NZ624778B - Handle device for farming equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Farming equipment 1 comprising a leg frame 4, 4a connected to a traveling section 2, 2a and a handle device C. The handle device C comprises a handle fixture removeably secured to the leg frame and a handle support comprising an operating handle 31. The handle device C is configured to be adjustably mounted. The handle fixture comprises a square bracket-shaped support engaged with the leg frame, a first fastener on the right side of the support and a second fastener on the left side of the support, and a third fastener on the middle side of the support. The first fastener, the second fastener, and the third fastener fasten the handle device to the leg frame. mounted. The handle fixture comprises a square bracket-shaped support engaged with the leg frame, a first fastener on the right side of the support and a second fastener on the left side of the support, and a third fastener on the middle side of the support. The first fastener, the second fastener, and the third fastener fasten the handle device to the leg frame.

Description

Handle Device for Farming Equipment

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-099899, filed on May 10, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a handle device for farming equipment (a handle removably secured to a leg frame of farming equipment), the device being effective at loading, on a vehicle, tea farming equipment (including farming equipment for farming shrubs and the like on crop land and garden plants and the like in a garden and a park), or at operating (handling) the tea farming equipment.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Farming equipment such as small tea farming equipment, small crop farming equipment, and small gardening equipment has a structure that can be used on a slope of up to about 20 degrees, and the equipment is suitable for various farms such as mountain tea farms in Japan and other countries. Farming equipment is loaded onto a medium-duty truck such as, for example, a 2 ton truck (hereinafter simply referred to as a truck) and transported through narrow mountain roads to such mountain farm. Then the farming equipment is unloaded from the truck for use. The farming equipment is also used on crop land, in a garden, in a park, in a meadow, and the like.

[0004] An operator uses a pair of sloped boards to load the farming equipment onto the upper surface of the bed of a truck. One end of the sloped boards is secured to the upper surface of the bed (having a height of about from 65 cm to 85 cm), while the other end is grounded. The farming equipment is tilted and moved from the ground across the sloped boards onto the upper surface. To do this, one operator needs to stand on the side of a crawler traveling section of the equipment for safety, while another operator needs to monitor to ensure that a crawler of the equipment does not protrude or fall out from the sloped boards and to inform the one operator about the status (to ensure safe movement). Thus, at least two operators are needed to load the equipment. 2

[0005] When a conventional operating handle (handle device) for farming equipment is used to load the farming equipment onto the upper surface of the bed of a truck as described above, the handle is secured to an upper portion of a leg frame having a great height (vertical dimension) and is positioned above the level of an operator and at a location that is remote from the operator. Thus, the conventional handle makes steering of the farming equipment difficult, and especially may cause inconvenience to small persons and the like.

[0006] Because tea grown in a mountain region has a high quality and a high commercial value due to, for example, a large temperature difference between day and night and clean air, mountain tea farms and similar farms are increasing each year. As a result, the farming equipment is increasingly transported to a mountain region. Currently, mountain regions where a truck cannot get to are also cultivated. Because in such cultivated farms, farmers manage crops by hand, the productivity is low. Thus, there is a need for the farming equipment proposed by the present applicant, the equipment being capable of being loaded onto a light vehicle that can get to mountain regions.

[0007] Promotion of agriculture in mountain regions leads to promotion of agriculture in the entire regions. The promotion not only improves the economics of farmers in mountain regions, but also is beneficial for maintenance of infrastructure such as elementary schools, roads, farm roads, water channels, bridges, meeting places, and civic centers in the regions.

The promotion also has an effect on forest conservation from the perspective of natural environments, and preservation of traditional festivals and arts and the like from the perspective of culture. Overall, the promotion is said to lead to, for example, promotion of industries in the entire regions and improvement of administrative services due to increase in tax revenues, thereby contributing to the region. It is economically difficult, however, to improve a road to mountain fields. Thus, farming equipment that can be transported by a light vehicle already in possession has great promise. Development of farming equipment that can be transported by a light vehicle and of a handle device that is movable (removable), and establishment of corresponding cultivation techniques allow streamlining of operations, 3 reduction of workload, and scaling up of agriculture, thereby contributing to improvement of agricultural operations, development of human resources, and preservation and prosperity of the communities in the mountain regions.

