Abstract: A mechanically operated proportional flow control valve (8) which a valve spool (9) is described, which is moveable between two end limits limiting a regulating range. A device (20, 22) is described for selectively limiting the regulating range of the valve (8). This device can be used to block “locked-in” positions (F1, RH1) of the spool (9) at the end limits of the regulating range. The device includes a locking bar 20 which has locking formations (28, 29) which engage a pin (22) on a lever (11) connected with the spool (9).

Abstract: A reversible driving arrangement for a tractor or any other vehicle in which a driver's operating station (10) including a seat (11), control panel (13) and steering wheel (12) can be rotated between a forward driving position and a reverse driving position. The operating station (10) is rotatably mounted on a floor of the vehicle via a fluid pressure operated rotary actuator (14) which includes a radially extending vane (28) which can be pressurised on one side or the other to assist in rotating the operating station between the forward and reverse driving positions. The rotary actuator is preferably pneumatically operated and part (22b, 22c) of the operator's station (10) pivots upwardly to a retracted position prior to rotation between the forward and reverse driving positions to reduce the overhang of the station.

Abstract: A drive for a cooling fan at motor vehicles including a main cooling circuit and at least one secondary cooling circuit using a fluid friction clutch including a control element for the drive of the cooling fan is described. In case of a plurality of cooling circuits, such fluid friction clutches do not react as desired by actuating the cooling fan. To prevent this disadvantage, a drive for a cooling fan being drivable by a fluid friction clutch is to be provided, in which the cooling fan starts operation as soon as there is a requirement in at least one of the cooling circuits.

Abstract: An axial piston machine, in particular an axial piston pump, of the swashplate or bent axis type, is described, wherein a fixed control plate (12), which comprises at least one control passage (12a) consisting of a plurality of control passage sections (12b, 12c) separated from each other by bridges (12d), is arranged between a cylinder drum, rotatable in both directions of rotation, and a fixed housing. The object of the invention is to design the control plate of an axial piston machine in such a way that damage by cavitation to the structural parts is prevented over the entire extent of the control passages for the supply and removal of the operating fluid. For this purpose the at least one control passage (12a) in the region at least of one bridge (12d) is provided with a pressure balance opening (13) connecting the surfaces of the control plate (12) with one another.

Abstract: An air guide is disclosed for a bonnet-covered engine bay of a goods vehicles, in particular agricultural tractors, where under the bonnet are located a combustion engine (1), components under high thermal load and low thermal load, and a fan which generates an air flow which is directed through air guide ducts past the combustion engine into the open. As the air flow from the fan heats up greatly on the combustion engine, there is a risk of a deterioration in the functioning of heat-sensitive components exposed to the air flow.

Abstract: An implement mounting device for the front of a utility vehicle such as an agricultural tractor, the device having the two transversely spaced lift arms (2,3) having coupling hooks (6) at their outer ends and being connected at their inner ends to a cross shaft (1a) which is pivotally mounted on a frame of the vehicle. The liftarms are rotatable vertically relative to the frame by a piston and cylinder assembly (4).

Abstract: A vehicle, in particular an agricultural tractor, is disclosed with a vehicle chassis, which is formed at least partly from two laterally spaced side members (1, 2) with C-shaped profile, comprising a vertical bar (1a, 2a) and two horizontal flanges (1b, 2b) and containing hydraulic lines in the space between the flanges, and with a radiator sub-assembly (5), fitted to the vehicle chassis, which consists of a carrier plate (6) fitted to the side members and several oil coolers (8, 9) supported by the carrier plate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hydraulic system for utility vehicles, in particular agricultural tractors, for supplying primary and auxiliary pressure medium consumers (7, 12, 13) with different system pressures, which exceed the load pressure by a pre-determined control pressure differential. In order to produce a first control pressure differential for operating a primary pressure medium consumer, its load pressure is used directly for building up the system pressure and in order to produce a second, higher control pressure differential for operating an auxiliary pressure medium consumer (12,13), its load pressure is converted in an amplifying device (34) to an increased pressure, which is used for building up a higher system pressure.

