US20020074139A1 - Floating hitch for agricaltural implement - Google Patents
Floating hitch for agricaltural implement Download PDFInfo
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- US20020074139A1 US20020074139A1 US09/740,449 US74044900A US2002074139A1 US 20020074139 A1 US20020074139 A1 US 20020074139A1 US 74044900 A US74044900 A US 74044900A US 2002074139 A1 US2002074139 A1 US 2002074139A1
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- Prior art keywords
- hitch
- implement
- frame
- wheel assembly
- relative
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
- A01B51/00—Undercarriages specially adapted for mounting-on various kinds of agricultural tools or apparatus
- A01B51/04—Undercarriages specially adapted for mounting-on various kinds of agricultural tools or apparatus drawn by animal or tractor
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
- A01B63/00—Lifting or adjusting devices or arrangements for agricultural machines or implements
- A01B63/14—Lifting or adjusting devices or arrangements for agricultural machines or implements for implements drawn by animals or tractors
- A01B63/16—Lifting or adjusting devices or arrangements for agricultural machines or implements for implements drawn by animals or tractors with wheels adjustable relatively to the frame
- A01B63/22—Lifting or adjusting devices or arrangements for agricultural machines or implements for implements drawn by animals or tractors with wheels adjustable relatively to the frame operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
- A01B63/00—Lifting or adjusting devices or arrangements for agricultural machines or implements
- A01B63/14—Lifting or adjusting devices or arrangements for agricultural machines or implements for implements drawn by animals or tractors
- A01B63/24—Tools or tool-holders adjustable relatively to the frame
Definitions
- the present invention relates to farm implements and, more particularly, to tillage implements and like devices in which it is important to penetrate the soil at a uniform depth in all regions of the implement regardless of changes in terrain that may be encountered between the towing vehicle and the implement.
- Tillage implements such as field cultivators typically have relatively large rectangular frames that have a significant front-to-rear dimension.
- gauge wheels at the front of the main frame to assist the main transport wheels that are positioned further back toward the rear of the frame.
- a transverse horizontal pivot between the main frame and the tongue or hitch allows the hitch to float up and down about the transverse pivot as the tractor and main frame seek their own level conditions.
- the hitch In known floating hitch arrangements, the hitch is in a floating mode at all times.
- the gauge wheels When the main frame is raised into a transport position, the gauge wheels remain on the ground along with the main transport wheels. Thus, the gauge wheels remain in contact with the ground during over-the-road travel, which is not a desirable situation because the gauge wheels are typically of the castering variety and tend to wobble and gyrate back and forth at road speeds unless somehow locked in straight ahead positions.
- the linkages that connect the gauge wheels to the main frame must be operated each time the main frame is raised and lowered, such linkages will suffer premature wear unless they are heavy duty components, which necessarily increases costs.
- the present invention contemplates overcoming the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a floating hitch arrangement that can be selectively engaged and disengaged.
- the hitch in the field operating position, the hitch can be disposed in a floating mode in which it is free to swing up and down relative to the main frame as the gauge wheels and transport wheels maintain the main frame in a level attitude. Then, for transport, the hitch can be locked into a self-leveling mode with the main frame such that as the main frame is raised and lowered, carrying the gauge wheels therewith, the angular position of the hitch relative to the main frame is under the control of self-leveling mechanism that causes the main frame to remain level in all positions of vertical adjustment.
- the self-leveling mechanism includes linkage that transmits motion of the transport wheel arms to the hitch when the self-leveling mechanism is engaged for transport.
- the self-leveling mechanism is disengaged for field operations, there is no motion-transmitting connection between the wheel arms and the hitch such that the hitch can freely pivot up and down while the wheel arms remain in a fixed position relative to the main frame.
- a latch carried on the hitch can be locked and unlocked to correspondingly engage and disengage the self-leveling mechanism, and in a preferred form of the invention such latch includes a remotely actuatable hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly so that the self-leveling mechanism can be engaged and disengaged from the tractor seat.
- a strut that maintains the lever rigid to the hitch when the self-leveling mechanism is engaged has one end that can move up and down along the lever between locking and released positions.
- the lever has a certain amount of lost motion relative to the strut when the strut is in its released position, but when the strut is in the latched position the lever is immobilized relative to the hitch.
- the gauge wheels are linked mechanically to the transport wheel assemblies in such a way that, even though the transport wheels are hydraulically swung up and down relative to the main frame during adjustment of the main frame between its operating and transport positions, the gauge wheels remain at a constant position and thus are raised off the ground when the main frame is raised.
- the linkage between the gauge wheels and the transport wheel assemblies responsively causes a corresponding amount of depth adjustment of the transport wheels as well.
- FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an implement incorporating the principles of the present invention connected to a towing tractor and illustrating the nature of the floating hitch, portions of the implement being removed for clarity;
- FIG. 1 a is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of the implement illustrating the floating action of the hitch
- FIG. 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the floating action of the hitch as the implement moves over a rise relative to the tractor;
- FIG. 2 a is an enlarged, fragmentary view thereof
- FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the implement with its wing sections fragmentarily shown;
- FIG. 4 is a generally fore-and-aft cross sectional view through the implement with the main frame in the operating position and taken substantially along line 4 - 4 of FIG. 3;
- FIG. 5 is a elevational view of the implement substantially similar to FIG. 4 but showing the main frame raised into its transport position;
- FIG. 6 is a generally fore-and-aft cross sectional view of the implement in the operating position with the self-leveling mechanism disengaged to permit free floating action by the hitch and taken substantially along line 6 - 6 of FIG. 3;
- FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the implement similar to FIG. 6 with the main frame in the field working position but showing the self-leveling mechanism engaged in preparation for raising of the main frame into the transport position;
- FIG. 7 a is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the implement in its FIG. 7 position illustrating details of construction of the latch for locking the self-leveling mechanism in its engaged condition;
- FIG. 8 shows the self-leveling mechanism engaged and the main frame raised up into its transport position
- FIG. 9 is an isometric, partially exploded view of portions of the center frame section of the implement illustrating details of construction.
- the implement 10 selected for illustration is a field cultivator.
- the principles of the present invention may be applied to many different kinds of implements, the field cultivator being but one example.
- the principles of the present invention may be applied beneficially to single frame section implements or multiple frame section implements alike, the presence or absence of such folding wing sections and the number thereof being irrelevant to the principles of the present invention. It will be recognized, however, that in some respects the more wing sections provided in the implement, the greater the benefit achieved by the present invention.
- a multiple frame section implement is disclosed as shown in FIG. 3 wherein the main frame 12 is shown to include a center frame section 14 and at least a pair of wing sections 16 and 18 hingedly connected to center section 14 in a well known manner.
- Center section 14 of main frame 12 is generally rectangular in plan as shown in FIG. 3.
- a generally triangular hitch 20 is pivotally connected to the front of center section 14 by a pair of horizontal, transverse, aligned pivots 22 that define an axis of vertical swinging movement of the hitch 20 relative to frame 12 , and vice versa.
- a draw bar coupling 24 is provided at the front end of hitch 20 for connecting implement 10 to a towing tractor 26 or other vehicle.
- a number of tillage tools 28 in the form of shanks or tines are mounted on frame section 14 for penetrating the ground as implement 10 is drawn by tractor 26 .
- a pair of transport wheel assemblies 30 support the rear of frame section 14 , while a pair of gauge wheel assemblies 32 support the front of frame section 14 .
- Each transport wheel assembly 30 includes a pair of ground wheels 34 and 36 that are slightly mutually staggered in a fore-and-aft direction and comprise part of a walking beam arrangement as well known by those skilled in the art.
- each transport wheel assembly 30 includes a wheel arm 38 supporting the wheels 34 and 36 at its lower end and pivotally attached at its upper end to the center frame section 14 via a transverse pivot 40 .
- each pivot 40 is supported by a bolt on bracket 42 and a welded on bracket 44 , both of which are attached to and supported by a cross beam 14 a of the center frame section 14 .
- a second welded on bracket 46 is spaced inboard from each bracket 44 along the beam 14 a , each pair of brackets 44 , 46 having a pair of transversely aligned holes 48 (FIG. 9) for a purpose yet-to-be described.
- the two wheel arms 38 are rigidly interconnected by a transversely extending rocker bar 50 that extends parallel to but in front of and below the frame beam 14 a .
- a generally centrally disposed bracket 52 on beam 14 a (FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 ) has a lower pivot 54 that swingably supports a lug 56 fixed to and projecting rearwardly from the rocker bar 50 .
- bracket 52 provides central support for the rocker bar 50 during up and down movement thereof with the wheel arms 38 .
- Wheel arms 38 are raised and lowered relative to the center frame section 14 by hydraulic cylinders 58 (FIGS. 4 and 5).
- Each cylinder 58 has its anchor end pivotally attached to a lug 60 adjacent the lower end of wheel arm 38 and its upper rod end pivotally secured to an inverted, generally Y-shaped lug or fork 62 .
- Each fork 62 is, in turn, pivotally attached at its lower end to a corresponding pair of the brackets 44 , 46 by aligned transverse pivot bolts 64 held in the aligned holes 48 in brackets 44 , 46 (FIG. 9).
- Forks 62 although being pivotally attached to the center frame section 14 , are rendered immobile and effectively fixed with respect to the frame section 14 most of the time, as will hereinafter be explained in more detail. Accordingly, extension and retraction of wheel cylinders 58 causes vertical adjustment of transport wheel assemblies 30 relative to implement main frame 12 .
