GB1572319A

GB1572319A - Trailer suspension mechanism for cultivators

Info

Publication number: GB1572319A
Application number: GB1291378A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Kloeckner Humboldt Deutz AG
Current assignee: Kloeckner Humboldt Deutz AG
Priority date: 1977-04-04
Filing date: 1978-04-03
Publication date: 1980-07-30
Also published as: CH625938A5; ATA184178A; FR2386240A1; FR2386240B1; DE2715112A1; NL7803597A

Abstract

The follow-up device comprises a three-point frame (3) which can be connected to the three-point lifting mechanism and to which the frame of the working appliance (1) is connected pivotably about a vertical shaft (2), and a device which prevents the appliance frame (1) from pivoting relative to the three-point frame (3) in the raised transport position. For this purpose, the vertical shaft (2) assigned to the appliance frame (1) is connected at the upper end to the three-point frame (3) pivotably about a horizontal axis (4) extending transversely relative to the direction of travel. At the lower end (5), the shaft (2) is guided in a long hole (6) which extends in the direction of travel and which is formed in a plate (7) fastened to the three-point frame (3). A horizontal transverse web (8), through which the vertical shaft (2) passes, is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the appliance frame (1). The ends of the appliance frame (1) can be brought to bear on a stop plate (10) extending transversely relative to the direction of travel and fastened to the three-point frame (3). When the working appliance is raised into the transport position, the latter is shifted into a safe middle position. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) TRAILER SUSPENSION MECHANISM FOR CULTIVATORS (71) We, KLOCKNER - HUMBOLDT DEUTZ AG ZWEIGNIEDERLASSUNG FAHR, a German Body Corporate of 7702 Gottmadingen, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare this invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, particularly described in and by the following statement: It is a common practice, particularly in agriculture, to mount agricultural machines or implements (hereinafter referred to as appliances) on a tractor by means of a three-point suspension, which suspension enables an appliance to be raised from a working position to a carrying position in which the appliance is clear of the ground, e.g. for conveyance over roads.

In some cases, the connection between the appliance and three-point suspension allows swinging of the appliance about a vertical axis so that in the working position the appliance tracks properly when travelling around curves.

It is clearly undesirable with such form of connection that the appliance should be able to swing about the vertical axis when in the carrying position.

The invention relates to the form of connection for use between a three-point suspension and an appliance which connection is of the class (herein referred to as the class specified) including a pivot allowing swinging of the appliance about a vertical axis, and the invention provides that, when the appliance is lifted to the carrying position, the appliance is automatically constrained to take up a selected position and is prevented from swinging from that position.

According to the invention, in a connection of the class specified, there are provided a second pivot for allowing swinging of the appliance about a horizontal axis intended to extend in use transversely to the direction of travel, and abutments which in the working position are spaced apart but on lifting into the carrying position come into engagement due to pivoting of the appliance about the horizontal axis and constrain the appliance to take up a selected position.

In one particular form of the connection, the vertical pivot is connected adjacent its upper end through the horizontal pivot to a frame member to be mounted on the three-point suspension and is guided to swing about the horizontal pivot in a fore-and-aft plane and there are abutments on the frame member and appliance offset laterally at each side of the vertical axis so that during lifting the weight of the appliance causes swinging about the horizontal axis until the abutments on the appliance contact those on the frame member.

The abutments may be so arranged that the longitudinal axis of the appliance extends fore and aft in the direction of travel of the tractor, or, particularly when the appliance is asymmetrically arranged on the tractor, the abutments may constrain the appliance to a position in which its longitudinal axis is inclined to the travel direction.

In one such arrangement, an abutment on one side of the vertical axis is adjustable in length and can be rendered operative or inoperative as required.

Some constructions of connection of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of connection, the parts being in the working position, Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 1 showing the parts in the carrying position, Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a plan view of a second form of connection incorporating an adjustable abutment, Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the abutment of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 5, showing the parts in the carrying position.

In Figs. 1 to 4 there is shown part of the frame 1 of an agricultural appliance which is to be connected to a frame member 3, which in used is directly connected to the three-point suspension of a tractor.

The appliance frame 1 is supported in such a way as to be swivellable round a pivot 2 having its axis substantially vertical.

