Row crop tillage and planting unit guidance system

• US 4,821,807 A
• Filed: 06/12/1986
• Issued: 04/18/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eldon E. Trumm
• Original Assignee: Eldon E. Trumm
• Inventors: Trumm, Eldon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stouffer, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US06/873,769
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 172/5, 172/6, 172/23, 172/26, 172/233, 172/234, 172/235, 172/324, 172/679, 172/446, 180/131, 104/244.1, 56/10.2, 56/DIG. 5, 200/61.42, 200/61.44, 200/153 V, 200/331, 200/337, 267/150
• US Class Current: 172/6
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/004 automatic

Abstract

An appaatus is provided for automatically longitudinally shifting a horizontal transverse tool bar and the tillage unit or units supported therefrom relative to the lift hitch of a tractor from which the tool bar is supported responsive to crop row sensing structure sensing misalignment of the tillage unit relative to an associated crop row whereby to reestablish proper alignment of the tillage unit relative to the crop row and the crop row position sensing structure is adjustable for crop row width, elevation of the sensing structure relative to the tillage unit and also in a manner to adapt the crop sensing unit for sensing the stems or stalks of a row crop or opposite sides of an earth ridge in which a row crop is growing or is to be planted.

Claims

1. In combination with a tractor including a longitudinal center line and a lift hitch incorporating a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly projecting lower hitch arms, an elongated horizontal transverse tool bar including a longitudinal mid-portion and opposite end portions, first mounting means mounted to portions of said tool bar spaced longitudinally to either side of said longitudinal mid portion of said tool bar, said first mounting means pivotally mounting said tool bar from the rear ends of said lower arms for angular displacement relative thereto about generally aligned horizontal transverse axes, second mounting means including means operative to variably adjustably longitudinally shift said tool bar along said axes, a depending tillage unit supported from said tool bar, said tillage unit including sensing means for sensing lateral displacement of a row crop to either side of a predetermined path paralleling the longitudinal center line of said tractor and control means operatively associated with said row crop sensing means and said second mounting means operative to longitudinally displace said tool bar relative to said lower arm rear ends in the direction in which said row crop sensing means senses lateral displacement of said crop row laterally of said predetermined path, said row crop sensing means including a pair of laterally spaced depending control shafts mounted from said tool bar for oscillation about upstanding axes, the lower ends of said shafts including horizontally rearwardly directed and convergent plant sensing arms, a horiziontal switch arm mounted from said tool bar for oscillation about an upstanding axis, biasing means guidingly biasing said switch arm toward a predetermined central position of oscillation, a pair of control arms generally paralleling said switch arm and carried by the upper ends of said shafts, connecting means connecting the free ends of said control arms to the free end of said switch arm, switch means operatively associated with said switch arm and control means for relatively reversely actuating said control means responsive to opposite angular displacement of said switch arm from said predetermined position, said switch means, including a pair of laterally spaced contact bars extending longitudinally of said switch arm and a pair of upstanding switch contacts having base ends insulatively stationarily mounted from said tool bar and free ends disposed between said contact bars for engagement thereby upon oscillation of said switch arm.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said upstanding switch contacts comprise closed coil expansion springs.

3. In combination with a tractor including a longitudinal center line and a lift hitch incorporating a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly projecting lower hitch arms, an elongated transverse mounting bar extending between and having its opposite ends journaled from the rear ends of said lower hitch arms, a guide assembly mounted from said mounting bar for sliding movement therealong and for rotation therewith relative to said lower hitch arms, a horizontal transverse tool bar including a longitudinal mid-portion and opposite end portions and disposed rearward of and generally paralleling said mounting bar, portions of said tool bar spaced longitudinally to either side of said longitudinal mid-portion of said tool bar including mounting structures rigidly mounting said tool bar from said guide assembly, an upstanding attachment arm mounted on said tool bar longitudinal mid-portion between said longitudinally spaced portions, said tractor including a central rearwardly projecting upper lift arm, means pivotally attaching the rear end of said lift arm directly to an upper portion of said attachment arm for angular displacement relative thereto about a horizontal transverse axis, thrust means operatively connected between said mounting bar and said guide assembly for variably adjustably shifting said guide assembly, and thus said tool bar, along said mounting bar, a depending tillage unit supported from said tool bar, said tillage unit including sensing means for sensing lateral displacement of a crop row to either side of a predetermined path paralleling the longitudinal center line of said tractor and control means operatively associated with said crop row sensing means and said thrust means operative to actuate said thrust means to displace said guide assembly along said mounting bar in the direction in which said crop row sensing means senses lateral displacement of said crop row laterally of said predetermined path.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said row crop sensing means includes a pair of laterally spaced depending control shafts mounted from said tillage unit for oscillation about upstanding axes, the lower ends of said shafts including horizontally rearwardly directed and convergent plant sensing arms, a horizontal switch arm mounted form said tillage unit for oscillation about an upstanding axis, biasing means guidingly biasing said switch arm toward a predetermined central position of oscillation, a pair of control arms generally paralleling said switch arm and carried by the upper ends of said shafts, connecting means connecting the free ends of said control arms to the free end of said switching arms, and switch means operatively associated with said switch arm and said control means for relatively reversely actuating said control means responsive to angular displacement of said switch arm from said predetermined position.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said biasing means includes upstanding closed convolution expansion springs including base end portions stationarily mounted from said tillage unit and free end portions disposed on opposite sides of and engageable by the free end of said switch arm.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherein said depending shafts and said tool bar include coacting means operative to adjustably vertically longitudinally shift said shafts relative to said tool bar.

7. The combination of claim 4 wherein said connecting means includes closed coil expansion springs extending and connecting between said switch arm and said control arms.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said biasing means includes upstanding closed convolution expansion springs including base end portions stationarily mounted from said tool bar and free end portions disposed on opposite sides of and engageable by the free end of said switch arm.

9. The tractor and tool bar combination of claim 3 wherein said tool bar includes a plurality of additional tillage units dependently supported therefrom.