Hydraulic Work Unit Leveling And Calibration System For An Agricultural Implement

摘要

An agricultural implement has a depth control system in which a position sensor directly measures linear translation of a hydraulic cylinder that lifts and lowers a work unit on an implement frame to set and adjust the depth of the work unit without the use of a rockshaft. The position sensor may be positioned adjacent to or integrally formed with the hydraulic cylinder, and provides a voltage to a controller remote from the implement. The controller automatically adjusts the flow of hydraulic fluid to and from the hydraulic cylinder to maintain the depth of each work unit at an operator-selected level and can be used to calibrate the actual position of multiple work units relative to the frame and to one another.

主权项

1. An agricultural machine, comprising:
a frame; a plurality of farming related work units pivotally coupled to the frame; a number of cylinders coupled between the frame and each of the work units, the cylinders configured to raise and lower the work units relative to the frame and to one another to adjust a depth of the work units; a fluid reservoir operably connected to each of the number of cylinders; a number of fluid flow valves operably connected between the fluid reservoir and each of the cylinders to control the flow of fluid between the reservoir and the cylinders; a position sensor associated with each cylinder and configured to measure a linear displacement of each cylinder and output a signal indicative of a depth of the work unit associated with the cylinder; a controller operably connected to the position sensors and the fluid flow valves associated with each cylinder, the controller operable to selectively direct the flow of fluid between the reservoir and each valve in response to the signal from the position sensor for the associated cylinder to selectively raise and lower each, work unit relative to the frame independently of the other work units.