[0008] Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. H11-253030 describes a prior invention that provides a structure for adjusting the height of a lumbar handle (53) of tea farming equipment. The structure of the prior invention uses height adjustment knobs (51) and (52) secured to the lumbar handle (53) to adjust the height of the lumbar handle (53). Such structure may be inadequate in achieving the purpose of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0009] The present disclosure is directed to provide a handle device that allows an operator to easily and safely operate farming equipment when the farming equipment is loaded onto a vehicle or used in agricultural practice.

[0010] In view of the foregoing, objects1 of the present disclosure are "A": to provide farming equipment including a crawler having a length that is approximately the same as the width of the upper surface of the bed of a light vehicle and a leg frame having a low height for safety so as to smoothly and safely load the farming equipment onto the upper surface of the bed by, for example, moving the farming equipment across sloped boards onto the bed with a gate of the bed opened and without turning the equipment; "B": to provide farming equipment including an operating handle that can be previously disposed on the lower side and then be secured in the location to allow a single operator to easily and safely load the equipment, so that when the farming equipment is loaded onto a light vehicle by an operator who does not sit in the operator's seat and follows 1 This and other stated objects are objects of at least preferred embodiments of the invention, and the stated objects should not be considered to limit the scope of the claimed invention. 4 the equipment on foot while manipulating the operating handle, the operating handle is not raised as the farming equipment goes up the sloped boards in order to make the manipulation more easy, particularly, farming equipment including an emergency stop switch proposed by the present applicant automatically stops when the farming equipment moves up across the sloped boards onto a light vehicle and then the emergency stop switch comes in contact with a gate of the vehicle, thereby allowing the equipment to be safely loaded even by a single operator; and the farming equipment can also be easily unloaded from a light vehicle by a single operator who does not sit in the operator's seat while manipulating the operating handle; "C": to provide a handle device that allows farming equipment to be loaded while monitoring to ensure that a crawler of the equipment does not protrude from the sloped boards (ensure safe movement) when the farming equipment is loaded onto a light vehicle by a single operator who stands on the ground next to a sloped board, in view of the general facts that the bed of a light vehicle has a height of about 65 cm as described above and that the leg frame of the equipment has a low height; "D": to allow transportation of farming equipment to a mountain region according to "A"-"C"; "E": to allow operations such as harvesting of tea, cutting off of branches, and mowing to be sped up and simplified and to allow the objects of the operations to be achieved according to "A" and "B"; and "F": to provide a handle that can be firmly secured to a leg frame with three-point mounting so that the handle and the frame do not come apart.

Means of Solving the Problems

[0011] The present disclosure provides a handle device according to the appended Claims 1-5 to achieve the objects described above as "A"-"F".

[0012] A first aspect of the present invention, as claimed in claim 1, provides farming equipment comprising: a leg frame connected to a traveling section; and a handle device for operating the farming equipment; wherein the handle device includes a handle fixture removably secured to the leg frame and a handle support including an operating handle, and wherein the handle device is configured to be adjustably mounted, wherein the handle fixture comprises a square bracket-shaped support engaged with the leg frame, a first fastener on the right side of the support and a second fastener on the left side of the support, and a third fastener on the middle side of the support, and wherein the first fastener, the second fastener, and the third fastener fasten the handle device to the leg frame.

[0013] Claim 2 claims the farming equipment according to Claim 1, wherein a right side of the leg frame has a first hole, a left side of the leg frame has a second hole, a first bracket has a third hole, and a second bracket has a fourth hole, and wherein the first and second fasteners include respectively the first bracket on the right side of the support and the second bracket on the left side of the support, a first lock pin removably inserted through the third hole and the first hole, and a second lock pin removably inserted through the fourth hole and the second hole, a first spring wrapped around the first lock pin and disposed between the inner surface of the first bracket and a first stopper on the first lock pin, and a second spring wrapped around the second lock pin and disposed between the inner surface of the second bracket and a second stopper on the second lock pin, and a first lock lever secured to the free end of the first lock pin, and a second lock lever secured to the free end of the second lock pin.