- Each gauge wheel assembly 32 is attached to the front of center section 14 by an upwardly and forwardly projecting mount 66 fixed at its lower end to a cross beam 14 b of center frame section 14 .
- Each gauge wheel assembly 32 includes a caster wheel 68 having an upright spindle 70 captured within a sleeve 72 for swiveling movement about an upright axis in a known manner.
- Sleeve 72 is in turn coupled with the mount 66 via a parallel linkage 74 for up and down adjusting movement relative to center frame section 14 .
- a depth control apparatus 76 of known construction is coupled between the center section 14 and gauge wheel assembly 32 for adjusting the latter up and down relative to frame section 14 and for holding the same in a selected position of vertical adjustment, thus controlling the depth of penetration of the tools 28 at the front of frame section 14 .
- Depth control apparatus 76 includes a ratchet jack 78 that may be manually operated when adjustment of the gauge wheel assembly 32 is desired.
- a rigid, fore-and-aft extending link 80 for each gauge assembly 32 and transport wheel assembly 30 is connected between the fork 62 of transport wheel assembly 30 and an upright member 82 of depth control apparatus 76 . Consequently, ratchet jack 78 normally holds the corresponding gauge wheel assembly 32 and fork 62 immobilized relative to center frame section 14 . However, when ratchet jack 78 is operated to vertically adjust gauge wheel assembly 32 for depth control purposes, a corresponding adjustment of fork 62 occurs, thus correspondingly causing depth adjustment of the transport wheel assembly 30 .
- adjustment of the angular position of the fork 62 by depth control apparatus 76 has the effect of changing the height of the frame section 14 above the ground when the implement is in its lowered operating position of FIG. 4, as well as when it is in its raised, transport position of FIG. 5. It is contemplated that cylinder 58 will be fully retracted when the implement is in the working position of FIG. 4, and fully extended when in the transport position of FIG. 5.
- implement 10 may be selectively placed in either a self-leveling mode or a floating hitch mode. In the preferred embodiment, such selection of modes is accomplished remotely from the driver's seat of tractor 26 .
- Selectively engageable and disengageable self-leveling mechanism for providing this feature is denoted generally by the numeral 84 and broadly includes a motion-transmitting linkage leading from the transport wheel assemblies 30 of center section 14 to hitch 20 and a selectively actuatable latch 88 for selectively locking the linkage 86 in the self-leveling mode.
- linkage 86 is unlocked, implement 10 is disposed in its floating hitch mode in which main frame 12 and hitch 20 can flex relative to one another about the horizontal transverse axis defined by pivots 22 .
- linkage 86 includes a generally upright link 90 pivotally connected at its lower end to rocker bar 50 , a somewhat reversely L-shaped bell crank 92 pivoted to the upper end of the bracket 52 by a pivot 94 , a rigid, fore-and-aft extending link 96 connected to the upwardly projecting leg of bell crank 92 , and a generally upstanding lever 98 (FIGS. 1 a and 2 a ) connected to link 96 at its forwardmost end.
- Lever 98 is connected to hitch 20 by a pivot 100 for fore-and-aft swinging movement.
- the link 96 may be longitudinally adjusted somewhat using adjusting nuts 102 which function in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art.
- the width of lever 98 varies in a fore-and-aft direction, tapering from a wide portion 104 generally adjacent its upper end to a narrow portion 106 adjacent its lower end.
- Latch 88 includes a strut 108 connected at its forward end by a pivot 110 to hitch 20 so that strut 108 can swing up and down relative to hitch 20 .
- strut 108 Adjacent its rearmost end, strut 108 is provided with a pair of limit rollers 112 and 114 that are spaced apart in a fore-and-aft direction and are disposed on opposite fore-and-aft sides of lever 98 .
- the distance between rollers 112 and 114 generally corresponds to the fore-and-aft width of lever 98 in its wide portion 104 .
- lever 98 is free to rock back and forth in a lost motion manner between the limits presented by rollers 112 , 114 as maybe seen by comparing FIGS. 1, 1 a and 2 , 2 a .
- rollers 112 and 114 are disposed closely adjacent front and rear extremities of lever 98 in wide portion 104 thereof so as to preclude any swinging motion of lever 98 relative to hitch 20 .
- a hydraulic cylinder 116 operable from the tractor seat, is utilized for that purpose.
- Cylinder 116 is pivotally connected between the front end of center frame section 14 on the one hand and the rearmost extremity of strut 108 in the vicinity of roller 114 on the other hand.
- latch cylinder 116 and wheel lift cylinders 58 may be connected in the same hydraulic circuit controlled by the same operating lever (not shown) at the tractor seat.
- latch cylinder 116 and wheel cylinders 58 in a continuously parallel fluid flow relationship will work, best results have been obtained when a sequencing valve (not shown) is made a part of the parallel fluid flow circuit to assure that latch cylinder 116 always extends (to actuate to latch 88 ) before wheel cylinders 58 extend to raise the implement.
