Forwardly foldable toolbar

• US 4,137,852 A
• Filed: 09/03/1976
• Issued: 02/06/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Pratt, Ronald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brattle, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US05/720,270
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 111/57, 111/58, 172/311, 172/310, 172/324, 172/456, 172/457, 172/458, 172/481, 172/568, 172/581, 172/582, 172/605, 172/626, 172/312, 172/313, 172/477, 172/240, 172/242, 172/244, 280/42, 280/482, 280/476 R, 280/476 A, 280/411 R, 280/411 A, 280/411 C, 280/412, 280/656, 280/413
• US Class Current: 111/57
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 73/065 to a position essentially forward of the axis, in relation to the direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/208 Chassis; Coupling means to a tractor or the like; Lifting means; Side markers

Abstract

A forwardly foldable agricultural planter includes a hitch shiftable as wing sectons are moved between transport and operational configurations. Rigid link tow bars pivot about centrally positioned pivots permitting the hitch to be horizontally shifted between transport and operational positions to thereby realize positive drawn implement control in both configurations. A telescoping drawbar provides further implement support and control and either manual or automatic latching mechanisms can be provided to secure the folded wing sections in position.

Claims

1. A forwardly folding agricultural implement comprising:

a central transverse horizontal frame having ground wheels thereon;

a pair of horizontal outer frames;

tools supported on the central and outer frames; and

projecting rearwardly therefrom when in working position;

vertical pivot means carried by the central frame inwardly of its outer ends at distances with respect to the outer ends substantially equal to a major portion of the rearward expanse of the tools on the outer frames when they are in their working position;

means connecting the outer frames with the pivot means for movement between a first fowardly folded position in which the major portions of said tools on the respective outer frames are within the transverse expanse of the central frame and a second transversely extending position;

powered folding means between the central and outer frames for moving the latter between their first and second positions;

locking means between the central and outer frames for securing the latter in their second position; and

hitch means adapted for connection to and support by a tractor and including a pair of drawbar links extending in diverging relation from forward ends joined together to rear ends connected to respective outer frames outwardly of the vertical pivot means.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the hitch means further includes a telescoping member having front and rear sections, the rear section connected with the central frame and the front section connected with a hitch structure.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical pivot means is carried on the central and forward portion of the central frame and the outer frames include inner and outer portions, the inner portions connected to the pivot means and the outer portions connected with said inner portions so as to be aligned with the central frame when the outer frames are in their second position.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein the tools supported on the outer frames include a plurality of material carriers spaced along their inner and outer portions, said carriers transversely aligned when said frames are in their second position.

5. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the length of each link exceeds the length of the portion of the respective outer frame extending between the respective pivotal connection between the link and said frame and the outer end of the respective outer frame.

6. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the tools on the central and outer frames include a plurality of earth engaging row units and material carriers, said units and material carriers on each frame being transversely aligned with the respective row units and material carriers on the other frames when the outer frames are in their second position.

7. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the rearwardly projecting tools are earth engaging row units mounted in transversely spaced relation along the central and outer frames and transversely aligned material containers associated with the respective row units for feeding material to the ground areas in which the row units are working, and further characterized by at least part of the containers being carried on the outer frames forwardly of the central frame.

8. The invention defined in claim 7 characterized by the respective row units depending from and extending rearwardly from the central and outer frames, and by the material containers being suspended on the outer frames in a forward and vertical offset relation to said frames, and said outer frames have inner portions forwardly offset with respect to the central frame which suspend the respective containers mounted thereon in transverse alignment with those on the outer frames.

9. The invention defined in claim 1 in which complementary latch elements are provided on the respective outer frames, each of which engage the elements on the other outer frame and guide said frames to substantially the same height upon said outer frames being shifted to their folded position.

10. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein each outer frame portion between the vertical pivot means and the connection to a respective drawbar link composes a folding link, rigid with the outer frame, and the powered folding means acts between said folding link and the central frame to shift the folding link, its respective drawbar link and the outer frame.

11. The invention defined in claim 10 wherein the combined length of the folding link and its drawbar link exceed the width of their respective outer frame.

12. The invention defined in claim 10 wherein the powered folding means is connected to the folding link rearwardly of the vertical pivot means.

13. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical pivot means is a pair of vertical pivot structures carried at the forwardly edge of the central frame, one pivot structure mounted adjacent each side of the fore-and-aft center line through the central frame.

14. The invention defined in claim 13 wherein the outer frames are mounted on respective pivot structures and when in their first folded positions occupy generally parallel fore-and-aft extending positions adjacent the fore-and-aft center line.

