Patent Publication Number: US-2021188374-A1

Title: Tractor Hydraulic Adapter and Process

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     These claimed embodiments relate to a tractor hydraulic adapter and more particularly to attaching a hydraulic adapter to a power take off (PTO) on a rear of a tractor to control hydraulically operated devices connected to the front of a tractor. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A method and apparatus for hydraulically powering one or more hydraulically powered devices on a front of a tractor that is powered by a tractor PTO disposed on a rear of a tractor is disclosed. 
     Hydraulically powered tools such as an auger brush cutter, a street sweeper, a snow blower, a trencher, or a stump grinder are typically used on the front of a skid steer. Tractors are powered by an engine running a power takeoff shaft, that typically rotates at 1000 revolutions per minute (rpm) to directly power a cutter or shaft powered device disposed on the rear of the tractor. Shaft powered devices are susceptible to breakage if the cutter attempts to cut an object beyond the cutter&#39;s capability resulting in breakage of the cutting implement or damage to the shaft. Further such cutters must be disposed on the rear of the tractor so that the pto can directly power the cutter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one implementation a tractor hydraulic adaptor is disclosed. The adaptor includes a hydraulic tank operative to store hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic pump having a pump shaft adapted to couple with a tractor power take off (PTO) shaft disposed on a rear of the tractor, the pump shaft turning in response to rotation of the tractor PTO shaft to run the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump includes a hydraulic intensifier coupled with the hydraulic tank to draw stored hydraulic fluid from the tank at a low pressure and feed via a valve block the drawn hydraulic fluid at a high pressure to a hydraulic attachment disposed on a front of the tractor. The adapter further includes a heat exchanger to cool hydraulic fluid returned from the hydraulic attachment via the valve block and maintain the hydraulic fluid temperature within a predetermined range, and a hydraulic filter coupled to the heat exchanger and the hydraulic tank, the hydraulic filter to filter contaminants from the hydraulic fluid cooled by the heat exchanger and to deposit filtered fluid into the hydraulic tank. Preferably, the hydraulic pump includes a through shaft coupled with an alternator to provide electric power to the heat exchanger. 
     In another implementation, a method for hydraulically controlling a hydraulic attachment with a hydraulic adapter powered by a tractor power take off (PTO) shaft disposed on a rear of a tractor is disclosed. The method includes providing within the hydraulic adapter a hydraulic intensifier pump fluidly coupled to a valve block and a hydraulic tank, a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the valve block and coupled to the hydraulic tank via a hydraulic filter. The hydraulic adapter is physically attached to a hitch on a rear portion of the tractor such that the PTO shaft rotatably couples with a pump shaft of the hydraulic intensifier pump. The hydraulic attachment is physically coupled to a front portion of the tractor. The hydraulic attachment is fluidly coupled to the valve block. The pump shaft is rotated in response to rotation of the PTO shaft to run the hydraulic intensifier pump. The hydraulic intensifier pump draws at a low-pressure hydraulic fluid stored in the hydraulic tank and feeds via the valve block the drawn hydraulic fluid at a higher pressure to the hydraulic attachment. The hydraulic attachment is operated with the pressurized fluid from the valve block, and returning the fluid to the valve block. The hydraulic fluid returned from the hydraulic attachment via the valve block is cooled with a heat exchanger to maintain the hydraulic fluid temperature within a predetermined range. The hydraulic filter filters contaminants from the hydraulic fluid cooled by the heat exchanger. The filtered fluid is deposited into the hydraulic tank. 
