James T Walters

US Patent:

47384611, Apr 19, 1988

Filed:

Aug 19, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/088501

Inventors:

Roger D. Stephenson - Bloomfield IA
James C. Walters - Ottumwa IA
Craig A. Richardson - Ottumwa IA
J. Clark Fickle - Ottumwa IA

Assignee:

Deere & Company - Moline IL

International Classification:

B62D 1300

US Classification:

280400

Abstract:

A towed implement includes apparatus adapted for being driven by a power take-off shaft of a towing tractor. The implement includes a tongue having a hitch bracket at its forward end, the bracket incorporating a ball coupler. A hitch adapter is provided for coupling the hitch bracket to a three-point hitch of the towing tractor, the adapter including a hitch bar connected to the ball coupler by a pin. The implement includes a power transmission assembly separate from the hitch adapter and including identical first and second right angle gear boxes, with the first gear box being rigidly fixed to the tongue and the second gear box being drivingly coupled to the first gear box along an axis passing through the ball coupler and about which the second gear box may rotate. The second gear box has an input shaft coupled for being driven by the tractor power take-off shaft and a steering arm is coupled to the second gear box and has an end received in a guide track fixed to the hitch adapter so as to keep the second gear box input shaft aligned with the tractor power take-off shaft.

US Patent:

47766069, Oct 11, 1988

Filed:

Nov 20, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/123624

Inventors:

Roger D. Stephenson - Bloomfield IA
James C. Walters - Ottumwa IA
Craig A. Richardson - Ottumwa IA

Assignee:

Deere & Company - Moline IL

International Classification:

A01B 59043

US Classification:

280415A

Abstract:

A hitch adapter is attached to the tongue of an implement having components adapted for being driven by a tractor power take-off shaft and is constructed to permit the implement to be semi-integrally mounted either to a tractor having a hitch arrangement consisting only of a three-point hitch or to a tractor having a hitch arrangement wherein a quick coupler is carried by its three-point hitch without necessitating a change in the length of a drive shaft interconnecting the tractor power take-off shaft with an input shaft of a transmission assembly carried by the implement tongue.

US Patent:

48059277, Feb 21, 1989

Filed:

Nov 20, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/123427

Inventors:

Roger D. Stephenson - Bloomfield IA
James C. Walters - Ottumwa IA
Craig A. Richardson - Ottumwa IA

Assignee:

Deere & Company - Moline IL

International Classification:

A01B 5900

US Classification:

172 47

Abstract:

A hitch adapter couples a semi-integral, PTO-driven implement to a quick coupler carried by a tractor three-point hitch. The hitch adapter includes a drawbar located significantly below the level of the connection of lower three-point hitch link with the quick coupler and a parking stand is integral with the bottom of the drawbar. Lowering of the three-point hitch from a normal working position results in the stand engaging the ground to prevent interference between the hitch and the drive shaft coupling the implement to the tractor PTO shaft. Once the stand engages the ground, the hitch adapter can be disconnected from the quick coupler hooks by releasing latches associated with the lower hooks and lowering the three-point hitch.

US Patent:

47934301, Dec 27, 1988

Filed:

Nov 20, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/123518

Inventors:

Roger D. Stephenson - Bloomfield IA
James C. Walters - Ottumwa IA
Craig A. Richardson - Ottumwa IA

Assignee:

Deere & Company - Moline IL

International Classification:

B60K 2510
A01B 7106

US Classification:

180 144

Abstract:

A hitch adapter is used to couple a PTO-driven implement to a three-point hitch arrangement of a towing tractor. The implement includes a transmission housing mounted for rotation about an upright axis that passes through a ball connection effected between a drawbar of the hitch adapter and the implement tongue. The tractor power take-off shaft is connected by a telescopic drive shaft to an input shaft supported by the transmission housing for rotation about an axis extending perpendicular to and intersecting said upright axis. Provided for steering the transmission housing for maintaining the input shaft disposed in parallel relationship to the tractor power take-off shaft is a steering assembly including a pair of steering arms depending from the housing and engaging diametrically opposite locations of a cylindrical guide surface of a guide member fixed to the drawbar with the guide surface arranged concentrically to an axis located in a plane containing the previously mentioned axes and intersecting the upright axis at the ball connection.