Abstract: A tractor hitch in which a pair of lower implement attachment links (10) are stabilized by a pair of sway blocks (16) with rubbing surfaces (16a) which cooperate with the links or rubbing blocks (30) on the links to control the amount of sidesway of the links. Each sway block (16) is mounted adjacent its upper end on the tractor by a mounting device (17,18,19,20,21,24) which allows the block to pivot generally in a transverse plane relative to the tractor and adjustment devices (25,26,27,27',28) are provided at the lower end of each sway block to allow the angle of pivot of the block to be continuously adjusted to set the amount of permitted side sway of the links when the links contact the lower ends of the blocks. The spacing (X) between the rubbing surfaces (16a) at the upper ends of the sway block (16) is also adjustable and shock cushioning (31) may be included in the mounting device of the sway blocks to cushion the links against sideways loading arising from loads carried by the links.

Abstract: A clutch and transmission brake assembly which can be readily incorporated into existing vehicle drive trains without undue modification. The assembly includes a wet clutch connectable to a flywheel and a transmission brake adapted to be disposed between the wet clutch and a transmission housing, the clutch and transmission brake being operated by annular pistons (56, 118). The assembly further includes a control assembly including pressure responsive valves (202, 204) which are operated sequentially by cams (268, 270). A pedal is suitably interconnected with the cams in such a manner that the clutch will be progressively disengaged as the pedal moves from an initial position towards its depressed position, the clutch pedal passing through a dwell position before the brake is progressively applied. The clutch will be fully disengaged when the pedal is in its dwell position, and as the transmission brake is applied there will be an increase in pedal effort.

Abstract: A gear selector means for use with a transmission having a main change speed gear set (X) and one or more associated range change gear sets (Y, Z). The selector means includes a selector member (50) which is movable to a number of positions (1, 2, 3, 4) for the selection of a number of change speed ratios of the transmission and which has a neutral position or series of positions (n) corresponding to a neutral condition of the transmission. The selector member is movable from the or a neutral position (n) to an "up" position (52) in which upward range changes can be made in a predetermined sequence (A, B, C, D) and to a "down" position (53) in which downward range changes can be made in a predetermined sequence, each movement of the selector member to the "up" or "down" position being arranged to change the operative range of the transmission either up or down to the next range in the predetermined sequence.

Abstract: An agricultural drill having a plurality of seed dispensing units 6 that are driven through rotary shaft means 8 that extends across the width of the drill and is driven by a drive mechanism 9 at one end, said shaft means 8 comprising two coaxial shafts that each drive the seed dispensing units 6 associated with half the width of the drill and that are connected together by a quick release coupling 25 that couples the shafts together for rotation and can be released to stop rotation of that shaft remote from the drive mechanism 9. The quick release coupling 25 comprises a bayonet type coupling in which a radially projecting pin 28 associated with one shaft 8 engages in an axially and circumferentially extending slot 27 associated with the other shaft 8, said slot 27 being shaped so that it cooperates with the pin 28 and produces a wedge action that urges the two shafts 8 into axial abutting engagement when they are driven.

Abstract: A hitch assembly comprising a hitch bar 1 having a hitch 2 for attachment to a tractor at its leading end; a pair of drawbars 4,5, each having one end pivotally connected to the hitch bar 1 so as to be swingable in a substantially horizontal plane between a work position in which it extends laterally to the direction of travel, one on each side of the hitch bar, and with the outer end of one bar 5 extending rearwards further than the outer end of the other drawbar 4, and a transport position in which it trails rearwards of the work position; a support wheel 8,16 attached to the outer end of each drawbar 4,5; a hitch 10,18 on each drawbar for attachment to an implement, the hitch 18 on said one drawbar trailing behind that on said other drawbar in the work position; and a pair of stay-bars 23,24 each having one end pivotally connected to the hitch bar 1 so as to be swingable in a substantially horizontal plane between work and transport positions, each stay bar 23,24 in its work position being connectable by a

Abstract: A lockable pedal arrangement having an operating pedal (14) which is movable between raised and depressed positions to perform a function such as the operation of a differential lock in a vehicle such as a tractor. The pedal is pivotally mounted on an operating member (10) and latching means (21a) associated with the pedal are engageable with fixed latching formation (21b) on movement of the pedal to its depressed position and pivoting of the pedal relative to the operating member. Detent means (17,19) at between the pedal (14) and the operating member (10) to hold the pedal in its pivoted position relative to the operating member (10) to maintain the latching means (21a) and latching formation (21b) in engagement and thus hold the operating member (10) in its depressed position.

Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine comprising a piston body (1) and a crown portion (3) that are connected by anchoring means comprising elongate members (7,23,26,79,80) that extend from the crown portion (3) into the piston body (1) so as to transmit tensile and compressive loads from the crown to a portion of the piston body in a region spaced axially away from the crown portion at a temperature which, at maximum operating temperatures, is low enough to prevent loosening of the anchoring means, characterized in that co-operating surfaces of said anchoring means (7,9,16) and piston body (1) are pre-loaded into contact with one another by virtue of mechanically applied strain energy stored in the anchoring means and piston body (1) and which acts axially to prevent parting of said co-operating surfaces by said tensile and compressive loads without being dependent on any reaction forces between the adjacent faces of the crown portion and piston body.

