film compound fertilizer by adding water in 50 to 60 times such that an ecological ground film with thickness about 2 mm is naturally formed on the surface of the earth; three processes of spraying water, applying fertilizer and laying film can be completed at the same time so as to synchronously build up an ecological vegetation and pasture production system.

When different implements are attached to an agricultural tractor, various hydraulic actuators on the implement are operated by connection to the hydraulic system on the tractor. A single hydraulic fluid connector on the tractor has first and second ports with a separate valve assembly provided to control fluid of fluid to and from each port. This enables one doubling-acting hydraulic actuator to be connected to both connector ports so that the fluid flow to and from the actuator is controlled. For a different implement, one single-acting hydraulic actuator can be connected to one connector port and another single-acting hydraulic actuator can be connected to the other port of the same connector. Individual operation of the valve assembly for each port in this case allows independent control of the two single-acting hydraulic actuators.

A hydrostatic agricultural tractor has front ground wheels mounted on the frame at fixed angles parallel to each other and parallel to a center line of the frame and rear ground wheels mounted on a respective castor, with each of the front ground wheels being driven by a respective drive motor which allows variable speed in both the first and second directions such that steering of the tractor is effected by a differential in speed between the front wheels with the rear wheels following the steering in a castoring action. A pair of damper cylinders is provided each connected between a bracket on a rear axle of the frame and a lever in the castor plane of the castor so as to provide a damping force tending to restrict rotation of the respective second wheel about the respective vertical pivot axis with the damping force at a maximum value when the rear wheels are parallel to the center line in either the forward or reverse directions.

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a system for positioning a drawn implement being pulled by a vehicle traveling generally along a desired path of movement, the vehicle having a mounting hitch on the rear end thereof where a system hitch is configured to adjust its angular orientation relative to the vehicle mounting hitch and a global positioning system receiver operable to detect the position of the implement relative to the desired path as the vehicle moves generally along the desired path and generate a signal that is indicative of the lateral position of the implement relative to the desired path and means for controlling the hitch means to adjust the angular orientation of the hitch means so that the implement follows the desired path of movement in response to the global positioning system signals.

A faceplate having a set of skid steer receiver attachment points to permit an all-purpose agricultural tractor with a three-point hitch or front end loader to operably connect to off-the-shelf skid steer attachments so that the agricultural tractor can utilize off-the-shelf skid steer attachments with the faceplate containing a cylindrical housing to permit rotation of a tool mounted therein without removing the tool from the faceplate and one embodiment including a notched chain bar having notches extending generally normal to the hitch faceplate and a further embodiment including a universal tractor mount.

A theorem and method for determining the weight and center of gravity of a ground-engaging implemented connected to a three-point hitch on an agricultural tractor or other prime mover using hitch cylinder pressure and hitch position as calibration inputs to a hitch control system.

A PTO control system and method for engaging a PTO clutch of a vehicle or work machine such as, but not limited to, an agricultural tractor, that can effectively utilize both engine speed and PTO output speed values for determining a predicted and / or actual PTO load and other variable conditions which can effect engagement, and which can responsively calibrate the system for engagement under the load and other conditions and adaptively control applied acceleration and torque during the engagement.