GB1604539A

GB1604539A - Tool frame

Info

Publication number: GB1604539A
Application number: GB2465678A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SIMBA MACHINERY Ltd
Current assignee: SIMBA MACHINERY Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-30
Filing date: 1978-05-30
Publication date: 1981-12-09

Description

(54) A TOOL FRAME (71) We, SIMBA MACHINERY LIMITED, a British company, of Leasingham Hall, Leasingham, Lincoln, 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 tool frame and particularly, though not essentially, to a disc plough harrow.

At present a disc plough harrow comprises a rigid frame to which usually a front and rear disc carrier are attached. The carriers are either permanently fixed in position or their position is changeable by removing releasing bolts and relocating the carriers on the frame aligned with alternative bolting holes.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved tool frame.

According to the present invention a tool frame comprising two elongate tool carriers secured together by first and second hinge assemblies so that the angle of the carriers relative to one another may be altered by relative displacement of the carriers in a horizontal plane, and releasable locking means operable either to lock the tool carriers at a desired angle relative to one another or, on release, to allow the angle of the carriers relative to one another to be altered, the second hinge assembly comprising two members, one member being pivotally connected to one tool carrier and the other member being pivotally connected to the other tool carrier, and means for connecting the two members together for pivotal movement relative to one another whereby, in order to accommodate a change in the angle of the carriers relative to one another and on release of the locking means, the members of the second hinge assembly are movable angularly both about their pivot on the respective tool carrier to which they are pivotally connected, and also with respect to one another about said means pivotally connecting the two members together.

The releasable locking means may be a hydraulic assembly between the first tool carrier and the member connected thereto or may be a releasable latch bar similarly connected.

The invention also includes a disc plough harrow comprising spaced front and rear tool carriers each carrying a gang of discs, first and second hinge assemblies between the front and rear tool carriers allowing the carriers to move relative to one another in a horizontal plane from a position in which the carriers are at an angle of about 45 to one another to a position in which they are substantially parallel, and releasable locking means operable either to lock the tool carriers at a desired angle relative to one another or, on release, to allow the angle of the carriers relative to one another to be altered, the second hinge assembly comprising two members, one member being pivotally connected to one tool carrier and the other member being pivotally connected to the other tool carrier, and means connecting the two members together for pivotal movement relative to one another whereby, in order to accommodate a change in the angle of the carriers relative to one another and on release of the locking means, the members of the second hinge assembly are movable angularly both about their pivot on the respective tool carrier to which they are pivotally connected, and also with respect to one another about said means pivotally connecting the two members together.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of one embodiment of tool frame in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged partial plan view of the embodiment of figure 1 showing an alternative modification of locking means, and Figure 3 is a partial plan view of a disc plough harrow.

In the drawings a tool frame I comprises front and rear gang carriers 2 and 3 respectively for carrying tools thereon. The front and rear carriers 2 and 3 are hingedly connected together by means of first and second hinge assemblies 4 and 5. The hinge assembly 4 comprises a hinge plate 6 secured to the front carrier 2 and a pivot hinge 7 secured to the rear carrier 3 and including a hinge pivot 8 on which the plate 6 is pivotally mounted.

The second hinge assembly 5 comprises front and rear stabiliser bars 9 and 10 respectively which are pivotally connected together and are pivotally connected to the respective front and rear carriers 2 and 3 at II and 12.

The complete tool frame I is towed by means of an offset bar structure 14 and a drawbar 15.

In order to displace the front and rear carriers 2 and 3 relative to one another two alternative locking means are provided: the hydraulic means 16 shown in figure I which also effects displacement or the mechanical locking means 17 shown in figure 2. Although the hydraulic and mechanical means are shown as alternatives it is understood that a tool frame may include both locking means if desired.

The hydraulic locking and displacement means 16 comprises a hydraulic cylinder 18 the base end of which is pivotally secured to the front carrier 2 at 19 and the ram end of which is pivotally secured to the front stabiliser bar 9 at 20. In order to close the carriers together the ram of the hydraulic cylinder 18 is extended; alternatively retraction of the ram of the hydraulic 18 causes the carriers to be moved apart. If desired the hydraulic locking and displacement means 16 may be assisted by appropriate movement of the towing vehicle i.e. forward movement to open the carriers or reverse movement to close the carriers.

