Abstract:
A sprayer nurse vehicle includes an arm arrangement which carries a coupler section that is connected to the discharge end of a fluid transfer conduit that extends from the nurse tank carried by the vehicle. The arm arrangement is constructed so that it may be extended outwardly from the nurse vehicle and moved vertically and laterally. An outer end of the arm arrangement is provided with a fluid coupler section mounting bracket that permits the coupler section to be swiveled about an upright axis and tilted about a transverse axis. A torsion bar is arranged along the transverse axis and is preloaded to counterbalance the weight of the hose and liquid contained therein so as to minimize the effort an operator must exert to tilt the fluid coupler section. The various movements of the arm arrangement and fluid coupler section mounting bracket permit the coupler section to be aligned with, and coupled to, a mating fluid coupler section carried by a sprayer vehicle when replenishing of the fluid carried by the sprayer tank is required.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to structures for aiding in the connection of a first fluid coupler section carried at one end of a nurse tank vehicle fluid transfer conduit to a second fluid coupler section carried at an intake end of a sprayer vehicle fluid intake conduit during refill of a tank or tanks of the sprayer with fluid to be sprayed. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The process of applying liquid chemicals, such as fertilizers or herbicides, for example, to a field requires with a self-propelled or towed sprayer vehicle involves the step of refilling fluid tanks of the sprayer vehicle with fluids carried by a nurse tank vehicle. Due to the desire of keeping the re-fill time to a minimum, the fluid transfer conduit of the nurse vehicle and the fluid intake conduit of the sprayer vehicle are relatively large and respectively include relatively large first and second coupler sections that are selectively connected together to form a coupler assembly establishing a relatively large flow path between the transfer and intake conduits. The size of the transfer conduit and its associated coupler section results in them being relatively heavy and unwieldy for being handled manually as is sometimes done when connecting the coupler section of the transfer conduit to the coupler section of the intake conduit. Further, the transfer of fluid from the nurse tank vehicle to the sprayer vehicle must often take place on uneven terrain requiring the coupler section of the nurse vehicle be moved both vertically and angularly in order to align it with the coupler section carried at the end of the sprayer vehicle intake conduit. 
         [0003]    The problem to be solved then is how to provide relatively large conduits for permitting quick transfer of fluid while making it relatively easy for an operator to manually effectuate the connection between the connector section of the fluid transfer conduit and the connector section of the fluid intake conduit. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to the present invention, there is provided a support arrangement for aiding the manual coupling of separable connector sections of a coupler arrangement used to connect a transfer conduit of a sprayer nurse vehicle to an intake conduit of a sprayer vehicle. 
         [0005]    An object of the invention is to provide an arm arrangement for supporting a first coupler arrangement section, that is joined to an end of a nurse vehicle fluid transfer conduit, with the arm arrangement being constructed for permitting relatively easy manipulation of the first coupler section so that it may be aligned with a second coupler section of the coupler arrangement that is in a fixed location on a sprayer vehicle. 
         [0006]    This object is achieved by an arm arrangement mounted to a support base, carried by the nurse vehicle, for swinging about a first upright axis, and including an elongate arm section mounted for pivoting vertically and carrying a swivel bracket at its outer end, with the swivel bracket being constructed for carrying a fluid coupler section so that the coupler section may be selectively swiveled about orthogonal upright and transverse axes. Further aspects of the object are achieved by constructing the elongate arm section in the form of a parallel linkage and providing by providing a counterbalancing arrangement for counterbalancing the combined suspended weight of the elongate arm section together with the fluid coupler section and accompanying fluid transfer conduit. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a sprayer vehicle positioned close to a nurse vehicle carrying an arm arrangement constructed according to the principles of the present invention and supporting a fluid coupler section in a position for being coupled to a mating fluid coupler section carried by the sprayer vehicle. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a left front perspective view of a portion of the nurse vehicle showing the arm arrangement in an extended condition and showing the fluid coupler section mounted to a bracket at an outer end of the arm arrangement, with the bracket being swiveled such that the fluid coupler section is approximately in fore-and-aft alignment with the parallel linkage section of the arm arrangement and with the fluid coupler section being tilted upwardly about its transverse pivotal connection with the bracket. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a right rear perspective view showing the arm arrangement in a folded, stored position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a left side perspective view showing the arm arrangement in an intermediate position between the extended position of  FIG. 2  and the folded position of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing an outside of the connection between the swivel coupling and the torsion shaft at one side of the fluid coupler section. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing an inside of the connection shown in  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a sprayer vehicle  10  and a nurse vehicle  20  parked in close proximity to each other for permitting a tank  12  carried by the sprayer vehicle  10  to be refilled from a tank  14  carried by the nurse vehicle  20 . For the purposes of this application, right and left designations are considered with respect to a viewed standing behind the nurse tank vehicle  20  having a forward direction of travel into the page as viewed in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0014]    Provided for accomplishing refill of the sprayer vehicle tank  12 , an intake conduit (not shown) is coupled to the sprayer vehicle tank  12  and has a forward end connected to a coupler section  16  defining an insert body adapted for being received within a receptacle defined by a coupler section  18  of the nurse vehicle, which is connected to one end of a fluid transfer conduit  22  connected to the nurse vehicle tank  14  in a manner not shown. The coupler section  18  is mounted to the outer end of an arm arrangement  30  comprising inner and outer arm sections  32  and  34 , respectively, interconnected by a double hinge arrangement  36 , with the inner arm section  32  having an inner end pivotally coupled to an arm support member  38  that is fixed to a bed  40  of the nurse vehicle. The fluid transfer conduit  22  has a flexible section having a length at least equal to an extended length of the arm arrangement  30  for purposes which will become apparent from the following description. 
         [0015]    Referring now also to  FIGS. 2-4 , it can be seen that the arm support member  38  includes a generally horizontal base  42  including an elevated central region having opposite sides joined to vertically offset flanges which are bolted to the bed  40 , with an upright post structure  44  having a mounting plate at its bottom bolted onto the elevated middle section of the base  42  and having an upper region defined by an arm mount bracket  46 , which is triangular in top view and defines a clevis at its vertex. The arm support member  38  can be mounted in a variety of ways to accommodate differing nurse tank frame constructions. 
         [0016]    The inner arm section  32  of the arm arrangement  30  comprises an elongate, rectangular tube having an upright cylindrical tube  48  welded to its inner end, the tube  48  being received in, and coupled to the arm support clevis by a pivot pin  50  which cooperates with the tube  48  to establish an upright axis about which the arm arrangement  30  may be pivoted from side-to-side. An outer end of the inner arm section  32  is defined by a clevis  52 . 
         [0017]    The outer arm section  34  of the arm arrangement comprises a parallel linkage defined by upper and lower links  54  and  56 , respectively, having inner ends defined by horizontal tubes  58  and  60 , and outer ends defined by horizontal tubes  60  and  62 . The Inner and outer ends of the upper and lower parallel links  54  and  56  are respectively pivotally connected to inner and outer support members  64  and  66 , respectively. Specifically, the inner support member  64  defines a inner vertical clevis section  68  and an outer horizontal clevis section  70 , with the horizontal tubes  70  and  72  of the inner ends of the links  54  and  56  being received in, and pivotally coupled to, the vertical clevis section  70  by upper and lower pivot pins  72  and  74 , respectively. The outer support member  66  includes an inner vertical clevis section  76  and an outer horizontal clevis section  78 , with the horizontal tubes  62  and  64  of the outer ends of the links  54  and  56  being received within, and pivotally coupled to, the inner vertical clevis section  76  by pivot pins  80  and  82 , respectively. Fixed to opposite sides of a mid-region of the upper link  54  are a pair of parallel, gas strut mounting brackets  84 , with each bracket  84  containing a plurality of adjustment holes  86  spaced along its length. A pair of extensible and retractable gas struts  88  have cylinder ends respectively pivotally coupled to the brackets  84  by a fastener  90  received in a selected one of the holes  86 , the struts  88  having rod ends respectively coupled to upright plates defining the vertical clevis  70  by fasteners  92  inserted through holes provided in a lower region of the clevis  70  just above the pivot pin  74 . The gas struts  88  are charged and mounted for supporting a substantial portion of a combined weight of the parallel links  64  and  66 , the coupler section  18  and the transfer conduit  22  that is suspended for vertical movement at the pivot bolts  72  and  74 . The action of the struts  88  substantially reduce the effort an operator must exert in manually moving the coupler section  18  during the operation of refilling the planter vehicle tank  12  from the fluid supply carried by the tank  14  of the nurse vehicle  20 , as described below in further detail. 
         [0018]    The double hinge structure  36  provided for interconnecting the outer end of the inner arm section  32  to the inner end of the outer arm section  34  and includes inner and outer ends respectively defined by inner and outer, upright tubes  94  and  96 , with the inner tube  94  being received in, and coupled to the clevis  52  by a pivot pin  98 , and with the outer tube  96  being received in, and coupled to the clevis  68  by a pivot pin  100 . Thus, it will be appreciated that the double hinge structure  36  permits the outer arm section  34  to be swung approximately 360° at its connection with the outer end of the inner arm section  32 . Handles  102  and  104  are provided at opposite sides of the outer end region of the outer arm section  34  that an operator may grasp when maneuvering the arm arrangement  30  between its folded stored position shown in  FIG. 3  and its extended position shown in  FIG. 2 , for example. As can best be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the handles  102  and  104  are identical and each includes a tubular structure  106  bent to form a loop and being joined to a vertical mounting plate  108  extending at a right angle to the arm section  34 . Mounted to opposite sides of the support structure  66  at the outer end of the arm section  34  are right and left support brackets  110  and  112  being right angular in form and having parallel first legs located at opposite sides of the vertical front clevis section  76  of the support structure  66  and secured thereto with the pivot pins  80  and  82 . Second legs of the support brackets  110  and  112  project oppositely outwardly form the clevis section  76 , with the handle mounting plates  108  respectively being secured o these second legs by mounting bolts  114 . 
         [0019]    The fluid coupler section  18  at the end of the flexible hose  22  is supported at the outer end of outer arm section  34  by the support member  66 . Specifically, the outer clevis  78  of the support member  66  includes an upright, cylindrical tube  116 , and mounted to the support member  66  is a coupler section swivel mounting  118  comprising a generally U-shaped member  120  having a bottom embodying a centrally located upright tube  122  and having opposite ends joined to generally upright limbs having upper ends defined by right and left, L-shaped members having respective vertical legs  124  and  126 . The swivel mounting  118  is located with the upright tube  122  resting atop the upright tube  116  of the rear support member  66 , with a pivot pin  128  being received in the tubes and defining an upright axis about which the swivel mounting  118  may pivot. 
         [0020]    The fluid coupler section  18  is located between the vertical legs  124  and  126 . Provided in axial alignment with each other, and projecting outwardly from opposite sides of a middle location of the coupler section  18 , are a torsion bar  128  ( FIG. 4 ) and a cylindrical mount  130  ( FIG. 2 ). Referring now also to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , it can be seen that the torsion bar  128  is square in cross-section and is received within a similarly shaped opening in a flanged bushing  132  having a cylindrical surface  134  received in a complimentary shaped cylindrical opening provided in the vertical leg  124 , with it being noted that a vertical slot  136  extends downwardly to the cylindrical opening from a top edge of the vertical leg  124  so that, prior to having the bushing mounted thereon, the torsion bar may pass vertically into the cylindrical opening during the assembly of the coupler section  18  to the swivel mounting  118 . The flanged bushing  132  includes a mounting flange  138  including mounting ears  140  at its opposite sides, the ears  140  each being provided with a mounting hole  142 , and the vertical leg  124  being provided with arcuate openings  144  disposed so as to remain aligned with the holes  142  so as to permit a desired amount of wind-up to be produced in the torsion bar  128  before tightening bolts  146  (only one shown) received through the aligned holes  142  and arcuate openings  144 . The cylindrical mount  130  at the opposite side of the coupler section  18  is provided with a threaded axial bore which receives a threaded bolt  148  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) for establishing a pivot axis about which the fluid coupler section  18  may pivot when being aligned with the fluid coupler section  16  when coupling the sections together during the refill operation. It is to be noted that the pivot axis established by the bolt  148  is located approximately at the center of mass of the fluid coupler section  18  so that the effort required to tilt the coupler section  18  alone is minimal. However, the hose  22  and fluid contained therein can result in a substantial unbalanced weight acting to tilt the fluid coupler section about the axis of the bolt  148 , as viewed in  FIG. 3 . Thus, the torsion shaft  128  is wound-up in the clockwise direction in  FIG. 3  so that it exerts a counterclockwise force tending to rotate the coupler section  18  in the counterclockwise direction. 
         [0021]    To aid an operator in pivoting the coupler section  18  either about the upright pivot axis, defined by the bolt  128 , or the transverse pivot axis, defined by the pivot pin  148 , a generally U-shaped handle  150  is provided, with legs of the handle, as best shown in  FIG. 3 , each being provided with an in-turned end section  152  secured against a flange  154  of the coupler section  18  by a bolt  156 . The flange  154  is located close to the connection of the fluid coupler section  18  to the transfer conduit  22 . Thus, it will be appreciated that an operator can easily pivot the coupler section about the upright pivot axis by grasping and exerting sideways forces on the handle  150 , or the operator can easily tilt the coupler section  18  about the transverse pivot axis by gripping the handle  150  and either exerting an upward or a downward force on the handle  126 . 
         [0022]    The fluid transfer conduit  22  is coupled to the inner arm section  32  by identical, inner and outer conduit hangers  158  and  160 , respectively, located adjacent the support member  38 , and at a location spaced from the clevis  52 . The hangers  158  and  160  each include a pair of vertical plates  162  located on opposite sides of, and secured to, the inner arm section  32  by four bolts  164  arranged in a rectangular pattern, with each passing through a tubular roller  166  to allow the hangers  158  and  160  to move relative the arm section  32  as the arm arrangement  30  is moved. Located between, and at a level below, the bottom two bolts  164  in each of the hangers  158  and  160  is a fifth bolt  168  which passes through a tubular spacer (not shown) to which a rectangular mounting tab  170 . Each of the hangers  158  and  160  includes a pair of strap halves  172  which together encircle the hose  22 , with out-turned first ends being secured together with a set of bolts  174 , and with out-turned second ends being secured together and to an associated one of the mounting tabs  170  by a set of bolts  176 . These locations of the hangers  158  and  160  are chosen for minimizing resistance to the flexure of the conduit  22  during moving the arm arrangement  30  between its folded, stored position, shown in  FIG. 3 , and its extended position, shown in  FIG. 2 , without the conduit interfering with the folding of the arm arrangement  30 . 
         [0023]    In operation, assuming the fluid in the tank  12  of the sprayer vehicle  10  has become depleted so as to require a refill, the sprayer vehicle  10  will be driven to any convenient location close enough to the nurse vehicle  10  to allow for the fluid coupler section  16  carried by the sprayer vehicle  10  to be coupled to the fluid coupler section  18  carried by the nurse vehicle  14 . 
         [0024]    Once the sprayer vehicle  10  is parked, the operator will dismount and approach the arm arrangement  30  of the nurse vehicle  20 , which will initially be in its folded stored position on the trailer bed  40 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The operator will then grab the closest handle  102 ,  104  and pull outwardly so that the arm arrangement  30  will become extended, as shown in  FIG. 1 , with the amount of extension depending on the distance between the sprayer vehicle  10  and nurse vehicle  20 . Assuming that the coupler section  18  has to be raised or lowered to approximate the level of the coupler section  16 , the operator will exert a lifting or lowering force on the outer arm section  34 , which, due to its construction as a parallel linkage, will result in the coupler section  18  being raised or lowered as desired. If further manipulation of the coupler section  18  is required for alignment, the operator will grasp the handle  150  and exert a force tending to either swivel the coupler section  18  and swivel mount  118  about the upright axis defined by the bolt  128  or to tilt the coupler section  18  about the transverse axis defined by the pins  148 . When the coupler sections  16  and  18  are properly aligned, further extension of the arm arrangement will result in the receptacle defined by the coupler section  18  being received over the insert defined by the coupler section  16 . A control system (not disclosed) will then act to automatically, sequentially cause the coupler sections  16  and  18  to be locked and sealed together, a fluid transfer pump (not shown) to be controlled so as to permit substantially leak-free transfer of fluid from the nurse vehicle tank  14  to the sprayer vehicle tank  12 , to interrupt the pumping action of the fluid transfer pump when the tank is full, and thereafter effect leak free disconnection of the coupler sections  16  and  18 . 
         [0025]    Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.