Tractor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12295274-B2
Application number	US-202017780947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2020
Priority date	Dec 27, 2019
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

A tractor includes a three-point link mechanism to which a work apparatus is to be attached so as to be able to move upward and downward, a hydraulic drive to perform a swing operation to swing the three-point link mechanism, a load receiver to swing in response to a tow load being applied from the work apparatus when the work apparatus performs ground work while being towed by the vehicle body, and a link mechanism to transmit an amount of operation for the swing operation to the hydraulic drive according to an amount of swing of the load receiver. The link mechanism includes, at a most upstream position, an interlocking swing arm to swing in conjunction with the swing of the load receiver about a swing axis that is different from a swing axis of the load receiver, the load receiver includes a first portion to press the interlocking swing arm that includes a second portion contactable with the first portion so to be pressed by the first portion, and a contact position of the first and second portions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tractor comprising:
a three-point link mechanism that is coupled to a rear portion of a vehicle body so as to be able to swing upward and downward, and to which a work apparatus is to be attached so as to be able to move upward and downward;
a hydraulic drive to perform a swing operation to swing the three-point link mechanism;
a load receiver to swing in response to a tow load being applied from the work apparatus when the work apparatus performs ground work while being towed by the vehicle body; and
a link mechanism to transmit an amount of operation for the swing operation to the hydraulic drive according to an amount of swing of the load receiver; wherein
the link mechanism includes, at a most upstream position, an interlocking swing arm to swing in conjunction with the swing of the load receiver about a swing axis that is different from a swing axis of the load receiver;
the load receiver is provided with a first portion to press the interlocking swing arm;
the interlocking swing arm is provided with a second portion contactable with the first portion so as to be pressed by the first portion; and
a contact position of the first portion and the second portion is changeable.

2. The tractor according to claim 1 , wherein
one of the first portion and the second portion includes a swing;
the other of the first portion and the second portion includes a lock that is provided with a plurality of recessed portions to receive and lock the swing; and
the swing is provided with a swing angle determiner to determine a swing angle when the swing is fitted into any of the plurality of recessed portions.

3. The tractor according to claim 2 , wherein the swing angle determiner is operable to position the swing at an angle that is orthogonal to a swing angle of the load receiver.

4. The tractor according to claim 2 , wherein
a free end of the swing is provided with a pin to be fitted into any of the plurality of recessed portions;
the lock is provided with a common recess that includes a plurality of recessed portions so that the plurality of recessed portions are continuously lined up; and
the pin is movable over the common recess to be fitted into one of the plurality of recessed portions.

5. The tractor according to claim 1 , wherein the link mechanism is provided with a sensitivity adjuster to operate such that, as the load receiver swings toward a side where the tow load is larger, an amount of displacement of a mechanism that is located downstream thereof in the link mechanism increases.

6. The tractor according to claim 1 , wherein the link mechanism includes, at a position that is downstream of the interlocking swing arm, a link ratio adjuster to change a link ratio so that a link ratio change rate is smaller than a link ratio change rate of the first portion and the second portion.

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Yanagihara Katsumi

Classifications

• A01B61/02

  of the coupling devices between tractor and machine · CPC title

• A01B59/066

  of the type comprising at least two lower arms and one upper arm generally arranged in a triangle, e.g. three-point hitches · CPC title

• A01B59/043 Primary

  supported at three points, e.g. by quick-release couplings (A01B59/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01B63/112 Primary

  to control draught load, i.e. tractive force · CPC title