GB1601738A

GB1601738A - Implement trailer

Info

Publication number: GB1601738A
Application number: GB2550878A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: AHI WHIMPWAY Ltd
Current assignee: AHI WHIMPWAY Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-11-04

Description

(54) IMPLEMENT TRAILER (71) WE, AHI WHIMPWAY LI MITED, a New Zealand Company of 4 Carr Road, Mount Roskill, Auckland, New Zealand do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a trailer to which implements can be attached for towing behind a tractor.

The object of the present invention is to provide a trailer which is readily attachable to, and removable from, a tractor, and which enables implements such as mowers to be drawn over flat or hilly terrain..

Accordingly the present invention consists in a trailer comprising a longitudinal member, coupling means at a forward end of the longitudinal member for releasably coupling the trailer to the lower two points of the standard three point linkage of a tractor, a wheel at a rearward end of the longitudinal member, a transverse member fixed to the longitudinal member and extending transversely thereto and a wheel at each end of the transverse member.

The above gives a broad description of the present invention, a preferred form of which will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I shows a perspective view of a preferred form of trailer; Figure 2 is a rear view of a preferred arrangement of implements as applied to the trailer of Figure 1: Figure 3 is a further rear view of the implement trailer shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a front view of the implement trailer shown in Figures 2 and 3.

In the first preferred form of the trailer as shown in Figure 1 the trailer 10 consists of a longitudinal member 11 provided at its forward end with a cross-bar 12 adapted to be connected to the lower two points of the standard three point linkage of a tractor. At the rearward end of the longitudinal member 11 there is a pair of wheels 13 mounted side by side beneath the member 11. At an intermediate point along the length of the member 11 is a transverse member 14 which has a retractable wheel 15 mounted to each end thereof. The wheels may be retracted upon manual withdrawal of a pin 16 so that the wheel may be rotated about a pivot 17.

Alternatively, each wheel 15 may be mounted on a rod which is vertically slidable within a tube attached to the end of the transverse member 14.

Retraction of the wheels 15 may be effected either manually or hydraulically.

While the trailer is standing alone or while it is being drawn across level ground the wheels 15 will be extended as shown in the Figures.

However, if the trailer is to be drawn over hilly or rugged countryside then having the wheel 15 extended could cause the trailer to become stuck across a small gully or the like so for this reason the wheels are made rectractable so that the trailer is more manoeuvrable over hilly countryside. The trailer will not topple under such conditions even if it has only one rear wheel 13, because it is held stably by the two point attachment of the cross-bar 12 to the tractor.

Typically, this trailer has five implements such as mowers 20 to 24 mounted to it as shown in Figures 2 to 4.

In Figures 2 and 3 the front mower 20, and also the longitudinal member 11, are omitted for reasons of clarity, and in Figure 4 the cross-bar is omitted.

Typically there is one mower 20 mounted underneath the longitudinal member in front of the pair of wheels 13. Mowers 21 and 22 are mounted at the ends of the transverse member 14. Mowers 23 and 24 are mounted at the rear end of the longitu dinal member 11 behind and one to each side of the pair of wheels 13.

Typically, the mowers are each driven by a separate motor 25, preferably an electric motor.

The forward mower 20 is typically mounted at 27 to an arm 29 so as to be pivotable about its point of attachment 27.

At its other end the arm is pivotally attached at 26 to the transverse member 14. A bracket 30 on the arm is connected to a hydraulic ram 31 which is itself pivotally attached at 32 to a mounting bracket 33 extending upwardly from the longitudinal member 11 of the trailer. Thus with the hydraulic ram 31 extended the mower 20 engages the ground. However. with the hydraulic ram 31 retracted, as shown, the arm 29 is raised, thus holding the mower 20 clear of the ground.

The mowers 21 and 22 are each attached to the outer end of a respective lever 34 by means of a pivotal mounting 35. At its inner end each lever 34 has a pivotal mounting 36 to the outer end of the transverse member 14. Extending upwardly from each lever 34 is a bracket 37 upon which is a pivotal mounting 40 for one end of a hydraulic ram 41. The inner end of each ram 41 is pivotally mounted at 42 to a bracket 43 extending upwardly from the transverse member 14.

Thus when the rams 41 are extended the mowers 21 and 22 engage the ground as shown in Figure 2.

