Abstract: A self-locking step assembly is attached to a vehicle by rigidly connecting the outer cylinder of the assembly to the vehicle frame. The outer cylinder is secured with the centerline of its concentric inner and outer walls being substantially vertical. The inner cylinder of the assembly is slidably and rotatably positioned within the inside wall of the outer cylinder. The inner cylinder has a step secured to its bottom section, with the step being substantially perpendicular to the inner cylinder. The assembly also utilizes a locking pin that is rigidly secured to one of the inner or outer cylinders, and a cam slot that is in the other of the inner and outer cylinders. The pin engages the cam slot which has first and second portions connected by a third portion. When the pin is in the first portion of the cam slot, the step is held in its used position by gravitational forces. When the pin is in the second position of the cam slot, the pin is held in its stored position by the same gravitational forces.

Abstract: A multi functioning hydraulic transmission control circuit including interacting valve mechanism parts which, in response to a shift being called for in a clutch-cylinder-controlled multi-speed transmission, inaugurate a fill pressure flow to the clutch cylinders concerned, prior to the subsequent fluid pressure rise effected therein; thereafter, upon completion of the fill, the parts modulate pressure rise of the hydraulic clutch fluid from and at approximately actual clutch fill pressure up to, and remaining at, the final pressure of engagement.

Abstract: Individual rotary flow control valves associated with and metering hydraulic fluid flow through one or more directional control valves mounted on a tractor frame are connected by flexible push-pull cables to respective control sectors located adjacent the tractor seat so that an operator may control the flow rate to a remote hydraulically driven or adjusted implement from the tractor seat.

Abstract: Hydrostatic tractor's drive and braking system, particularly one controlled, first, by a tractor safety lock lever which, when put "on," both neutralizes the engine-driven, variable ratio hydrostatic system for positively preventing drive and also sets the brakes for simultaneously positively preventing rolling and, second, by a two-stage brake pedal which is overcontrolled by the safety lock lever whenever the lever is "on" and which operates initially to intensify engine braking by increasing the hydraulically fixed ratio of the hydrostatic drive and its rate of dynamic dissipation of power, and which operates finally to neutralize drive and set brakes in an overlapping sort of way with the function of the safety lock lever and exactly the same as the safety lock lever does whenever "on.

Abstract: A farm tractor having front and rear frames pivotally interconnected to define an axis of articulation for steering in which the physical arrangement and relationships of the pivot points for the steering cylinders relative to said axis provide desired steering characteristics.

Abstract: A forage harvester having a cutterhead housing, a rotary reel cutterhead, a recutter screen mounted adjacent the cutterhead periphery and a crop blower for generating an air suction in the outlet of the cutterhead housing is provided with a transverse baffle sheet disposed within the housing in spaced relation from the floor to define the upper side of an air duct separated from the operative region of the recutter screen and extending from beneath the cutterhead area to direct the inlet air across the floor of the cutterhead housing to the discharge mechanism.

Abstract: A tire illumination arrangement for an articulated tractor. The tractor has front and rear sections pivotally connected along an axis of articulation with a source of electric current mounted on one of the sections. The front and rear sections are each supported by a pair of ground engaging tires, which are mounted on and for rotation with an axle. In addition, the front section tires each have an inner surface which face opposite sides of the front section. The arrangement utilizes a lighting device which is electrically connected to the source of electric current. The lighting device is mounted on the front section, below and rearward of the front axle. This arrangement also utilizes a mechanism, interposed in the electrical connection between the lighting device and the source of electric current, to selectively supply the device with a flow of electric current from the source.

Abstract: A guard for a constant-rotating drive shaft in an articulated farm tractor in which a pair of universal joints are connected on either side of a sliding coupler in the drive shaft, the guard having a pair of U-shaped members, one member affixed to a wall with a bearing supporting the drive shaft from the engine on the front frame and the other member affixed to a transfer case on the rear frame. The two members are spaced apart a slight distance in the straight ahead position, but a portion of one member nests within the other member during articulation of the tractor.

Abstract: A cotton harvester (10) is provided with several independently hydraulically adjustable heater units (16) that are movable in unison or completely independently depending on ground plane elevation. A rotary flow divider (30) is positioned in the supply conduit (42) to the header units (16) to control synchronous movement of the units.