[0014] Claim 3 claims farming equipment according to Claim 2, wherein the first and second lock levers are respectively eccentrically secured to the first and second lock pins to provide a locking mechanism. 6

[0015] Claim 4 claims farming equipment according to Claim 1, wherein the third fastener includes a third lock pin including a threaded shaft extending through a threaded hole in the middle side of the support and a third lock lever secured to the free end of the third lock pin, and wherein the tip of the threaded shaft is pressed against the middle side of the leg frame.

[0016] Claim 5 claims farming equipment according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the farming equipment is tea farming equipment.

Effects of the Invention

[0017] Embodiments of claim 1 can achieve the objects described above as "A"-"E".

[0018] Embodiments of claim 2 can achieve the objects described above as "A"-"F".

[0019] Embodiments of claims 3 and 4 can achieve the objects described above as "A"-"F".

[0020] Embodiments of claim 5 can achieve at least the objects described above as "A"-"E".

[0021] The term "comprising" as used in this specification and claims means "consisting at least in part of". When interpreting statements in this specification and claims which include the term "comprising", other features besides the features prefaced by this term in each statement can also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprised" are to be interpreted in a similar manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] A more complete understanding of this application can be obtained when the following detailed description is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: FIG. 1-1 is a front view of tea farming equipment with its handle at the highest position according to the disclosure; FIG. 1-2 is a side view of the tea farming equipment illustrated in FIG. 1-1; FIG. 2-1 is a front view of tea farming equipment with its handle at a third position; FIG. 2-2 is a side view of the tea farming equipment illustrated in FIG. 2-1; FIG. 3-1 is an enlarged front view of a locked handle according to the disclosure; 7 FIG. 3-2 is a plan view of the handle illustrated in FIG. 3-1; FIG. 3-3 is an enlarged side view of the first lock lever (second lock lever) illustrated in FIG. 3-1; FIG. 3-4 is an enlarged side view illustrating an operation for locking the first lock lever (second lock lever) to keep the first lock lever (second lock lever) in the up position as illustrated in FIG. 3-1; FIG. 3-5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the first lock lever (second lock lever) illustrated in FIG. 3-3; FIG. 3-6 is a front view of the first lock lever (second lock lever) illustrated in FIG. 3- 3; FIG. 4-1 is an enlarged front view of an unlocked handle according to the disclosure; FIG. 4-2 is a plan view of the handle illustrated in FIG. 4-1; FIG. 4-3 is an enlarged side view of the first lock lever (second lock lever) illustrated in FIG. 4-1; FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the third fastener of the handle illustrated in FIG. 3-2; and FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view illustrating an example of the operation of loading tea farming equipment onto the bed of a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Now, the tea farming equipment 1 illustrated in FIG. 1-1 to FIG. 2-2 will be described.

The tea farming equipment 1 includes a left leg frame 4 and a right leg frame 4a that are disposed by a row of tea plants A (in the case of paired leg frames, one of the reference numerals, for example 4, may be used to denote leg frames, which is applied to other paired elements) and an arch-like frame 5 that is slidably fitted over the leg frame 4. The leg frame 4 has a height (length) that is about two-thirds of the height of a conventional frame. A crawler 2 and a crawler traveling section 3 that covers the crawler 2 are secured to the lower end 5-2 of the leg frame 4. The crawler 2 has a length that is approximately the same as the width of 8 the upper surface B1 of the bed of a light vehicle B. The arch-like frame 5 includes a leg support 500 that supports the leg frame 4 and a beam 501 that spans over the row of tea plants A (for example, the beam 501 may be in a horizontal, inclined, or other orientation), and the frame 5 exhibits a generally arch-like shape when viewing in the forward direction of the tea farming equipment 1. The leg support 500 has a square cross section (although it is not limited thereto, and the same shall apply hereinafter) and is fitted over the rectangular leg frame 4. A lifting device D is used to raise and lower the arch-like frame 5 along the leg frame 4. As described above, the beam 501 is disposed slightly below the upper end 5-1 of the leg support 500 and the upper end 5a-1 of the leg supports 500a to connect the leg supports, thereby forming an arch-like structure and the overall structure of the tea farming equipment 1. A tea farming machine F (including a blade, an engine, a blade support, a bag support, and the like) is disposed on the beam 501 of the arch-like frame 5.