However, when the rams 41 are retracted, the mowers 21 and 22 are raised and withdrawn inwardly as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The rear mowers 23 and 24 are each mounted by means of a pivotal attachment 44 to a lever 45 which is itself pivotable about a fulcrum 46 attached to a bracket 47 at the rear end of the longitudinal member 11. Each lever 45 is pivotally connected at 50 to a connecting rod 51 which is in turn pivotally connected to the end 52 of a rocker 53. At the centre of each rocker 53 is a pivotal attachment 54 to a hydraulic ram 55.

The lower end of the ram 55 is pivoted at 56 to the bracket 47 at the rear end of the longitudinal member 11 of the trailer. Thus when the ram 55 is retracted the mowers 23 and 24 engage the ground as shown in Figure 2. Then when the ram 55 is extended it lifts the rocker 53 which in turn pulls up the connecting rods 51 thus raising the levers 45 and hence the mowers 23 and 24 to positions shown in Figures 3 and 4. Only one ram, therefore, is required to move the mowers 23 and 24 between the lowered and raised positions.

When the mowers 23 and 24 are in the lowered position shown in Figure 2 and the trailer is being drawn across rough ground, the mowers 23 and 24 are free to ride over bumps independently of each other. For example, if the mower 23 is level but the mower 24 hits a raised mound, the mower 24 will be raised slightly above its ordinary ground engaging position as shown in Figure 2, thus lifting the lever 45, and hence the connecting rod 51 on the right hand side of the trailer. This causes the rocker 53 to pivot about its pivot point 54 and also causes it to move to the left, so that the ram 55 will also pivot about its pivot point 56. Thus the left hand connecting rod 51 also pivots slightly about its lower pivot point 50, but no raising or lowering movement is imparted to the left hand lever 45. Hence the mower 23 is able to continue its level journey substantially unaffected by the bumping of the mower 24.

When the mowers 23 and 24 are lifted to their raised position as shown in Figures 3 and 4 the ram 55 is prevented from pivoting aborts its lower pivot point 56 by means of stops 57 which engage the levers 45 and prevent the ram from swinging about its pivot point 56. The hydraulic rams are all connected to the tractor hydraulic system, and are thus all controllable from the tractor, preferably separately.

The mowers 20 to 24 are prevented from swinging about their pivot points 35 and 44 at the outer ends of their respective levers 34 and 45 by means of hooks 60 which are adapted to engage engaging members 61.

Each hook 60 is pivotally attached at 62 to its respective lever. When the mowers are in their lowered positions as shown in Figure 2 the hooks merely dangle freely from their respective levers. Then, as each mower begins to be raised from the ground as the respective hydraulic ram 31, 41 or 55 is actuated, the mower begins to pivot about its respective point of pivotal attachment 35 or 44 under the influence of the weight of the motor 25. Hence the light end of each mower, being the end carrying the engaging member 61, rises up towards the respective lever, and the engaging member 61 strikes and engages the respective hook 60.

As the lever 34 or 45 continues to swing upwardly the hook 60 is urged by gravity into secure engagement with the engaging member 61 so that the mower is thus securely held by the hook 60 against further pivoting about its pivotal attachment 35 or 44. Then with the mowers retracted as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The trailer can be quite safely drawn along a track or road without fear that the mowers 21 to 24 will swing outwardly and strike any object such as a power pole or a passing vehicle.

When the mowers are lowered again they will swing downwardly in unison with the respective mower 34 and 45 until the outer wheels 63 of each respective mower strike the ground. At this point the hook 60 will have been caused by gravity to swing inwardly sufficiently to just clear the edge of the engaging member 61. Thus the mower can then pivot about its respective pivot point 35 or 44 until it is once more resting flat against the ground as shown in Figure 2.

A similar hooking system can be used in any other application where it is desired to swing an object on the end of a lever so that in one position it is retracted and held against the lever and in another position of the lever it is no longer held against the lever but engages against a base or surface.

In such instances the position of the hook 60 and the engaging member 61 can be reversed if the surface which the object is to engage is above the levers.

Alternatively. if the system is not suitably oriented with respect to gravity, then the biassing means of the hooks and the objects can be spring or spring and cam arrangements.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A trailer comprising a longitudinal member, coupling means at a forward end of the longitudinal member for releasably coupling the trailer to the lower two points of the standard three point linkage of a tractor, a wheel at a rearward end of the longitudinal member, a transverse member fixed to the longitudinal member and extending transversely thereto and a wheel at each end of the transverse member.

2. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are two wheels mounted side by side at the said rearward end of the longitudinal member.

3. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the wheels at the ends of the transverse member are movable between a lowered position in which they engage the ground when the trailer is normally positioned on flat ground and a raised position in which they are clear of the ground when the trailer is so positioned.

