US4930581A — Guidance control apparatus for agricultural imple…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 297 words

Apparatus for guiding an implement relative to a desired path, said implement adapted to be drawn by a tractor having a three-point hitch including a pair of draft links, said implement including a frame and ground-engaging stabilizer means attached to said frame such that said stabilizer means may not rotate about a vertical axis relative to said implement frame; hitch means for connecting said implement frame to said three-point hitch of said tractor including a rigid, laterally extending first frame member connected at least to said draft links of said threepoint hitch, and pivot pin means for pivotally coupling said first frame member and said implement frame for permitting said implement frame to rotate about a vertical pivot axis located generally on the fore-to-aft center line of said implement adjacent the front of said implement; first sensor means for sensing the position of said implement frame relative to said desired path; power actuator means including at least one hydraulic cylinder connected between said hitch means and said implement frame and responsive to said first sensor means for turning said implement frame about said vertical pivot axis and toward said desired path when said first sensor means senses a deviation of the position of said implement frame from said desired path, thereby to move said implement toward said desired path as said tractor pulls said implement forward; and second sensor means sensing the orientation of said implement frame relative to the direction of travel of said tractor, said power actuator means being responsive to said second sensor means and further operative to rotate said implement frame in an angular direction counter to said first angular direction and back to a normal use position when said first sensor detects that said implement frame is substantially on said desired path.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 297 words

Apparatus for guiding an implement relative to a desired path, said implement adapted to be drawn by a tractor having a three-point hitch including a pair of draft links, said implement including a frame and ground-engaging stabilizer means attached to said frame such that said stabilizer means may not rotate about a vertical axis relative to said implement frame; hitch means for connecting said implement frame to said three-point hitch of said tractor including a rigid, laterally extending first frame member connected at least to said draft links of said threepoint hitch, and pivot pin means for pivotally coupling said first frame member and said implement frame for permitting said implement frame to rotate about a vertical pivot axis located generally on the fore-to-aft center line of said implement adjacent the front of said implement; first sensor means for sensing the position of said implement frame relative to said desired path; power actuator means including at least one hydraulic cylinder connected between said hitch means and said implement frame and responsive to said first sensor means for turning said implement frame about said vertical pivot axis and toward said desired path when said first sensor means senses a deviation of the position of said implement frame from said desired path, thereby to move said implement toward said desired path as said tractor pulls said implement forward; and second sensor means sensing the orientation of said implement frame relative to the direction of travel of said tractor, said power actuator means being responsive to said second sensor means and further operative to rotate said implement frame in an angular direction counter to said first angular direction and back to a normal use position when said first sensor detects that said implement frame is substantially on said desired path.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first sensor means comprises a wand resolver carried by said hitch means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 107 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first sensor means comprises: wand means for simultaneously engaging adjacent rows of crop when the axis of rotation of said hitch frame is on the desired position; means for mounting said wand means for rotation about a vertical axis; and electrical circuit means for detecting the rotation of said wand means and for generating a signal representative of the rotation of said wand means relative to a desired angular position, said wand means being rotated in one direction when it is closer to one crop row and in a counter direction when it is closer to an adjacent crop row.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 281 words

Apparatus for guiding an implement relative to a desired path, said implement adapted to be drawn by a tractor having a hitch including draft links means, said implement including a frame and ground-engaging stabilizer means attached to said frame such that said stabilizer means may not normally rotate about a vertical axis relative to said implement frame; first pivot mount means connected to said draft link means; second pivot mount means connected to said implement frame and cooperating with said first pivot mount means for forming a vertical pivot connection on the centerline of said tractor and said implement such that said implement any pivot about said connection; first sensor means for sensing the position of said second pivot mount means relative to said desired path; power actuator means for coupling said first and second pivot mount means together and responsive to said first sensor means for turning said second pivot mount means and said implement frame about said vertical pivot axis and toward said desired path when said first sensor means senses a deviation of the position of said implement frame from said desired path, thereby to move said implement toward said desired path as said tractor pulls said implement forward; and second sensor means sensing the orientation of said second pivot mount means relative to the direction of travel of said tractor, said power actuator means being responsive to said second sensor means and further operative to rotate said second pivot mount means in an angular direction counter to said first angular direction and to return said implement frame to a normal use position when said first sensor detects that said implement frame is substantially on said desired path.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 281 words

