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Publication numberUS1047644 A
Publication typeGrant
Publication dateDec 17, 1912
Filing dateMay 16, 1911
Priority dateMay 16, 1911
Publication numberUS 1047644 A, US 1047644A, US-A-1047644, US1047644 A, US1047644A
InventorsJohn Y James
Original AssigneeHenry B Hefner, John Y James
Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
Automatic steering device.
US 1047644 A
Abstract  available in
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Claims  available in
Description  (OCR text may contain errors)




Patented Deo. 1'?, 1912.



APPLICATION FLED MAY 16. 1911. lQQ/h Patented Deo. l?, 1912.





i. Patented De@ 17,1912





s'. Patented Dec. 17, 1912.


3M vanto@ U12( e/GbffeS Clt UNiTnD sTArEs 1r,




Specification of Letters Patent.

-` Application ledlay 16, i913.. seriall sie. 627,63.

To all whom it may concern:

in the county ofHBeckhnin and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new :ind useful `Improvements in Automatic Steering Devices, of which the following is "a specification. f

This invention relates to automatic steering devices for motor driven trucks tigri- 'cultural.niiicliinery und the like.

The object oi' the invention is to provide -zi motor truck of simple :ind durable constriictionpeapiible ol' makingV a -rclzitivelv short turn ind wlii'eli will automatically follow the tziriow so :is-to guido the iniichine around :i field or other inelosiire Without attention on the pzirt .of the operator.

'A further olrjeet is to provide :i truck,

the foi'wii-i'd wheels of which :ire 'pivotzilly mounted on the 'tiri-nt' nxle :indeiinneeted hy y:i transverse steering i'ird from w'iiieh nre `Suspended eometinif pilot' wheels or disks adapted to ti'iivel in n -l'|ii'vow.

A `further oli'jeet is te provide nienns for adjusting; the disksI or pilot wheels to present either the ion\'er"^iii;m' djivenginy; edges 'ot' the disks to the iirrow. :ind menus for vieldnlili' siippei't'ing'siiid disks in the 'lilrrow so is to prevent injury thereto sl'ieuld the disks strike :i stone ir other olistruetion 'in said l'urifow.

understoed that viirious leliiiiiifes iii tornn' proportions :ind in inor detailsl of eoislruetioiiinivlie resorted to witliinvtlie scope ot' the appended claims.

For u full understanding of the invention and the merits tlieieo'l', i'efereiiee is to be had to the following deseriptioii :nid :ieeon'ipiinying drawings, in which:

Figure l is ii peispeetiie view ot' :i motor A driven vtriiek eoiisti-iieted in iieeordnnce with my invention, showing the position of the pilot wheels or disks when the device is used for cultivating; Fig. 2 is s .longitudinal sectional View of the saine: Fig. 3 is a front elevation; Fig. 4- is :i side elevation, part-ly in section of one of the pivoted knuckles et the frontr axle, showing the construction of the sinne; Fig. 5 is e transverse sectional view showingF the construction of ,the clutch mechanism on the rear driving wlieelsof the truck; Eig. 6 is :i longitudinal sectional view l of Fig. 5; Fig. l is s vertical sectional ViewE showing the construction of the crank shaft: of tne pilot wheels or disks; Fig. 8 is a perspectiif'efifiew 'of one of the knuckles detached: 9 is a perspective View, showing the extension -rod in' position on the steering1 rod and the pilot wheels or disks adjusted thereon for listing or planting; Fig. 1t) is s. )erspective View, showing the construction ogt the pilot wheels or disks when the device is used for breaking land.

Coi-responding :ind like parts tire. referred to in the tolloiiing description and indicated in :ill the views of the drawings by the saine reference elisrseters.

