Patent ID: 6105679
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: A01B

Abstract:
A system for selectively controlling the elevation of a hitch assembly and the action of a trailed implement coupled to a work vehicle, comprising:a control unit configured to generate control signals, wherein the control signals include a selector signal;a hydraulic control valve coupled to the control unit and configured to control a flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid in response to the control signals;a hitch assembly hydraulic actuator coupled to the hitch assembly and configured to provide force to move the hitch assembly;a trailed implement coupler for hydraulically coupling the trailed implement; anda selector valve having a first selection and a second selection configured to communicate the flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid between the hydraulic control valve and one of the hitch assembly hydraulic actuator and the trailed implement coupler, wherein the selector signal applied to the selector valve provides for control to be selectively transferred between the hitch assembly and the trailed implement, the selector valve including a restricted orifice and a one-way valve in series with the restricted orifice, the restricted orifice and the one-way valve being selectively coupled between the hydraulic control valve and the hitch assembly hydraulic actuator when the second selection is made on the selector valve;wherein the hydraulic control valve selectively controls actions of the hitch assembly, in isolation of the trailed implement, when the first selection is made on the selector valve, and the hydraulic control valve selectively controls actions of the trailed implement, and simultaneously maintains the hitch assembly in a substantially fixed position, when the second selection is made on the selector valve, the restricted orifice and the one-way valve cooperating to maintain the hitch assembly in the substantially fixed position while the hydraulic control valve substantially controls the action of the trailed implement.