[0026] A handle device C secured to the respective leg frame 4 or 4a (hereinafter, the handle device secured to the leg frame 4 is described) includes a handle fixture C1 removably secured to the leg frame 4, and a handle support C2 including a handle. The handle fixture C1 includes a square bracket-shaped support (support frame) 8 fitted over the leg frame 4; a first fastener 10 removably and slidably disposed on the right side 8-2 of the support 8 and a second fastener 11 removably and slidably disposed on the left side 8-1 of the support 8, as illustrated in FIG. 3-1; and a third fastener 12 slidably secured to a middle side (surface) 8-3.

The support 8 is fitted over the leg frame 4 so that a space S is formed between the inner surface 8-4 of the support 8 and the middle side 4-1 of the leg frame 4.

[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 3-1, the first fastener 10 and the second fastener 11 are aligned on opposing sides of the support 8. As illustrated in FIG. 3-1 and FIG. 3-3, the first fastener and the second fastener 11 respectively include a first bracket 15 that is disposed on the right side 8-2 of the support 8 and a second bracket 16 that is disposed on the left side 8-1 of the support 8; a first lock pin 17 that extends through a hole (no reference numeral) in the right side 8-2 of the support 8 and a hole (no reference numeral), which is a third hole, in the 9 top surface of the first bracket 15 (the surface that is in front when the handle is viewed from the right side in FIG. 3-1) and that includes a tip 17-1 (17a-1) protruding from the hole in the right side 8-2 (in the inward direction Q1), and a second lock pin 18 that extends through a hole in the left side 8-1 of the support 8 and a hole (no reference numeral), which is a fourth hole, in the top surface of the second bracket 16 (the surface that is in front when the handle is viewed from the left side in FIG. 3-1) and that includes a tip 18-1 (18a-1) protruding from the hole in the left side 8-1 (in the inward direction Q2); a first spring 20 that is wrapped around a shaft 17-2 (17a-2) of the first pin 17 and that is disposed between a stopper 19-1 (19a-1) on the shaft 17-2 and the inner surface of the first bracket 15, and a second spring 21 that is wrapped around a shaft 18-2 (18a-2) of the second pin 18 and that is disposed between a stopper 19-2 (19a-2) on the second shaft 18-2 and the inner surface of the second bracket 16; and a first lock lever 22 (22a) that is pivotally connected to the base end (the end being toward the outward direction Q3) of the first lock pin 17, and a second lock lever 23 (23a) that is pivotally connected to the base end (the end being toward the outward direction Q4) of the second lock pin 18.

[0028] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the third fastener 12 is disposed on the underside of the support 8. Disposition of the third fastener 12 on the underside allows the third fastener 12 to deflect the underside of the support 8 in the direction of an arrow illustrated in FIG. 5, thereby for example, providing advantages of securely and firmly securing the handle device C to the leg frame 4 and bearing the load applied to the handle device C.

[0029] The operation of the first and second fasteners 10 and 11 will be described. First, the first and second lock lever 22/23 is pulled up to advance the tip 17-1/18-1 of the first/second lock pin 17/18, thereby inserting the pins through the first (second) hole 4-2 (4a-2) (referred to as hole 4-2 (4a-2)) in the leg frame 4 (see FIG. 3-1). This results in locking the handle device C, which is secured to the leg frame 4. FIG. 3-3 is an enlarged view of the main part of the handle device illustrated in FIG. 3-1. A support shaft 22-1 (22a-1)/23-1 (23a-1) that is eccentrically secured to the shaft 17-2/18-2 of the first/second lock pin 17/18 to support the first/second lock lever 22/23 allows advancement of the tip 17-1/18-1 of the shaft 17-2/18-2 in the inward directions Q1/Q2. This results in insertion of the tip 17-1/18-1 of the shaft 17- 2/18-2 through the hole 4-2 (4a-2) in the leg frame 4 to support the handle device. The first/second lock lever 22/23 includes an elongated hole 22-2 (22a-2)/23-2 (23a-2), and the lock lever 22/23 can be locked to keep the lever in the up position by moving the lever 22/23 down. Thus, the lever is kept locked unless the shaft 17-2/18-2 is removed from the hole 4- 2/4-2a (see FIG. 3-4). As illustrated in FIG. 3-5 and FIG. 3-6, an elongated slot 17-3 (17a3)/18-3 (18a-3) that extends in the axial direction of the first/second lock pin 17/18 is guided by a protrusion 15-1 (15a-1)/16-1 (16a-1) of the first/second bracket 15/16, thereby moving the first/second lock pin 17/18 without deviation.