     In addition, a system is included having a tractor with a rear power take off (PTO) shaft and a hydraulic attachment coupled a tractor front end loader. A hydraulic adapter containing a hydraulic intensifier powered by the PTO shaft to drive the hydraulic attachment disposed on a front of the tractor. The hydraulic intensifier operative to draw at a low-pressure hydraulic fluid and feed the drawn hydraulic fluid at a higher pressure to the hydraulic attachment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference number in different figures indicates similar or identical items. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of a hydraulic adapter powered by a tractor and connected to a skid steer device on the tractor front: 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified schematic diagram of the hydraulic adapter that provides hydraulics to a control a skid steer device; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart of a process to control a skid steer attachment on a tractor with the hydraulic adapter shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of a front view of the hydraulic adapter; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of a right-side view of the hydraulic adapter; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of a left side view of the hydraulic adapter; 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram of a right front view of the hydraulic adapter with a hydraulic filter exposed; and 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram of a left rear view of the hydraulic adapter with a pump, a Saturn valve, a heat exchange fan and a hydraulic tank exposed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  there is shown a tractor  100  with a rear power take off (PTO) shaft  102  and a hydraulic attachment  104  coupled a tractor front end loader  106 . 
     A hydraulic adapter  108  containing a hydraulic pump  110  is powered by the PTO shaft  102  to drive the hydraulic attachment  104 . The hydraulic power operative to draw hydraulic fluid from a fluid tank  112  in the adapter  108 . The drawn hydraulic fluid is fed to the hydraulic attachment  104  on a front of the tractor  100  via a hydraulic line  114  extending along the length of the tractor  100 . Further details of the hydraulic adapter  108  are disclosed in connection with  FIGS. 2-3 . 
     The hydraulic attachment  104  may be an auger, a brush cutter, a trencher, a stump grinder, a snow blow or a street sweeper. In one implementation, the hydraulic attachment  104  is coupled to a skid steer receiver  116  on a tractor front end loader  118 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a tractor hydraulic adaptor  200  (hydraulic adapter  108  of  FIG. 1 ). The tractor hydraulic adapter  200  includes a hydraulic tank  202 , pump  204 , Saturn valve block  205  coupled to relief  206 , heat exchanger  212  with a fan and filter  213 . 
     Hydraulic tank  202  stores hydraulic fluid. The tank  202  is connected via a suction line  203  to a hydraulic pump  204  with an intensifier (referred to herein as “pump  204 ”). Pump  204  includes a pump shaft that couples (using a shaft adapter) with the tractor power take off (PTO) shaft disposed on a rear of the tractor  100 . The pump shaft turns in response to rotation of the tractor PTO shaft to run the hydraulic pump  204 . The hydraulic pump  204  draws stored hydraulic fluid from the tank  202  at a low pressure via line  203 . Pump  204  feeds via the valve block  205  and a hydraulic line  215  the drawn hydraulic fluid at a high pressure to a hydraulic attachment  214  disposed on a front of the tractor  100 . In one implementation, pump  204  is an multiplier (or intensifier) type rotating hydraulic pump, such that the pressure of the hydraulic fluid can be increased and or decrease in response to the tractor increasing or decreasing the number of revolutions per minute of rotation of the PTO shaft. Relief  206  opens when pressure of fluid from pump exceeds a predetermined threshold and deposits the fluid into tank  210 . 
     The hydraulic fluid is feed via the valve block  205  at a high pressure a hydraulic attachment  214  disposed on a front of the tractor or the tractor front end loader. Attachment  214  may include an auger, a brush cutter, a snow blower, a trencher, a stump grinder, or a street sweeper. 
     Heat exchanger  212  cools hydraulic fluid returned from the hydraulic attachment  214  via the valve block  205  and maintains the hydraulic fluid temperature within a predetermined range. The heat exchanger  212  may be electrically powered via electric power provided by a generator on the tractor  100  or may be powered by an alternator (not shown) coupled with the PTO shaft, or a feed through shaft exiting the pump  204 . 