- the sequencing valve assures that latch cylinder 116 will only retract (to deactuate latch 88 ) after wheel cylinders 58 have first been fully retracted and the implement is lowered back down to its working position of FIGS. 1, 1 a , 2 , 2 a , 4 and 6 .
- the sequencing valve itself forms no part of the present invention per se and is readily available as an off-the-shelf item to those skilled in the art.
- One suitable sequencing valve is available from Prince Manufacturing Corporation of Sioux City, Iowa as Model No. RD1008SH (IPED).
- implement 10 is operated with main frame 12 in its lowered operating position as shown in FIGS. 1, 1 a , 2 , 2 a , 4 and 6 .
- Self-leveling mechanism 84 is disengaged at this time such that implement 10 is in its floating hitch mode with hitch 20 free to pivot relative to main frame 12 about the horizontal transverse axis defined by pivots 22 .
- Latch cylinder 116 is fully retracted at this time so that latch 88 is deactuated with strut 108 located at the lower end of upstanding lever 98 . Consequently, as implement 10 flexes about pivots 22 as the implement and tractor experience changes in terrain relative to one another as shown in FIGS.
- lever 98 is free to swing fore-and-aft between the limits defined by rollers 112 , 114 so as to accommodate the floating hitch action. This enables tillage tools 28 throughout main frame 12 to be maintained at the same depth inasmuch as main frame 12 remains level.
- FIGS. 6 - 8 latch cylinder 116 is in its deactuated, fully retracted condition, causing strut 108 to be at the lower end of lever 98 .
- strut 108 is lifted about its pivotal connection 110 until limit rollers 112 , 114 are located at the wide portion 104 of lever 98 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 7 a .
- FIG. 6 illustrates the implement in a level condition throughout its entire length, the machine need not be in this condition before self-leveling mechanism 84 can be engaged.
- latch 88 Once latch 88 is actuated, self-leveling mechanism 84 is effectively engaged.
- wheel cylinders 58 then extend to raise the main frame 12 to its transport position, the downward swinging motion of wheel arms 38 and rocker bar 50 is translated into forward motion of link 96 through bell crank 92 .
- lever 98 is locked in its immobilized condition at this time, such forward motion of link 96 is transmitted down through lever 98 to hitch 20 .
- This reaction causes the implement to buckle about pivots 22 as illustrated in FIG. 8 as the main frame 12 remains level.
- hitch 20 rises during such leveling action, such movement is permitted by virtue of a transverse pivotal connection between hitch coupling 24 and hitch 20 .
- tools 28 throughout all regions of main frame 12 are raised up into a position providing excellent ground clearance.
- wheel cylinders 58 are retracted, causing the main frame 12 to be lowered relative to transport wheels 30 .
- self-leveling mechanism 84 continues to function and maintains the main frame 12 level until it is fully lowered into the operating position.
- latch cylinder 116 retracts, effectively deactuating latch 88 by lowering strut 108 until limit rollers 112 , 114 are at the bottom end of lever 98 adjacent narrow portion 106 .
- the floating hitch mode is re-established such that hitch 20 and main frame 12 are once again able to flex freely relative to one another about the transverse axis defined by pivots 22 .
- gauge wheel assemblies 32 are on the ground only when main frame 12 is in its lowered operating position. As wheel cylinders 58 are extended during a lift cycle so as to effectively lower transport wheel assemblies 30 relative to frame 12 , gauge wheel assemblies 32 do not correspondingly lower. Instead, they remain set at the height established by ratchet jack 78 of depth control mechanism 76 . Consequently, when main frame 12 is in its transport position of FIGS. 5 and 8, gauge wheel assemblies 32 are fully off the ground. This greatly facilitates roading of implement 10 , since the caster wheels 68 of gauge wheel assemblies 32 tend to swivel and shake when engaged with the ground at roading speeds.
- gauge wheel assemblies 32 are raised and lowered relative to main frame 12 only during those infrequent occasions when depth adjustment is desired by manipulating the ratchet jack 78 . Consequently, the useful life of the various movable components making up the wheel assemblies 32 is greatly prolonged and reliability is increased. Notwithstanding the forgoing, simultaneous depth adjustment of both gauge wheel assemblies 32 and transport wheel assemblies 30 is accomplished by simply manipulating the ratchet jacks 78 .
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to farm implements and, more particularly, to tillage implements and like devices in which it is important to penetrate the soil at a uniform depth in all regions of the implement regardless of changes in terrain that may be encountered between the towing vehicle and the implement.