Apparatus for guiding an implement relative to a desired path, said implement adapted to be drawn by a tractor having a hitch including draft links means, said implement including a frame and ground-engaging stabilizer means attached to said frame such that said stabilizer means may not normally rotate about a vertical axis relative to said implement frame; first pivot mount means connected to said draft link means; second pivot mount means connected to said implement frame and cooperating with said first pivot mount means for forming a vertical pivot connection on the centerline of said tractor and said implement such that said implement any pivot about said connection; first sensor means for sensing the position of said second pivot mount means relative to said desired path; power actuator means for coupling said first and second pivot mount means together and responsive to said first sensor means for turning said second pivot mount means and said implement frame about said vertical pivot axis and toward said desired path when said first sensor means senses a deviation of the position of said implement frame from said desired path, thereby to move said implement toward said desired path as said tractor pulls said implement forward; and second sensor means sensing the orientation of said second pivot mount means relative to the direction of travel of said tractor, said power actuator means being responsive to said second sensor means and further operative to rotate said second pivot mount means in an angular direction counter to said first angular direction and to return said implement frame to a normal use position when said first sensor detects that said implement frame is substantially on said desired path.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 197 words

Apparatus for guiding an implement relative to a desired path, said implement adapted to be drawn by a tractor having a hitch including first and second diverging draft links, said implement including a frame and a plurality of coulters attached to said frame such that said coulters may not normally rotate about a vertical axis relative to said implement frame; first pivot mount means connected to said first and second draft links; second pivot mount means connected to said implement frame and cooperating with said first pivot mount means for forming a vertical pivot connection on the centerline of said tractor and said implement such that said implement may pivot about a vertical pivot axis; sensor means for sensing the position of said implement frame relative to said desired path; power actuator means coupling said first and second pivot mount means together and responsive to said sensor means for turning said implement frame about said vertical pivot axis and toward said desired path when said sensor means senses a deviation of the position of said implement frame from said desired path, thereby to move said implement toward said desired path as said tractor pulls said implement forward.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 197 words

Apparatus for guiding an implement relative to a desired path, said implement adapted to be drawn by a tractor having a hitch including first and second diverging draft links, said implement including a frame and a plurality of coulters attached to said frame such that said coulters may not normally rotate about a vertical axis relative to said implement frame; first pivot mount means connected to said first and second draft links; second pivot mount means connected to said implement frame and cooperating with said first pivot mount means for forming a vertical pivot connection on the centerline of said tractor and said implement such that said implement may pivot about a vertical pivot axis; sensor means for sensing the position of said implement frame relative to said desired path; power actuator means coupling said first and second pivot mount means together and responsive to said sensor means for turning said implement frame about said vertical pivot axis and toward said desired path when said sensor means senses a deviation of the position of said implement frame from said desired path, thereby to move said implement toward said desired path as said tractor pulls said implement forward.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 96 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said sensor means comprises a first sensor means for determining the displacement of a location on said implement relative to said desired path of travel; and said power actuator means includes second sensor means for sensing the angular rotation of said implement frame about said vertical hitch axis relative to said normal use position, said power actuator means including control circuit means responsive to said first sensor means for turning said implement toward said desired path when said first sensor means detects that said implement has deviated from said path.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said power actuator means is further responsive to said second sensor means for rotating said implement frame in said counter angular direction when said first sensor means senses that said implement frame has been returned to a position on said desired path.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 63 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said implement is a row crop cultivator and said implement frame comprises a toolbar near the front of said cultivator, and wherein said stabilizer means comprises discs mounted to said cultivator by means permitting said discs to raise and lower to follow ground contour but restraining said discs against rotation about vertical axes relative to said toolbar.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-06-04	1993-12-04	1994-06-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-06-04	1997-12-04	1998-06-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-06-04	2001-12-04	2002-06-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Guidance control apparatus for agricultural implement

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