The niotoi' driven truck comprises front zinc. rear titties 5S and 6 connected by spaced. longitudinally disposed sillsl'? on which is i mounted n motor 8 of :my suitable construction. Seemed to the driving shaft 9:v the motor, is :i pinion l0 which meshes Wwith a greniwheel ll secured to one end of :i treinsverse shaft l?. there, being :i similar pinion l?, seeured to the other end of the shaft 'l2 :ind :idiipted to mesh with :i master geei- M mounted on the reni' Tile ti., so that mot-ion nitty he tinnsinitied i'roin the meter. il through theinedi'aini of the ingr te the 'for pli-i other 1n- :it the front et' the truer.; :ire spaced plates lt'i which overhip ffoirespondingi plates l? mounted on the trent :ixle sind plates heing pivotnliy eonneetml lay ii transverse holt e lli `l8 so :is in permit tilting* movement oi the zii .in n veli; pinne. when the machine. meting rough. uneven ground, while et. the .fine time preventing horizontal pivotal movement oi' said front axle. The front :isle is preferably provided with oppositely disposed reinforcing ribs lll which hen.; ageinstthe lower edges Patented Dec. 1'?, fi I .0r disks of' the plates 17 and serve 'te in sin porting the sume.

Boltecl er ntlierwine rigidly Secure' the opposite ends; ntf the fronti :inte ti? nre brnekets 20, erich preferafilily ittnined in lnn seet'ioris having thei inner end prnviilwl with grnnves 2l adapted tn reeeirn the mijn" rent longitudinal edges nl will :axle :intl their ont'er ends provided w'ih nrerlningjiiing nrnis 2Q, between which nre iiiwtelly innni1ted knuckle?)` 23. The knuckles 'i nre pril inner ends nl the nrlnn tl() nre bolted er ntlierwise rigidly secured tn the fingern 2th while they outer ends; theren't nre diispniied nn converging lines; und rigidly united by ,i bolt or similar fastening derive 3l. 'the arms 30 are ennnemed by n t1nnSrer,-:e rnd 32, nn the @ppnsite enfin` ot whieh nre imitant ed 'tubular nien'ihers: nr @enkels Sil, inning' spaced fingern :2l-fi which feuer-hip the mijn cent arms titl tn permitthe patinage ntf the fastening devices illL so that when the rml 32 is shifted l'rnnS-:rersely erf the ti'nilnl :l correspnnding; nnweinent `will be .iiinultznnL onnly impur-ted tn both nl the l'rnnt wheely 25 of said trunk ihr the pnrpnnir nti Steering' the latter.

Depending trein the emnwvting red iii?. is n. tin'ne 5 inrludingr sipneedwide linie; haring their 'ripper ends ennnerted lijf :i lirbnlnr member or islet-re lt whiih einlnzn'ew the rnd 32 and 'furnis n. pivutnl eminentinn between the rnd and tranne. The lower ends: nti' the side bars nt the traine S5, :1re p 'milled with trnnSveree perte/minuta in whivh i,: liournnted n curved i' nrrhed sinh nlnill iii' having enacting pilni wheels nr disks :if nlmnited t'nr rntntinn thereon nini :idnpterl to t'nrel in. :i 'turrnw tnr the pnrpiw et guiding the timeka As n menne; fmndjnstingg tht;A pilnt nflrilm 3S en ne tn present either the enn-` vergingr wr diverg'ing edges nl mid dietas tn the furrow, there in prnrided n rml ll.. pret-- ernbly formed in twn eertiens, une et whieh is connected with the intermediate linwed ne' curved por linn of the etui) Shall; ITL while the other is eniineeted Wit-h the sleeve titi.

The inner ends nt' the rod sections: 'll :ire

threaded for engngexnent 1with n, turn hnekle fl-O so that by rotating; nl tnrn buckle, 'the lower rod section 39 nitty' he lengthened nr it 1.7 im

infranti ailinrlened :ind thus rotnte the stub Shaft 37 tn ei'let the nngulnr movementr nt the pilot wheelr-J' or ilissks 38. i

l* tired to the stub IQhnltt 37, is n yoke 41.