15. The invention defined in claim 14 wherein the tools on the outer frames are a plurality of earth engaging row units, said units extending rearwardly when the frames are in their second positions and transversely when the frames are in their first positions.

41. The invention defined in claim 10 wherein there is further provided means for locking the telescoping sections in a retracted position including a plate having an opening therethrough carried by one section and a locking pin carried by the other section and biased towards engagement with said plate and a hydraulic cylinder for disengaging the pin from the opening.

16. In a forwardly folding agricultural implement having a transverse horizontal main frame having ground wheels thereon and a pair of outer horizontal frames connected therewith, one outer frame extending transversely outwardly beyond each end of said main frame and tools supported on the central and outer frames and projecting rearwardly therefrom when in their working position, the improvement comprising means for positioning said outer frames in either a first position folded forwardly of the main frame or a second transverse position, including:

vertical pivot means carried by the main frame inwardly of its ends at distances with respect to the outer ends of the central frame at least equal to a major portion of the rearward expanse of the tools on the outer frames when in their working position and at distances sufficient to permit the major portions of the tools on the respective outer frames to be within the transverse expanse of the main frame when the outer frames are in their first position, means connecting the outer frames with the pivot means to permit the former to be moved between their first and second positions;

releasable locking means between the main and outer frames to maintain the latter in their transverse position; and

drawbar means including a hitch structure adapted for connection to and for support on a tractor, said drawbar means further including a pair of link members pivotally coupled with the hitch structure, and extending rearwardly to pivotal connections with respective outer frames outwardly spaced of the pivot means, said hitch structure being forwardly and horizontally shiftable with respect to the central frame when the outer frames are moved between their second and first positions and rearwardly and horizontally shiftable with respect to the central frame as said outer frames are moved between their first and second positions.

17. The invention defined in claim 16 wherein the outer frames carry means for securing said frames together in their folded position, said means further supporting the frames on the link members during transport.

18. The invention defined in claim 16 wherein the drawbar means is further characterized as having telescoping front and rear sections between the hitch structure and main frame, the rear section rigidly connected to the main frame and slidable along the front section upon movement of the outer frames between their second and first position.

19. The invention defined in claim 18 wherein there is further provided releasable locking structure between the sections to secure them in a retracted relation.

20. The invention defined in claim 16 wherein the length of each link member is greater than the length of the portion of its respective outer frame extending between its outer end and the pivotal connection of the link with said outer frame.

21. The invention defined in claim 16 further provided with latching means carried by the outer frames for securing said frames together when in their first position.

22. A foldable agricultural implement comprising:

a central transverse horizontal section having ground wheels thereon;

vertical pivotal means carried by the central section inwardly of its ends;

a pair of horizontal outer sections coupled with the pivotal means each section movable between a first forwardly folded fore-and-aft position and a second transverse position;

tools suspended by said central and outer sections to project rearwardly therefrom when in their working positions;

said vertical pivotal means being spaced from the respective ends of the central section at distances with respect to the outer ends substantially equal to the major portion of the distance the tools project rearwardly from the outer sections when in their working position and at distances sufficient to permit the major portions of said tools on the outer sections to be within the transverse expanse of the central section when the outer sections are in their forwardly folded position;

hitch means adapted for connection to and for support on a tractor and including a pair of rearwardly extending link members, joined at their respective forward ends and pivotally connected at their respective rearward ends with an outer section outwardly spaced of the pivotal means;

powered folding means between the central section and outer sections for moving said outer sections between their first and second positions;

locking means to releasably secure the outer sections in their second position; and

latching means carried on the ends of said outer sections and connectible to the link members when said sections are in their first folded position to secure said section ends together and support said section ends on said link members whereby said implement when in its folded position is supported at its forward end by the hitch means and at its rear end by said central section.

23. The invention defined in claim 22 wherein the hitch means includes a hitch supporting the link members at their forward ends, said hitch adapted for connection to a vertically shiftable support means carried by a tractor to permit outer ends of the outer sections to be elevated for transport by the tractor support means.

24. The invention defined in claim 22 wherein the pivotal connection between the links and their respective outer sections permit swinging relative movement about a vertical axis only.

25. The invention defined in claim 24 wherein the vertical pivotal means is a pair of horizontally spaced apart pivot structures, one adjacent each side of a fore-and-aft extending center line through the central section and coupled with a respective outer section.

26. The invention defined in claim 22 wherein the links and their respective outer sections swingably move with respect to each other about vertical pivotal axes and the central section is towed when the outer sections are in their first position by the links and rigid outer frame portions between the link pivotal connection and pivotal means.