Abstract: A control means for an agricultural tractor is disclosed which has a switching element carrier arranged in proximity to the leading end region of an arm rest of a driver's seat. The control means has a large number of switches for controlling various vehicle units and the carrier has a hand rest (3, 4) provided with a spherical surface for the palm of the vehicle driver's hand. An adjustment wheel (14, 19) is provided for controlling a switching element (12, 24), the adjustment wheel having a setting rim (14a, 19a) which extends from the switching element carrier in a region which can be reached by the fingers of the hand resting on the hand rest (3, 4). Preferably the control means is provided with two adjustment wheels (14, 19) one above the other, each adjustment wheel having a setting rim (14a,19a) which can be reached by the fingers of a hand resting on the hand rest.

Abstract: A hydraulic system for utility vehicles, in particular agricultural tractors, with a regulated hydraulic pump (1) is disclosed for prioritised pressure medium supply to internal and external pressure medium consumers (6, 11, 12), which are fed via load sensing spool valves (20, 26), the external pressure medium consumers (11, 12) being supplied with pressure medium via a priority valve (17). In the case of known utility vehicles the lowest priority is assigned to the internal pressure medium consumers. Situations are known however, when operating an air seeder for example, in which it is not expedient with the pressure medium supply to give preference to the internal pressure medium consumers over the external because the power capacity of the hydraulic system is not then exploited to an optimum. Short supply to such implements leads to a negative influencing of the work pattern.

Abstract: A holder carried on an agricultural tractor for holding implement coupling balls (1,2). The holder has a rear wall (3), two side walls (4), a base (5) and an open upper end through which the balls may be inserted into the holder. The side walls (4) are shaped (4b) to retain the balls (1,2) within the holder with the inside surfaces of the side walls in contact with portions of the spherical surfaces of the balls which face away from the rear wall (3), and bias means (8) are provided for biasing the balls (1,2) into contact with the inside surfaces of the side walls. An adaptor element (10) may be provided for partially enclosing a ball of a smaller category than the holder was designed to hold, the adaptor element being positioned between the smaller category ball and the side walls (4) so that the smaller ball and adaptor element together occupy a similar volume to the volume occupied by a ball of the category which the holder was designed to hold.

Abstract: Described is a utility vehicle, in particular an agricultural tractor, with a front axle (3), which can be driven by a drive element of a first mulit-disc clutch (11), connected in a driven manner to the drive train (2) and a power take-off shaft (4) which can be driven by the drive train (2) at speed proportionately to the speed of the vehicle over the ground (ground speed power take-off). In order to keep expenditure low on the control of the disc clutch (11) and the power take-off shaft (4), it is proposed that the power take-off shaft can be driven at a speed proportional to the speed of the vehicle over the ground by a second multi-disc clutch (12) which has a drive element connected in a driven manner to the drive train (2), and that both multi-disc clutches (11, 12) are actuated in common.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hydraulic system for utility vehicles, in particular agricultural tractors, for supplying primary and/or auxiliary pressure medium consumers (6, 11, 12) with pressure medium, comprising a pump (1), whose pressure and flow are controlled as a function of the load pressure of the pressure medium consumers by a pressure and flow controller (13) to which whenever auxiliary pressure medium consumers (11, 12) are operating, a higher load pressure compared to the actual load pressure is reported through an amplifier device. In order to obtain rapid response of an actuated auxiliary pressure medium consumer it is proposed that the amplifier device (29) consists of a proportionally controllable pressure reducing valve (39).

