BUSHING FOR MOUNTING A LATERALLY ADJUSTABLE PIVOT ARM

• US 20110162565A1
• Filed: 01/04/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Rylander, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,387,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/200
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/163 laterally adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 71/04 Bearings of rotating parts, e.g. for soil-working discs discs A01B15/16, A01B23/06 ; bearings in general F16C
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/06 Machines for making or covering drills or furrows for sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/068 Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels

Abstract

A bushing is provided for mounting a pivot arm that has both a threaded portion as well as one or two smooth cylindrical portions. The threaded portion enables the pivot arm to be a laterally adjusted by rotating the bushing while the smooth portion or portions provide a bearing surface or surfaces for the pivot arm loads. This removes the load from the threads, reducing wear of both the bushing and the pivot arm, thereby reducing maintenance cost.

Claims

1. A bushing for mounting a member to a support comprising a cylindrical body having a head at a proximal end, a through bore for receiving a mounting bolt, the cylindrical body having a cylindrical surface with threads on a portion thereof and at least one portion of the cylindrical surface being smooth.

2. The bushing as defined by claim 1 wherein the smooth portion of the cylindrical body is between the threaded portion and the head.

3. The bushing as defined by claim 1 wherein the smooth portion of the cylindrical body is between the threaded portion and a distal end.

4. The bushing as defined by claim 1 wherein the cylindrical surface has first and second smooth portions on opposite sides of the threaded portion with the first smooth portion between the head and the threads and having a diameter larger than the outside diameter of the threaded portion and the second smooth portion having a diameter less than the root diameter of the threads.

5. A bushing assembly comprising:

a cylindrical body having a head at a proximal end and a through bore for receiving a mounting bolt, the cylindrical body further having a cylindrical surface with threads on a portion thereof and at least one portion of the cylindrical surface being smooth; and

a bolt extending through the bore having a head next to the head of the cylindrical body, the bolt extending beyond the cylindrical body for mounting the cylindrical body to a support structure.

6. The bushing assembly as defined by claim 5 wherein the cylindrical surface has first and second smooth portions on opposite sides of the threaded portion with the first smooth portion between the head and the threaded portion and having a diameter larger than the outside diameter of the threads and the second smooth portion having a diameter less than the root diameter of the threads.

7. A row unit for an implement comprising:

a frame with a thread hole therein;

a depth control member;

a pivot arm having one end coupled to the depth control member and a bushing block at the other end for pivotally mounting the arm to the frame, the bushing block having a bore therethrough, a portion of the bore being threaded and at least one portion of the bore being smooth;

a bushing having a cylindrical body with a head at one end and a through bore for receiving a mounting bolt, the cylindrical body further having a cylindrical surface with threads on a portion thereof for engagement with the threads in the bore of the bushing block and at least one portion of the cylindrical surface being smooth for engagement with the smooth portion of the bore in the bushing block; and

a mounting bolt extending through the bore in the bushing with the bolt head adjacent to the head of the bushing and extending beyond the distal end of the bushing opposite the bushing head for insertion into the threaded hole in the frame to mount the bushing and pivot arm to the frame.

8. The row unit as defined by claim 7 wherein the bore in the bushing block has first and second smooth portions on opposite sides of the threaded portion and the bushing has first and second smooth portions on opposite sides of the threaded portion for engagement with the first and second smooth portions of the bore in the bushing block.