27. A forwardly folding agricultural implement comprising:

a central transverse horizontal frame having ground wheels thereon;

a pair of outer horizontal frames transversely aligned with the central frame;

tools supported on the frames and extending in a fore-and-aft direction therefrom when in their working position;

a fore-and-aft extending hitch means including a telescoping member having front and rear sections extendable in length to permit said outer frames to swing forwardly;

means connecting the rear section to the central frame;

vertical pivot means mounted on the central frame inwardly of its ends;

frame members extending transversely of the central frame, the frame members having inner ends carried on the vertical pivot means and outer ends fixed to the respective horizontal outer frames to permit the latter to fold forwardly, said vertical pivot means being spaced inwardly of the respective ends of the central frame distances substantially equal to a major portion of the fore-and-aft dimension of the tools when in their working position and at distances sufficient so that at least major portions of the tools carried on the outer frames are within the transverse expanse of the central frame when the outer frames are folded forwardly; and

latch means for securing the outer frames in their forwardly folded position.

28. The invention defined in claim 27 wherein there is further provided between the front and rear sections a roller means including a roller wheel carried by each section, each wheel yieldably biased towards contact with the other section.

29. The invention defined in claim 27 in which the vertical pivot means are centrally located with respect to the central frame on the forward edge thereof, and said frame members extend outwardly from the pivot means beyond the transverse expanse of the central frame.

30. The invention defined in claim 27 characterized by said frame members having fore-and-aft horizontal pivotal junctures adjacent the respective outer ends of the central frame to thereby accommodate relative vertical movements between the central and outer frames.

31. A forwardly folding agricultural implement comprising:

a central transverse horizontal frame having ground support wheels;

a pair of outer horizontal frames transversely aligned with the central frame;

a fore-and-aft extending hitch means composed of telescoping front and rear sections movable between extended and retracted positions and having a forward end adapted for connection to a vertically adjustable tractor hitch;

tools supported on the central and outer frames and extending rearwardly therefrom when in working position;

means connecting the rear section to the central frame;

vertical pivot means mounted and centrally located on the central frame;

means mounting the respective outer frames on the vertical pivot means to permit the outer frames to fold forwardly and to position their respective tools forwardly of the central frame and outboard of the vertical pivot means, said vertical pivot means being located inboard of the outer ends of the central frame distances with respect to the outer ends substantially equal to the rearward expanse of the major portions of the tools when in their working position and said distances being sufficient to permit the major portions of said tools on the respective outer frames to be within the transverse expanse of the central frame when the outer frames are folded forwardly; and

members rigid with the respective outer frames, engageable with the hitch means when the outer frames are folded forwardly, whereby said outer frames may be supported by the central frame and the hitch means when connected to a tractor hitch and may be raised and lowered by the tractor hitch.

32. The invention defined in claim 31 characterized by said outer frames having horizontally extending pivot means permitting vertical movement relative to the central frame and having ground wheel supports so that the outer frames move in accordance with the ground surface and vertically relative to one another, and by one of said members that are rigid with the respective outer frames having a V-shaped surface opening inwardly when the outer frames are folded forwardly, and the other of said members has a part that engages the V-shaped surface and guides the outer frames to substantially the same height upon the frames being folded forwardly.

33. A forwardly folding agricultural implement comprising:

a central transverse wheel supported frame;

a pair of outer frames;

tools supported on the central and outer frames and extending fore-and-aft thereon when in their working position;

vertical pivotal structure carried by the central frame adjacent a fore-and-aft extending center line through the central frame, means connecting the outer frames with the pivotal structure for movement between a first forwardly folded and second transversely extending position, said vertical pivotal structure being located inboard of the transverse opposite ends of the central frame distances with respect to the outer ends substantially equal to the fore-and-aft expanse of the tools when in their working position and at distances sufficient that at least major portions of the tools on the outer frames are within the transverse expanse of the central frame when the outer frames are in their forwardly folded positions;

powered folding means between the central frame and each outer frame for moving the latter between its first and second position;

locking means between the central and outer frames for releasably securing the latter in their second position; and

fore-and-aft extending hitch means including a telescoping member having front and rear sections, the rear section rigidly coupled with the central frame, and a pair of drawbar links extending in diverging relation from forward ends joined together and connected to the front section to rear ends vertically pivotally connected to respective outer frames outwardly of the vertical pivotal structure.

34. The invention defined in claim 33 wherein the outer frames carry complementary latching means for securing them together when in their folded position.

35. The invention defined in claim 34 wherein said latching means includes means for supporting the outer ends of the outer frames on the telescoping member when the frames are in their folded position.

36. The invention defined in claim 34 wherein the latching means includes an arm carried by each outer frame for supporting it on the telescoping member when in its folded position, said arms including complementary shaped positioning means for aligning a power operated latch member carried by one arm with a latching structure carried by the other arm.

