Joystick centralises all sprayer controls
Joystick centralises all sprayer controls
CENTRALISING all essential controls onto a redesigned central joystick will make control of the spraying functions on its Mistral self-propelled sprayer safer and easier, claims Hydro Chafer.
In the new layout, all the switches controlling spraying operations – master on/off switch; up to eight on/off switches for the individual boom sections; boom raise/lower; left/right boom tilt – are now located on the joystick.
This has been made possible by moving the two and four-wheel steering controls from the joystick to a foot switch – a modification that was instigated by customer demand.
"The arrangement will make multiple setting changes easier to complete through the co-ordination of hand and foot movements," explains Chafer machinery manager Alan Thorpe.
"When reaching the edge of an irregularly shaped, sloping field, for instance, an operator might already be using the boom tilt facility.
"Individual boom sections can be turned off using the thumb control, while simultaneously switching from two-wheel to four-wheel steering using the foot switch to start the turn.
"The operator can then switch off the whole boom before completing the turn, without the complication of having to complete two manual operations at the same time." *