- Tillage implements such as field cultivators typically have relatively large rectangular frames that have a significant front-to-rear dimension. In order to have the ground penetrating tools of the frame at the same depth in both the front and rear, it is a fairly common practice to utilize gauge wheels at the front of the main frame to assist the main transport wheels that are positioned further back toward the rear of the frame. By having both the transport and gauge wheels engaging the ground when the main frame is at its lowered, operating position, the main frame can remain substantially level as the towing tractor encounters terrain changes not yet experienced by the implement. A transverse horizontal pivot between the main frame and the tongue or hitch allows the hitch to float up and down about the transverse pivot as the tractor and main frame seek their own level conditions.
- In known floating hitch arrangements, the hitch is in a floating mode at all times. When the main frame is raised into a transport position, the gauge wheels remain on the ground along with the main transport wheels. Thus, the gauge wheels remain in contact with the ground during over-the-road travel, which is not a desirable situation because the gauge wheels are typically of the castering variety and tend to wobble and gyrate back and forth at road speeds unless somehow locked in straight ahead positions. Furthermore, since the linkages that connect the gauge wheels to the main frame must be operated each time the main frame is raised and lowered, such linkages will suffer premature wear unless they are heavy duty components, which necessarily increases costs.
- Yet, it is important to keep the main frame substantially level when in its transport position so that adequate ground clearance is achieved between the tools and the ground at all regions of the machine. On known equipment, unless the gauge wheels remain in contact with the ground at such time, the unsupported front end of the main frame can nose dive about the transverse flotation pivot. What is needed in the art is a way of keeping the main frame level in the transport position even though the gauge wheels are off the ground, yet allow the main frame to remain level in the field position while the hitch floats up and down as the tractor experiences changes in terrain relative to the main frame.
- The present invention contemplates overcoming the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a floating hitch arrangement that can be selectively engaged and disengaged. Thus, in the field operating position, the hitch can be disposed in a floating mode in which it is free to swing up and down relative to the main frame as the gauge wheels and transport wheels maintain the main frame in a level attitude. Then, for transport, the hitch can be locked into a self-leveling mode with the main frame such that as the main frame is raised and lowered, carrying the gauge wheels therewith, the angular position of the hitch relative to the main frame is under the control of self-leveling mechanism that causes the main frame to remain level in all positions of vertical adjustment.
- The self-leveling mechanism includes linkage that transmits motion of the transport wheel arms to the hitch when the self-leveling mechanism is engaged for transport. On the other hand, when the self-leveling mechanism is disengaged for field operations, there is no motion-transmitting connection between the wheel arms and the hitch such that the hitch can freely pivot up and down while the wheel arms remain in a fixed position relative to the main frame. A latch carried on the hitch can be locked and unlocked to correspondingly engage and disengage the self-leveling mechanism, and in a preferred form of the invention such latch includes a remotely actuatable hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly so that the self-leveling mechanism can be engaged and disengaged from the tractor seat. When the latch is disengaged, an upstanding lever pivoted to the hitch and forming part of the control linkage of the self-leveling mechanism is free to swing back and forth relative to the hitch as the hitch floats with terrain changes. On the other hand, when the latch is engaged, the lever is locked up and cannot swing relative to the hitch such that movement of the wheel arms to raise and lower the main frame is correspondingly transmitted to the hitch, causing the main frame to remain level. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a strut that maintains the lever rigid to the hitch when the self-leveling mechanism is engaged has one end that can move up and down along the lever between locking and released positions. The lever has a certain amount of lost motion relative to the strut when the strut is in its released position, but when the strut is in the latched position the lever is immobilized relative to the hitch. The gauge wheels are linked mechanically to the transport wheel assemblies in such a way that, even though the transport wheels are hydraulically swung up and down relative to the main frame during adjustment of the main frame between its operating and transport positions, the gauge wheels remain at a constant position and thus are raised off the ground when the main frame is raised. On the other hand, when the gauge wheels are depth adjusted relative to the main frame, the linkage between the gauge wheels and the transport wheel assemblies responsively causes a corresponding amount of depth adjustment of the transport wheels as well.
- FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an implement incorporating the principles of the present invention connected to a towing tractor and illustrating the nature of the floating hitch, portions of the implement being removed for clarity;
- FIG. 1 a is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of the implement illustrating the floating action of the hitch;
- FIG. 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the floating action of the hitch as the implement moves over a rise relative to the tractor;
- FIG. 2a is an enlarged, fragmentary view thereof;
- FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the implement with its wing sections fragmentarily shown;
- FIG. 4 is a generally fore-and-aft cross sectional view through the implement with the main frame in the operating position and taken substantially along line4-4 of FIG. 3;
- FIG. 5 is a elevational view of the implement substantially similar to FIG. 4 but showing the main frame raised into its transport position;
- FIG. 6 is a generally fore-and-aft cross sectional view of the implement in the operating position with the self-leveling mechanism disengaged to permit free floating action by the hitch and taken substantially along line6-6 of FIG. 3;
- FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the implement similar to FIG. 6 with the main frame in the field working position but showing the self-leveling mechanism engaged in preparation for raising of the main frame into the transport position;
- FIG. 7a is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the implement in its FIG. 7 position illustrating details of construction of the latch for locking the self-leveling mechanism in its engaged condition;
- FIG. 8 shows the self-leveling mechanism engaged and the main frame raised up into its transport position; and
- FIG. 9 is an isometric, partially exploded view of portions of the center frame section of the implement illustrating details of construction.