The pivot 2 is articulated at its upper end to the frame member 3 via a second pivot 4 whereof the axis is horizontal and extends transversely to the direction of travel. The lower end 5 of the pivot 2 carries a rotatable roller 5' which is guided in a foreand-aft extending slot 6 in a plate 7 fixed on the frame member 3 so that the pivot swings about pivot 4 substantially in a vertical plane extending in the longitudinal direction of the working appliance.

Near the lower end of the pivot 2 there is a cross-member 8 which is fixed to the appliance frame 1 and which carries at each of its free ends a roller 9. There is thus a roller 9 at each side of the vertical pivot 2. The rollers 9 act as abutments limiting the swivelling movement of the appliance frame 1 on the pivot 2 by coming into contact with co-operating abutments constituted by a plate 10 fixed to the frame member 3 transversely to the direction of travel. The support rollers 9 may be made of steel, plastics material or cast iron. The upper linkage member of the three-point suspension is articulated in a bore 11 of the frame member 3.

In the working position of the appliance (Figs. 1 and 2) the abutments, i.e. rollers 9 and plate 10, are spaced apart and the appliance when travelling round curves can swing about pivot 2 to a maximum angular extent determined by engagement of one of the roller abutments 9 with plate 10 as indicated in chain lines in Fig. 2.

When the appliance is being raised into the carrying position by means of the threepoint suspension or lifting device of the tractor, the appliance due to its own weight will swing about pivot 4, and, irrespective of its position about pivot 2, the frame 1 will take up the correct carrying position due to the abutment rollers 9 engaging against the abutment plate 10. In this position the appliance 1 is located in a mid position in which its longitudinal axis is parallel to that of the tractor.

With some agricultural machines which are of asymmetrical construction, it is undesirable for the longitudinal axis of the appliance to be parallel to that of the tractor when in the carrying position. In the case of a rotary haymaking machine or tedder for example the support member carrying the tine wheels frequently projects laterally to an extent which is excessive for travel in traffic. In this case the support member must be set obliquely to give a reduced traffic width.

In Figs. 5 to 7, a form of abutment is shown by means of which the appliance can be set when in the carrying position with its longitudinal axis inclined to the longitudinal axis of the tractor. In this form, a yoke 13 is swingably mounted on the spindle 12 of one of the rollers 9. The yoke 13 carries a setscrew 14 to vary the effective length of the abutment. Coaxially with the yoke 13, there is pivoted on the spindle 12 a lever 15 pivoting of which relatively to the yoke 13 is restricted by a bent-over lug 16 on the lever 15. The lug 16 either abuts (Fig. 7) the side 17 of the yoke 13 or (Fig. 5) against its end remote from the setscrews 14. Swinging of the yoke 13 is restricted by a stop 18 on the yoke 13, which stop 18 bears either on the end 19 of the cross-member 8 or against its front edge 20.

In the inoperative position of the abutment (Fig. 5) used when working, the lever 15 is held in the position shown by spring 21 and the lever 15 engages the end of the yoke 13 so that its stop 18 is held against the edge 19, To hold the appliance 1 in the laterally swung-out position represented in Fig. 7, the lever 15 is pivoted clockwise against the force of the tension spring 21, until the lug 16 bears against the side of the yoke 13. The lever 15 and yoke 13 then rotate together clockwise until the yoke 13 bears by the stop 18 against the edge 20. The tension spring 21 during this movement passes through its maximum deflection condition and now urges the lever 15 to rotate clockwise so holding the yoke 13 against the edge 20. In this position (Fig.

7) the head of setscrews 14 can contact the plate 10 so that the appliance 1 is held in its swung-out position and cannot swing about pivot 2.

To retract the abutment after carrying, the lever 15 is rotated counterclockwise to the position of Fig. 5 and, when the appliance 1 is lowered to the working position, the yoke 13 is relieved of load and is moved to its inoperative position by the force of the spring 21.

The travel locking arrangement therefore works semi-automatically i.e. the lever 15 can be actuated in any swivelling position of the appliance and the set screw 14 acts as an abutment automatically when travelling round curves or when the appliance is raised to the carrying position.

In the form of connection shown in Figs. 1 to 4, there is also means for preventing vertical swinging of the appliance about pivot 4 when the appliance is in the carrying position. This consists of two lateral blocks 6', which are welded to the plate 7, the blocks having bores through which bolts or pins can pass to extend behind the lower end 5 of the pivot 2 (Fig.