The mechanical locking means 17 shown in figure 2 comprises a latch bar 21 pivoted to the front stabiliser bar 9 at 22 and releasably secured to the front carrier 2 at 23. The releasing arrangement at 23 consists of a latch rope 24 connected to one end of a pivoted arm 25, a latch pin (not shown) at the other end of the arm 25 and a locking plate 26. The carriers 2 and 3 are opened by pulling the latch rope 24 which releases the latch pin from one of a number of holes in the locking plate 26 thereby allowing movement of the latch bar 21: The towing vehicle is then moved forward. Once the appropriate angle between the carriers 2 and 3 has been achieved the latch rope 24 is released so that the latch pin again engages the locking plate 26 to lock the front and rear carriers relative to one another. In order to bring the front and rear carriers together the reverse movement is effected.

Figure 3 of the drawings shows part of the tool frame 1 carrying discs 27; however if desired the tool frame may carry other forms of agricultural tools.

The tool frame in accordance with the invention is simple whether the hydraulic or mechanical locking arrangement is employed and it provides good tracking qualities when used as a disc plough.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: I. A tool frame comprising two elongate tool carriers secured together by first and second hinge assemblies so that the angle of the carriers relative to one another may be altered by relative displacement of the carriers in a horizontal plane, and releasable locking means operable either to lock the tool carriers at a desired angle relative to one another or, on release, to allow the angle of the carriers relative to one another to be altered, the second hinge assembly comprising two members, one member being pivotally connected to one tool carrier and the other member being pivotally connected to the other tool carrier, and means connecting the two members together for pivotal movement relative to one another whereby in order to accommodate a change in the angle of the carriers relative to one another and on release of the locking means, the members of the second hinge assembly are movable anularly both about their pivot on the respective tool carrier to which they are pivotally connected, and also with respect to one another about said means pivotally connecting the two members together.

2. A tool frame according to claim I wherein the first hinge assembly comprises a hinge arm rigidly secured to the first tool carrier and pivotally mounted on a hinge pivot on the second tool carrier.

3. A tool frame according to claim 1 wherein the releasable locking means comprises a releasably extendable member between the first tool carrier and the member pivotally connected thereto.

4. A tool frame according to claim 3 wherein the releasably extending member is a hydraulic cylinder operative to lock the carriers in position or to effect relative displacement of the carriers.

5. A tool frame according to claim 4 wherein the base of the hydraulic cylinder is connected to the first tool carrier and the ram is connected to the associated member.

6. A tool frame according to claim 1 wherein the releasably locking means is a latch bar releasably locked in position by a latch pin, the pin being released by an operator pulling on a latch rope or cable.

7. A disc plough harrow comprising spaced front and rear tool carrier each carrying a gang of discs, first and second hinge assemblies between the front and rear tool carriers allowing the carriers to move relative to one another in a horizontal plane from a position in which the carriers are at an angle of about 45 to one another to a position in which they are substantially

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Claims

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assembly 4 comprises a hinge plate 6 secured to the front carrier 2 and a pivot hinge 7 secured to the rear carrier 3 and including a hinge pivot 8 on which the plate 6 is pivotally mounted.

The second hinge assembly 5 comprises front and rear stabiliser bars 9 and 10 respectively which are pivotally connected together and are pivotally connected to the respective front and rear carriers 2 and 3 at II and 12.

The complete tool frame I is towed by means of an offset bar structure 14 and a drawbar 15.

In order to displace the front and rear carriers 2 and 3 relative to one another two alternative locking means are provided: the hydraulic means 16 shown in figure I which also effects displacement or the mechanical locking means 17 shown in figure 2. Although the hydraulic and mechanical means are shown as alternatives it is understood that a tool frame may include both locking means if desired.

