Automatic-steering apparatus

US5857539A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• CLAAS Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien · DE

Inventors

• Norbert Diekhans · Gütersloh, DE
• Mathias Volk · Otterstadt, DE
• Jochen Huster · Vellmar, DE
• Helmut Homberg · Harsewinkel, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 9, 1997
• Grant date: Jan 12, 1999
• Expiry date: Apr 9, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S180/90
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An automatic-steering apparatus for an agricultural machine (1), has at least one locating apparatus (OV), particularly an apparatus that locates the edge of the crop or row, whose locating signal (OS) is compared, as an analog voltage value (nominal value), to a wheel-angle signal (RWS), as a further analog voltage value (actual value), that has been received by a wheel-position sensor (RSS) on a steerable wheel (HR) of the agricultural machine (1), in an analog regulating apparatus (ST). The regulating apparatus (ST) emits, as a function of the difference between the nominal and actual values, at least one steering-hydraulics control signal (SHL, SHR; LIS) to an electrically-controlled steering hydraulics (LH) having a steering cylinder (LZ) that is connected to steerable wheels (HR) of the agricultural machine (1) so as to steer them. A speed signal (VS) corresponding to the driving speed of the agricultural machine (1) controls the regulating apparatus (ST) such that, the higher the speed, the smaller the steering-hydraulics control signal (SHL, SHR, LIS).