Abstract: The agricultural harvester 10 cooling system includes a heat exchanger 38 for cooling an internal combustion engine 32 and a heat exchanger air cleaner assembly 36. The heat exchanger air cleaner assembly has a fixed screen 62 adjacent the heat exchanger 32 which forms one wall of a large box 45. Channel members 64 and 66 and flat bars 68 hold the fixed screen 62 in a plane and form a plurality of pie-shaped compartments. The air cutoff plate 78 on rotatable shaft 72 closes the pie-shaped compartments and substantially blocks the flow of air through the fixed screen 62. A suction pipe 84 adjacent the fixed screen 62 and inside the large box 45 rotates with the rotatable shaft 72 directly across the fixed screen from the cutoff plate 78. The suction pipe 84 is connected to the intake of a centrifugal blower 118 by a vacuum pipe 96.

Abstract: A lockable control lever arrangement in which a pivotally mounted control lever (10) is provided with linkages (12,13,16,17,18,19) for connecting the control lever with one or more functions to be controlled. A locking device (60) is provided for locking the lever in a given position.The locking device includes a first locking formation (23,24) operatively connected with each of the linkages, a locking member (20,21,22) having a second locking formation (21a,22a) engageable with the first locking formation to lock the control lever (10) in the given position, and a manually operable operating means (26,27,28,29) for moving the locking member to bring the first and second formations into engagement to lock the control lever.The control lever arrangement is particularly applicable to the operation of hydraulic valves which control the loaders and diggers of industrial tractors.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprising a piston (1) having a recessed combustion bowl (3) with a raised projection (4) in the floor of the bowl so as to define an annulus with the sides of the bowl, swirl means to cause the inlet air to rotate about said raised projection, and a fuel injector (2) having orifices that spray a plurality of jets into the annulus at spaced points around the projection (4), the cross-sectional area of the annulus being such as to vary around the projection (4) and to have a minimum value in a median plane (D--D) through the axis (C) of the projection (4), and the injector nozzle (2) being located in a central region of the bowl (3) and having orifices orientated so as to direct jets of fuel both sides of said median plane. The cross-section area of the annulus is varied by varying the radial width of the annulus, this being achieved conveniently in a circular bowl by offsetting the axis (C) of the projection (4) radially from the axis of the bowl (A).

Abstract: A valve comprises rolling diaphragm (7) supported at its outer periphery by an annular support member (8) within which the diaphragm rolls in response to inlet pressure so as to uncover an outlet opening (20) in the support member, thereby to allow the escape of said pressure. Preferably, the diaphragm (7) is annular and is supported at its inner periphery by a guide member (9) that engages on abutment (19) when the outlet opening (20) is closed by the diaphragm, and that guides the diaphragm as it rolls back and opens the outlet opening (20). Preferably, the outlet opening (20) is of reduced width towards that part which is first uncovered by the diaphragm in operation. The valve may include a two part housing (1, 4) with the support member (8) located between the two parts and with the outer periphery of the diaphragm (7) gripped between one part of the housing (4) and the support member (8).

Abstract: A combine harvester of the type having a crop elevator 9, 10, 11 that feeds crop upwards across a crop floor 11 to a crop threshing mechanism comprising a threshing cylinder 1 located adjacent a concave threshing grate 13 and driven to thresh crop fed tangentially between the cylinder and grating, a crop conveyor 14 in the form of a roller or continuous band conveyor being located along the leading edge of the grate 13 with respect to the crop feed direction so that crop passes over it to the cylinder and grating and a changeable speed drive mechanism being provided to drive the conveyor 14 and allow its speed to be changed, thereby to control the speed of crop flow.

Abstract: An engine sump 4 has an oil suction passage 7 formed in its side wall to communicate with the sump well 6 at its lower end and to open upwards at its upper end to communicate with a passage in a crankcase 3. Preferably, the passage 7 opens into an upwardly opening gallery 13 in the top of the sump wall along part of its length. Two such oil suction pipes 7, 8 may be provided at opposite locations relative to a central point so that the sump 4 can be rotated 180 degrees about this point from one fitting position to another. A filter element 11 may be provided in the oil suction passage 7 and held therein by the crankcase 3.

Abstract: A lever mechanism (10) suitably, amongst other uses, for use in the control of tractor draft links (22) from a location remote from the tractor operators station.The lever mechanism includes an operating member (40), a support (43) relative to which said operating member is displaceable (Z), a lever (42) pivotally mounted on the support about a pivot axis (44) which is also translationally moveable (X), a first formation (56) on the lever, a second formation (57) on the operating member, and bias means (53) acting to translationally move the lever on its axis (44) away from the second formation (57) to hold the first and second formations (56,57) disengaged when the lever is released.