- The
implement 10 selected for illustration is a field cultivator. However, as well understood by those skilled in the art, the principles of the present invention may be applied to many different kinds of implements, the field cultivator being but one example. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the principles of the present invention may be applied beneficially to single frame section implements or multiple frame section implements alike, the presence or absence of such folding wing sections and the number thereof being irrelevant to the principles of the present invention. It will be recognized, however, that in some respects the more wing sections provided in the implement, the greater the benefit achieved by the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, a multiple frame section implement is disclosed as shown in FIG. 3 wherein themain frame 12 is shown to include acenter frame section 14 and at least a pair ofwing sections center section 14 in a well known manner. -
Center section 14 ofmain frame 12 is generally rectangular in plan as shown in FIG. 3. A generallytriangular hitch 20 is pivotally connected to the front ofcenter section 14 by a pair of horizontal, transverse, alignedpivots 22 that define an axis of vertical swinging movement of thehitch 20 relative toframe 12, and vice versa. Adraw bar coupling 24 is provided at the front end ofhitch 20 for connecting implement 10 to atowing tractor 26 or other vehicle. A number oftillage tools 28 in the form of shanks or tines are mounted onframe section 14 for penetrating the ground asimplement 10 is drawn bytractor 26. - A pair of
transport wheel assemblies 30 support the rear offrame section 14, while a pair of gauge wheel assemblies 32 support the front offrame section 14. Eachtransport wheel assembly 30 includes a pair ofground wheels - As shown particularly in FIGS. 4, 5 and9, each
transport wheel assembly 30 includes awheel arm 38 supporting thewheels center frame section 14 via atransverse pivot 40. As shown in FIG. 9, eachpivot 40 is supported by a bolt onbracket 42 and a welded onbracket 44, both of which are attached to and supported by across beam 14 a of thecenter frame section 14. A second welded onbracket 46 is spaced inboard from eachbracket 44 along thebeam 14 a, each pair ofbrackets wheel arms 38 are rigidly interconnected by a transversely extendingrocker bar 50 that extends parallel to but in front of and below theframe beam 14 a. A generally centrally disposedbracket 52 onbeam 14 a (FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9) has alower pivot 54 that swingably supports alug 56 fixed to and projecting rearwardly from therocker bar 50. Thus,bracket 52 provides central support for therocker bar 50 during up and down movement thereof with thewheel arms 38. -
Wheel arms 38 are raised and lowered relative to thecenter frame section 14 by hydraulic cylinders 58 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Eachcylinder 58 has its anchor end pivotally attached to alug 60 adjacent the lower end ofwheel arm 38 and its upper rod end pivotally secured to an inverted, generally Y-shaped lug orfork 62. Eachfork 62 is, in turn, pivotally attached at its lower end to a corresponding pair of thebrackets transverse pivot bolts 64 held in the alignedholes 48 inbrackets 44,46 (FIG. 9).Forks 62, although being pivotally attached to thecenter frame section 14, are rendered immobile and effectively fixed with respect to theframe section 14 most of the time, as will hereinafter be explained in more detail. Accordingly, extension and retraction ofwheel cylinders 58 causes vertical adjustment oftransport wheel assemblies 30 relative to implementmain frame 12. - Each
gauge wheel assembly 32 is attached to the front ofcenter section 14 by an upwardly and forwardly projectingmount 66 fixed at its lower end to a cross beam 14 b ofcenter frame section 14. Eachgauge wheel assembly 32 includes acaster wheel 68 having anupright spindle 70 captured within asleeve 72 for swiveling movement about an upright axis in a known manner.Sleeve 72 is in turn coupled with themount 66 via aparallel linkage 74 for up and down adjusting movement relative to centerframe section 14. Adepth control apparatus 76 of known construction is coupled between thecenter section 14 andgauge wheel assembly 32 for adjusting the latter up and down relative to framesection 14 and for holding the same in a selected position of vertical adjustment, thus controlling the depth of penetration of thetools 28 at the front offrame section 14.Depth control apparatus 76 includes aratchet jack 78 that may be manually operated when adjustment of thegauge wheel assembly 32 is desired. - A rigid, fore-and-
