GB2192777A

GB2192777A - Hitch apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2192777A
Application number: GB08614939A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stanley Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-06-19
Filing date: 1986-06-19
Publication date: 1988-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 2006-06-19
Also published as: GB2192777B; GB8614939D0

Abstract

Hitch apparatus 16 for mounting agricultural implements on tractors comprises a pair of bayonet or plugtype members 18 adapted to be slidingly received in complementarily-shaped socket members 20. The latter are open at their opposite ends 22 and 24 to receive the plug members. The hitch apparatus can be front or rear-mounted on the tractor. Hitching is achieved simply by forward or reverse movement of the tractor followed by locking. The members 18 may be carried on an A-frame 34 mountable on the 3-pt. linkage either at the rear (L.H.S. of Fig. 1) or the front (R.H.S. of Fig. 1) of the tractor. The members 20 may be provided as part of the implement frame. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hitch apparatus This invention relates to hitch apparatus for agricultural tractors and the like.

The invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to hitch apparatus for use in relation to agricultural and horticultural implements which may be used both at the front and at the rear of a tractor.

There is an increasing tendency for agricultural and horticultural equipment to be used in multiple assemblies mounted on or drawn by a tractor so that multiple operations are performed upon the land or crops growing therein in a single pass of the tractor and its equipment. Such multiple assemblies of equipment have recently included the use of implements mounted at the front of the tractor. It is now not uncommon to find hitch provision made at the front of a tractor whereby implements can be directly mounted thereon in a similar manner to the conventional rearward mounting of implements.

However, a problem which arises in relation to such front-mounting of implements is that the implements themselves may not be reversible. For example, in the case of a cultivator, the tines are mounted so as to function properly when drawn in one direction and mounted on the rear of the tractor. If the implement is mounted on the front of the tractor, the tines are facing in the wrong direction and the implement cannot function properly.

Various proposals have been made to meet this problem including the provision of conventional hitch means both at the front and at the rear of an implement. This is all very well but doubles the structure required for hitching and thus the associated cost. There are also attendant disadvantages concerning the associated bulk of the apparatus and other matters.

A further proposal has been to make provision for the implement itself to be made reversible. Thus, for example, the tines themselves of a cultivator could be made to be reversed. Obviously however this would be an extremely time consuming job and thus out of the question in the situation where interchangeability between front and rear use of the implement is required.

A further aspect of the invention relates more generally to the requirement for an improved form of quick hitch for agricultural implements. Various proposals in this conneciton have been made over the years. These include such ideas as inter-engageable A-type frames whereby implement coupling is effected by raising the hitch links of the tractor.

However, these proposals are not entirely satisfactory from some points of view and improvements in these respects are undoubtedly desirable.

An object of the invention is to provide hitch apparatus, and a method of hitching offering improvements in relation to one or more of the matters discussed above, or generally. A further aim is to provide an implement adapted for use with such hitch apparatus.

According to the invention there is provided hitch apparatus for an agricultural tractor or the like comprising inter-engageable hitch members to be mounted one on a tractor and one on an implement to be hitched thereto, said hitch members being engageable to hitch the implement to the tractor, wherein one of the hitch members comprises a fore/aft extending hitch member slidably receivable by fore/aft relative movement in the other hitch member to effect hitching.

Preferably, said one hitch member comprises a bayonet-type member and the other hitch member comprises socket means. Preferably also, a pair of bayonet-type members are provided at laterally spaced positions to be received in a complementary pair of socket members. The bayonet-type members or the like, are preferably provided for mounting on the tractor and the socket members for mounting on the implement. The bayonet or plug members may be mounted on a rigid framework to be carried by the three point hitch at the front or rear of a tractor. The socket members preferably extend in the fore/aft direction across a major part of the width of the implement and are open at both ends to receive the plug or bayonet members.

The invention also provides an agricultural implement or the like having a hitch member, for example socket means, adapted for use with hitching apparatus as defined above.

Locking means may be provided to lock the plug and socket assembly in its engaged condition. The locking means may be remotely operable.

The plug or bayonet members are preferably tapered towards their ends to facilitate insertion into the socket members. Adjustment means may be provided to allow adjustment of the attitude of the plug or bayonet members with respect to the remainder of the apparatus to compensate for uneven ground or tolerances.

The invention also provides hitching apparatus not limited by all features of the apparatus as defined above, or in any complete sentence thereof, but comprising any novel feature or any novel combination of features disclosed herein.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 shows, somewhat diagrammatically, in side elevation view an agricultural implement in association with hitch means for mounting same on the front or the back of a tractor; Fig 2 shows a perspective view of hitch means of the invention; and Fig 3 shows a plan view, somewhat diagrammatically of hitch means in association with the frame of an implement.

