Hydraulically propelled high clearance agricultural vehicle

Claim 2

An agricultural vehicle adapted to be self propelled on a supporting surface comprising a support frame, a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure mounted on the frame including a prime mover and a hydraulic pump provided with two ports, a yoke assembly having two tubular legs, each leg having a straight central portion and two end portions of equal length extending normally from the central portion thereof parallel to each other, said legs being mounted together at their ends with each leg disposed in a plane at an acute angle to the plane of the other leg, said yoke assembly having a pair of hydraulic motors, each hydraulic motor being mounted on the yoke at a different end of each leg, and said hydraulic motors having drive shafts disposed on a common axis parallel to the central portions of the two legs, each of said hydraulic motors having a first port and a second port for connection into a hydraulic sYstem, said first port being connected to the adjacent end of one of the legs and said second port being connected to the adjacent end of the other leg, said yoke assembly being mounted on the support frame with the central portions of the legs disposed on the side of the frame opposite the supporting surface, each of the legs having an opening in the central portion thereof, means connected to each of the openings for coupling each opening to one of the ports of the hydraulic pump, and a wheel mounted on the drive shaft of each hydraulic motor.

Claim 3

An agricultural vehicle adapted to be self propelled on a supporting surface comprising a support frame, a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure mounted on the frame including a prime mover and a hydraulic pump provided with two ports, a yoke assembly having two tubular legs, each leg having a straight central portion and two end portions of equal length extending normally from the central portion thereof parallel to each other, said legs being mounted together at their ends with each leg disposed in a plane at an acute angle to the plane of the other leg, said yoke assembly having a pair of hydraulic motors, each hydraulic motor being mounted on the yoke at a different end of each leg, and said hydraulic motors having drive shafts disposed on a common axis parallel to the central portions of the two legs, each of said hydraulic motors having a first port and a second port for connection into a hydraulic sYstem, said first port being connected to the adjacent end of one of the legs and said second port being connected to the adjacent end of the other leg, said yoke assembly being mounted on the support frame with the central portions of the legs disposed on the side of the frame opposite the supporting surface, each of the legs having an opening in the central portion thereof, means connected to each of the openings for coupling each opening to one of the ports of the hydraulic pump, and a wheel mounted on the drive shaft of each hydraulic motor.

Claim 4

An agricultural vehicle adapted to be self propelled on a supporting surface comprising a support frame, a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure mounted on the frame including a prime mover and a hydraulic pump provided with two ports, a yoke assembly having two tubular legs, each leg having a straight central portion and two end portions of equal length extending normally from the central portion thereof parallel to each other, said legs being mounted together at their ends with each leg disposed in a plane at an acute angle to the plane of the other leg, said yoke assembly having a pair of hydraulic motors, each hydraulic motor being mounted on the yoke at a different end of each leg, and said hydraulic motors having drive shafts disposed on a common axis parallel to the central portions of the two legs, each of said hydraulic motors having a first port and a second port for connection into a hydraulic sYstem, said first port being connected to the adjacent end of one of the legs and said second port being connected to the adjacent end of the other leg, said yoke assembly being mounted on the support frame with the central portions of the legs disposed on the side of the frame opposite the supporting surface, each of the legs having an opening in the central portion thereof, means connected to each of the openings for coupling each opening to one of the ports of the hydraulic pump, and a wheel mounted on the drive shaft of each hydraulic motor.

Claim 5

An agricultural vehicle for use with row crops comprising the combination of claim 1 wherein two yoke assemblies are mounted on the frame in spaced relation, each of said yoke assemblies having central portions substantially longer than the width of the frame, whereby the vehicle may be used in a field with parallel rows of crops positioned to permit two adjacent rows to pass on opposite sides of the frame, each of said rows passing between the end portions of the yoke assembly and the frame.

