US3557892A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hitch adapter
Assignee: Deere and Co
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Filing: 1969-05-02
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Granted: 1971-01-26
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Expires: 1989-05-02
Abstract
Abstract An agricultural tractor has a drawbar with a vertical pin and a rearward PTO shaft a predetermined distance forward of the drawbar pin. A trailing PTO-driven implement has a fore-and-aft tongue and an input drive shaft connected to the tractor PTO shaft through a telescoping drive assembly, which includes front and rear universal joints. The implement tongue is connected to the drawbar through a hitch adapter which provides articulation between the tractor and the implement about a vertical axis rearwardly of the vertical drawbar pin, so that the vertical axis of articulation is equidistant from the two universal joints, providing constant speed in the implement drive shaft regardless of the degree of articulation between the tractor and implement.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald E Burrough
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:23
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01B; A01B71/00; A01B71/06; A01B71/066
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
In a tractor-trailing vehicle combination wherein the tractor includes a rearwardly extending drawbar with a vertical pivot element and a rearwardly extending PTO output shaft forwardly of the drawbar vertical pivot element axis and the implement includes a tongue and an input drive shaft connected to and driven by the tractor PTO shaft through a power transmitting assembly including a forward universal joint having a point at which the drive line articulates forwardly of the axis of the drawbar vertical pivot element and a rearward universal joint having a point at which the drive line articulates rearwardly of the drawbar vertical pivot element, the improvement comprising: a first hitch adapter member; means connecting the first hitch adapter member to the rearward end of the tractor drawbar; a second hitch adapter member; means connecting the second hitch adapter member to the forward end of the implement tongue; and vertical pivot means operatively interconnecting the first and second hitch adapter members for transmitting a draft force from the tractor drawbar to the implement tongue while permitting the tongue to articulate relative to the drawbar about the vertical axis of the pivot means, the vErtical axis of the pivot means being disposed rearwardly of the axis of the drawbar vertical pivot element and substantially equidistant from the respective points of drive line articulation of the forward and rearward universal joints.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
In a tractor-trailing vehicle combination wherein the tractor includes a rearwardly extending drawbar with a vertical pivot element and a rearwardly extending PTO output shaft forwardly of the drawbar vertical pivot element axis and the implement includes a tongue and an input drive shaft connected to and driven by the tractor PTO shaft through a power transmitting assembly including a forward universal joint having a point at which the drive line articulates forwardly of the axis of the drawbar vertical pivot element and a rearward universal joint having a point at which the drive line articulates rearwardly of the drawbar vertical pivot element, the improvement comprising: a first hitch adapter member; means connecting the first hitch adapter member to the rearward end of the tractor drawbar; a second hitch adapter member; means connecting the second hitch adapter member to the forward end of the implement tongue; and vertical pivot means operatively interconnecting the first and second hitch adapter members for transmitting a draft force from the tractor drawbar to the implement tongue while permitting the tongue to articulate relative to the drawbar about the vertical axis of the pivot means, the vErtical axis of the pivot means being disposed rearwardly of the axis of the drawbar vertical pivot element and substantially equidistant from the respective points of drive line articulation of the forward and rearward universal joints.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the means connecting the first hitch adapter means to the tractor drawbar includes means adapted to permit limited vertical articulation of the first hitch adapter means relative to the drawbar about a transverse horizontal axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The invention defined in claim 2 wherein the means connecting the first hitch adapter member to the drawbar includes socket means in the first hitch adapter member adapted to receive the tractor drawbar and having a greater vertical dimension than the drawbar received therein to permit vertical oscillation of the adapter member relative to the drawbar.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention defined in claim 3 and including adjustment means associated with the socket means to vary the effective width of the socket means to accommodate different drawbar widths.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical drawbar pivot element comprises a first vertical bore in the drawbar and the first hitch adapter means includes a second vertical bore means alignable with the vertical bore in the drawbar and the means connecting the first hitch adapter member to the drawbar includes a first vertical pin insertable through the first and second vertical bore means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical pivot means connecting the first and second hitch adapter member includes third and fourth vertically alignable bore means respectively through the first and second adapter members and a second vertical pin rotatable and coaxially mounted in third and fourth vertical bore means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the means connecting the second hitch adapter member to the implement tongue includes adjusting means for selectively varying the distance from the vertical pivot means to the point of drive line articulation of the rearward universal joint to accommodate changes in the distance from the vertical pivot means to the point of drive line articulation of the forward universal joint.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention defined in claim 5 wherein the vertical pivot means connecting the first and second hitch adapter members includes third and fourth vertically alignable bore means respectively through the first and second adapter members and a second vertical pin rotatable and coaxially mounted in the third and fourth vertical bore means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The invention defined in claim 8 wherein the means connecting the second hitch adapter member to the implement tongue includes adjusting means for selectively varying the distance from the vertical pivot means to the point of drive line articulation of the rearward universal joint.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-25 | 1974-07-27 | 1975-01-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-25 | 1978-07-27 | 1979-01-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-25 | 1982-07-27 | 1983-01-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |