HITCH STRUCTURE

Abstract: A hitch adapter (50) couples a semi-integral, PTO-driven implement (26) to a quick coupler (18) carried by a trac­ tor three-point hitch (12). The hitch adapter (50) includes a drawbar (86) located significantly below the level of the connection of the lower three-point hitch links (16) with the quick coupler (18) and a parking stand (90) is integral with the bottom of the drawbar (86). Lowering of the three-point hitch (12) from a normal working position results in the stand (98) engaging the ground to prevent interference between the hitch (12) and quick coupler (18) and the drive shaft (46) coupling the implement (26) to the tractor PTO shaft (24). Once the stand (90) engages the ground, the hitch adapter (50) can be disconnected from the quick coupler hooks (80) by releasing latches (82) associated with the lower hooks (80) and lowering the three-point hitch (12).

Description: The present invention relates to a hitch structure for an implement having an input shaft couplable to a tractor driven shaft and a tongue connected to a cross member for articulation about an upright axis wherein the cross member is provided with forwardly extending opposite ends coupable to a pair of upwardly and downwardly swingable lower links of a tractor three point hitch. When a PTO-driven implement is semi-integrally mounted on the three-point hitch of a tractor, the power shaft coupling the tractor PTO shaft to the implement transmission extends beneath the upper link of the three-point hitch. Such hitch arrangements have the disadvantage that interference between the power shaft and the upper link of, or a quick coupler carried by, the three-point hitch can result when the hitch approaches the lower extreme of its movement. In US-A-4,525,987, which is considered in the opening paragraph, this problem is avoided by using a hitch arrangement which eliminates the upper link of the three-point hitch and avoids the use of other structure located in the area above the power shaft. This solution to the problem is not entirely satisfactory, however, since the elimination of the top link for support results in increased bending moments being induced in the structure, in this case the implement drive housing, coupled to the three-point hitch lower links. It is also necessary to enable the three-point hitch to be lowered to disengage the quick coupler. According to the present invention a hitch adapter is provided comprising an upper central portion coupable to a central upper link of the tractor three point hitch and a pair of legs diverging downwardly from the upper central portion and terminating at opposite side portions joined with the forwardly extending ends of the cross member wherein the cross member includes a central portion disposed downwardly and rearwardly from the opposite and forwardly extending ends thereof and supporting a drawbar carried by the implement tongue and wherein the pivotal connection of the cross member to the tongue is below the input shaft on the said upright axis and at the drawbar. Accordingly the hitch adapter being arranged so that, on the three-point hitch being lowered, the hitch adapter contacts the ground preventing further lowering before the three-point hitch can foul the drive shaft, but allowing further lowering on the hitch adapter being initially released from the quick coupler to enable full disengagement of the hitch adapter therefrom after the said further lowering. Thus the invention provides a simple hitch structure affording ease of operation and strength. An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a left side elevational view showing a PTO-driven implement semi-integrally mounted on a tractor three-point hitch by a hitch adapter coupled to a quick coupler carried by the three-point hitch; Fig. 2 is a left rear perspective view of the quick coupler and hitch adapter shown in Fig. 1 but with a channel member of the hitch adapter omitted; and Fig. 3 is a view like that of Fig. 1 but showing the hitch adapter lowered into ground contact. Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a rear portion of a tractor 10 provided with a three-point hitch 12 including an upper link 14 and a pair of lower links 16. A quick coupler 18 defined by an inverted, U-shaped framework is pivotally coupled to the rear end of the upper link 14 by a pin 20 and to the rear ends of the lower links 16 by a pair of pins 22. The tractor 10 also includes a power take-off, or PTO, shaft 24 and a drawbar 25 located below the shaft. Also shown is a forward end portion of an agricultural implement 26 semi-integrally mounted on the tractor and including components (not shown) adapted for being driven by the tractor PTO shaft 24. Specifically, the implement 26 includes a forwardly extending tongue 28 defined by a box beam 30 having a hitch member 32 depending therefrom and including, at its bottom end, a forwardly extending hitch structure 34 carrying a ball connector 36. An upper gearbox or housing 38 of a transmission assembly 40 is fixed to the forward end of the beam 30 and supports a lower gearbox or housing 42 for rotation about an upright axis Y which passes through the ball connector 36 and is vertical when the tongue is held in an elevated, normal working position, as shown in Fig. 1. An input shaft 44 of the transmission assembly 40 is supported in the lower gearbox 42 and is coupled to the PTO shaft 24 by a telescopic drive shaft or line 46 having front and rear universal joints 48 and 49 for permitting relative movement between the tractor 10 and implement 26. The drive shaft 46 is preferably located in a common horizontal plane, indicated at A, with the PTO and gearbox input shafts when the tongue is in its normal working position and the tractor and implement are working on a level surface. A hitch adapter 50 is coupled between the quick coupler 18 and implement hitch structure 34. Specifically, the hitch adapter 50 includes an upright mast structure defined by right and left legs 52 and 54 respectively having central, downwardly diverging portions extending between and joining upper parallel upright portions 56 and 58 and lower parallel upright portions 60, the latter portions defining downwardly, opening channels. A U-shaped channel member 64, which is shown in a rearwardly extending stored position in Figs. 1 and 3, is located between, and is releasably secured to, the upper leg portions 56 and 58 by upper and lower fastener means 66 and 68, respectively, the lower means 68 being in the form of a cross pin which is received in an upwardly opening upper hook 70 of the quick coupler 18. The channel member 64 has openings permitting it to be mounted in an operative forwardly extending position for permitting the hitch adapter 50 to be coupled directly to the three point hitch 12. When a quick hitch is used, the channel member 64 may be omitted as shown in Fig. 2. Cross pins 72 located in the lower leg portions 60 are received in upwardly opening lower hooks 80 of the quick coupler 18. Latch members 82 releasably retain the pins 72 in the lower hooks. A bowed hitch or cross member 84 has its opposite ends fixed to bottoms of the legs 52 and 54 and extends downwardly and rearwardly therefrom. A drawbar 86 is fixed to and extends rearwardly from a lower central portion of the hitch member 84 at a level which is significantly below that of the pins 22 coupling the lower three-point hitch links 16 to the quick coupler 18 and corresponds approximately with the level of the tractor drawbar 25 when the implement tongue 28 is in its normal working position. An upright stud 88 is carried at the rear of the drawbar 86 and is received in the implement hitch ball connector 36 and thus establishes the connection between the implement and quick coupler. It is here noted that when the three-point hitch 12 is holding the implement tongue 28 at its normal working position, the three-point hitch will be just below its upper extreme of movement so that the tongue may be raised slightly to give additional ground clearance when needed, but not so far as to result in the angles of the front and rear U-joints 48 and 49 becoming mismatched to the extent that damage to the drive shaft 44 and other driven elements results. A parking stand 90 is fixed to the bottom of the drawbar 86 and is located such that, when the three-point hitch is operated to lower the tongue 28 from its normal working position, the stand will contact the ground and stop the three-point hitch from lowering to the extent that the upper link, the upper portions of the quick coupler 18 or the hitch adapter interfere with the drive shaft 46, including shielding normally associated therewith. Further, the parking stand 90 engages the ground prior to the lower three-point hitch links 16 reaching their lower extreme positions so that, with the stand in ground engagement, the hitch adapter 50 may be disconnected from the quick coupler 18 by releasing the latches 82 associated with the lower hooks 80 and lowering the three-point hitch a distance sufficient for disengaging the hooks 70 and 80, respectively, from the pins 68 and 72. It is to be understood that the hitch adapter 50 can be connected directly to the rear ends of the three-point hitch links in which case it will still function to prevent interference between the upper link and the drive shaft and associated shielding. The operation of the hitch adapter 50 will be apparent from the foregoing description. In summary it will be appreciated that the hitch adapter design has the following features: 1. The hitch adapter 50 is dimensioned to rest on the ground before interference with the drive shaft 46 can occur. 2. The hitch adapter 50 is supported by all three links of the three-point hitch 12 thus resulting in a large reduction in bending moments being induced therein as compared to a structure supported only by the lower three-point hitch links. 3. The hitch adapter configuration is such that the three-point hitch is already close to its upper extreme of movement when the implement tongue is held in its normal working position whereby movement of the three-point hitch to its upper extreme will not result in damage to the drive line 46 due to the angles of the front and rear U-joints 48 and 49 being mismatched. 4. The hitch adapter configuration is such that it will engage the ground before the three-point hitch 12 reaches the lower extreme of its movement, thus permitting the hitch adapter 50 to be disengaged from the quick coupler 18 by releasing the lower hook latches 82 and lowering the three-point hitch, the hitch adapter 50 then serving to support the implement tongue 28.

Claims: A hitch structure for an implement (26) having an input shaft (44) couplable to a tractor (10) driven shaft (46) and a tongue (28) connected to a cross member (84) for articulation about an upright axis (Y) wherein the cross member (84) is provided with forwardly extending opposite ends couplable to a pair of upwardly and downwardly swingable lower links (16) of a tractor three point hitch (12) characterized in a hitch adapter (50) comprising an upper central portion (56, 58) couplable to a central upper link (14) of the tractor three point hitch (12) and a pair of legs (52) diverging downwardly from the upper central portion (56, 58) and terminating at opposite side portions (60) joined with the forwardly extending ends of the cross member (84) wherein the cross member (84) includes a central portion disposed downwardly and rearwardly from the opposite and forwardly extending ends thereof and supporting a drawbar (86) carried by the implement tongue (28) and wherein the pivotal connection of the cross member (84) to the tongue (28) is below the input shaft (44) on the said upright axis (Y) and at the drawbar (86). A hitch structure according to claim 1 characterized in that the tongue (28) supports a downwardly extending transmission assembly (40) with the input shaft (44) and the pivotal connection is below the transmission (40). A hitch structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cross member (84) is bowed in shape. A hitch structure according to one or more of the above claims characterized in that the hitch adapter (50) is couplable to a quick coupler (18).

Inventors: RICHARDSON, CRAIG ALLEN, STEPHENSON, ROGER DALE, WALTERS, JAMES C.
Applicants: DEERE & COMPANY
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A01B59
IPC codes: A01B71