GB2215968A - Towing system for farm implements - Google Patents

Abstract

A farm implement transporting system, for use on a farm implement such as a furrow press, the system comprising a pair of ground-engaging wheels on which, in use, the implement travels; means secured to the implement in use, for removably and/or retractably mounting the said wheels on the implement; and means for hitching the implement to a towing vehicle, the arrangement being such that with the wheels and the hitch in place, the implement can be towed.

Description

TOWING SYSTEM FOR FARM IMPLEMENTS Field of the invention This invention relates to farming Implements such as furrow presses, and more particularly to the transportation of such implements. The invention is of particular application to furrow presses, although it will be clear that the invention may with advantage be applied to other similar farming implements.

Review of The Prior Art Conventionally a furrow press is, in use, connected to the side of a plough which pulls the furrow press over the land being worked. When the furrow press is to be transported for example to another field or back to the farmyard, it must be lifted clear oi the ground so that cast iron rings of the furrow press are not damaged by or cause damage to relatively hard surfaces such as roads or concrete yards.

One approach to transporting a furrow press has been to mount the press on an A frame which in turn is mounted on a tractor's three point linkage. The three point linkage is operable to lift the A frame and hence the furrow press clear of the ground.

This conventional approach has the disadvantage that a farmer will have to make two journeys, or use two tractors to transport the plough and the furrow press to the field in which they are to be used. As many farmers own land which is spread over a wide area, this approach can be uneconomic to say the least.

Another approach has been to load the furrow press onto a trailer, and to tow the trailer to the field in which the press is to be used. Two tractors are no longer needed, but the weight and bulk of the furrow press makes it difficult to load, and a second vehicle is still needed to 'tow the trailer.

The prior art therefore falls to provide a satisfactory solution to a problem which has faced farmers for many years.

Summary of the invention According to the invention in its broadest aspect, a system for use on a farm implement such as a furrow press comprises a pair of wheels and/or castors; means for removably and/or retractably mounting the wheels and/or the castors the implement on the implement; and means for hitching/ to a vehicle the arrangement being such that the implement may be towed on the wheels and/or castors.

A furrow press fitted with a system according to the invention can be towed by a tractor without needing to be connected to the tractor's three point linkage, which can, therefore be used to carry - another implement. The invention thus enables a tractor to simultaneously transport a plough held in a raised position by the three point linkage, and a furrow press.

Preferably the means for hitching the implement to a vehicle comprise a drawbar adapted to be hitched at one end- to a vehicle, and means for removably attaching the drawbar to the implement.

The system may include means for retractably mounting the wheels and/or castors on the implement which means comprise a pair of jacks mounted on the implement.

Preferably the means for mounting a pair of wheels and/or castors are such that there is no transaxle between the wheels and/or castors.

The draw bar may with advantage incorporate means enabling the drawbar's effective length to be varied.

Brief description of the drawings Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a furrow press fitted with the system.

Figure 2 is a side view of the drawbar which forms part of the system.

Figure 3 is an exploded view of part of the system.

Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of another type of furrow press fitted with the system.

Description of the preferred embodiment The system can be used on a conventional furrow press such as the furrow press shown in figure 1 in which a tubular metal framework 7 surrounds two rows of cast iron rings generally referenced 8 and 9. It will be seen that the two rows of rings 8 and 9 are out of alignment by a distance equal to half the spacing of the adjacent rings. The effect of this arrangement is that, in use, each ring of one row acts on one side of a furrow whilst each ring of the other row acts on the opposite side of the furrow. The furrow press also includes conventional attachment points (not shown) for attachment to the side of a conventional plough.

The frame-work 7 carries a fixing point 6 for releasably holding a drawbar 5. The fixing point comprises a pair of opposing lugs in between which the drawbar 5 may pass. A bolt 14 passes through a hole in one lug, through a corresponding hole through the drawbar and through a hole in the opposite lug to lock the drawbar in position on the frame-work 7.

