Connection for an agricultural vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11078034-B2
Application number	US-201916525177-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2019
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis, a tank carried by the chassis, and at least one meter module coupled to the tank. The at least one meter module has at least one gate. A gate control link is coupled with the at least one gate of the at least one meter module. A control rod is carried by the chassis. A connector couples the control rod to the gate control link at a connection interface such that movement of the control rod controls an open state of the at least one gate of the at least one meter module. The connector has a frangible portion adjacent the connection interface; the control rod and the gate control link uncouples from one another upon a breaking force causing the frangible portion to break.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A metering system for an agricultural vehicle, comprising:
at least one meter module having at least one gate;
a gate control link coupled with said at least one gate of said at least one meter module;
a control rod; and
a connector coupling said control rod to said gate control link at a connection interface such that movement of said control rod controls an open state of said at least one gate of said at least one meter module, said connector having a frangible portion adjacent said connection interface, wherein said frangible portion includes at least one notch formed therein, said control rod and said gate control link uncoupling from one another upon a breaking force causing said frangible portion to break; wherein said connection interface defines a shear plane and a bottom of said at least one notch is aligned with said shear plane; wherein said connector includes at least two spaced apart legs defining a split therebetween; and wherein said gate control link includes a link surface having a link connection opening formed therein, at least two of said spaced apart legs partially filling said link connection opening and including a hooked insertion end with a shoulder abutting against said link surface.

2. The metering system according to claim 1 , wherein said split defines a split axis through said connector, at least one of said legs having a protrusion extending orthogonally relative to said split axis.

3. The metering system according to claim 1 , wherein said frangible portion is configured to break due to a breaking force which is smaller than a force that would damage the connected control rod and the at least one gate.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Bent Ethan Curtis Stephen
• Chahley Dennis W
• Gadzella Gerard J
• Sharbati Ehsan

Classifications

• A01C7/082 Primary

  Ducts, distribution pipes or details thereof for pneumatic seeders · CPC title

• B65G53/36

  Arrangements of containers (hoppers B65D3/06; containers in general B65D) · CPC title

• B65G53/46 Primary

  Gates or sluices, e.g. rotary wheels · CPC title

• A01C23/008

  Tanks, chassis or related parts · CPC title

• B65G53/16

  Gas pressure systems operating with fluidisation of the materials · CPC title