[0030] The first/second lock lever 22/23 is pulled down to withdraw the tip 17-1/18-1 of the first/second lock pins 17/18, thereby removing the tip 17-1/18-1 from the hole 4-2/4a-2 in the leg frame 4 (see FIG. 4-1). This results in unlocking the handle device C, which can be then removed from the leg frame 4. The removal is illustrated in FIG. 4-3. As described above, the support shaft 22-1/23-1 that is eccentrically secured to the shaft 17-2/18-2 of the first/second lock pin 17/18 to support the first/second lock lever 22/23 allows withdrawal of the tip (base end) 17-1/18-1 of the shaft 17-2/18-2 in the outward direction Q3/Q4. This results in removal of the tip 17-1/18-1 of the shaft 17-2/18-2 from the hole 4-2 (4a-2) in the leg frames 4. Thus, the handle device C is removed from the leg frame 4.

[0031] Now, operation of pulling the first/second lock lever 22/23 up and down to release and compress the first/second spring 20/21 will be described. As illustrated in FIG. 3-3, when the first/second lock lever 22/23 is pulled up, then the first/second lock lever 22/23 advances in the inward direction Q1/Q2, which results in locking the handle device (activating the locking mechanism). The handle device C is mounted and secured to the leg frame 4. When the first /second lock lever 22/23 is pulled up, and then the first/second lock lever 22/23 is moved down in the direction of the arrow "II", the lever is kept in the up position (see FIG. 3-4).

When the first/second lock lever 22/23 is pulled up, the first/second lock pin 17/18 advances 11 in the inward direction Q1/Q2, the stopper 19-1/19-2 also advances, and the first/second spring 20/21 is released. When the first/second lock lever 22/23 is pulled down (in the direction of the arrow "I" in FIG. 3-3), the first/second lock pin 17/18 withdraws in the outward direction Q3/Q4, as illustrated in FIG. 4-3, which results in unlocking the handle device (deactivating the locking mechanism). Thus the handle device C is removed from the leg frame 4. When the first/second lock lever 22/23 is pulled down, the first/second lock pin 17/18 and the stopper 19-1/19-2 return to the original position, and the first/second spring /21 is compressed. When the first/second lock lever 22/23 is moved from the down position illustrated in FIG. 4-3 to the up position by pulling them up in the direction of the arrow "III" in FIG. 4-3, the lock lever returns to the state illustrated in FIG. 3-3.

[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the third fastener 12 (12a) includes a threaded shaft 1200 (1200a) engaged with a threaded member 25 (25a) on the middle side 8-3 (the threaded member may be replaced by a threaded hole in the support 8), and tip 1200-1 (1200a-1) protruding from the middle side 8-3 to the inner surface 8-4. The third lock lever 26 (26a) is turned to insert the threaded shaft 1200 (1200a), which results in passing the tip 1200-1 (1200a-1) through the inner surface 8-4 (8a-4) to the middle side 4-1 (4a-1) of the leg frame 4 (4a). When the tip 1200-1 (1200a-1) comes in contact with the middle sides 4-1 (4a-1), the underside of the support 8 is moved about the first and second lock pins 17 and 18 in an upward direction as shown by an arrow, thereby supporting the support 8 and firmly securing the support 8 and the handle fixture C1 to the leg frame 4. When the handle 26 is turned back, the threaded shaft 1200 is returned, and the tip 1200-1 is detached from the inner surface 8-4, which results in releasing the underside of the support 8.

