GB2236650A

GB2236650A - Plough

Info

Publication number: GB2236650A
Application number: GB9019493A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Oeyvind Mong
Original assignee: Kverneland Klepp AS
Current assignee: Kverneland Klepp AS
Priority date: 1989-10-13
Filing date: 1990-09-06
Publication date: 1991-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 2010-09-06
Also published as: DE4031557A1; FR2652987B1; GB9019493D0; NO168221C; CA2027475A1; GB2236650B; CA2027475C; NO894110L; NO168221B; SE9002867D0; DE4031557C2; SE9002867L; NO894110D0; FR2652987A1; SE500032C2

Abstract

There is disclosed a semi-mounted reversible plough which comprises a main frame (1) having coupling means at its forward end for pivotally attaching the frame to the rear of a propelling vehicle (2), and having a ground wheel (5) at its rear end, a plough frame (6) mounted on the main frame (1), support brackets (16) pivotally mounted at equal spacings along the length of the plough frame (6) and carrying respective plough bodies (17), an elongate connector (18) extending generally parallel to the plough frame (6) and pivotally connected to the support brackets (16) so as to form an interconnected series of parallelogram type linkages, first mounting means (7, 8) at the rear end of the plough frame (6) mounting the plough frame on the main frame (1), and second mounting means at the front end of the plough frame (6) for pivotally connecting the plough frame (6) to the main frame (1) for relative movement in a substantially horizontal plane. The second mounting means comprises a first bracket (10) to which the plough frame (6) is pivotally connected, and a second bracket (11) mounted on the main frame (1) and adjustably connected to the first bracket (10) via a hydraulic actuator (22). A plough width adjuster mechanism comprises a strut (19) pivotally connected at one end to the elongate connector (18) and at its other end to the second bracket (11) so that, upon adjustment of the connection between the first and second brackets (10, 11), the adjuster mechanism effects common pivotal adjustment of the support brackets (16) on the plough frame (6) via the elongate connector (18) in order to vary the width between adjacent plough bodies. <IMAGE>

Description

PLOUGH This invention relates to a plough which is intended to be trailed

behind a propelling vehicle, and having an adjustment mechanism for varying the ploughing width between adjacent plough bodies.

The invention has been developed primarily, though not exclusively, in connection with a plough of the semimounted reversible type.

It is known to provide devices for infinitely varying the adjustment of the ploughing width of semimounted plough., but such devices suffer from the drawbacks of being operable partially by hand. or having adjustment which is complex to effect.

The present invention therefore seeks to provide an improved adjustment for a plough, especially though not exclusively a semi-mounted reversible plough, in which the ploughing width can be varied in a simple manner during ploughing, so that the width of the furrow from the foremost plough body can become as large as the width of the furrows of the subsequent plough bodies.

According to the invention there is provided a plough which is intended to be trailed behind a propelling vehicle and which comprises:

a main frame having coupling means at its forward end for pivotally attaching the frame to the rear of the propelling vehicle, and having a ground wheel at its rear end; a plough frame mounted on the main frame; support brackets pivotally mounted at equal spacings along the length of the plough frame and carrying respective plough bodies; an elongate connector extending generally parallel to the plough frame and pivotally connected to the support brackets so as to form an interconnected series of parallelogram type linkages; 2 first mounting means at the rear end of the plough frame mounting the plough frame on the main frame; and, second mounting means at the front end of the plough frame pivotally connecting the plough frame to the main frame for relative movement in a substantially horizontal plane; characterised in that the second mounting means comprises a first bracket to which the plough frame is pivotally connected, and a second bracket mounted on the main frame and adjustably connected to the first bracket; and in that a plough width adjuster mechanism is pivotally connected to the elongate connector and to the second bracket so that, upon adjustment of the connection between the first and second brackets, the adjuster mechanism effects common pivotal adjustment of the support brackets on the plough frame via the elongate connector in order to vary the width between adjacent plough bodies.

Preferably, the plough is a semi-mounted reversible plough having an actuator arm interconnecting the main frame and the plough frame and operable to effect rotation of the plough frame through approximately 1800 about the axis of the main frame for plough body reversal, and in which the second bracket is connected to said actuator arm.

The first mountin-g means may be arranged to permit slidable movement of the plough frame longitudinally of the main frame.

To effect adjustment of plough width between adjacent plough bodies, a power operated actuator may interconnect the first and second brackets.

In a preferred embodiment of semi-mounted reversible plough, the adjuster mechanism comprises a strut which is connected at one end to a given point on the second bracket, but has its connection at its other end to the elongate connector determined experimentally. This may be achieved by drawing the plough in correct position through the ground with different ploughing widths, and then 3 determining the point of attachment of the strut to the elongate connector in such a way that the distance between the two attachment points of the strut is the same or approximately the same for all different positions of the plough.