Claim 6

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 1 wherein the frame has a pair of parallel front support columns and a pair of back support columns parallel to the front columns, the central portion of one leg of the yoke assembly being mounted on the front support columns and normal thereto and the central portion of the other leg of the yoke assembly being mounted on the rear support columns and normal thereto.

Claim 7

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 2 wherein the means for coupling each of the openings in the central portions of legs of the yoke assemblies to the hydraulic pump includes a releasable connection at the central portion of each leg of each yoke assembly, and the means mounting the yoke assemblies on the frame are releasable for removal of the yoke assemblies from the frame.

Claim 8

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 2 wherein the support frame comprises a front frame and a rear frame, the front frame being coupled to the rear frame by a coupling mounted between the front frame and rear frame having a pivotal axis vertical with respect to one of the frames.

Claim 9

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 5 wherein the coupling mounted between the front frame and the rear frame has a pivotal axis horizontal with respect to the other frames of the support frame.

Claim 10

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 5 wherein the coupling comprises a pair of parallel plates mounted one above the other on the adjacent end of the front frame, each of said plates having an aperture extending therethorough, a kingpin extending through the apertures and mounted on the plates, a hollow sleeve rotatably disposed about the kingpin and extending between the plates, a second sleeve mounted on the first sleeve and extending normally from the first sleeve, and journal means mounted on the rear frame associated wtih the second sleeve for rotatably moonting said second sleeve on the rear frame.

Claim 11

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 5 in combination with means for controlling the direction of movement of the vehicle including a hydraulic fluid system having a first hydraulic cylinder mounted on one of the frames and having a piston coupled to the other frame, and a second hydraulic cylinder mounted on the other frame and having a piston coupled to the one frame, and means for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid to the cylinders.

Claim 12

An agricultural vehicle adapted to be self propelled on a supporting surface comprising a front frame having an axis of elongation and a first pair of parallel support columns extending from one end of the axis of elongation on opposite sides sides thereof and a second pair of parallel support columns extending parallel to the first pair of support columns at the other end of the axis of elongation on opposite sides thereof, a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure including a prime Mover and a hydraulic pump mounted having a first and second port on the base of the front frame, said hydraulic pump being provided with an inlet port and an outlet port, a yoke assembly having two tubular legs, each leg having a central portion and two generally parallel end portions extending from opposite ends of the central portion, the end portions extending from opposite ends of the central portion, the end portions of both legs being mounted together, a pair of hydraulic motors mounted on the end portion of the legs having axes extending outwardly of the motors on a common axis, one of said motors being mounted on the one end portion of each leg and having a pair of hydraulic ports in communication with said one end portion of each leg respectively, the other of said motors being mounted on the other end portion of each leg and having a pair of hydraulic ports in communication with said other end portion of each leg respectively, a first wheel mounted on the shaft of the first hydraulic motor and a second wheell mounted on the shaft of the second hydraulic motor, the central portion of one leg of said leg assembly being mounted on the first pair of support columns and the central portion of the other leg of said leg assembly being mounted on the second pair of support columns, a first hydraulic coupling means connected between the central portion of the first leg of the yoke assembly and the first port of the hydraulic pump, a second hydraulic coupling means connected between the central portion of the other leg of the yoke assembly and the second port of the hydraulic pump, and means operatively associated with the frame for supporting the frame including a wheel engaging the supporting surface.

