Vibration isolated unitary cab and control console construction for a tractor

Abstract

A tractor is provided with a unitary cab and control console construction which is secured to the tractor chassis by resilient mount assemblies which provide vibration isolation. The cab is disconnectible from the control console and during assemblage of the tractor, the control console may be mounted as a unit on the tractor chassis to provide controls for testing the working of and/or for moving the tractor before completing assembly of the tractor by adding the cab.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a tractor having a rigid main frame including a fore-and-aft extending portion supporting an engine and a hood overlying the engine, and including a pair of rearward transversely extending axle housings projecting outwardly from opposite sides of the main frame, the improvement comprising: a cab disposed generally above a rearward portion of the main frame; a seat mounted within the cab; a generally upright control console disposed forwardly of the seat and rearwardly of the engine and hood and carrying manually actuatable control elements, the cab and control console being connected to form a closed operator's station; a first pair of mounting brackets respectively mounted on opposite sides of the main frame rearwardly of the engine; a first pair of resilient mounting means connecting the control console to the first pair of mounting brackets; a second pair of mounting brackets respectively attached to the opposite axle housing; and a second pair of resilient mounting means connecting the cab to the second pair of mounting brackets, the first and second pairs of mounting means forming a resilient mount for the entire operator' s station to isolate the operator' s station from the main frame. 
     
     
       2. In a tractor including a chassis, the improvement comprising: a first pair of generally fore-and-aft aligned support brackets secured to said chassis at respective locations to one side of the fore-and-aft centerline of said chassis and a second pair of generally fore-and-aft aligned support brackets secured to said chassis at respective locations on the opposite side of said centerline from said first pair of brackets; a cab including a pair of laterally spaced fore-and-aft extending frame members; a control console detachably secured to the forward ends of said fore-and-aft extending frame members to form a unitary assembly; and a resilient connection means for securing said assembly to said support brackets for isolating said assembly from chassis vibration, said control console being secured by said connection means to the foremost of said support brackets and said frame members being secured adjacent their rear ends by said connection means to the rearmost of said support brackets. 
     
     
       3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said control console includes a pair of connecting brackets extending downwardly at opposite sides of said chassis above said foremost support brackets and including horizontal plate members at the bottom thereof; and said frame members being supported on said horizontal plate members and being detachably secured to said connecting members. 
     
     
       4. In a tractor having a chassis including a pair of rearward laterally extending axle housings, the improvement comprising: a rearward pair of support brackets respectively secured to the rear axle housings; a forward pair of support brackets secured to the chassis on opposite sides of the fore-and-aft centerline of the chassis; a cab including a pair of laterally spaced fore-and-aft extending frame members; a control console detachably secured to said frame members to form a unitary assembly; and resilient connection means securing said assembly to said support brackets for isolating said assembly from chassis vibration, the control console being secured by said connection means to the foremost of said brackets and the cab frame members being secured by said connection means to the rearmost of said brackets. 
     
     
       5. The invention defined in claim 4 wherein said control console includes a pair of connecting brackets extending downwardly at opposite sides of said chassis above said foremost support brackets and including horizontal plate members at the bottoms thereof; and said frame members being supported on said horizontal plate members and being detachably secured to said connecting brackets. 
     
     
       6. In a tractor having a main frame directly and nonresiliently supported on a plurality of ground-engaging wheels, the improvement comprising: a tractor cab including a floor; a seat mounted on the floor within the cab, and a control console connected to the cab and disposed forwardly of the seat, the cab and the control console forming a utilized, enclosed operator station; a pair of forward, transversely spaced resilient mounting means connecting the control console to the main frame; and a pair of rearward transversely spaced resilient mounting means connecting the cab to the main frame, the entire operator's station being suspended from the main frame by said forward and rearward pairs of resilient mounting means to isolate the operator's station from vibrations in the main frame. 
     
     
       7. The invention defined in claim 6 wherein the control console is removably connected to the cab and independently mountable on the main frame via the forward pair of resilient mounting means. 
     