This may be achieved particularly advantageously by arranging for the angle between the main frame and the displacement direction of the second bracket along the actuator arm to exceed 900.

One embodiment of plough according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a four-share semimounted reversible plough according to the invention, and provided with an improved plough width adjuster mechanism; and, Figure 2 is a detailed view, to an enlarged scale, of part of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, one example of the invention will now be described in detail, by reference to a semi-mounted reversible plough. However, it should be understood that the features of the invention may be applied generally to ploughs, and that the invention is not exclusively restricted to use on: (a) a reversible plough and 1 or (b) a semi-mounted plough.

The plough has a carriage or main frame 1 having coupling means at its forward end by means of which it is pivotally attached to the rear of a propelling vehicle by connection to the three point coupling 3 of a tractor 2 via a pivot pin 4. The rear end of the main frame 1 is supported by a trailing rear ground wheel 5.

A plough frame 6 is mounted on the main frame 1, and support brackets 16 are pivotally mounted at equal spacings along the length of the plough frame 6 and carry respective plough bodies 17.

An elongate connector in the form of strut 18 extends 4 generally parallel to the plough frame 6 and is pivotally connected to the support brackets 16 so as to form an interconnected series of parallelogram type linkages. First mounting means at the-rear end of the plough frame 6 mounts the plough frame 6 on the main frame 1 for slidable movement longitudinally thereof, and takes the form of a horizontal shaft 7 and a sleeve 8 which is slidable along the shaft 7. Second mounting means at the front end of the plough frame 6 pivotally connects the plough frame 6 to the main frame 1 for relative movement in a substantially horizontal plane.

The second mounting means comprises a first bracket 10 to which the plough frame 6 is pivotally connected via vertical pivot pin 9, and a second bracket 11 which is mounted indirectly on the main frame 1 and which is adjustably connected to the first bracket 10 via a power operated actuator in the form of actuator cylinder 22 which interconnects the first bracket 10 and second bracket 11.

A plough width adjuster mechanism takes the form of a strut 19 which is pivotally connected at one end to the elongate connector 18, and at its other end to the second bracket 11. The arrangement is such that, upon adjustment of the connection between the first bracket 10 and second bracket 11, the adjuster strut 19 effects common pivotal adjustment of the support brackets 16 on the plough frame 6 via the elongate connector 18 in order to vary the width between adjacent plough bodies. Therefore, infinitely variable adjustment of the plough width can take place during ploughing, so that the width of the furrow from the foremost plough body can become as large as the width of the furrows from the following plough bodies.

An actuator or lifting arm 12 extends transversely of the main frame 1 and interconnects main frame 1 and plough frame 6, operation of the actuator arm being able to effect rotation of the plough frame 6 through approximately 1800 about the axis of the main frame 1 for plough body reversal. The pivot axis about which the plough frame 6 rotates is formed by shaft 7 arranged at the rear end of the main frame 1, and also by a second shaft 13 mounted at the front end of the main frame 1 and on which the actuator arm is pivotally mounted.

Two single-acting hydraulic cylinders 14. 15 (shown schematically only) are pivotally connected between the actuator arm 12 and the main frame 1, and are also coupled with the hydraulic system of the tractor 2, so that the plough frame 6 can be rotated to and fro through 1800 about the pivot axis provided by shaft 7 and shaft 13.

As indicated above, support brackets 16 are pivotally mounted on the plough frame 6, and each bracket has a double plough body 17 mounted thereon, though for clarity the uppermost plough body is not shown in the drawings.

The elongate connector which interconnects the brackets 16 comprises the parallel strut 18 which enables all of the plough bodies 17 to occupy the same angle relative to the general axis of the plough frame 6. The angular adjustment of the support brackets 16 is a joint adjustment via strut 18 under the action of struct 19 forming the adjustment mechanism. Strut 19 is pivotally attached at one end to strut 18 via an intermediate connector portion 20, and at its other end is pivotally attached to the second bracket 11.

The pivotal attachment points of the strut 19 to the strut 18 (or indirectly via portion 20), and to the second bracket 11 are best determined experimentally. Thus, given, for example, one attachment of strut 19 to second bracket 11, the other attachment point, namely attachment of strut 19 to strut 18, or indirectly via projection 20, can be determined experimentally. This can be achieved by drawing the plough in correct positions through the ground with different ploughing widths, and then finding a point on strut 18, or on intermediate projection 20, such that the distance between the two attachment points at each end 6 of strut 19 becomes the same or approximately the same in all of the different positions of the plough.

