GB2178290A

GB2178290A - Implement mounting attachment

Info

Publication number: GB2178290A
Application number: GB08615984A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Edward Meddins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-07-02
Filing date: 1986-07-01
Publication date: 1987-02-11
Also published as: GB8615984D0

Abstract

An attachment for use in mounting an implement (24) on a towing vehicle (17) has a carrier provided with first connecting means for connecting the carrier to the vehicle and second connecting means for connecting the carrier to the implement. The connecting means are arranged to enable the implement, when connected to the vehicle to be effectively towed ahead of the vehicle during forward movement of the latter. In Fig 2 the carrier 11-13 is pivoted on uprights 42 of a mounting bracket on a tractor rear axle providing for even weight distribution. Rams 44 effect pivoting to adjust working height of the implement and maybe controlled through a load sensing device to compensate for excessive work load on the carrier. The implement on subframe 25 is connected to the carrier by links 26-28, ram 43 providing for fine depth control. In Fig 1 (not shown) the carrier is connected to the tractor by a standard 3-point linkage arrangement. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Implement mounting attachment The present invention is concerned with the mount ing on a propelling vehicle of an implement to be propelled, and is particularly concerned with a mount ing attachment which allows an implement, especially an agricultural implement, to be driven ahead ofthe propelling vehicle such as a tractor.

It is current practice to mount agricultural imple ments, such as cultivators, behind a tractor and to tow them along whilst they perform the desired function, working powerforthe implement usually being taken fromthetractorvia a powertakeoff(P.T.O.). In certain applications, it can be desirable to have the implement mounted ahead ofthe tractor orto have one implement mounted ahead ofthetractorand one mounted behind. However, it is often difficult to use a normally rear-mounted implement by pushing itfrom a front mounted position because such an arrangement can lead to problems of directional stability and mainte nanceofcorrectworking depth or ground clearance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting attachment which can be used to mount a normally rear-mounted towed implement ahead of a propelling vehicle whilst retaining good directional stability and control and allowing free movement within limits relativetothe propelling vehicle so that ground contours may be followed.

According to the present invention, there is provided an implement mounting attachment comprising a carrier provided with first connecting means adapted for connecting the carrierto a propelling vehicle, and second connecting means at a location on the carrier spaced from said first means and adapted fortheconnectionofan implementtothe carrier, said first and second connecting means being arranged to permit said implement, when connected to the carrier by way of said second connecting means to be located between the two connecting means, whereby, with the implement so connected and located and the carrier connected to the vehicle by way of said first connecting means, the implement is effectively towed ahead ofthe vehicle during forward movement of the latter.

The carrier may conveniently be a frame having longitudinallyspaced front and rear end portions interconnected by at least one longitudinal member, said first and second connecting means being carried respectively by the rear and front end portions.

Preferably, the frame is supported relative to the ground by a wheel carried by the front end portion.

The carrier may conveniently be of adjustable length to permit accommodation of implements of differing sizes in convenient manner.

From another aspect of the invention, there is provided a propelling vehicle wherein the implement and vehicle are interconnected by the attachment of the invention, implement combination, the attach- ment comprising a carrier provided with firstconnect- ing means serving to connect the carrierto the vehicle, and second connecting means on the carrier at a location spaced from said first means and operatively connected to the implement disposed between said two connecting means, whereby the implement is effectively towed ahead of the vehicle during forward movementofthe latter, Preferably, the vehicle has front and rear axles and a portion ofthe carrier mounting said first connecting means extends rearwardly of the implement and is connected to the vehicle at a location rearwardly ofthe front axle of the towing vehicle.

The invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an isometric view of one embodi- ment of an attachment according to the present invention connected to a tractor and carrying an implement.

Figure 2 is a schematic side elevation of an alternative form of the attachment of the invention connected to a tractor and carrying an implement and Figure 3 is a plan view ofthe arrangementof Figure 2.

Referring nowto Figure 1,the implement mounting attachment shown therein is in the form of a frame comprising a rear mounting frame part 10 and a front mounting frame partial which are of generally square shape and are connected attheirtop corners by two longitudinal sideframe members 12 and 13.Aiower pivotal link mounting 14 (only one of which is shown) is located atthe lower end of each vertical memberl5 ofthe rear frame 10.A pivotal top link mounting (not shown) is located in the central portion of the upper horizontal member 16 ofthe rearframe portion 10.

