Agricultural vehicle with an access panel lock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9554520-B2
Application number	US-201314407371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2013
Priority date	Jun 12, 2012
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

An agricultural machine comprising an input shaft connectable to the power take off shaft of a tractor; a flywheel connected to the input shaft; workings driven by the input shaft; an access panel openable to provide access to the workings of the machine; an access panel handle having a first position for opening and a second position for closing the access panel; and a brake for arresting rotating of the flywheel with a brake handle with a first position for braking the flywheel and a second position for releasing the flywheel; the access panel handle and the brake handle are arranged with respect to each other such that the access panel handle can only be placed in its first opening position when the brake is in first braking position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural machine, comprising:
a machine frame;
an input shaft connectable to a power take off shaft of a tractor;
a flywheel connected to the input shaft;
at least one moveable part driven by the input shaft;
an access panel connected to the machine frame and openable to provide access to the at least one moveable part of the machine;
an access panel handle having a first position for opening and a second position that closes the access panel; and
a brake with a brake handle with a first position that brakes the flywheel and a second position that releases the flywheel;
wherein the the access panel handle and the brake handle are arranged with respect to one another such that the access panel handle is only positionable in a first opening position when the brake handle is in the first braking position.

2. The agricultural machine of claim 1 , wherein either one of the brake handle or the access panel handle have a mechanical arrangement mounted thereon, while the other one of the brake handle or access panel handle have an opening wherein the mechanical arrangement engages the access panel handle and the brake handle being arranged with respect to one another such that the mechanical arrangement is engaged in the opening when the brake handle is not in its first braking positioning, the engagement of the mechanical arrangement in the opening preventing the placing of the access panel handle in its first opening position.

3. The agricultural machine of claim 1 , wherein either one of the brake handle or the access panel handle have a mechanical arrangement mounted thereon, the access panel handle and the brake handle being arranged with respect to one another such that the mechanical arrangement prevents the placing of the access panel handle in its first opening position when the brake handle is not in its first braking position.

4. The agricultural machine of claim 3 , wherein the mechanical arrangement on the access panel handle is a protrusion that prevents the movement of the brake handle to its second position when the access panel handle is in the second position.

5. The agricultural machine of claim 2 , wherein the mechanical arrangement is mounted on the brake handle.

6. The agricultural machine of claim 2 , wherein the mechanical arrangement is an arc.

7. The agricultural machine of claim 1 , wherein the access panel handle is connected to closing features to lock the access panel, the closing features being operated by movement of the access panel handle from a locking position to an unlocking position when the access panel handle is moving from the second position to the first position.

8. The agricultural machine of claim 1 , wherein the brake handle is an over-center mechanism.

9. The agricultural machine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first mechanical system, attached to the machine frame and the access panel, to deliver a suitable force to keep the access panel open, the first mechanical arrangement being operable over a first opening range; and
a second mechanical system attached to the machine frame and the access panel, the second mechanical system being capable of fixing the access panel in a plurality of spaced apart predetermined positions.

10. The agricultural machine of claim 9 wherein the opening range of the second mechanical system is less than the first opening range of the first mechanical system.

11. The agricultural machine of claim 9 , wherein the first mechanical system is a spring.

12. The agricultural machine of claim 9 , wherein the second mechanical system comprises:
a rigid body, movable by an operator, the rigid body having a plurality of spaced apart indents; and
an element fixed to the machine frame, the element being dimensioned such that it can engage in the indents, each engagement of the element with one of the indents corresponding to one of the predetermined positions.

13. The agricultural machine of claim 1 , wherein the access panel further comprises:
a first portion being made of deformable material; and
a second frame being made of a material more rigid than such deformable material, the second frame being attached to the first portion to thereby contribute to the overall rigidity of the access panel.

14. The agricultural machine of claim 13 , wherein a rigid element connected to the second frame engages with a corresponding bracket element connected to the machine frame when the access panel is in a closed position.

15. The agricultural machine of claim 13 , wherein an elongated portion is connected to the second frame, and wherein the elongated portion is attachable to at least two positions of the first portion to thereby facilitate overall rigidity of the access panel.

16. The agricultural machine of claim 15 , wherein the second elongated portion is part of the access panel lock and being adapted to engage with the rigid element.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• De Gersem Tom
• Vanhooren Ignaas

Classifications

• A01F15/08

  Details · CPC title

• A01F21/00 Primary

  Devices for protecting human beings for threshing machines or baling presses (in combines A01D75/20; for feeders for threshing apparatus A01F12/16) · CPC title

• F16P3/08

  in connection with the locking of doors, covers, guards, or like members giving access to moving machine parts · CPC title