Abstract: A mobile high voltage network supplies electrical consumer units connected via a plug-in connector and can be switched on and off by means of mechanical switches, with a fuse responding in the event of a short circuit. The high voltage network carries a direct voltage and to each electrical consumer unit (8; 10) a separate diagnostic and protection monitoring system is assigned which is activated when it is switched on and/or off. Such a direct voltage and high voltage network in conjunction with the diagnostic and protection monitoring system makes it possible, before starting up any circuit of consumer units, to effect a self-diagnosis of the protection monitoring system, to ensure that all components are fully functional. Without this, self-diagnosis with proof of functionality the relevant circuit of consumer units is not switched on.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hydraulic system for utility vehicles, in particular agricultural tractors, for supplying primary and/or auxiliary pressure medium consumers (6, 11, 12) with pressure medium, comprising a pump (1), sucking from a pressure medium tank (3), the pump being controlled as a function of the load pressure of the pressure medium consumers and supplying a pump pressure exceeding the load pressure by a predetermined control pressure differential. In order to produce a first control pressure differential for operating a primary pressure medium consumer (6) its load pressure acts upon a pressure and flow controller (13) of the pump and in order to produce a second higher control pressure differential for operating an auxiliary pressure medium consumer (11, 12) a pressure exceeding their load pressure is produced by means of an amplifying circuit (29).

Abstract: A drive and a method to control the drive of an agricultural vehicle, especially of a tractor, is described. The drive includes a combustion engine (M) and an infinitely variable electro-mechanical torque split gear. To avoid dissipation of reactive power the drive includes a shift gear (F) which has at least two input shafts (2, 3) each connected to at least one transmission step. Each of the at least two input shafts (2, 3) is in driving condition via a clutch (K1,K2) with a planetary gear (P1, P2) each with two inputs. The first input of each planetary gear (P1, P2) can be driven by a clutch (KV) from the driven shaft (1) of the combustion engine (M). The second input of each planetary gear (P1, P2) can be driven by a respective electric motor (S1, S2). At least one of the planetary gears (P1, P2) is designed to be locked-up. The drive can be operated in pure electric mode, in electro-mechanical mode or in pure mechanical mode.

Abstract: A radiator module for commercial motor vehicles, in particular for agricultural tractors, has a support plate (7) fixed to the chassis and at least one coolant radiator (10) fixed to the support plate. The radiator has a radiator block (17) and two coolant tanks (19, 20) oriented at opposite ends of the block with one tank (20) adjacent the support plate (7) and one (19) spaced away form the support plate. In order to increase the cooling performance of the radiator module (6) despite keeping the installation space above the support plate (7) constant it is proposed that the coolant tank near the plate (20) is constructed from two mutually complementing tank parts (26, 28). The first tank part (26) is assigned to the radiator block (17) and has an encircling flange (25) for pressure sealed attachment of the coolant radiator (10) on the support plate (7). A second tank part (28) is assigned to the support plate (7).

Abstract: The invention discloses a utility vehicle, in particular an agricultural tractor, with a steering system having single-wheel-suspended steering wheels, which are mounted on a respective wheel carrier (11). Each wheel carrier (11) may be swivelled about the axis of at least one rigidly connected bolt (18) and is connected via a ball-and-socket joint (9) on the at least one bolt, to a transverse steering element (1) that is articulated to the vehicle body. Associated with the ball-and-socket joint (9) is a steering angle sensor (22) comprising a rotatable input member (23), which is located at least approximately in the extension of the axis of the swivel bolt (18). The rotatable input member (23) is connected to the bolt via an entrainment element (25) that transmits the swivel motion of the bolt in an angularly precise manner to detect the current swivel position of the wheel carrier (11).

Abstract: A method of applying substances to a land begins with inputting data indicative of the substance requirement for the land into a processor. The land is traversed with a vehicle having an engine and a transmission that can vary the vehicle speed without adjusting the engine speed. The vehicle has an appliance including a mechanism for applying the substance to the land. The appliance application rate is input into the processor with the desired engine speed. The land is traversed with the vehicle with the engine speed set at the desired engine speed. The vehicle position is established, and a signal is generated to indicate a requirement for adjustment to the transmission to change the vehicle speed to match the individual section requirement to the appliance application rate. Lastly, the transmission is adjusted according to the signal generated by the processor.

Abstract: An arrangement of radiators (2–6) for a utility vehicle, e.g., an agricultural tractor, comprising three or more cooling radiators which together define a chamber (7), optionally with some of the walls formed by perforated plates instead of radiator elements. One of the radiator elements may be pivotally mounted with respect to the others to provide access to the chamber. The arrangement of radiators may be mounted on a common support (1).