[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 3-2 and FIG. 4-2, the handle support C2 includes a support plate (30a) secured to the outer surface 8-5 (8a-5) of the middle side 8-3 (8a-3) of the supports 8 (8a); a T-shaped grip 31 (31a) connected to the support plate 30 (30a); a movable handlebar 32 (32a) for handling cables 3200 (3200a) connected to the support plate 30 (30a); and a pair of handles 33 (33a) secured to the free end of the handlebar 32 (32a). One of the pair of 12 handles 33 is used to move the farming equipment in the forward direction X, while the other is used to move the equipment in the backward direction Y. As seen in FIG. 1-1, each of the leg frames 4 and 4a is provided with the handles 33. And an operator stands on one of the crawler traveling sections 3 and 3a to manipulate the handle device C. The handle device C is used to move the equipment in the forward direction X or the backward direction Y, as described above.

[0034] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the operation of loading tea farming equipment 1 onto the upper surface B1 of the bed of a light vehicle B at a predetermined location. The tea farming equipment 1 is moved across sloped boards (bridges) E onto the upper surface B1 with a first side gate B2 closed and a second side gate B3 opened. If the farming equipment 1 is stopped so that one end of its crawler (caterpillar tread) 2 is located in proximity to the first side gate B2, the farming equipment 1 can be securely disposed on the vehicle with the side gate B3 closed and without collision between another end of the crawler 2 and the side gate B3. Thus, the present disclosure can provide a handle device C that allows the farming equipment 1 to be loaded onto a vehicle while monitoring to ensure that the crawler 2 does not protrude from the sloped boards E by one operator who stands on the ground next to one of the sloped boards E.

[0035] Although some embodiments of the disclosure have been described using the tea farming equipment 1 as an example, the embodiments are not limited thereto. That is, the handle device of the disclosure may be used for any farming equipment including crop and plant farming equipment, in addition to the tea farming equipment.

[0036] Each of the examples described herein is one preferred example. Any modifications of the structures or any changes to other structures and mechanisms are within the scope of the present disclosure, as long as such modifications and changes have similar effects and features to the present disclosure.

Claims (7)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Farming equipment comprising: a leg frame connected to a traveling section; and a handle device for operating the farming equipment; 5 wherein the handle device comprises a handle fixture removably secured to the leg frame and a handle support comprising an operating handle, and wherein the handle device is configured to be adjustably mounted, wherein the handle fixture comprises a square bracket-shaped support engaged with the leg frame, 10 a first fastener on the right side of the support and a second fastener on the left side of the support, and a third fastener on the middle side of the support, and wherein the first fastener, the second fastener, and the third fastener fasten the handle device to the leg frame.

2. The farming equipment according to Claim 1, 15 wherein a right side of the leg frame has a first hole, a left side of the leg frame has a second hole, a first bracket has a third hole, and a second bracket has a fourth hole, and wherein the first and second fasteners comprise respectively the first bracket on the right side of the support and the second bracket on the left side of the support, 20 a first lock pin removably inserted through the third hole and the first hole and a second lock pin removably inserted through the fourth hole and the second hole, a first spring wrapped around the first lock pin and disposed between the inner surface of the first bracket and a first stopper on the first lock pin, and a second spring wrapped around the second lock pin and disposed between the inner surface of the second 25 bracket and a second stopper on the second lock pin, and a first lock lever secured to the free end of the first lock pin, and a second lock lever secured to the free end of the second lock pin. 14

3. The farming equipment according to Claim 2, wherein the first and second lock levers are respectively eccentrically secured to the first and second lock pins to provide a locking mechanism.

4. The farming equipment according to Claim 1, 5 wherein the third fastener comprises a third lock pin comprising a threaded shaft extending through a threaded hole in the middle side of the support and a third lock lever secured to the free end of the third lock pin, and wherein the tip of the threaded shaft is pressed against the middle side of the leg frame.

5. The farming equipment according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, 10 wherein the farming equipment is tea farming equipment.

6. The farming equipment according to claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to any embodiment disclosed.

7. Farming equipment substantially as herein described with reference to any embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.