in nprmrdly nud renrwnrdlyv extendni .n el, the 'tree end nt' whil'li ira slidnbly tinted in n inhulnr ineiuher -l'l detnehnhly erin-ed tn n lriinfliersie druft bur it, there heling n wiring; i5 inlerpnsi-d het\\'een the tubnl i nljtr lil :ind ''nrk ll en :is to permit :i nl@ rert'ienl nmieinenl nl' the pilot 'wheels nr (linke und thun prevent injury 'therein should mid wheels or disks strike :i whine nr nther obntrnetion in the t'urrnw. 'lhe dritti bnr {ltin detnrhnlily seein-ed to the lnngg'itiudinnl sills 7 by bolts nr similar 'linnteninn' deriee, one end nt' the nur beingjr :it the rear nf the :idjnrent tnrn'nrd wheel 2h und tlunife litternlly' ln torni :1n :mn ttl, there being spaced pertirntinns 41'( lif'iri'nerl in the bndy of the dr: ttbnr nnd niln 4V so :ns tn permit the 'tnhuliir inenilier lil tn he nttnrhed :1t :my point on thil draft bnr, ns lnr inwinnen, when the pilot wheels or disks nrt` adjusted l:1ti ernlly mi' the n'ulehine l'nr list innr nr plnnting. iihiie it: will be Seen that :1517 the r'n-netini: (links nr pilnt' wheele` Ih@ tru-vel in the furrow ,unid disksj h v engagement with the n'nlls nl the t'urrnn will follow the latter, :md tlirnngh the inediul'n nl the eminei'tinglr rnd $2 und :irnir-z ill), Steer the 'liront'- \\l|eels nl the trutln ne nill he readily nndersttmd.

'lhe rinnl of the rear tvluils 15 ntf the truck: nre preferably l'nrineil nl n plurnflity nl overlapping seetinm ttl rmlnerted lily f-:pnlies titl with the hub` fil thereof, there being' riieiuu'trrentinl ruwweg 5l formed' in the hubs nl the wheell to reeeive the intermediate pnrtinzm nl the spokes. 'llle spokes .titl :are enel: preternlil)r tinrmed of :i single nennth eli metal lient upon it'sel'l Se :in to tit Vwithin the :iilimeut wenns 51', the nppnsitc ends nlI the spoken being' extended through the m'erlnpped ends all) ni the rim Seetious und riveted or ntherwise rigidly Seeured hereto.

tiernred te the 'hub of enf-l1 rear Wheel 15, in :i ene-ing' i2 lnn'ing' :i Series of' spaced rerisees nr sockets 531i formed therein tor enn'ngreuwnt with IQliitnble spring pressed pzuvls El filirlnlily nnninted in enllnrn 55 keyed 01' rithern'nie rigidly secured to the renr axle 6, im liest shown Vin Fig. t' ot' the drawings.

ylhe nnte-r ends of the pnvwls 54 nre. inclined pr llnreled :ind nnrinnlly held in eugrzigw nient; with the sockets n1' recesnes 53 by ny coil npring 5Vv3 the pnnls on one 0f the wheels heinnj inclined in :1 direction Opposite the pnwls i the other wheel ofthe truck so as to perit une nt' the wheelsito rotate faster than t in nther when making n turn. A plow Shure l7 in preferably Suspended from the trluk nl: the renr and to one side of one of the tfrint. wheels the rear plows 58 beingr so Liliiiiiiilltltlllttntin nu i ifi


As a. means for steering truck when the furrow pilot is no*d in use, that is to say, when transporting the truck from one portion of a tield to another, there is provided a steering rod 59, one end of which is leent to form a' crank arm Gt) which opersites in a. vertically disposed loop 'Si detachebly secured to the conneetinggl rod 32, as shown. The other end of the rod 59 proljeets at; the rear of4 the truck and is provided with an operatinghandle 62 byu-nouns 'of which said rod may` be rotated so as to Cause the trank arm 6@ to bea-r against either Wall of the loop Gl andltlirough the medium of the vrod 32 and arms 30, tiltthe front i Wheels of the truck to effect the guiding thereof.

When' the truck is used for listing or planting, an extension rod 63 1s det'aeliably secured to the connecting rod 82 and the furrow pilot mount-ed on the free end of said extension rod and to onetside of the forward wheel of the truck, as best shown in `ltig. 9 of the drawings. IThe extension rod 63 is pii'otully mounted on the connecting rod by :i elip Gli, there being a spring;

b5 orining yieldable eonneetion between the rod and adjacent soeket 33 so as to normally and yieldably hold the pilot 'wheels or disks :igainstJthe furrow.