Claim 13

An agricultural vehicle adapted to be self propelled on a supporting surface comprising a front frame having an axis of elongation and a first pair of parallel support columns extending from one end of the axis of elongation on opposite sides sides thereof and a second pair of parallel support columns extending parallel to the first pair of support columns at the other end of the axis of elongation on opposite sides thereof, a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure including a prime Mover and a hydraulic pump mounted having a first and second port on the base of the front frame, said hydraulic pump being provided with an inlet port and an outlet port, a yoke assembly having two tubular legs, each leg having a central portion and two generally parallel end portions extending from opposite ends of the central portion, the end portions extending from opposite ends of the central portion, the end portions of both legs being mounted together, a pair of hydraulic motors mounted on the end portion of the legs having axes extending outwardly of the motors on a common axis, one of said motors being mounted on the one end portion of each leg and having a pair of hydraulic ports in communication with said one end portion of each leg respectively, the other of said motors being mounted on the other end portion of each leg and having a pair of hydraulic ports in communication with said other end portion of each leg respectively, a first wheel mounted on the shaft of the first hydraulic motor and a second wheell mounted on the shaft of the second hydraulic motor, the central portion of one leg of said leg assembly being mounted on the first pair of support columns and the central portion of the other leg of said leg assembly being mounted on the second pair of support columns, a first hydraulic coupling means connected between the central portion of the first leg of the yoke assembly and the first port of the hydraulic pump, a second hydraulic coupling means connected between the central portion of the other leg of the yoke assembly and the second port of the hydraulic pump, and means operatively associated with the frame for supporting the frame including a wheel engaging the supporting surface.

Claim 14

An agricultural vehicle adapted to be self propelled on a supporting surface comprising the combination of claim 9 wherein the central portions of the legs of the yoke are substantially straight, and the end portions are substantially straight and extend from the central portions perpendicularly.

Claim 15

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 9 wherein the hydraulic motors are reversible, and the first and second hydraulic coupling means include a hydraulic flow reversing mechanism.

Claim 16

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 9 wherein the means operatively associated with the frame for supporting the frame including a wheel comprises a second frame having an axis of elongation and a first pair of parallel support columns extending from one end of the axis of elongation on opposite sides thereof and a second pair of parallel support columns extending parallel to the first pair of support columns at the other end of the axis of elongation of the second frame on opposite sides thereof, a second yoke assembly having two tubular legs, each leg having a central portion and two generally parallel end portions extending from opposite ends of the central portion, a second pair of hydraulic motors mounted on the end portions of the legs of the second yoke assembly, said hydraulic motors having axes extending outwardly of the motors on a common axis, one of said motors being mounted on the one end portion of each of the second leg assembly having a pair of hydraulic ports in communication with said one end portion of each leg respectively, the other of said motors of the second pair being mounted on the other end portion of each leg of the second leg assembly and having a pair of hydraulic ports in communication with the other end portion of each leg of the second leg assembly respectively, a third wheel mounted on the shaft of one of the hydraulic motors of the second pair and a fourth wheel mounted on the shaft of the other hydraulic motor of the second pair, the central portion of one leg of said second leg assembly being mounted on the first pair of support columns of the second frame, and the central portion of the other leg of said second leg assembly being mounted on the second pair of support columns of the second frame, a third hydraUlic coupling means connected between the central portion of the first leg of the second yoke assembly and the first port of the hydraulic pump and a fourth hydraulic coupling means connected between the central portion of the other leg of the second yoke assembly and the second port of the hydraulic pump.

Claim 17

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 12 wherein the second frame is mounted on the first frame by a pivotal coupling.

Claim 18

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 13 wherein the pivotal coupling comprises a kingpin support structure mounted on the first frame including two spaced parallel confronting plates, a kingpin mounted on said plates and extending therebetween on an axis parallel to the support columns of the first frame, a first sleeve rotatably disposed about the kingpin and between the two plates, a second pin mounted on the first sleeve and extending normally from the first sleeve, a second sleeve rotatably disposed about the second pin, and a second structure mounting said second sleeve on the second frame on an axis normal to the support columns of the second frame.

Claim 19

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 14 wherein the second pin is provided with a collar extending thereabout and the second structure includes an apertured plate disposed about the second pin between the collar and the kingpin in slidable abutment with the collar to provide a stop against translation of the second pin.

Claim 20

An agricultural vehicle comprising the combination of claim 14 wherein the second pin extends from the lower end of the first sleeve, and the second structure includes an elongated member mounted between the second frame and the end of the first sleeve opposite the second pin.