aft extending link 80 for eachgauge assembly 32 andtransport wheel assembly 30 is connected between thefork 62 oftransport wheel assembly 30 and anupright member 82 ofdepth control apparatus 76. Consequently, ratchetjack 78 normally holds the correspondinggauge wheel assembly 32 andfork 62 immobilized relative to centerframe section 14. However, whenratchet jack 78 is operated to vertically adjustgauge wheel assembly 32 for depth control purposes, a corresponding adjustment offork 62 occurs, thus correspondingly causing depth adjustment of thetransport wheel assembly 30. It will be noted in this respect that adjustment of the angular position of thefork 62 bydepth control apparatus 76 has the effect of changing the height of theframe section 14 above the ground when the implement is in its lowered operating position of FIG. 4, as well as when it is in its raised, transport position of FIG. 5. It is contemplated thatcylinder 58 will be fully retracted when the implement is in the working position of FIG. 4, and fully extended when in the transport position of FIG. 5. - In accordance with the present invention, implement10 may be selectively placed in either a self-leveling mode or a floating hitch mode. In the preferred embodiment, such selection of modes is accomplished remotely from the driver's seat of
tractor 26. Selectively engageable and disengageable self-leveling mechanism for providing this feature is denoted generally by the numeral 84 and broadly includes a motion-transmitting linkage leading from thetransport wheel assemblies 30 ofcenter section 14 to hitch 20 and a selectivelyactuatable latch 88 for selectively locking thelinkage 86 in the self-leveling mode. Whenlinkage 86 is unlocked, implement 10 is disposed in its floating hitch mode in whichmain frame 12 and hitch 20 can flex relative to one another about the horizontal transverse axis defined bypivots 22. - Beginning at the rear of the machine, and with initial reference to FIG. 9, it will be seen that
linkage 86 includes a generallyupright link 90 pivotally connected at its lower end torocker bar 50, a somewhat reversely L-shaped bell crank 92 pivoted to the upper end of thebracket 52 by apivot 94, a rigid, fore-and-aft extending link 96 connected to the upwardly projecting leg of bell crank 92, and a generally upstanding lever 98 (FIGS. 1a and 2 a) connected to link 96 at its forwardmost end.Lever 98 is connected to hitch 20 by apivot 100 for fore-and-aft swinging movement. Thelink 96 may be longitudinally adjusted somewhat using adjustingnuts 102 which function in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art. The width oflever 98 varies in a fore-and-aft direction, tapering from awide portion 104 generally adjacent its upper end to anarrow portion 106 adjacent its lower end. -
Latch 88 includes astrut 108 connected at its forward end by apivot 110 to hitch 20 so thatstrut 108 can swing up and down relative to hitch 20. Adjacent its rearmost end, strut 108 is provided with a pair oflimit rollers 112 and 114 that are spaced apart in a fore-and-aft direction and are disposed on opposite fore-and-aft sides oflever 98. The distance betweenrollers 112 and 114 generally corresponds to the fore-and-aft width oflever 98 in itswide portion 104. Thus, whenstrut 108 is in its lowered position of FIGS. 1, 1a, 2, 2 a and 6 corresponding to a deactuated condition oflatch 88,lever 98 is free to rock back and forth in a lost motion manner between the limits presented byrollers 112, 114 as maybe seen by comparing FIGS. 1, 1a and 2, 2 a. On the other hand, whenstrut 108 is in its raised position of FIGS. 7, 7a and 8 corresponding to the actuated condition oflatch 88,rollers 112 and 114 are disposed closely adjacent front and rear extremities oflever 98 inwide portion 104 thereof so as to preclude any swinging motion oflever 98 relative to hitch 20. - Although a variety of means may be utilized to actuate and
deactuate latch 88, in the preferred embodiment ahydraulic cylinder 116, operable from the tractor seat, is utilized for that purpose.Cylinder 116 is pivotally connected between the front end ofcenter frame section 14 on the one hand and the rearmost extremity ofstrut 108 in the vicinity of roller 114 on the other hand. For convenience,latch cylinder 116 andwheel lift cylinders 58 may be connected in the same hydraulic circuit controlled by the same operating lever (not shown) at the tractor seat. Although connectinglatch cylinder 116 andwheel cylinders 58 in a continuously parallel fluid flow relationship will work, best results have been obtained when a sequencing valve (not shown) is made a part of the parallel fluid flow circuit to assure thatlatch cylinder 116 always extends (to actuate to latch 88) beforewheel cylinders 58 extend to raise the implement. Likewise, during lowering of the implement from its transport position of FIGS. 5 and 8, the sequencing valve assures thatlatch cylinder 116 will only retract (to deactuate latch 88) afterwheel cylinders 58 have first been fully retracted and the implement is lowered back down to its working position of FIGS. 1, 1a, 2, 2 a, 4 and 6. The sequencing valve itself forms no part of the present invention per se and is readily available as an off-the-shelf item to those skilled in the art. One suitable sequencing valve is available from Prince Manufacturing Corporation of Sioux City, Iowa as Model No. RD1008SH (IPED). - Operation:
- During field operations, implement10 is operated with
