GB510352A - Improvements in or relating to tractors and/or tractor-drawn agricultural implements - Google Patents

Abstract

510,352. Mowing machines; potato diggers; implements for working land. FERGUSON, H. G. Nov. 30, 1937, No. 33020. [Classes 6 (i) and 6 (iii)] [Also in Group XXXI] A tractor including a prime mover, traction wheels and a power takeoff shaft driven therefrom is combined with an agricultural implement such as a potato digger or mower having parts thereon adapted to be driven from the power take-off shaft, the implement being supported by the tractor without the use of land wheels, the means for supporting the implement including spaced members universally attached at their ends to the implement and to the tractor to allow lateral and/or vertical swinging of the implement about a point or points other than its points of connection to the tractor. The rear casing 1 of the tractor contains a variable speed gear consisting of a primary shaft 5 socketed at its end for an independently rotatable third motion shaft 8 that drives the traction wheels 3, the shaft 8 carrying gear wheels 11, 12, 13 adapted to be moved by the gear lever 14 to engage spur wheels 11a, 12a and 13a on the lay shaft 15 which is constantly driven through reduction gear from the shaft 5. An oil pump 20 on the end of the shaft 15 actuates means for hydraulically raising and lowering the agricultural implement and for automatically controlling the depth of cut as described in Specifications 253,566, [Class 6 (i)], 470,069 and 470,087, such means operating through adjustable rods 26 on links 27. The implement is shown as a potato digger fitted with a share 28 and with a rotary digger 29 mounted on a driving shaft 31 in the frame 32, the shaft 31 being connected through a telescopic shaft 34, 35, fitted with universal joints, with a power take-off shaft 36 at the rear of the tractor, the shafts being splined so that the implement may be removed readily. The frame 32 has a vertical projection 37 forked at the top to receive a universal connection to a link adjustably-connected by a bar 40 to a second link 42, attached by a universal joint 43 to links 44 pivoted on lugs 73 in the end plate of the tractor and to the draught sensitive element 45. A shaft 47 extends across the frame 32 and carries a ball 48 at each end forming part of a universal joint to a link 27, the inner end of such link being attached by a universal joint to a projection 50 on the casing 1, the complete connection being as described in Specification 320,084, [Class 6 (i)]. The potato digger is provided with a fin 51 having a resilient adjustable stem 54 to give an automatic steering effect as described in Specification 471,801. Chains 55 extending from the end plate 4 of the tractor to the links 27 permit lateral swinging of the implement when in working position. The power take-off shaft is connected with the lay shaft 15 by a sliding splined collar 58 operated by a hand lever. A shearing pin or safety clutch is provided with power take-off shaft connection to prevent damage should an obstruction be encountered.