Patent Application
20070176397
The present invention relates to a drawbar clevis assembly.
Typically, a tractor drawbar includes a clevis assembly. A towed implement can be coupled to the clevis with a drawbar pin which passes through the clevis and the implement drawbar. When certain implements, such as a baler or hay equipment, are coupled to certain current production tractor drawbars, the forward pitching of the tractor can cause the rear end of the implement to drag on the ground and pick up debris. This requires a drawbar with a larger offset, but the current drawbar strap (“hammerstrap”) and hardware are not compatible with a drawbar with a larger offset.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a drawbar clevis assembly which has a greater offset and which is compatible current drawbar pins and other current hardware.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention, wherein a drawbar clevis assembly includes a drawbar with a greater offset between the upper inboard member and the lower outboard member. The clevis assembly also includes a strap which is mounted to the drawbar and which has an opening in a mid portion. The strap is slid over the drawbar so that the opening receives a portion of the drawbar and so that the inner portion of the strap is attached to an underside of the inboard portion of the drawbar.
The sole FIGURE is a perspective view of a drawbar clevis assembly according to the present invention.
Referring to the FIGURE, a drawbar clevis assembly 10 includes a drawbar 12 and strap or “hammerstrap” 14. The drawbar 12 has an upper inboard member 16, a lower outboard member 18 and a vertically extending connecting portion 20. The inboard member 16 has an inner end 22 for coupling to a vehicle (not shown) and an outer end 24 joined to an upper end 26 of the connecting portion 20. The outboard member 18 has an inner end 28 joined to a lower end 30 of the connecting portion 20 and an outer end 32 for coupling to an implement (not shown). Preferably, the drawbar 12 is formed by bending a single structural piece. The vertical distance between the upper surface of member 16 and member 18 is the “offset”.
The strap member 14 is mounted to the drawbar 12. The strap member 14 has an inner part 40, a mid part 42 and an outer part 44. The mid part 42 is preferably wider than the inner part 40 and the outer part 42. The mid part 42 has an opening 46 therein. The opening 46 receives the upper end of the connecting portion 20 of the drawbar 12, and the inner part 40 of the strap member 14 is attached to an underside of upper inboard member 16 of the drawbar 12. The outboard member 18 and the outer part 44 have aligned bores 50 and 52 for receiving a drawbar pin 54 which is insertable through the bores.
A conventional cross pin or handle 56 is mounted near an upper end of pin 54. A conventional spring-loaded latch device 58 is attached or bolted to the top surface of the strap member 14 for releasably retaining the drawbar pin in the bores 50 and 52. A conventional safety chain retainer 60 is attached by bolts 62 to the upper surface of inboard member 16. The bolts 62 extend through bores (not shown) in the inboard member 16 and the inner part 40 of strap member 14, and are secured by nuts 64, one of which is partially visible in the FIGURE.
With this clevis assembly the offset may be increased to 133.5 millimeters, which allows for use of all drawbar-mounted implements that comply with ASAE standards. The drawbar strap slides over the drawbar and mounts to the underside, thereby maintaining the necessary clevis gap per ASAE standards, and permitting use of current hardware and drawbar pin. The known current drawbar pin and other hardware can be used with the present invention as well as the previous known drawbar clevis assembly, so that an operator can use the same drawbar pin and other hardware with either drawbar clevis assembly. This reduces cost and part count while maintaining functionality.
While the present invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, it is understood that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations which fall within the spirit and scope of the claims.
The entire right, title and interest in and to this application and all subject matter disclosed and/or claimed therein, including any and all divisions, continuations, reissues, etc., thereof are, effective as of the date of execution of this application, assigned, transferred, sold and set over by the applicant(s) named herein to Deere & Company, a Delaware corporation having offices at Moline, Ill. 61265, U.S.A., together with all rights to file, and to claim priorities in connection with, corresponding patent applications in any and all foreign countries in the name of Deere & Company or otherwise.
