Piston lock system for agricultural equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12279557-B2
Application number	US-202117520223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2021
Priority date	Nov 5, 2021
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

A piston lock system comprising: a cylinder, a rod receiver fixed to the cylinder, a piston slidably mounted to the cylinder, and a rod fixed to a free end of the piston and extending parallel to the piston to be located within the rod receiver. The piston and rod are movable relative to the cylinder and rod receiver between a retracted position and an extended position. A lock pin is mounted to the rod receiver and movable between a unlocked position in which the lock pin does not intersect a path of the rod, and a locked position in which the lock pin intersects the path of the rod and prevents the rod and piston from moving to the retracted position. Lock pins of multiple actuators can be connected to operate in unison.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural combine comprising:
(a) a chassis configured for movement on a surface;
(b) a feeder housing pivotally connected to the chassis; and
(c) a piston lock system comprising:
(i) a first cylinder extending from a first fixed cylinder end to a first free cylinder end;
(ii) a first rod receiver fixed to the first cylinder;
(iii) a first piston extending through the first free cylinder end from a first sliding piston end contained in the first cylinder to a first free piston end located outside the first cylinder;
(iv) a first rod extending, parallel to the first piston, from a first fixed rod end secured to move with the first free piston end to a first sliding rod end located within the first rod receiver, wherein the first piston and first rod are movable relative to the first cylinder and first rod receiver between a first retracted position and a first extended position, with the first free piston end and first fixed rod end being farther from the first free cylinder end in the first extended position than in the first retracted position; and
(v) a first lock pin mounted to the first rod receiver and movable between a first unlocked position in which the first lock pin does not intersect a path of the first rod, and a first locked position in which the first lock pin intersects the path of the first rod and prevents the first rod and first piston from moving from the first extended position to the first retracted position; and

wherein the first fixed cylinder end is operatively connected to one of the chassis and the feeder housing, and the first free piston end is operatively connected to the other of the chassis and the feeder housing.

2. The agricultural combine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second cylinder extending from a second fixed cylinder end to a second free cylinder end;
a second rod receiver fixed to the second cylinder;
a second piston extending through the second free cylinder end from a second sliding piston end contained in the second cylinder to a second free piston end located outside the second cylinder;
a second rod extending, parallel to the second piston, from a second fixed rod end secured to move with the second free piston end to a second sliding rod end located within the second rod receiver, wherein the second piston and second rod are movable relative to the second cylinder and second rod receiver between a second retracted position and a second extended position, with the second free piston end and second fixed rod end being farther from the second free cylinder end in the second extended position than in the second retracted position; and
a second lock pin mounted to the second rod receiver and movable between a second unlocked position in which second lock pin does not intersect a path of the second rod, and a second locked position in which the second lock pin intersects the path of the second rod and prevents the second rod and second piston from moving from the second extended position to the second retracted position.

3. The agricultural combine of claim 2 , further comprising a control link operatively connecting the first lock pin to the second lock pin and configured to simultaneously move the first lock pin between the first locked position and the first unlocked position, and the second lock pin between the second locked position and the second unlocked position.

4. The agricultural combine of claim 3 , wherein the control link comprises:
a transfer link pivot mounted between the first cylinder and the second cylinder;
a transfer link pivotally mounted to the transfer link pivot to rotate about an axis orthogonal to a plane defined between the first cylinder and the second cylinder;
a first connecting link pivotally connected at a respective first end to the first lock pin and pivotally connected at a respective second end to a first end of the transfer link; and
a second connecting link pivotally connected at a respective first end to the second lock pin and pivotally connected at a respective second end to a second end of the transfer link, with the transfer link pivot located between the first end of the transfer link and the second end of the transfer link.

5. The agricultural combine of claim 4 , wherein the transfer link pivot is connected to the first cylinder and the second cylinder by one or more braces extending from the first cylinder to the second cylinder.

6. The agricultural combine of claim 3 , wherein:
the control link is located entirely in a space between the first cylinder and the second cylinder;
the first lock pin is configured to move away from the second cylinder when moving from the first unlocked position to the first locked position; and
the second lock pin is configured to move away from the first cylinder when moving from the second unlocked position to the second locked position.

7. The agricultural combine of claim 6 , further comprising a handle operatively connected to the first lock pin.

8. The agricultural combine of claim 7 , wherein the handle is located on a side of the first cylinder opposite the control link.

9. The agricultural combine of claim 3 , wherein the control link comprises a pushrod extending from the first lock pin to the second lock pin and configured to move along an axis extending between the first cylinder and the second cylinder.

10. The agricultural combine of claim 9 , wherein:
the first lock pin is configured to move towards the second cylinder when moving from the first unlocked position to the first locked position; and
the second lock pin is configured to move away from the first cylinder when moving from the second unlocked position to the second locked position.

11. The agricultural combine of claim 9 , wherein:
the first lock pin is slidingly mounted to the first rod receiver;
the second lock pin is slidingly mounted to the second rod receiver; and
the pushrod is connected to the first lock pin and the second lock pin.

12. The agricultural combine of claim 9 , wherein:
the first lock pin is pivotally mounted to the first rod receiver;
the second lock pin is pivotally mounted to the second rod receiver; and
the pushrod is pivotally connected to the first lock pin and the second lock pin.

13. The agricultural combine of claim 3 , wherein the control link comprises an axle extending from the first lock pin to the second lock pin and pivotally mounted to the first cylinder and the second cylinder to rotate about an axis extending from the first cylinder to the second cylinder.

14. The agricultural combine of claim 13 , wherein the first lock pin and the second lock pin are rigidly connected to move with the axle.

15. The agricultural combine of claim 1 , wherein:
the first rod receiver comprises a pair of first rod receivers located on opposite sides of the first cylinder;
the first rod comprises a pair of first rods located on opposite sides of the first piston; and
and the first lock pin comprises a pair of first lock pins located on opposite sides of the first cylinder.

16. The agricultural combine of claim 2 , further comprising a cam operatively connected to the first lock pin and the second lock pin and configured to simultaneously move the first lock pin between the first locked position and the first unlocked position, and the second lock pin between the second locked position and the second unlocked position.

17. The agricultural combine of claim 2 , further comprising a hydraulic system configured to simultaneously move the first piston from the first retracted position to the

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Oliebos Tim
• Bailliu Stijn
• Depoortere Bjorn

Classifications

• F15B15/26

  Locking mechanisms · CPC title

• A01D61/008

  for longitudinal conveying, especially for combines · CPC title

• F15B2015/267

  Manual locking or release · CPC title

• F15B15/14

  of the straight-cylinder type · CPC title

• F15B15/261

  using positive interengagement, e.g. balls and grooves, for locking in the end positions · CPC title