li/Til'ien the truek is used for breaking hind, a furrow pilot ot' 'the construction shtfiwn in Fig. or" the drawings, the disks or wheels 3S being disposed onein adi'anre the other sind inelined downwardly with respon-5 to the supporting' lira'ekot (itl.I ln this form of the device, a casting ,6? is loosely. mounted oiithe 'e.\;tension rod Gti and iii proiided with a vertieally disposed recess ils'iidapted to i'ereii'e a vertiral extensionorrod iii) on 'the supportiugliraeket titi, 'said rod beinga held against rotation huifsuitablestserews'itland provided with a squared terniina Il whirl: tits within a cor respondinnjly squared soi-liet formed in :in arni Til, the 'tree eiulot' the latter being' vonneeted with the eonneriinnf rod 3i of the trurk by means of a eoil spring T25, as shown. f

When the derive is used `tor -'lilti\'aliii the loop tti is delai-heil l'roin the minnen-ting rod 82 and disks 3i' "fastened on said eoiineeting rod 3.9. in the manner shown in Fig. l of the drawings, so that the trurk travels over` a field, the wheels of said ii-urk will span the 'furrow with the pilot wheels or disks engagingthe furrow, thus to `guide the i'iuek. lili/hen lisiing'or planting. the rodti-l is attached to the intermediate portion of fue connecting rod andthe pilot. wheels or disks 'adjusted to tle position shown in il of tiie`draiings, in which orient, the

ilie eoutliiigj pilotv wheels oi" pilot wheels or disks will follow the last furrow and thus automatically guide the truck around the entire. field ywithout attention on the part of the operator. lVhen the device is used for breakingland, the pilot wheels yor disks 38 are removed from the extension rod (33 and the pilot wheels or disksK 38^placedfin position thereon in the lnianner shown in'Fig. l0 of the drawings.

Thus it willbe seen that after a furrow has once been fornied Vand theipilot wheels or disks positioned therein, the disks will follow the sueeessive fui-rows until the entire field has been cultivated.

Vv'hile the furrow pilot. is preferably in the form of eti-acting disks, it will of course be understood that saidfurrow pilot may assume the form of spoked wheels, and that but a single wheel or disk may be employed to eH'eCt the guiding ot the truck, without departingl from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is Claimed as new is:

l. A truck includingpivoted i'ront wheels, a rod disposed in front ot'and eonueeting;

`said wheels. a furrow pilot operatively oonneot'ed with the rod `tor autoniatiealli' ruht 4 said trueli' and' furrow pilot in rear of said rod for jyieldabli" holding; the pilot in its lowered operative posit-ion.

2. sli trurk inrliiding pivoted front wheels, a. rod connecting said wheels. a furrow pilot. operativel)v eonneited with the rod and inchilling' eo-aetinglr disks arranged at an angle Ito each other, and means for adjusting' said disks to present either the eoni'erging or diverging edges thereof to the furrow.

3. trui-k ineluding pii'oted l'rout wheels, :i i'od eonneeling,r said wheels.v a lui-row pilot operatively eonneeted with ll-ie rod and in- '.rluding a frame havingr eo-ai-liiigr disks mounted for rotaiitin therein and disposed at un angle to each other. nieans 't'oiadjust ing' said disks to present either the von verging or divergfingr edgest'liereol' to the furrow, :intl ,a i'ieldalile 'eonnertionbetween. the l'ranie and trunk.

i? truek nt'ludiiilfr pii'oleil l'ronl wheels, a rod ronneetim;Aw .said wheels. sp'aeeil supports eai'i'ied b i' said rml, a bowed shalt journaled in said supports. eo-aetingr disks tai'i'ietl bi saiihsliait, and ineans 'l'oi' "rotatiin,r the sliat't` to vary the relativepositions ot the disks. i

.\ triu'k iiirludinf`r a front axle, ln'aekets ving the truf'k, and means disposed between secured to ,the opposite ends ol' the i'ront" axle, knuekles pivotull),v mounted in saiil ln'aekets and provided with attaehing tingers, forward wheelsmounted for rotation en ,the knuekles,arnis haring their inner ends secured tothe attaching lingers and their outer 'ends united, a rod forming a connection' between the united ends of theI arms, afurrojiiqpilot operatively connected willi the rod and including spaced side members having' abowed shaft journaled therein and provided with (3o-acting disks, a connection between the shaft and truck, and means for rotating the shaft to present either the ccnrcrging or diverging edges ot the disks to the furrow.