The hydraulic locking and displacement means 16 comprises a hydraulic cylinder 18 the base end of which is pivotally secured to the front carrier 2 at 19 and the ram end of which is pivotally secured to the front stabiliser bar 9 at 20. In order to close the carriers together the ram of the hydraulic cylinder 18 is extended; alternatively retraction of the ram of the hydraulic 18 causes the carriers to be moved apart. If desired the hydraulic locking and displacement means 16 may be assisted by appropriate movement of the towing vehicle i.e. forward movement to open the carriers or reverse movement to close the carriers.

The mechanical locking means 17 shown in figure 2 comprises a latch bar 21 pivoted to the front stabiliser bar 9 at 22 and releasably secured to the front carrier 2 at 23. The releasing arrangement at 23 consists of a latch rope 24 connected to one end of a pivoted arm 25, a latch pin (not shown) at the other end of the arm 25 and a locking plate 26. The carriers 2 and 3 are opened by pulling the latch rope 24 which releases the latch pin from one of a number of holes in the locking plate 26 thereby allowing movement of the latch bar 21: The towing vehicle is then moved forward. Once the appropriate angle between the carriers 2 and 3 has been achieved the latch rope 24 is released so that the latch pin again engages the locking plate 26 to lock the front and rear carriers relative to one another. In order to bring the front and rear carriers together the reverse movement is effected.

Figure 3 of the drawings shows part of the tool frame 1 carrying discs 27; however if desired the tool frame may carry other forms of agricultural tools.

The tool frame in accordance with the invention is simple whether the hydraulic or mechanical locking arrangement is employed and it provides good tracking qualities when used as a disc plough.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: I. A tool frame comprising two elongate tool carriers secured together by first and second hinge assemblies so that the angle of the carriers relative to one another may be altered by relative displacement of the carriers in a horizontal plane, and releasable locking means operable either to lock the tool carriers at a desired angle relative to one another or, on release, to allow the angle of the carriers relative to one another to be altered, the second hinge assembly comprising two members, one member being pivotally connected to one tool carrier and the other member being pivotally connected to the other tool carrier, and means connecting the two members together for pivotal movement relative to one another whereby in order to accommodate a change in the angle of the carriers relative to one another and on release of the locking means, the members of the second hinge assembly are movable anularly both about their pivot on the respective tool carrier to which they are pivotally connected, and also with respect to one another about said means pivotally connecting the two members together.
2. A tool frame according to claim I wherein the first hinge assembly comprises a hinge arm rigidly secured to the first tool carrier and pivotally mounted on a hinge pivot on the second tool carrier.
3. A tool frame according to claim 1 wherein the releasable locking means comprises a releasably extendable member between the first tool carrier and the member pivotally connected thereto.
4. A tool frame according to claim 3 wherein the releasably extending member is a hydraulic cylinder operative to lock the carriers in position or to effect relative displacement of the carriers.
5. A tool frame according to claim 4 wherein the base of the hydraulic cylinder is connected to the first tool carrier and the ram is connected to the associated member.
6. A tool frame according to claim 1 wherein the releasably locking means is a latch bar releasably locked in position by a latch pin, the pin being released by an operator pulling on a latch rope or cable.
7. A disc plough harrow comprising spaced front and rear tool carrier each carrying a gang of discs, first and second hinge assemblies between the front and rear tool carriers allowing the carriers to move relative to one another in a horizontal plane from a position in which the carriers are at an angle of about 45 to one another to a position in which they are substantially

parallel, and releasable locking means operable either to lock the tool carriers at a desired angle relative to one another or, on release, to allow the angle of the carriers relative to one another or, on release, to allow the angle of the carriers relative to one another to be altered, the second hinge assembly comprising, two members, one member being pivotally connected to one tool carrier and the other member being pivotally connected to the other tool carrier, and means connecting the two members together for pivotal movement relative to one another whereby, in order to accommodate a change in the angle of the carriers relative to one another and on release of the locking means, the members of the second hinge assembly are movable angularly both about their pivot on the respective tool carrier to which they are pivotally connected, and also with respect to one another about said means pivotally connecting the two members together.
8. A tool frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.