GB576477A - Improvements in or relating to agricultural tractors and self-propelled cultivators - Google Patents

Abstract

576,477. Motor vehicles. McCONNEL, F. W., and TRACTORS (LONDON), Ltd. Sept. 28, 1943, No. 15921. [Classes 79 (i) and 79 (iii)] A self-propelled agricultural unit comprises an engine 40 and a land-wheel 17 driven thereby mounted on a main frame, a second steerable land-wheel 25 mounted on a sub-frame which is adjustably secured to the main frame so that the steering axis of the wheel may be offset relatively to the plane of the engine-driven land-wheel, and means for securing to the main frame one or more laterally-extending members, e.g. shafts 47, in order to mount a third wheel for maintaining the unit in upright position or for coupling the unit to another similar unit. As shown, the main frame of a unit consists of upper and lower longitudinals 10, 11 secured by cross-frames 12, 13, 14 and encloses the land-wheel 17, the shaft 21 of which is mounted in bearings 22 in the frame and also carries a sprocket-wheel 24 connected by a chain 45 to a sprocket 44 on the output shaft of a gear-box 42 driven by the engine 40. The steerable land-wheel 25 is mounted in a fork 26 having a shaft 27 rotatable and verticallyadjustable in a frame 29 which is pivoted between cross-members 34 and is securable in the required position by a peg 36 extending through one of a number of holes 37 in a quadrant 35 and a hole in the frame. Hence, the steering-wheel may be offset from the driving-wheel. In the case of a single unit, the third wheel 46 is carried on one side of the main frame by a shaft 47 secured between brackets 49. The cultivating implements are attached to a frame 48 which may be trailed behind the rear wheel or, as shown in Fig. 2, is pivotally mounted on a shaft 51 secured in brackets 50 on the main frame and may be power-raised by abutments or cams 52 on the wheel 1 operating lever-link mechanism 53 having a member 54 moving into and out of the path of the cams 52. To prevent tilting of the unit, e.g. during ploughing, when the third wheel 46 is moving in a furrow and the other two wheels are on unploughed ground, one or more detachable wheel rims may be provided. Another construction is shown in which two units are connected together by the shaft 47 and, if necessary, by a further shaft. The land-wheels may be driven independently by their engines or the two engines connected to a differential gear-box having an output shaft connecting the sprockets 44. The two steering tillers are linked for manipulation from one driving position.