     
       8. In a tractor having a rigid main frame including a fore-and-aft extending portion and a pair of axle housings extending transversely in opposite directions from a rearward portion of the fore-and-aft extending portion and journalling rear axles directly connected to ground-engaging rear wheels and a fore-and-aft extending engine mounted on the fore-and-aft extending portion of the main frame and covered by a fore-and-aft extending hood, the improvement comprising: an operator's station including a cab disposed generally above the rear portion of the main frame, a seat mounted within the cab, and a generally upright control console disposed forwardly of the seat and rearwardly of the engine and hood and carrying tractor control actuating means; a first resilient mounting means connecting the control console to the main frame; and a second resilient means connecting the cab to the main frame. 
     
     
       9. The invention defined in claim 8 wherein the control console is removably secured to the cab, at least two of the mounting means connecting the control console to the fore-and-aft portion of the main frame and at least two other mounting means connecting the cab to the opposite axle housings. 
     
     
       10. The invention defined in claim 8 wherein each mounting means includes a bracket attached to the main frame and having a horizontal plate-like portion, a member attached to the operator's station and having a horizontal lower surface, and a resilient element interposed between the lower surface of said member and the horizontal portion of the bracket. 
     
     
       11. In a tractor including a chassis, a cab, and a control console, the improvement comprising: first mounting means including first resilient means directly securing said control console to said chassis; and second mounting means including second resilient means directly securing said cab to said chassis thereby isolating said control console and cab from chassis vibration. 
     
     
       12. The invention defined in claim 11 and further including fastening means detachably securing said cab to said control console to form a unit. 
     
     
       13. The invention defined in claim 12 wherein said cab includes a pair of laterally-spaced fore-and-aft extending frame members secured adjacent their rear ends by said second mounting means to the chassis, and detachably secured adjacent their forward ends to said control console. 
     
     
       14. The invention defined in claim 13 wherein said control console includes a pair of connecting brackets extending downwardly at opposite sides thereof above said first pair of support brackets and including horizontal plate members at the bottoms thereof; and said frame members being supported on said horizontal plate members and being detachably secured to said connecting brackets. 
     
     
       15. The invention defined in claim 11 wherein said first mounting means includes a first pair of support brackets secured to the chassis at laterally-spaced locations on opposite sides of the control console and connection means, including said first resilient means, securing each of said first support brackets to said control console. 
     
     
       16. The invention defined in claim 15 wherein said control console includes a pair of connecting brackets at the opposite sides thereof, the connecting brackets each including a horizontal plate member overlying a respective one of said first pair of support brackets and connection means including said first resilient means interconnecting said pair of support brackets and said horizontal plate member. 
     
     
       17. The invention defined in claim 15 wherein the chassis includes a pair of rear axle housings; said second mounting means including a second pair of support brackets respectively secured to said axle housings. 
     
     
       18. The invention defined in claim 17 and further including fastening means detachably securing said cab to said control console to form a unit. 
     
     
       19. The invention defined in claim 18 wherein said cab includes a pair of laterally-spaced fore-and-aft extending frame members having rear ends extending above said second pair of mounting brackets and secured thereto by connection means including said second resilient means, and detachably secured adjacent their forward ends to said control console. .Iadd.20. In a tractor having a main frame, an operator's cab disposed over a portion of the frame and having a bottom structure, an operator's seat carried in the cab, and a control console disposed over the main frame and at least partially in the cab ahead of the operator's seat, the improvement comprising: first connection means connecting the console to the bottom structure to combine the two as a unitized assembly during normal operation of the tractor; second connection means, including resilient elements, mounting the assembly on and in vibration-isolated relation to the main frame; said first connection means being separable to separate the cab and console while leaving the console on the main frame; and certain of the second connection means also being separable for at least partial separation of the cab away from the tractor and console. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. The invention defined in claim 20, further characterized in that the portion of the bottom structure in the vicinity of the console has spaced apart side portions respectively at opposite sides of the console and providing a space through which the console projects upwardly, said space enabling the side portions to clear the console during separation of the cab away from the tractor. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. The invention defined in claim 21 in which the first connection means include detachable connection between said side portions and the console. .Iaddend.