The second bracket 11 is displaceable along the lifting or actuator arm 12,-and the experimental determination of the pivotal coupling point of strut 19 can be achieved provided that the angle R_.i.Cbetween the main frame 1 and the displacement direction of second bracket 11 along the arm 12 is more than 900 e.g. 970.

When a plough having a device in accordance with the invention is mounted on a tractor 2. and a first ploughing pull, the laying up. is effected. the position of second bracket 11 in relation to lifting arm 12 must be adjusted by means of a screw 21, so that the plough bodies 17, especially the foremost, come into correct initial position in relation to the wheels of the tractor 2 and, consequently, to the furrow ploughed during the laying up, so that the width of the furrow from the foremost plough body 17 becomes as large as the width of the furrows from the following plough bodies 17. As the first bracket 10 is attached on second bracket 11. first bracket 10 follows the displacements of second bracket 11 during the adjustment. It is only necessary to make this adjustment the first time the plough is mounted on the tractor 2.

When the ploughing width is to be altered, this may be made during ploughing through displacing first bracket 10 in relation to second bracket 11 by means of hydraulic cylinder 22. The latter is coupled to the hydraulic system of the tractor 2. and is with one end thereof attached to first bracket 10 and with the other end thereof attached to second bracket 11. When displacing first bracket 10, the plough frame 6, which by means of pivot 9 is pivotally connected to first bracket 10, alter its angle in relation to the ploughing direction; and the strut 19, which is pivotally connected to second bracket 11, will, through the intermediary of the projection 20 and the parallel strut 18, cause an angular rotation of the sockets 16 and, 7 consequently, of the plough bodies 17 in relation to the plough frame 6. This rotation of the plough bodies 17 results in that they try to move in the opposite direction of the movement of first bracket 10, pulling the main frame or carriage 1 laterally in the opposite direction of the movement of first bracket 10, the carriage 1 pivoting about first pivot 4 which is connected to the three-point coupling 3 of the tractor 2, so that the width of the furrow from the foremost plough body 17 becomes as large as the width of the furrows from the following plough bodies 17. The rotation of the carriage 1 stops when the plough bodies 17 have arrived into a new stable position.

Through the device according to the invention, a new semi-mounted reversible plough has been provided. wherein the ploughing width of the plough. in an extremely simple manner, may be varied infinitely variably during ploughing, so that the width of the furrow from the foremost plough body becomes as large as the width of the furrows from the following plough bodies.

Claims

1. A plough which is intended to be trailed behind a propelling vehicle and which,comprises:

a main frame having coupling means at its forward end for pivotally attaching the frame to the rear of the propelling vehicle. and having a ground wheel at its rear end; a plough frame mounted on the main frame; support brackets pivotally mounted at equal spacings along the length of the plough frame and carrying respective plough bodies; an elongate connector extending generally parallel to the plough frame and pivotally connected to the support brackets so as to form an interconnected series of parallelogram type linkages; first mounting means at the rear end of the plough frame mounting the plough frame on the main frame; and, second mounting means at the front end of the plough frame pivotally connecting the plough frame to the main frame for relative movement in a substantially horizontal plane; characterised in that the second mounting means comprises a first bracket to which the plough frame is pivotally connected, and a second bracket mounted on the main frame and adjustably connected to the first bracket; and in that a plough width adjuster mechanism is pivotally connected to the elongate connector and to the second bracket so that, upon adjustment of the connection between the first and second brackets, the adjuster mechanism effects common pivotal adjustment of the support brackets on the plough frame via the elongate connector in order to vary the width between adjacent plough bodies.

2. A plough according to Claim 1, in which the plough is a semi-mounted reversible plough having an actuatorarm interconnecting the main frame and the plough frame and 9 operable to effect rotation of the plough frame through approximately 1800 about the axis of the main frame for plough body reversal, and in which the second bracket is connected to said actuator arm.

3. A plough according to Claim 2. in which the first mounting means is arranged to permit slidable movement of the plough frame longitudinally of the main frame.

4. A plough according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which a power operated actuator interconnects the first and second brackets.

5. A plough according to any one of Claims 1 to 4. in which the adjuster mechanism comprises a strut having a given connection to the second bracket and having an experimentally determined connection to the elongate connector derived by drawing the plough through the ground with different ploughing width, whereby the connection point is selected such that the distance between the two connection points of the strut are substantially the same in all different positions of the plough.

6. A plough according to Claim 5 when appended to Claim 2, in which the angle defined between the main frame and the displacement direction of the second bracket along the actuator arm exceeds 900.

7. A plough according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Published 1991 at The Patent Office. State House. 66171 High Holbom. London WC1R47P. Further copies MaY be obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point Cwmfelinfach, Cross Keys. Nm"rt NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray. Kent.