Theframeportion 10 is attached to a tractor 17 by meansof lower linkarms 18 and 19, and bya turnbuckletop link 20 which are pivotally connected to the lower pivotal link mountings 14 and to the top link mounting respectively of the frame 10. The links 18,19 and 20 are also pivotally attached to corresponding link mountings onthetractor 17. In this case the link arrangement takes the convenient form of a standard three point linkage.

The front mounting frame portion 1, located at the opposite end ofthe side members 12 and 13, has lower pivotal link mountings 21 and 22 and atop link mounting 23 all located on the rearward facing side of the mountingframe inthesame mannerasthe mountings on the rearframe portion 10.

The implement 24 (in this case a beettopper) attached to the frame has a sub-frame 25 carrying three point linkage mounting points 21A, 22A and 23A which correspond to the mountings 21,22 and 23 on thefrontframeportion 11,theimplementbeing linked to the front frame portion by way of the sub-frame by means oftwo lower links 26,27 and a top turnbuckle link 28. The implement 24 is further attached to the frame by means of chains 29 and 30 attached to the side members 12 and 13 respectively and serving to supportthe implement 24 from above.

A P.T.O. drivetransmission shaft31 extends from the P.T.O. on thetractor 17through the rearframe The drawing(s) originally filed was (were) informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

portion 10andconnectstothe drive mechanism 31A ofthe implement 24.

A jockey wheel 32 is mounted on the front ofthe front mounting frame 11 by means of a braced arm 33 projecting forwardlyfrom the front of the frame 11.

More than one such wheel may be provided if required. The height of the frame 11 above the ground can be adjusted by means of a height adjusting screw 34 attached to the jockey wheel 32 and which adjusts the vertical position ofthewheel relative to the frame.

With the implement 24 attached to the implement frameandtheframeto thetractor in the manner illustrated, the heightofthe rearframe portion 10 may be adjusted by adjusting the height ofthe three point linkage on the tractor. Thejockeywheel 32 is then adjusted byway of the height adjusting screw 34 until the implement is the desired height above the ground.

As the tractor 17 is driven forward, the implement 24 is effectively towed by the front frame 11 and the provision of pivoting linkages atthefrontand rear frame portions 11 and 10 allow a degree of vertical and horizontal floating movement ofthe frame, the implement 24 and the tractor 17 relative to each other to permit any undulations ofthe ground to be followed by the implement and to enable obstacles to be cleared, whilst also facilitating steering of the tractor.

The arrangement illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 is generally similar to that of Figure 1, having a front mounting frame portion 11 of generally square shape which is connected at itstopcorners bytwo longitudinal sideframe members 12 and 13, as before. Each oftheframe members 12 istelescopically adjustable to permit the position of implement relative to the tractor to be varied. Preferably,the implement is positioned as close to the vehicle as practically possible. In this embodiment, however, the members 12 and 13 are connected to respective uprights 42 of a mounting bracket, indicated generally at 40 secured to the tractor rear axle 41 the uprights being mounted on respective side members 40A ofthe bracket and being connected to the side frame members by pivots 1 2A, 13A.The members 40A are interconnected by a cross member40B. The implement 24 is mounted, as before, on a sub-frame 25 connected to the front frame member11 by lower links 26, 27 and byan upper turnbuckle 28. Apair of rams 43 are connected between the frame 11 and the respective lower links (26, 27) forthe purpose to be described. Further rams 44 connect the side frame members 12 to a fixed part ofthe tractor, enabling the entire attachment and supported implement to be pivoted about the pivots 12A, 1 3A, relative to the tractor, thereby enabling the working height ofthe implement relative to the ground to be adjusted as desired.The positions ofthe rams 44can be varied longitudinally of the assembly and may be at one side orthe other ofthe tractor front axle instead of above it, as illustrated. The angle ofthe rams may also be varied and it would be possible to locate the rams atan angle between the uprights 42 and the sideframe members 12. Moreover, by incorporating a load sensing device, which may be for example a conventional torsion bar and valve arrangement (not shown), the rams 44 may be controlled to compensatefor excessive load applied to the frame, as for exampe during working opera- tions of the implement. The aforesaid or another load sensing device may be used to control the rams 43to enable fine control ofthe implement working depth to be obtained.

Ajockeywheel 32 is provided atthefrontofthe frame and, in this embodiment, is mounted on a pivoted frame portion 33A which is connected to the frame by a further ram 46. By connecting this ram 46 to the rams 44, oil displaced from the ram 46 when the wheel 32 is raised, as when passing over an obstacle for example, may be applied to the first rams in such a manner as to cause the latterto lift theframe by a lesseramountin orderto minimise the vertical movement of the implement relative to the ground.