Abstract: A seed drill comprising a frame, a series of coulters mounted on the frame at positions which are spaced apart in a transverse direction relative to the direction of operative forward motion of the drill, and actuating means comprising a beam that extends in a transverse direction and is rotatable about its own longitudinal axis and about axes perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, thrust applying means connected between the frame and the beam so as to move the beam downwards, and thrust transmitting means connected between the beam and the coulters characterized in that said thrust applying means comprises two or more levers (20) pivotally mounted on the frame (1) so that they have a common pivot axis that extends in a transverse direction and is spaced from said beam, said beam (16) being rotatably supported at the ends of said levers with at least one lever located at an intermediate region in the length of the beam, and actuator means (21) being connected between the frame (1) and each lever (20).

Abstract: A wheeled industrial/agricultural tractor adapted for use as, for example, an aircraft tug. The tractor has an equipment support frame (3, 28) in the form of a heavy base plate (3) carried beneath an operator's station portion of a conventional tractor chassis (50, 10, 51, 52, 53) and a pair of transversely spaced struts (28) secured (25) to the front portion of the base plate (3) and arranged to extend forwardly thereof. The front ends of the struts have attachment means (19, 28a) for the support of equipment, such as a towing hitch (20), at the front of the tractor. First (1, 2, 70) and second (27, 29, 28c, 28d) attachment means are provided for respectively securing the base plate and struts to the chassis. The tractor also has an engine installation (10, 12, 13, 14) which allows downwardly sloping body panelling (16) at the front to improve vision of the front mounted equipment (20).

Abstract: The objective of the invention is to provide a novel doffer in combination with a chain and slat conveyor which will remove excess billets from the slats with minimal damage to the eyes on the cane billets.The cane billet planter 10 includes a billet hopper 16, and a billet metering mechanism 18. The planter 10 may also have a furrow opening assembly 20 and a fertilizer distributor 22, if desired. The billet metering mechanism 18 includes a billet delivery assembly 84 and an endless chain and slat conveyor 86. The upper shaft 88 of the conveyor 86 has a plurality of sprockets 92. Projections 134, 136 and 138 extend outwardly from the upper shaft 88 between adjacent sprockets 92. The surface of the arcuate member 140 of each projection 134, 136 and 138 engages excess billets on each conveyor slat 102 and gently knocks excess billets off the slat. The excess billets fall from the conveyor slat 102 and onto the return sheet 226.

Abstract: A mower conditioner having a conditioning rotor (22) which is supported at its ends in bearing units (51) that are secured to side support walls (24) by releasable fastening means (56) including a pair of coaxial fasteners defining an axis (68), parallel to that of the rotor axis (23), about which the bearing units (51) and rotor (22) can swing downwards until the rotor (22) contacts the ground, thereby facilitating removal and re-attachment of the conditioning rotor (22). The rotor axis and axis of the fasteners may lie in a plane that is inclined upwards and rearwards from the ground. The rotor (22) may be driven at one end by a spindle (81) that is axially disengageable from the rotor. The spindle (81) may be driven by a chain drive mechanism (71, 76) including an intermediate double ring sprocket (73) that is reversible on its shaft (86) to allow two drive ratios to be selected.

Abstract: A cab for an agricultural, industrial or construction vehicle having front (8), rear (20) and side walls (9) and a driver access door (17) that is hinged along its forward upright edge relative to a side wall (9) and assumes a closed position in which it is angled from said side wall (9) towards the rear wall (20) so that it faces both sideways and rearwards and opens outwards over an entry platform (32) alongside the doorway (15). The door (17) is supported by a hinge assembly (26,27) so that the whole of the upper end of the door (17) moves outwards further than the lower end of the door (17) as the door is opened. Preferably, the upper hinge member (26) is cranked relative to the door (17) and/or the hinge axis (X--X) may be inclined rearwards from top to bottom. A hand-rail (34) may be provided along the outer edge of the platform and be pivotally connected to the door (17) at a point (35) spaced rearwards of the forward edge of the door.

Abstract: Crop collecting apparatus comprising a platform (1) adapted for pivotal up and down movement about an axis that is located at the rear of the platform and extends transversely with respect to the direction of usual forwards motion of the apparatus, the platform comprising a leading section (11) and a rear section (4) hinged together about an intermediate transverse axis (12) extending parallel to said rear axis, and actuation means (3) provided to pivot the platform about the rear axis so as to raise and lower the platform relative to the ground, support means (23) connected between the leading and rear sections (11,4) of the platform (1) so as to support the weight of the leading section and allow it to pivot within a pre-set angular range, sensor means (29,30) that senses when the leading section (11) reaches the limits of the pre-set angular range, and control means (33,34,35) provided to control operation of the actuation means (3) in a manner dependent upon operation of the sensor means (29,30) so that i