Telescoping Drawbar Hitch
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“It takes the guesswork out of hooking up to any implement, saving time and greatly adding to safety,” says Harold Fratzke about his new H&K Quick Coupler Tractor Drawbar. He and his son Kent introduced it at the recent Minnesota Inventors Congress, where it took first place honors.
The invention allows the tractor driver to back up within a reasonable distance of the implement, get out and pull the drawbar out to the implement hitch, and hook up the pin. Then he gets back in the tractor and backs up until the drawbar locks into place.
It consists of a steel plate with a couple of welded-on guides that mount under the tractor’s original drawbar, and a spring-loaded release handle that mounts in front of the drawbar pin. The release handle pulls the drawbar pin out, allowing the operator to then pull the drawbar back.
“It eliminates a trip out of the tractor cab to check the alignment of the tractor hitch to the implement, and also eliminates the need for anyone to help while hooking up to an implement,” says Harold. “Any time you don’t have to put someone between the tractor and the implement you’re being a lot safer. Many people know someone who got his fingers smashed when trying to hook up a tractor to an implement.
“The drawbar can be moved about a half inch to either side, which is usually all the adjustment you’ll need when backing up. The forward-backward positioning’s the real problem. In the future we plan to design it so the drawbar can be swung even farther from side to side.”
He says the unit doesn’t change the tractor’s pulling point at all. “You’re pulling from the exact same location so you’re not changing anything as far as how you pull the implement. The 2 guides keep the pin centered so it always drops in place as you back up the tractor.”
A 10-in. long tube extends forward from the drawbar to keep the hitch pin from accidentally dropping down in front of the drawbar.
Fratzke’s telescoping drawbar hitch isn’t for sale, but he hopes one of the major tractor manufacturers will pick up on the idea.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Harold Fratzke, 234 Shoreview Dr., Cottonwood, Minn. 56229 (ph 507 423-6341; cell 507 530-6090).
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Telescoping Drawbar Hitch HITCHES “It takes the guesswork out of hooking up to any implement saving time and greatly adding to safety ” says Harold Fratzke about his new H&K Quick Coupler Tractor Drawbar He and his son Kent introduced it at the recent Minnesota Inventors Congress where it took first place honors The invention allows the tractor driver to back up within a reasonable distance of the implement get out and pull the drawbar out to the implement hitch and hook up the pin Then he gets back in the tractor and backs up until the drawbar locks into place It consists of a steel plate with a couple of welded-on guides that mount under the tractor’s original drawbar and a spring-loaded release handle that mounts in front of the drawbar pin The release handle pulls the drawbar pin out allowing the operator to then pull the drawbar back “It eliminates a trip out of the tractor cab to check the alignment of the tractor hitch to the implement and also eliminates the need for anyone to help while hooking up to an implement ” says Harold “Any time you don’t have to put someone between the tractor and the implement you’re being a lot safer Many people know someone who got his fingers smashed when trying to hook up a tractor to an implement “The drawbar can be moved about a half inch to either side which is usually all the adjustment you’ll need when backing up The forward-backward positioning’s the real problem In the future we plan to design it so the drawbar can be swung even farther from side to side ” He says the unit doesn’t change the tractor’s pulling point at all “You’re pulling from the exact same location so you’re not changing anything as far as how you pull the implement The 2 guides keep the pin centered so it always drops in place as you back up the tractor ” A 10-in long tube extends forward from the drawbar to keep the hitch pin from accidentally dropping down in front of the drawbar Fratzke’s telescoping drawbar hitch isn’t for sale but he hopes one of the major tractor manufacturers will pick up on the idea Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Harold Fratzke 234 Shoreview Dr Cottonwood Minn 56229 ph 507 423-6341; cell 507 530-6090
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