Agricultural implement with raisable lift frame rotatable about vertical axis
DCFirst Claim
1. An agricultural implement adapted to be pulled by a tractor with a hitch and convertible between a use position and a transport position without unhitching from the tractor hitch, comprising:
- a carrier frame including a plurality of ground support wheels;
draft tongue means connecting said carrier frame to the tractor hitch for permitting pivotal movement between said tractor and said implement about a first vertical hitch axis;
lift frame means including a lift frame and plurality of work units spaced along said lift frame, said lift frame including at least an integral center frame section extending to either side of the centerline of the implement in the use position;
mounting means for mounting said lift frame such that said center frame section thereof is rotatable about a second vertical axis of rotation;
powered lift linkage means connecting said lift frame to said carrier frame for lifting said lift frame and said work units above said carrier frame to a raised position wherein all of said units are elevated above said support wheels; and
power swing means for rotating said lift frame in said raised position about said second vertical axis between said use position and said transport position in which said lift frame is elongated in the direction of travel; and
characterized in that the said second vertical axis of rotation is located such that the weight of said lift frame means is substantially uniformly distributed to either side thereof in the direction of elongation of said lift frame means.
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Abstract
An agricultural planter has a main carrier frame attached to a tractor by an hydraulically actuated telescoping tongue. Individual row units are mounted on a lift frame which in the illustrated embodiment has a center section and left and right wing sections. The wing sections are mounted to the center section for independent vertical pivotal motion relative to the center section in the use position. Power locks secure the wings rigidly to the center section for road transport. The lift frame is mounted to the carrier frame by a vertical pivot post and an hydraulically powered lift linkage. The pivot post may be rotated by an hydraulic cylinder under control of the operator. In the use position, the hitch tongue is retracted and the lift frame is lowered and extends transverse of the direction of travel. For transport, the tongue is extended, the lift frame is made rigid, then elevated by a master/slave cylinder arrangement which powers the lift linkage to a transport height, and then the lift frame rotated so that it extends in the direction of travel. The lift frame is then locked in that position for end-wise transport on the carrier frame.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An agricultural implement adapted to be pulled by a tractor with a hitch and convertible between a use position and a transport position without unhitching from the tractor hitch, comprising:
- a carrier frame including a plurality of ground support wheels;
draft tongue means connecting said carrier frame to the tractor hitch for permitting pivotal movement between said tractor and said implement about a first vertical hitch axis;
lift frame means including a lift frame and plurality of work units spaced along said lift frame, said lift frame including at least an integral center frame section extending to either side of the centerline of the implement in the use position;
mounting means for mounting said lift frame such that said center frame section thereof is rotatable about a second vertical axis of rotation;
powered lift linkage means connecting said lift frame to said carrier frame for lifting said lift frame and said work units above said carrier frame to a raised position wherein all of said units are elevated above said support wheels; and
power swing means for rotating said lift frame in said raised position about said second vertical axis between said use position and said transport position in which said lift frame is elongated in the direction of travel; and
characterized in that the said second vertical axis of rotation is located such that the weight of said lift frame means is substantially uniformly distributed to either side thereof in the direction of elongation of said lift frame means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- a carrier frame including a plurality of ground support wheels;
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22. An agricultural implement adapted to be pulled by a tractor with a hitch and convertible between a use position and a transport position without unhitching from the tractor, comprising:
- a carrier frame including a plurality of ground support wheels;
draft tongue means connected to said carrier frame for connecting said carrier frame to the tractor hitch for permitting pivotal movement between said tractor and said implement about a hitch axis;
lift frame means including a laterally elongated integral lift frame and plurality of ground-engaging work units spaced along said lift frame, said lift frame being extended in a direction transverse of the direction of travel of said tractor when said lift frame is in the use position;
powered lift linkage means connecting said lift frame to said carrier frame for selectively lifting said lift frame and said work units to a first raised position wherein said work units are above the ground to permit said implement to turn and to a second raised position above said first raised position, wherein all of said work units are above said carrier frame and above said ground support wheels in said second raised position; and
power swing means for rotating said lift frame in said second raised position about a vertical axis between said use position and said transport position in which said lift frame is elongated in the direction of travel and characterized in that said vertical axis of rotation of said lift frame is substantially on the center line of said implement and proximate the mid-point of said lift frame in its direction of elongation and is located forwardly of at least two of said ground support wheels of said carrier frame. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
- a carrier frame including a plurality of ground support wheels;
Specification