3) so inhibiting any movement of the roller 5' in slot 6.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A connection of the class specified wherein there are provided a second pivot for allowing swinging of the appliance about a horizontal axis intended to extend in use transversely to the direction of travel, and abutments which in the working position are spaced apart but on lifting into the carrying position come into engagement due to pivoting of the appliance about the horizontal axis and constrain the appliance to take up a selected position.

2. A connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertical pivot is connected adjacent its upper end through the horizontal pivot to a frame member to be mounted on the three-point suspension and is guided to swing about the horizontal pivot in a fore-and-aft plane and there are abutments on the frame member and appliance offset laterally at each side of the vertical axis so that during lifting the weight of the appliance causes swinging about the horizontal axis until the abutments on the appliance contact those on the frame member.

3. A connection as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vertical pivot is guided by a roller on its lower end engaging a foreand-aft extending slot on the frame member.

4. A connection as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the abutments are a pair of rollers, one at each end of a cross-member, and a transversely extending plate, the plate and cross-member being mounted on the frame member and appliance so that the rollers contact the plate in the carrying position.

5. A connection as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein an abutment is provided whereby in the selected position the appliance has its longitudinal axis inclined to the direction of travel.

6. A connection as claimed in claim 5, wherein the said abutment is adjustable to allow variation in the inclination of the longitudinal axis.

7. A connection as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the said abutment is movable between operative and inoperative positions.

8. A connection as claimed in claim 7, wherein the said abutment comprises a stirrup pivoted to swing between the operative and inoperative positions.

9. A connection as claimed in claim 8, the said abutment comprising an adjustable set screw mounted in the free end of the stirrup to vary the effective length of the abutment.

10. A connection as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, there being co-operating stops defining the operative and inoperative positions of the stirrup and a spring for holding the stirrup in these positions.

11. A connection as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, comprising engageable means to hold the vertical pivot in the carrying position.

12. A connection of the class specified substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 or these Figs. as modified by Figs. 5 to 7.

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Claims

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of the appliance and the set screw 14 acts as an abutment automatically when travelling round curves or when the appliance is raised to the carrying position.

In the form of connection shown in Figs. 1 to 4, there is also means for preventing vertical swinging of the appliance about pivot 4 when the appliance is in the carrying position. This consists of two lateral blocks 6', which are welded to the plate 7, the blocks having bores through which bolts or pins can pass to extend behind the lower end 5 of the pivot 2 (Fig.

3) so inhibiting any movement of the roller 5' in slot 6.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A connection of the class specified wherein there are provided a second pivot for allowing swinging of the appliance about a horizontal axis intended to extend in use transversely to the direction of travel, and abutments which in the working position are spaced apart but on lifting into the carrying position come into engagement due to pivoting of the appliance about the horizontal axis and constrain the appliance to take up a selected position.
2. A connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertical pivot is connected adjacent its upper end through the horizontal pivot to a frame member to be mounted on the three-point suspension and is guided to swing about the horizontal pivot in a fore-and-aft plane and there are abutments on the frame member and appliance offset laterally at each side of the vertical axis so that during lifting the weight of the appliance causes swinging about the horizontal axis until the abutments on the appliance contact those on the frame member.
3. A connection as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vertical pivot is guided by a roller on its lower end engaging a foreand-aft extending slot on the frame member.
4. A connection as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the abutments are a pair of rollers, one at each end of a cross-member, and a transversely extending plate, the plate and cross-member being mounted on the frame member and appliance so that the rollers contact the plate in the carrying position.
5. A connection as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein an abutment is provided whereby in the selected position the appliance has its longitudinal axis inclined to the direction of travel.
6. A connection as claimed in claim 5, wherein the said abutment is adjustable to allow variation in the inclination of the longitudinal axis.
7. A connection as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the said abutment is movable between operative and inoperative positions.
8. A connection as claimed in claim 7, wherein the said abutment comprises a stirrup pivoted to swing between the operative and inoperative positions.
9. A connection as claimed in claim 8, the said abutment comprising an adjustable set screw mounted in the free end of the stirrup to vary the effective length of the abutment.
10. A connection as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, there being co-operating stops defining the operative and inoperative positions of the stirrup and a spring for holding the stirrup in these positions.
11. A connection as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, comprising engageable means to hold the vertical pivot in the carrying position.
12. A connection of the class specified substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 or these Figs. as modified by Figs. 5 to 7.