Agricultural Drawbar Hanger Adjustable Stop Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural drawbar hangers in work vehicles, such as tractors, are prone to damage due to torsional forces from ground contact and safety chains, leading to costly replacements.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural system with a drawbar hanger and adjustable stop members that transfer forces to the drawbar, preventing damage by distributing torque and ensuring proper contact between the drawbar and hanger, even with manufacturing or assembly tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the drawbar hanger is designed to support the drawbar at the rear end of the work vehicle, then the drawbar can be properly positioned and supported, but the drawbar hanger is susceptible to damage from torsional forces when it hits the ground or when the implement uncouples
Solution Approach 1:
A safety chain is introduced as an intermediary element between the implement and the drawbar hanger. When the implement uncouples or the drawbar hanger hits the ground, the safety chain absorbs the torsional forces through controlled stretching and deformation, preventing these forces from being directly transmitted to the drawbar hanger and causing damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety chain is pre-installed and tensioned between the drawbar hanger and the implement before any damage event occurs. This pre-positioned safety chain acts as a cushioning element that is already in place to absorb sudden shocks and torsional forces, preventing damage to the drawbar hanger structure.
2Reliability
If a safety chain is coupled between the drawbar hanger and the towed implement, then damage to the drawbar hanger is reduced, but the safety chain itself may stretch or break under excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The safety chain is designed as a sacrificial, replaceable component with lower strength requirements compared to the drawbar hanger. In the event of excessive force, the safety chain is intended to stretch significantly or break, absorbing the energy and protecting the more expensive and critical drawbar hanger structure. The safety chain can be easily replaced when damaged.
3Ease of manufacture
If the drawbar and drawbar hanger are manufactured with standard tolerances, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but improper contact between the drawbar and hanger may occur leading to ineffective force distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the drawbar and drawbar hanger is designed to be dynamic rather than rigidly fixed. The drawbar can move slightly within the drawbar hanger, allowing the system to self-adjust and find the proper contact position during operation. This dynamic adjustment compensates for manufacturing tolerances and ensures effective force distribution without requiring high manufacturing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural system for supporting a drawbar of an agricultural vehicle includes a drawbar hanger couplable to a rear frame of the agricultural vehicle, with the drawbar hanger defining an opening along a longitudinal direction. The agricultural system further includes a drawbar extending between a proximal end and a distal end along the longitudinal direction, the proximal end being receivable in the opening defined by the drawbar hanger, and the distal end being couplable to the rear frame. Additionally, the agricultural system includes an adjustable stop member receivable within a slot defined within one of the drawbar hanger or the drawbar. The adjustable stop member is selectively movable within the slot to allow the adjustable stop member to be brought into contact with the other of the drawbar hanger or the drawbar.