Referring to figure 2, the drawbar 5 includes two overlapping bars 15 and 16 which are held together by clamps 11 and 12. Each clamp consists of a pair of opposing lugs which may be formed from a U-shaped strip of metal welded to the lower bar 16 so that the lugs are disposed on either side of the bar 16. The opposing lugs have a corresponding pair of holes through which a bolt may pass to pull the opposing lugs together causing the lugs to grip the section of the upper bar 15 situated between the lugs. This arrangement enables the effective length of the drawbar 5 to be varied.

The end of the drawbar 5 is attached to a hitching point 10 which enables the drawbar 5 to be pivotally connected in a known fashion to a hitching point on a tractor.

The bar 16 and the bar 15 are staggered so that when a tractor, simultaneously carrying a plough in a raised position and towing the furrow press, executes a turn, the lowest blade of the raised plough does not collide with the drawbar 5 as the plough swings over the furrow press.

Each wheel 1 on which the furrow press is, in use, towed is mounted on the furrow press via the assembly shown in figure 3. A bar projecting from the rear of the wheel 1 fits closely within a tube attached to the bottom of a screw jack 2 which is operable to raise or lower the wheel 1. Wheel 1 is removably held in position by a pin (not shown) which passes through corresponding holes in the tube and the bar. The screw jack 2 is removably attached to the open faced box 3 in a similar way. The open faced box 3 is welded to the framework. As an alternative to the screw jack 2, hydraulic rams may be used to raise or lower the wheel.

Once the furrow press has been towed to the field on which it is to be used, the farmer simply has to remove the drawbar 5 and remove or operate the jacks to raise the wheels 1 before using the furrow press in the convent ional way.

Figure 4 shows an alternative type of furrow press, which has the facility whereby extra rings may be attached to the existing rings on the end of the rows. In this case the drawbar 5 has a Y-shaped connector which fits over the ends of the frame 7, and which is held in place by pins which pass through holes in the connector and in the frame 7.

The system may also be used with other farm implements such as Flexicoils or "Mini Matt" press drills.

As an alternative to using the wheels 1, a pair of castors or a wheel and a castor could be mounted on the base of the jacks 2.

Each screw jack 2 may include a locking mechanism which locks the wheels 2 in a raised or a lowered position. The mechanism basically consists of a pin adapted to pass through corresponding holes in the jack body and the wheel carrying shaft which is slideably mounted within the jack body.

It is now a legal requirement that when a tractor is transporting a plough along a road, the rear of the plough must carry a wheel which engages the road surface. In such a situation, the drawbar 5 may be adapted to be hitched to the rear of the plough so that the tractor may still simultaneously transport a plough and a furrow press.

The hydraulic rams may be operated by the hydraulic system of a tractor. Alternatively, where the screw jacks 2 are used, operation of each screw jack 2 may be manually effected using a handle 20.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS:

1. A farm implement transporting system, for use on a farm implement such as a furrow press, the system comprising a pair of ground-engaging attachments on whIch, in use, the implement travels when fitted with the system; means, interfacing with and secured to the implement in use, for removably and/or retractably mounting the said attachments on the implement; and means for hitching the implement to a towing vehicle, the arrangement being such that with the attachments and the hitch in place, the implement can be towed.

2. A system according to claim 1, and in which the ground-engaging attachments comprise a pair of wheels and/or castors.

3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the means for hitching the implement to a vehicle comprise a drawbar adapted to be hitched at one end to a vehicle, and means for removably attaching the drawbar to the implement.

4. A system according to claim 3 in which the drawbar incorporates means enabling its effective length to be varied.

5. A system according to any of the preceding claims and including means for retractably mounting the said attachments on the implement which means comprise a pair of jacks.

6. A system according to any of the preceding claims in which the mounting means are such that there is no transaxle between the opposed ones of the pair of said attachments.

7. A system according to any of claims 3 to 6 in which the drawbar is staggered.

8. A system according to any of claims 3 to 7 in which the means removably attaching the draw bar to the implement comprise a Y-shaped connector, the opposed limbs of which are spaced apart in the region where they join the stem of the Y by a crosspiece.

9. A system according to any of claims 3 to 8 in which the drawbar, in use, does not pass through the frame of the implement.

10. A system substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures l to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A system substantially as described herein, when modified in a way substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in, Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A furrow press fitted with a system in accordance with any of the preceding claims.