Typically, the capacity ofthe rams 44 and 46 and the positions of the rams 44 in a fore and aft direction are chosen to provide a degree offrame lifting which is about half ofthe vertical distance through which the wheel 32 moves. Conversely, it is possible to pressurise the ram 46so as to provide assistance to the first rams in raising the frame relative to the ground forthe purpose of raising the implement. This can be particularly useful for raising a ground working implementoutofthe ground at the end ofa working operation, since this can impose a very heavy load on the rams 44, particularly since they are positioned at a considerable distance from the implement being raised.When the wheel ram comes to the end of its stroke, the first rams may continue to raise the frame and implement without assistance.

In a further alternative arrangement, the single jocketwheel illustrated may be replaced by two or more wheels spaced transversely ofthe frame. Each wheel may be mounted independently ofthe others. If desired, the or each jockey wheel may be steerable and then preferably connected to the vehicle steering mechanism so asto be steerable from the tractor. The connection to the vehicle steering mechanism may conveniently be hydraulic. It is also possible to drive the or each jockey wheel and this may be done conveniently by means of a transmission of a hydraulictorsion or mechanism type.

By connecting the implement frame to the tractor rearwardly ofthe front axle, the overall length of the implement/vehicle combination is minimised, with a consequent reduction intheturning space required and an increase in the stability ofthe combination.

Moreover, the weight of the implement is distributed more evenly between the front and rearvehicle wheels than with the arrangement of Figure 1.

Some implements are designed to be towed exclu sively from the rear of a vehicle and are provided with forward facing drive mechanisms. When using such an implement with attachment of the invention, it is necessaryto reverse the direction ofthe drive provided bytheshaft31 andthiscan readily be done by providing appropriate gearing in the region ofthe implement drive mechanism.

It will be seen thatthis invention provides a simple and convenient means enabling normally rearmounted implements to be mounted on the front of a propellingvehiclewithoutbeingsubject,toany significant degree to the usual problems hitherto encountered with such an arrangement.

Claims

1. An implement mounting attachment comprising a carrier provided with first connecting means adapted for connecting the carrier to a propelling vehicle, and second connecting means at a location on the carrierspacedfrom said first means and adapted for the connection of a rr an implementtothe carrier, said first and second connecting means being arranged to permit said implement, when connected to the carrier by way of said second connecting means to be located between the two connecting means, whereby, with the implement so connected and located and the carrier connected to the vehicle by way ofsaidfirst connecting means, the implement is effectively towed ahead ofthe vehicle during forward movement of the latter.

2. An attachment according to Claim 1 wherein the carrier is a frame having longitudinally spaced front and rear end portions interconnected by at least one longitudinal member, said first and second connecting means being carried respectively by the rear and front end portions.

3. An attachment according to Claim 2 wherein the frame is supported relative to the ground by a wheel carried bythe front end portion.

4. An attachmentaccordingto anyone ofthe preceding claims wherein the carrier is of adjustable length.

5. An attachment according to any oneof the preceding claims wherein a ram is connected to the frame and the implement or means connected to the latter and is operable to adjust the height of the implement relative to the frame and therebythe implement working depth.

6. An implement mounting attachmentsubstan- tially as herein before described with referenceto Figure 1 or Figures 2 and 3 oftheaccording drawings.

7. A propelling vehiclelimplement combination whereinthe vehicle and implement are intercon- nectedbyan attachment accordingtoanyone ofthe preceding claimswith the carrier connected by said first connecting means to the vehicle and the imple- ment connected by said second connecting meansto the carrier.

8. Acombination according to Claim 7 wherein the vehicle has front and rear axles and a portion of the carrier mounting the first connecting means extends rearwardly of the implement and is connected to the vehicle at a location rearwardly of the front axle.

9. A combination according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein at least one fluid pressure ram is connected between the frame and a relatively fixed part of the vehicle and is operable to raise the carrier relative to the vehicle.

10. A combination according to claim 9 when dependent upon Claim 8 wherein each ram acts between said rearwardly extending carrier portion and a relatively fixed partofthevehicle in the region of the vehicle front axle.

11. Acombination according to ctaim 9 or Claim 10 wherein the or each wheel of the attachment is connected to a further ram in such a manner as to pressurise that ram when raised relative to the frame, each further ram being connected to the or each frame-connected ram such that raising ofthe or each wheel relative to the carrier raises the carrier relative to the ground.

12. A combination according to Claim 11 wherein the distance through which the carrier is raised is less than the distance through which the or each wheel is raised.

13. A propelling vehicle/implement combination substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figures 2 and 3 ofthe accompanying drawings.