Abstract: An implement that includes a pair of furrow forming disks, a seed tube located between the disks for depositing seed in the furrow, a seed firming wheel rotatably supported between the disks for movement in the furrow generally adjacent the tube exit and a pair of pivotally mounted furrow closing and gauge wheels located generally adjacent the seed firming wheel. The elements of the implement are particularly constructed and arranged primarily to achieve accurate seed depth control.

Abstract: A motor truck door check and holding device comprising a spring bar having a cylindrical end portion pivotally connected to a swingable hinge half and having an elongated cam portion passing through an opening in the stationary hinge half. The cam portion has a hump which passes through the opening and springs upwardly and engages with the solid surface around the opening to hold the door in an open door position.

Abstract: A shift gate 22 allowing movement of a control lever 12 in a fore and aft plane is provided with a pivotable plate 46 having a recess 60 located in the midsection of said pivotable plate corresponding to a neutral position of a control lever. The control lever 12 will be locked in neutral when the pivotable plate is swung into position and an attached security knob 56 draws the pivotable plate 46 into a restrained position.

Abstract: A control lever 10 is restrained in a neutral position through the interaction of a perforated hinged plate 24 with a horizontal rod 16 extending from said control lever 10. The hinged plate 24 is provided with a spring 44 to urge the plate 24 into engagement with the upwardly extending end portion 20 of the rod 16 attached to the control lever 10. The spring 44 also urges the hinged plate 24 into a disengaged over-center position when the lever trap is in a disengaged mode.

Abstract: An articulated tractor that has its front and rear sections pivotally connected along the tractor's axis of articulation. The lead surface of the rear section and the trailing surface of the front section form an articulation space which is in close proximity to the articulation axis. To improve this arrangement, a cover is provided which substantially encompasses the articulation space with an enclosure. The enclosure incorporates at least two flexible bellows, which are opaque between their forward, rearward, top and bottom edges. The enclosure also includes four bands, a plurality of elements rigidly securing one of the bands to each of the forward and rearward edges of the bellows, and a plurality of members rigidly secured to the bands. The cover also utilizes a support to pivotally support the enclosure. This support is rigidly secured to either the front or the rear section of the tractor.

Abstract: A fuel tank arrangement for a tractor which stores its fuel in an auxiliary tank and a main tank that are spaced apart in the tractor. The tractor's engine receives its supply of fuel from a fuel pump after it has passed through a primary fuel filter. The fuel tank arrangement incorporates a first line fluidly connecting the main tank to the fuel pump. The arrangement also utilizes a main vent to connect the forwardmost portion of the upper section of the main tank to the atmosphere, and an auxiliary vent to connect the rearwardmost portion of the upper section of the auxiliary tank to the atmosphere. The next element of the arrangement is a supply system which requires all of the fuel to pass through the main tank to reach the fuel pump. The supply system fluidly connects the bottom section of the auxiliary tank with the forwardmost portion of the top section of the main tank through a second line.

Abstract: Booster providing both hydraulic feed-back and hydraulic feel-back in a two-stage operation in which we boost-brake a vehicle. Concentric, nesting, inner and outer control parts include, as the sliding outer part, a brake-pedal-connected input signal spool or sleeve for developing a desired signal pressure varying linearly along the length of, and therefore according to the sliding position of, the sleeve; the inner part constitutes a captive, telescoping metering spool with its ends in corresponding ends of the spool sleeve.

Abstract: An implement that includes a central subframe, a center frame, a pair of wing frames pivotally connected to the ends of the center frame for movement between a transversely aligned operating position and a rearwardly folded transport position, and a set of extendable transport wheels mounted on the rear end of the subframe generally adjacent the wing transport wheels, wherein the noted transport wheels provide the sole ground contact of the implement during transport for desirable handling characteristics.

Abstract: A two pump, two motor hydrostatic drive vehicle is provided with service brakes having an operating linkage interconnected with the speed control linkage for the hydrostatic pump in such a manner that depressing the brake pedal returns the pump swash plate control arms to neutral and releasing the brake pedal returns the control arms to the forward speed position previously set by the operator speed control lever.

Abstract: A motor truck hood opening damper restraint in the form of a vertically mounted, hydraulic hood damper or dash pot which restricts the speed of travel of the hood past an overcenter position, cushions the hood at the stop at the open position and permits unrestricted speed of travel when closing the hood.