Decoupler Eliminates PTO Frustration

Decoupler Eliminates PTO Frustration POWER TAKE OFFS PTO S Detaching a coupler from a tractor pto or other combine drive can be anything but easy unless you have a decoupler like Jim Mueller “There’ve been times that I didn’t know how I was going to get a coupler off ” says Mueller “Combine couplers gave me the worst trouble I didn’t want to beat on them for fear of damage ” Eventually he came up with his decoupler It consists of a U-shaped lever and a flange The flange is bolted between the lever ends and a few inches from the ends Self-locking nuts hold the flange loosely in place while allowing it to pivot Tabs on the shaft edges of the flange catch the front edge of the coupler “I fit the flange over the pto shaft and pull the lever toward me ” says Mueller “The flange tabs push the coupler off the shaft as the lever ends press against the combine shaft or tractor pto base It took some finagling at first to get it right ” He notes that his design can be easily adapted to any style of shaft and removable coupler simply by replacing the flange that’s bolted to the lever “There are many different styles and sizes of couplers so I have different flanges for my different couplers ” he says “They also have different leverage points and some require a block of wood to get the needed leverage ” Mueller had considered getting a patent on the decoupler but decided against it “Patents are costly and then I’d have to figure out shipping and handling ” he says “I decided it wasn’t worth it Now anyone can build their own ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Jim Mueller 1591 320th St Hiawatha Kan 66434

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