Inventors:
Raymond Dennis Thompson - Waterloo IA, US
Peter Alan Kosmicki - Cedar Falls IA, US
Jeffrey David Dawson - Cedar Falls IA, US
Scott Lisle Cook - Cedar Falls IA, US
Edwin Roy Kreis - Waterloo IA, US
Michael Dean Kollath - Dunkerton IA, US
Joe Lyle Schutte - Cedar Falls IA, US
Robert James White - Waterloo IA, US
Assignee:
Deere & Company - Moline IL
International Classification:
A01B 59/00, G01L 1/22
Abstract:
A draft force sensor is provided for a coupling member coupled between a towing vehicle and a towed earth engaging implement, such as a scraper. The draft force sensor includes first and second bores extending through the coupling member. Each bore has a horizontal axis which extends perpendicular to a main fore-and-aft axis of the coupling member. The second bore is positioned above the first bore and spaced apart from the first bore. Each of the bores is surrounded by an outer cylindrical wall. Four electrical strain gauges are spaced apart and placed on the wall of each of the bores. A center line bisects an axis line which extends between the axes of the first and second bores. The axis of each bore is spaced apart from the center line by a distance which is less than a diameter of the bores. The strain gauges are connected electrically in a circuit which generates a draft force signal in response to draft forces applied to the coupling member.