4. A trailer as claimed in claim 3 wherein the wheels at the ends of the transverse member are manually movable between the two said positions and are manually lockable in each said position.

5. A trailer as claimed in claim 3 wherein the wheel at each end of the transverse member is movable between the two said positions by means of a hydraulic ram.

6. A trailer as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is a ground-treating implement at the said rearward end of the longitudinal member.

7. A trailer as claimed in claim 6 wherein there are two such implements positioned side by side, one extending out to each side of the longitudinal member.

8. A trailer as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is a ground-treating implement positioned under the longitudinal member and forwardly of the rearward end of the longitudinal member.

9. A trailer as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is a ground-treating implement positioned at each end of the transverse member.

10. A trailer as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the or each groundtreating implement is movable between a lowered, ground engaging position and a raised, retracted position in which it is clear of the ground.

11. A trailer as claimed in claim 10 wherein the or each implement is movable between the two said positions by means of a hydraulic ram.

12. A trailer as claimed in claim 5 or 11 wherein the or each ram is operably connectable to the hydraulic system of a towing tractor.

'2 13. A trailer as claimed in claim 10 or 11 wherein when the or each implement is moved to its raised position it is also moved in a transverse direction towards the longitudinal member such that in its raised position it does not extend as far out to the side of the trailer as it does when in its lowered position.

14. A trailer as claimed in any one of Claims 10 to 13 when dependent upon Claim 7 wherein the two implements at the rear end of the longitudinal member are movable between the lowered and raised positions by means of a device comprising an actuating means, a rocker pivotably mounted on the actuating means, a respective connecting rod pivotably attached at or adjacent one end thereof to each end of the rocker, each connecting rod being pivotally attached at or adjacent the other end thereof to a lever having a fulcrum, the point of attachment of each connecting rod to each lever being spaced from the respective fulcrum, such that actuating movement of the actuating means causes a corresponding movement of the rocker and hence of each connecting rod so that each lever is caused to pivot about its fulcrum, a said implement being mounted on the free end of each said lever.

15. A trailer as claimed in Claim 14 wherein the actuating means is a mechanism which expands or contracts to provide the said actuating movement and which has the rocker pivotally mounted at one end of it and is itself pivoted to a base at its other end.

16. A trailer as claimed in claim 14 or 15 wherein the actuating means is a piston and cylinder assembly.

17. A trailer as claimed in Claim 14, 15, or 16 wherein the movement of each lever is limited in at least one direction by a fixed stop.

18. A trailer as claimed in any one of

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. have been caused by gravity to swing inwardly sufficiently to just clear the edge of the engaging member 61. Thus the mower can then pivot about its respective pivot point 35 or 44 until it is once more resting flat against the ground as shown in Figure 2. A similar hooking system can be used in any other application where it is desired to swing an object on the end of a lever so that in one position it is retracted and held against the lever and in another position of the lever it is no longer held against the lever but engages against a base or surface. In such instances the position of the hook 60 and the engaging member 61 can be reversed if the surface which the object is to engage is above the levers. Alternatively. if the system is not suitably oriented with respect to gravity, then the biassing means of the hooks and the objects can be spring or spring and cam arrangements. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A trailer comprising a longitudinal member, coupling means at a forward end of the longitudinal member for releasably coupling the trailer to the lower two points of the standard three point linkage of a tractor, a wheel at a rearward end of the longitudinal member, a transverse member fixed to the longitudinal member and extending transversely thereto and a wheel at each end of the transverse member.

'2

13. A trailer as claimed in claim 10 or 11 wherein when the or each implement is moved to its raised position it is also moved in a transverse direction towards the longitudinal member such that in its raised position it does not extend as far out to the side of the trailer as it does when in its lowered position.

18. A trailer as claimed in any one of

Claims 14 to 17 further comprising a pair of hook members, one pivotally attached to one of each lever and its respective implement, and engaging means attached to the other of each lever and implement, the construction and arrangement being such that when the implement is on the ground the respective hook member and engaging means are spaced from each other, and as the implement is raised it pivots under the influence of a biassing force about the end of the lever so that the hook member and engaging means move towards one another until they interconnect, thus restraining the implement from any pivoting movement about the lever while it is in its raised position, and then when it is moved back towards its lower position the implement contacts the ground and a biassing force causes the hook member to release itself from the engaging means, allowing the implement to pivot once more until it is once again resting flat against the ground.

19. A trailer as claimed in Claim 18 wherein the biassing forces are gravity.

20. A trailer as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 19 wherein each said implement is a mower.

21. A trailer substantially as herein described with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 4.

22. A mower substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.