main frame 12 in its lowered operating position as shown in FIGS. 1, 1a, 2, 2 a, 4 and 6. Self-levelingmechanism 84 is disengaged at this time such that implement 10 is in its floating hitch mode withhitch 20 free to pivot relative tomain frame 12 about the horizontal transverse axis defined bypivots 22.Latch cylinder 116 is fully retracted at this time so thatlatch 88 is deactuated withstrut 108 located at the lower end ofupstanding lever 98. Consequently, as implement 10 flexes aboutpivots 22 as the implement and tractor experience changes in terrain relative to one another as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,lever 98 is free to swing fore-and-aft between the limits defined byrollers 112,114 so as to accommodate the floating hitch action. This enablestillage tools 28 throughoutmain frame 12 to be maintained at the same depth inasmuch asmain frame 12 remains level. - When the end of a row is reached, or when the implement is to be readied for over-the-road travel, it is a simple matter to engage and utilize self-leveling
mechanism 84, as illustrated in FIGS. 6-8. In FIG. 6,latch cylinder 116 is in its deactuated, fully retracted condition, causingstrut 108 to be at the lower end oflever 98. By then actuatingcylinder 116,strut 108 is lifted about itspivotal connection 110 untillimit rollers 112,114 are located at thewide portion 104 oflever 98 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 7a. It is to be noted that although FIG. 6 illustrates the implement in a level condition throughout its entire length, the machine need not be in this condition before self-levelingmechanism 84 can be engaged. - Once
latch 88 is actuated, self-levelingmechanism 84 is effectively engaged. Thus, aswheel cylinders 58 then extend to raise themain frame 12 to its transport position, the downward swinging motion ofwheel arms 38 androcker bar 50 is translated into forward motion oflink 96 throughbell crank 92. However, inasmuch aslever 98 is locked in its immobilized condition at this time, such forward motion oflink 96 is transmitted down throughlever 98 to hitch 20. This reaction causes the implement to buckle aboutpivots 22 as illustrated in FIG. 8 as themain frame 12 remains level. It will be noted that as the rear end ofhitch 20 rises during such leveling action, such movement is permitted by virtue of a transverse pivotal connection betweenhitch coupling 24 andhitch 20. With the implement in the fully raised transport position of FIG. 8,tools 28 throughout all regions ofmain frame 12 are raised up into a position providing excellent ground clearance. - In order to return the implement to its field operating position,
wheel cylinders 58 are retracted, causing themain frame 12 to be lowered relative to transportwheels 30. Inasmuch aslever 98 remains locked at this time, self-levelingmechanism 84 continues to function and maintains themain frame 12 level until it is fully lowered into the operating position. Oncewheel cylinders 58 have fully retracted,latch cylinder 116 retracts, effectively deactuatinglatch 88 by loweringstrut 108 untillimit rollers 112,114 are at the bottom end oflever 98 adjacentnarrow portion 106. At that time, the floating hitch mode is re-established such thathitch 20 andmain frame 12 are once again able to flex freely relative to one another about the transverse axis defined bypivots 22. - It is to be noted that
gauge wheel assemblies 32 are on the ground only whenmain frame 12 is in its lowered operating position. Aswheel cylinders 58 are extended during a lift cycle so as to effectively lowertransport wheel assemblies 30 relative to frame 12,gauge wheel assemblies 32 do not correspondingly lower. Instead, they remain set at the height established byratchet jack 78 ofdepth control mechanism 76. Consequently, whenmain frame 12 is in its transport position of FIGS. 5 and 8,gauge wheel assemblies 32 are fully off the ground. This greatly facilitates roading of implement 10, since thecaster wheels 68 ofgauge wheel assemblies 32 tend to swivel and shake when engaged with the ground at roading speeds. - Furthermore, it will be noted that
gauge wheel assemblies 32 are raised and lowered relative tomain frame 12 only during those infrequent occasions when depth adjustment is desired by manipulating theratchet jack 78. Consequently, the useful life of the various movable components making up thewheel assemblies 32 is greatly prolonged and reliability is increased. Notwithstanding the forgoing, simultaneous depth adjustment of bothgauge wheel assemblies 32 andtransport wheel assemblies 30 is accomplished by simply manipulating the ratchet jacks 78. - The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as herein above set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
- The inventor(s) hereby states their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
Claims (8)
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US09/740,449 US6397953B1 (en) | 2000-12-19 | 2000-12-19 | Floating hitch for agricultural implement |
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US09/740,449 US6397953B1 (en) | 2000-12-19 | 2000-12-19 | Floating hitch for agricultural implement |
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US20020074139A1 true US20020074139A1 (en) | 2002-06-20 |
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