     Hydraulic filter  213  is coupled to the heat exchanger  212  and the hydraulic tank  210 . The hydraulic filter  213  filters contaminants from the hydraulic fluid cooled by the heat exchanger  212  and deposits filtered fluid into the hydraulic tank  210 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is described a process  300  for hydraulically controlling a hydraulic attachment  104  with a hydraulic adapter (hydraulic adapter  108  of  FIG. 1 ) powered by a tractor PTO shaft  102  extending out the rear of a tractor  100 . The exemplary process in  FIG. 4  is illustrated as a collection of blocks in a logical flow diagram, which represents a sequence of operations that can be implemented in with a tractor  100 . The order in which the operations are described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described blocks can be combined in any order and/or in parallel to implement the process. For discussion purposes, the processes are described with reference to  FIG. 3 , although it may be implemented in other system architectures 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a process  300  is shown for hydraulically controlling a hydraulic attachment  104  with a hydraulic adapter  214  using the devices shown in  FIGS. 1-2 . 
     In block  302 , the hydraulic adapter  200  ( FIG. 2 ) is provided. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the hydraulic adapter  200  includes a hydraulic intensifier pump  204  fluidly coupled to a valve block  205  and a hydraulic tank  202 , a heat exchanger  212  fluidly coupled to the valve block  205  and coupled to the hydraulic tank  202  via a hydraulic filter  213 . 
     In block  304 , the hydraulic adapter  200  is physically attached to a hitch on a rear portion of the tractor  100  such that the tractors PTO shaft rotatably couples with a pump shaft of the hydraulic intensifier pump  204 . 
     In block  306 , the hydraulic attachment  200  is physically connected to a front portion of the tractor  100 . 
     In block  308 , the hydraulic attachment  214  is fluidly coupled to the valve block  205 . 
     In block  310 , the pump shaft is rotated in response to rotation of the PTO shaft on the tractor  100  to drive the hydraulic intensifier pump  204 . 
     In block  312 , hydraulic fluid stored in the hydraulic tank  202  is drawn at a low temperature and feed via the valve block  205  the drawn hydraulic fluid at a high pressure to the hydraulic attachment  214  by the hydraulic pump  204 . The drawn (high pressure) hydraulic fluid is fed through a hydraulic fluid line extending from a back of the tractor  100  to the front of the tractor to the hydraulic attachment  214  by the pressure generated with hydraulic pump  204 . 
     The hydraulic attachment  214  may be mounted to a skid steer receiver on a tractor&#39;s  100  front end loader on the front of the tractor  100 . 
     In block  314 , the hydraulic attachment  214  is operated with the pressurized fluid from the valve block  205 , and returned to the valve block  205 . 
     In block  316 , hydraulic fluid returned from the hydraulic attachment  214  via the valve block  205  is cooled with a heat exchanger  212  to maintain the hydraulic fluid temperature within a predetermined range. 
     In block  318 , the hydraulic filter contaminants are filtered by filter  213  from the hydraulic fluid cooled by the heat exchanger  212 . 
     In block  320 , the filtered fluid is deposited into the hydraulic tank. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a front view of the hydraulic adapter  200 . Adapter  200  is shown having a heat exchanger  402  and block valve  404 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a right-side view of the hydraulic adapter  200 . Hydraulic adapter  200  is shown having a shaft  502  of pump  204  to connect with shaft adapter  504  to PTO of tractor  100 , and brackets  506   a  and  506   b  for physically connecting hydraulic adapter  200  to the back of tractor  100  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , there is shown a left side view of the hydraulic adapter  200 . Adapter  200  is shown having brackets  606   a  and  606   b  for physically connecting adapter  200  to the back of tractor  100  ( FIG. 1 ). Also shown are vents  602  for fan of heat exchanger  212  ( FIG. 2 ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , there is shown a right front view of the hydraulic adapter  200  with a pressure relief  702  exposed and coupled to relief  704 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , there is shown a left rear view of the hydraulic adapter  200 . Adapter includes with a pump  804 , a Saturn valve  805 , a heat exchange fan  812  and a hydraulic fluid tank  802  exposed. Adapter  200  is shown having a shaft  801  of pump  804  to connect to PTO of tractor  100 . 
     While the above detailed description has shown, described and identified several novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details of the described embodiments may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be limited to the foregoing discussion but should be defined by the appended claims.