"Automatic" Drawbar Lock For Deere Tractors

"Automatic" Drawbar Lock For Deere Tractors TRACTORS Hitches 22-4-26 When Lawrence Knaphaus of McCallsburg, Iowa, bought his first 4020 Deere tractor, he liked just about everything about it. The only problem was that he often had to get on and off the tractor two or three times to hitch up drawbar-pulled equipment. So he made a simple swinging drawbar hitch out of scrap metal that allows him to swing the drawbar back and forth as needed to hook up. Then when he drives ahead, the drawbar straightens out and automatically locks in place. Knaphaus simply bolts his swinging hitch to the existing drawbar. It consists of two hinged "flaps" positioned on either side of the drawbar tongue. The tongue is freed up so it can swing back and forth if the flaps are lifted up. Once the implement is hooked up and Knaphaus pulls ahead, the tongue moves to the outer end and the flaps drop down, holding it in place. No modification is made to the tractor. The swinging hitch can be easily removed, if necessary. The lock works so well on his 4020, Knaphaus equipped all his other Deere tractors with them. For smaller tractors, Knaphaus used one piece of iron with a notch cut out to lock the drawbar. On larger tractors, he used two separate pieces. Knaphaus does not wish to field any inquiries on his invention.

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