Patent ID: 7159687
Filing Date: 2007-01-09
Classification: B60K,B62D

Abstract:
1. A tractor comprising: a tractor frame; an engine mounted on the tractor frame; at least one hydraulic pump driven by the engine for generating a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure for driving components of the tractor and components attached to the tractor; a cab mounted on the tractor frame; two driven wheels of the tractor mounted at a driven end of the tractor; two non-driven castor wheels of the tractor mounted at a second end of the tractor; the cab being mounted on the frame at the driven end; the driven end having mounting assemblies for supporting a crop cutting header at a position in front of the driven end and in front of the cab when the driven end is forwards; the engine being located between the cab and the second end of the frame; an operator's seat and control assembly; the operator's seat and control assembly including an operator's seat on which an operator can sit and a control system manually operable while the operator is seated in the seat; the control system including a steering control, a speed control and a header control; the operator's seat and control assembly being mounted as a unit within the cab and being rotatable as a unit in the cab from a cab forward position in which the operator's seat faces the driven end of the frame to an engine forward position in which the operator's seat faces the second end with the engine in front of the operator's seat; the operator's seat and control assembly being arranged to rotate as a unit such that the control system is arranged at the same locations and operating positions relative to the operator's seat in both the cab forward and engine forward positions; each of the driven wheels including a respective drive motor driven by hydraulic fluid from the at least one hydraulic pump; the speed control being arranged to control a rate of supply of hydraulic fluid from the at least one hydraulic pump to the respective drive motors to control a common speed of rotation of the driven wheels and thus a speed of movement of the tractor; the steering control being arranged to control a differential in rate of supply of hydraulic fluid from the at least one hydraulic pump to the respective drive motors to control a relative speed of rotation of the driven wheels and thus a turning direction of the tractor; the control system being responsive to movement of the operator's seat and control assembly between the engine forward position and the cab forward position to change operation of at least one of the steering control, speed control and header control.