PIVOTING GAUGE WHEEL

• US 20100084149A1
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Kovach, Michael G., Smart, Greg S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,291,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 172/396
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 21/08 with disc-like tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/027 with a rotating, soil working support element, e.g. a roller
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/166 manually adjustable

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide an innovative arrangement to control the height of ground engaging tools located on agricultural implements via gauge wheel assemblies, particularly for supporting and adjusting the height of winged extensions of the implement frame. The gauge wheel assemblies may provide an adjustment assembly in the form of a screw jack, which can be coupled to a support bracket that is attached to the implement frame and also coupled to a support tube that is coupled to a gauge wheel via pivot assembly and a bracket. The bracket and support tube may be coupled at discrete positions according to the height adjustment of the screw jack via pins and holes in the bracket and tube. When coupled, the pins and holes of the support bracket and tube may reduce the load of the winged extensions on the screw jack mechanism.

Claims

1. A wheel assembly for an agricultural implement comprising:

a bracket coupled to an implement frame;

a ground engaging wheel supported by a pivot assembly to permit pivoting of the wheel about a non-horizontal axis;

a support tube coupled to the pivot assembly and configured to be coupled to the bracket at a plurality of positions to define a height adjustment of the wheel; and

an extendable adjustment assembly having a first portion coupled to the support tube and a second portion coupled to the bracket to enable adjustment of the wheel height prior to coupling of the support tube to the bracket at one of the plurality of positions.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the support tube is disposable at a plurality of discrete positions within the bracket.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the support tube is disposable continuously along a range of positions within the bracket.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the support tube includes a mount for the pivot assembly that is bilaterally symmetrical to allow the ground engaging wheel to be positioned on either side of the support tube and bracket.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the support tube and pivot assembly are configured for mounting the wheel assembly on a left side or a right side of the implement.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the support tube and bracket are configured to be decoupled from one another for a height adjustment of the ground engaging wheel relative to the bracket by adjustment of the extendable adjustment assembly.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the support tube and bracket both include holes configured to receive a pin for coupling the support tube and bracket to one another in the plurality of positions.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the extendable adjustment assembly comprises a screw jack.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pivot assembly includes a stop to limit a pivotal range of the ground engaging wheel.

10. An adjustable wheel system for an agricultural implement, comprising:

a bracket coupled to an implement frame;

a ground engaging wheel assembly;

a support tube configured to be coupled to the bracket at a plurality of positions to define a height adjustment of the wheel; and

a pivot assembly coupled to the support tube for securing the ground engaging wheel assembly to the support tube and configured to enable the ground engaging wheel to pivot about a non-horizontal axis, the pivot assembly being generally bilaterally symmetrical to enable the ground engaging wheel assembly to be mounted on either side of the bracket and support tube.

11. The system of claim 10, comprising a height adjustment assembly having a first portion coupled to the support tube and a second portion coupled to the bracket to enable adjustment of the wheel height prior to coupling of the support tube to the bracket at one of the plurality of positions.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the pivot assembly includes a pair of supports extending from the support tube, the supports including holes for receiving a pivot pin to selectively secure the ground engaging wheel assembly to either side of the pivot assembly.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the support tube is disposable at a plurality of discrete positions within the bracket.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the ground engaging wheel assembly and pivot assembly are configured for mounting the adjustable wheel system interchangeably on a left side or a right side of the agricultural implement.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the support tube and bracket are configured to be decoupled from one another for a height adjustment of the ground engaging wheel relative to the bracket by adjustment of the height adjustment assembly.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the support tube and bracket both include holes configured to receive a pin for coupling the support tube and bracket to one another in the plurality of positions.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the height adjustment assembly comprises a screw jack.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the pivot assembly includes a stop configured to limit a pivotal range of the ground engaging wheel.

19. An adjustable wheel system for an agricultural implement, comprising:

a bracket configured to be coupled to an implement frame and having a plurality of position holes formed therein;

a ground engaging wheel assembly having a pivot mount;

a support tube configured to be selectively coupled to the bracket at a plurality of positions corresponding to the position holes to define a height adjustment of the wheel;

a pivot assembly coupled to the support tube for securing the ground engaging wheel to the support tube and to enable the ground engaging wheel to pivot about a non-horizontal axis, the pivot assembly having a pair of pivot supports configured to receive the pivot mount of the wheel assembly, the pivot supports being generally bilaterally symmetrical to premit the wheel assembly to be mounted on either side of support tube; and

a height adjustment assembly having a first portion coupled to the support tube and a second portion coupled to the bracket to permit adjustment of the wheel height prior to coupling of the support tube to the bracket at one of the plurality of positions.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the height adjustment assembly comprises a screw jack.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the pivot assembly includes a stop configured to limit a pivotal range of the ground engaging wheel.