37. The invention defined in claim 36 wherein the positioning means includes a horizontally opening V-shaped jaw carried by one arm and a stop bar receivable in said jaw and carried by said other arm.

38. The invention defined in claim 36 wherein the power operated latch member includes a latching pin carried at one end of a hydraulic cylinder pivotally supported on the arm for rotation about a horizontal axis, a control rod pivotally connected at its one end with said arm in vertically spaced relation to the hydraulic cylinder pivotal support, said rod mounted for limited sliding movement along its pivotal connection with said arm, and means rigidly joining the other end of said rod with said hydraulic cylinder.

39. The invention defined in claim 36 wherein the latching means includes an upwardly extending member carried by one arm and having a horizontally opening hook for receivably positioning a latching pin carried by the other arm.

40. The invention defined in claim 33 wherein there is further provided means for releasably locking the telescoping sections in a retracted position.

42. The invention defined in claim 33 wherein the drawbar links are pivotally connected to their respective outer frames for swinging movement about vertical axes.

43. The invention defined in claim 33 wherein the pivotal structure is carried by the central frame forwardly thereof and the outer frames include joined inner and outer portions, said inner portions spaced from and forward of said central frame and coupled with said pivotal structure and said outer portions aligned with said central frame.

44. The invention defined in claim 43 wherein said outer frames are further provided with respective horizontal pivot means transversely spaced from the pivotal structure, about which horizontal pivot means said inner and outer portions are permitted relative vertical movement.

45. A forwardly folding agricultural implement comprising:

a wheel supported central frame having transversely opposite ends;

centrally located vertical pivot means on the central frame;

outer frames extending when the implement is in working position transversely outwardly from the opposite ends;

tools mounted on the central and outer frames, each outer frame having a frame portion extending inwardly beyond said opposite ends for mounting on the centrally located pivot means to permit the outer frames to swing forwardly to folded positions, and with each of said frame portions having a length sufficient to permit the major portions of the fore-and-aft extending tools on the respective outer frame to be within the transverse expanse of the central frame when the respective outer frame is folded forwardly;

drawbar links having forward ends joined together and diverging outwardly and rearwardly when the implement is in working position to rear ends connected to the respective outer frames outwardly of the centrally located pivot means, each drawbar link being composed of a single rigid member; and

latch means for detachably locking the respective frame portions to the central frame.

46. A forwardly folding agricultural implement comprising:

a wheel supported central frame;

a pair of outer frames, one extending outwardly of each end of the central frame;

tools supported on the outer frames and extending fore-and-aft with respect thereto when in working position;

a drawbar structure composed of folding linkage, one for each side of the implement, each linkage including a forwardly extending link having front and rear ends and pivotally connected at its rear end to an outer end of a transversely extending link that is rigid with its respective outer frame and has its inner end pivotally connected to the central frame at a location inwardly of its respective outer end to permit the outer frame to swing forwardly to a folded position, the latter link being sufficiently long and being pivotally connected to the central frame inboard from the end of the central frame a distance substantially equal to the major portion of the fore-and-aft expanse of the tools on the outer frame when in their working position that when the respective outer frame is in its folded position at least the major portions of the tools carried thereon are within the transverse expanse of the central frame;

means connecting the forward ends of the forwardly extending links; and

locking means for securing the linkage in a folded position.

47. The invention defined in claim 46 wherein the invention is further characterized by a telescoping member having front and rear sections, the rear section rigid with the central frame and the front section coupled with the forward ends of the forwardly extending links.

48. A forwardly folding agricultural implement comprising:

a central transverse horizontal frame vertically adjustable to be raised and lowered on support wheels;

a pair of outer horizontal frames transversely aligned with the central frame;

a fore-and-aft extending elongated hitch means connected to and for pulling said frames and having a forward end adapted for connection to a vertically adjustable tractor hitch;

tools supported on the central and outer frames and extending rearwardly when in working position;

vertical pivot means mounted and centrally located on the central frame;

means mounting the respective outer frames on the vertical pivot means to permit the outer frames to fold forwardly and to position their respective tools forwardly of the central frame and outboard of the vertical pivot means, said vertical pivot means being located inboard of the outer ends of the central frame distances substantially equal to the rearward expanse of the major portion of said tools when in their working position and sufficient to permit the major portions of said tools on the respective outer frames to be within the transverse expanse of the central frame when the outer frames are folded forwardly; and

members rigid with the respective outer frames, engageable with the hitch means when the outer frames are folded forwardly and overlying said hitch means whereby said outer frames when in their folded positions may be suspended on the hitch means and central frame by raising said tractor hitch and the central frame on its support wheels.