PTO shaft safety project

EmmaBD

Member
Hi all,

I'm an engineering University student (at Strathclyde in Glasgow) and I have chosen looking at agricultural equipment for my masters project!
The project I've proposed is looking at PTO shafts and a way to make them safer and reduce related injuries. I am not a farmer or from a farming background so any help on the topic is appreciated - I figured you would all know a lot about this working with them every day.

The project could look at these kinds of things:
- redesigning it to be safer for handling
- finding a way to minimise maintenance/ interaction
- integrating a self-lubricating system into the design
- improving the guard designs (apparently they don't last very long)
- having some sensors or automatic switch off systems?

If you have any input on the project from what you would want to see, whether you think this is a good topic etc please comment!
 

Andrew

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
Location
Huntingdon, UK
I find a lot of people get out of the tractor with the engine running, to lift arms etc, then leave it running while they connect the pto which is quite unsafe - because to switch the engine off means climbing back in the cab, as most manufacturers put the key on the o/s B pillar a long way from the door.
A big emergency stop button next to the linkage and spool controls would make this part a lot safer.
 
Never seen a good way of lubricating them yet. Plastic grease nipples that go out of shape,grease not getting into the right area etc. Slip rings fail,guard rattles around and gets damaged,end of. 1000 pto machines even worse. Also ridiculous parts replacement prices for guards. Waltersheid slip rings 30 quid plus,when you know damn well they're not going to last as long as the first. Who made the ones that looked like drainage pipe years ago? Never caught on really
 

7610 super q

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
Something needs to be designed that's better than flimsey plastic, and feeble chains. As said, easy removal for greasing would be a bonus..
It seems to me, design hasn't changed since the 1960's. Don't know how machinery manufactures get away with it.
 

EmmaBD

Member
Something needs to be designed that's better than flimsey plastic, and feeble chains. As said, easy removal for greasing would be a bonus..
It seems to me, design hasn't changed since the 1960's. Don't know how machinery manufactures get away with it.
This is actually why I want to get into agricultural machinery! There doesn't seem to be enough consideration to improvement or consideration for the farmers themselves - I definitely want to try and change that
 

clbarclay

Member
Location
Worcestershire
I think it was Bare-co who had a go at making a pto shaft cover that would slide back so your could grease them in place. The trouble was that a guard for an existing shaft was similar to a complete new shaft and guard.

Make the guards much cheaper and readily available, whilst not being made of chocolate and farmers might be a lot more inclined to fit fresh guards to good shafts with damaged guards. I highly doubt that will ever happen though.
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
Never seen a good way of lubricating them yet. Plastic grease nipples that go out of shape,grease not getting into the right area etc. Slip rings fail,guard rattles around and gets damaged,end of. 1000 pto machines even worse. Also ridiculous parts replacement prices for guards. Waltersheid slip rings 30 quid plus,when you know damn well they're not going to last as long as the first. Who made the ones that looked like drainage pipe years ago? Never caught on really
I think they were sold by Spaldings
 

EmmaBD

Member
I think it was Bare-co who had a go at making a pto shaft cover that would slide back so your could grease them in place. The trouble was that a guard for an existing shaft was similar to a complete new shaft and guard.

Make the guards much cheaper and readily available, whilst not being made of chocolate and farmers might be a lot more inclined to fit fresh guards to good shafts with damaged guards. I highly doubt that will ever happen though.
I will investigate what they did
 

Fendt516profi

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Yorkshire
I find a lot of people get out of the tractor with the engine running, to lift arms etc, then leave it running while they connect the pto which is quite unsafe - because to switch the engine off means climbing back in the cab, as most manufacturers put the key on the o/s B pillar a long way from the door.
A big emergency stop button next to the linkage and spool controls would make this part a lot safer.
I have the PTO in neutral until I want to use a machine, helps been able to spin the tractor shaft if the splines don't just line up. Helps that there's a annoying flashing light on the dash that flashes whenever a PTO speed is engaged
 

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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