As shown in Fig 1, an implement 10 in the form of a cultivator having tines 12, 14 comprises hitching apparatus 16 including hitch members 18 and 20.

Hitch members 18 are in the form of a pair of bayonet or plug-type members adapted to be slidingly received in the complementarilyshaped socket members 20. The latter are open at their opposite ends 22 and 24 to receive the plug members 18.

As shown in Fig 2 the cross-sectional shapes of the plug and socket members 18 and 20 are generally rectangular so that the plug members are a smooth sliding fit in the socket members. The engageable surfaces of these members may be suitably lubricated if necessary.

Locking means is provided in the form of insertable pins 26 which co-operate with alignable apertures 28, 30 and 32, 30 formed in the hitch members.

The plug or bayonet members 18 are mounted on a rigid A-frame 34 adapted to be mounted on the two draft links 36 and the top link 38 of a conventional tractor hitch, both at the front of the tractor (as shown at the right hand side of Fig 1), and at the rear thereof (as shown at the left hand side in Fig 1).

It will be noted that the end portions 40 of the plug or bayonet members are tapered to facilitate insertion into the socket members 20. This operation is further facilitated by the provision, as shown in Fig 1 , of adjustment means 42 in the connection between the top link 38 and the frame 34. Such adjustment means permits a degree of up and down angular movement of the plug members 18 about a transverse pivot axis. This is achieved by means of pivotal connection between the top link 38 and the frame 34 through a pivot member 44 having pivotal movement limited by a stop (not shown).

As shown in Fig 3 the socket members 20 of implement 10 extend in the fore/aft direction across the lateral frame members 46 of the implement and are open at both ends to receive the plug members 18.

In use, the hitch assembly 16 is readily employed to couple implement 10 either at the front or the rear of the tractor, as illustrated in Fig 1. In either case, the tractor is merely advanced towards the implement so that the tapered portions 40 enter the open ends of the socket members 20, after which the tractor is- merely advanced until further movement moves the implement bodily, whereupon the pins 26 can be inserted into the aligned holes 28, 30 or 30, 32, whereupon the implement is mounted on the hitch and is ready for use.

The whole operation is extremely rapid and simple.

It will be understood that many modifications can be envisaged in the above-described embodiment while remaining within the scope of the invention. These include alternative forms of bayonet or plug member and corresponding socket arrangements. Generally speaking, any fore/aft extending male/female or plug/ socket assembly may be employed which provides the necessary structural interconnection in the manner indicated above. The cross-sectional shape of the co-operating members is variable. If a single plug member and corresponding socket were employed, then ciearly some means of limiting rotational movement about the axis of that member would be needed.

Where, as in the above embodiment, the socket member is provided on the implement, then this could be readily formed as part of the implement's frame rather than as an addition thereto. It might then only be necessary to form open ends for these 'frame' members in order for them to function in the manner described above. In such a case, and indeed in other cases, it would not be necessary for each implement to be provided with its own two sets of plug members and corresponding hitches. A tractor equipped with these could attach itself to any number of different implements in turn.

Likewise, it will be understood that the above hitch arrangement is simple and convenient to use and its advantages are by no means limited to use in relation to implements permitting attachment both at the front thereof and at the rear.

In the attached drawings, the letter F indicates the direction of normal operative forward motion of the implement. It will be seen that the embodiment provides a hitching system permitting attachment of an implerrient to a tractor at opposite sides of the implement.

The socket means for this purpose need, of course, not necessarily be continuous.

Claims

1. Hitch apparatus for an agricultural tractor or the like comprising inter-engageable hitch members to be mounted one on a tractor and one on an implement to be hitched thereto, said hitch members being engageable to hitch the implement to the tractor, wherein one of the hitch members comprises a fore/aft extending hitch member slidably receivable by fore/aft relative movement in the other hitch member to effect hitching.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said one hitch member comprises a bayonettype member and the other hitch member comprises socket means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein a pair of said bayonet-type members are provided at laterally spaced positions to be re ceived in a complementary pair of socket members.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said bayonet-type members or the like are provided for mounting on the tractor and said socket members for mounting on the implement.

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein said bayonet or plug members are mounted on a rigid framework to be carried by the three point hitch at the front or rear of a tractor.

6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein said socket members extend in the fore/aft direction across a major part of the width of an implement and are open at both ends to receive the plug or bayonet members.

7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein locking means is provided to lock the plug and socket assembly in its engaged condition.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said locking means is remotely operable.

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein said plug or bayonet members are tapered towards their ends.

10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein adjustment means is provided to allow adjustment of the attitude of said hitch members with respect to the remainder of the apparatus to compensate for uneven ground or tolerances.

11. Hitch apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

12. An agricultural implement or the like having a hitch member, for example socket means, adapted for use with hitching apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.