t. truck intiluding pivoted front wheels, a transverse bar seeurid to the truck in rear ot' said whecis, a rod connecting; 'the trout wheels. a furrow pilot operatively connected with said rod, and an extensible connection between the transverse bar and said furrow pilot.

i'. A truck including a front axle, knuckles pivotally mounted on the trout axle and provided with stub shafts, wheels journaled on the stub shafts, attachingr fingers extendin.;r At'orwardl)7 troni the knuckles, converging arms rigidly secured to the attaching` fingers, a rod disposed in front of the axle and forming a f onnection between the eonvereineends ot' the arms, a bar extendingr transversely across the truck at the rear of the trout wheels thereof, a 'furrow pilot opH eratively connected with the rod disposed in trout ol' the axle, and a yieldable connecw tion het w-fen said furrow pilot and the transverse bar at the rear ot' the wheels.

truck including' a t'iont axle, knuckles pivotally mounted on the axle aud provided with stub shat'ts. toi\.\'ard.wheels journaled on the stub shat'ts, Aspaced attaching lingers extending laterally trom the knuckles, converging arms rigidly secured to the attaching fingers, a connecting rod, sockets secured to the opposite ends ot the connecting' rod and prtnided-with lingers embracing and secured to the arms. an extension rod secured to the connectingV rod. a furrow pilot pivotally mounted on the extension rod, a transverse bar secured to the truck,and a yieldablc connection between the transverse bar and said `t'urrow pilot.

t). A truck including' pivoted trout wheels. a rod foi-mintr a connection between said wheels. an extension rod mounted on the first mentioned rod, a furrow pilot pivotally mounted on the extension rod, a connection between the furrow pilot and trame of the truck, and a spring termine' a yieldable c :nnection between the extension rod and said tirst mentioned rod.

-adapted to receive 10. A truck including pivoted front wheels, a rod forming a connection bet-Ween the it'ront wheels, a` furrow pilot operatively connected with the rod and including spaced side bars, a. bowed shaft journaled in the side bars, co-acting disks mounted on said shaft, a sectional rod having one section thereof secured t-o the furrow pilot and imother section engaging the bowed portion ot the shaft for rotating the shaft to effect the adjustment ot the disks, and a connection between the bowed shaft and the truck.

1l. A truck including a front axle, knuckles pivotally mounted on the axle, arms extending laterally from the knuckles, a rod connecting said arms, an extension rod secured to the first mentioned rod, a frame pivotally mounted on the extension rod and including spaced rods connected by a tubw lar member, a bowed shaft journaled in the rods of the frame and provided with c0- actingr disks, a fork mounted on the bowed shaft and provided with an extension, a. transverse bar secured to the truck and having one end thereof extended laterally be youd the adjacent side of the truck, atubu lar member secured to the transverse bar and the extension of the fork, a. springr interposed between the tubular member and fork, and a sectional rod forming a connection between the tubular member ot the frame and bowed portion of the shaft for rotating` the latter to adjust the disks. i

l2. A truckincliulingir front and rear axles, ground wheels journaled on the rear axle, knuckles pivotally mounted on the front axle, forward wheels `journnled on the knuckles, arms secured to said knuckles, a rod connecting the arms, an upstanding loop secured to the rod, a steering rod journaled on the truck and provided with a crank arm operating in the loop, and a furrow pilot operatively connected with the tirst mentioned rod for automatically tilting the front wheels of the truck to effect the steering7 ot the latter.

ln testimony1 whereof, I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN Y. JAMES. lVitnesscs:

SAMUEL N. Amina, W. N. lVoonsoN.

Referenced by
Citing PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitle
US2555793 *Apr 6, 1946Jun 5, 1951Norman FryeTractor guiding mechanism
US4176721 *Nov 28, 1977Dec 4, 1979Kep EnterprisesDepth control for ground working agricultural implements
US5103924 *Sep 10, 1990Apr 14, 1992Walker Dean BMechanically coupled automatic guidance system for agricultural tractors
U.S. Classification104/244.1
Cooperative ClassificationA01B69/008