Soil leveling apparatus with improved frame and hitch
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An adjustable lost motion connection for mounting between the top link of a three-point hitch and an attachment, which comprises:
- an outer channel section secured to the attachment, said outer channel section having top and bottom ends;
an inner channel section extending into the top end of said outer channel section, said inner channel section having opposite ends;
means for supporting said inner channel section for pivotal movement relative to said outer channel section about a transverse axis;
means for connecting the top link of the three-point hitch to one end of said inner channel section in predetermined spaced relationship above the transverse axis; and
adjustable stop means for limiting pivotal movement of said one end of said inner channel section in a direction toward the three-point hitch.
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Abstract
An improved soil leveling apparatus (10) includes a frame (12), connecting hitch means (14), and adjustable lost motion linkage (48) secured to the top connection point (52) of the hitch, and an optional scarifier assembly (16) which is supported on a connector (66) pivoted between the legs (36,40) of the hitch. The scraper member (18) of the frame (12) is of generally inverted J-shaped cross section, and tine subassemblies (90) can be substituted for the teeth (78) on the scarifier assembly (12).
24 Citations
58 Claims
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1. An adjustable lost motion connection for mounting between the top link of a three-point hitch and an attachment, which comprises:
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an outer channel section secured to the attachment, said outer channel section having top and bottom ends; an inner channel section extending into the top end of said outer channel section, said inner channel section having opposite ends; means for supporting said inner channel section for pivotal movement relative to said outer channel section about a transverse axis; means for connecting the top link of the three-point hitch to one end of said inner channel section in predetermined spaced relationship above the transverse axis; and adjustable stop means for limiting pivotal movement of said one end of said inner channel section in a direction toward the three-point hitch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for leveling soil, comprising
a generally rectangular frame including a transverse, elongate scraper member and at least one trailing transverse elongate ground engaging member fixedly secured together in mutually spaced apart relationship; -
the scraper member including a leading lower edge, and each ground engaging member including at least one lower edge, with the leading edge of the scraper member and the lower edges of the ground engaging members being substantially coplanar; a hitch mounted on said frame for releasable connection to a draft means, said hitch including a pair of laterally spaced apart bottom connection points and a top connection point located in spaced relationship between and above the bottom connection points; and lost motion linkage means mounted on the top connection point of said hitch for limiting free pivotal movement of the apparatus away from the draft means about a transverse axis defined by the bottom connection points, wherein the lost motion linkage means comprises; a pivotal member at the top connection point of said hitch; and stop means operable between said hitch and said pivotal member for engaging said pivotal member after a predetermined amount of rotation of said member to limit the lost motion allowed by the pivotal member to a predetermined amount, and wherein said stop means is adjustable to selectively vary the amount of lost motion which is allowed before the stop means prevents further rotation by the pivotal member. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for leveling soil, comprising:
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a generally rectangular frame including a transverse, elongate scraper member and one or more trailing transverse elongate ground engaging members fixedly secured in mutually spaced apart relationship; the scraper member having a leading lower edge and each ground engaging member including at least one lower edge, with the leading edge of the scraper member and the lower edges of the ground engaging members being substantially co-planar; a hitch mounted on said frame for releasable connection to a draft means, said hitch including a pair of laterally spaced apart bottom connection points and a top connection point located in spaced relationship between and above the bottom connection points; and a lost motion linkage mounted on the top connection point of said hitch; said lost motion linkage including; at least one plate mounted for pivotal movement about the top connection point of said hitch, said plate having an upper end; a pivotal connection point at the upper end of said plate; and a stop for limiting pivotal movement of the upper end of said plate toward the draft means, wherein said stop is adjustable to adjust the amount of pivotal motion that is allowed for said upper end of said plate toward the draft means. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for leveling soil, comprising:
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a generally rectangular frame including a transverse, elongate scraper member and one or more trailing transverse elongate ground engaging members fixedly secured in mutually spaced apart relationship between a pair of longitudinal side members; the scraper member of said frame having a leading lower edge and each ground engaging member including at least one lower edge, with the leading edge of the scraper member and the lower edges of the ground engaging members being substantially co-planar; the side members of said frame each being of generally channel-shaped cross section having an outer leg with a straight lower edge which is substantially parallel with the lower edge of the scraper member and the lower edges of the ground engaging members, and an inwardly spaced inner leg which extends across the ground engaging members; a hitch mounted on said frame for releasable connection to a draft means, said hitch including a pair of laterally spaced apart bottom connection points and a top connection point located in spaced relationship between said above the bottom connection points; and a lost motion linkage mounted on the top connection point of said hitch. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for working soil, comprising:
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a frame means including at least one forward ground engaging members longitudinally spaced apart from at least one rearward ground engaging member; a three-point hitch means attached to said frame means at or adjacent the forward ground engaging member, said three-point hitch means including a top connection point and a pair of laterally spaced apart bottom connection points, and three-point hitch means having at said top connection point a lost motion linkage which is freely pivotal about a transverse axis on the three-point hitch means during normal operation of the frame means such that the forward ground engaging member can be vertically raised and lowered without vertical movement of the rearward ground engaging member by a vertical lifting movement of the bottom connection points; and a stop for engaging the lost motion linkage after a predetermined vertical movement of the bottom connection points such that further upward motion of the bottom connection points will raise the entire frame means from the ground through the action of all three connection points, wherein said stop is adjustable to change the amount of predetermined vertical movement allowed before the lost motion linkage means is engaged. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An apparatus for working soil adapted for connection to a draft vehicle having a three-point lift mechanism including two lower lift arms and a central upper arm, comprising:
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a frame means including at least one transverse ground engaging member for working soil; a three-point hitch means attached to said frame means at or adjacent the front of the frame, said three-point hitch means including a top connection point for the upper arm and a pair of laterally spaced apart bottom connection points for the lower lift arms, said three-point hitch means having a lost motion linkage at the top connection point, said linkage comprising a member which is freely pivotal about a transverse axis on the three-point hitch means during normal operation of the frame means, wherein the top connection point for the upper arm is located on the member spaced from the transverse pivotal axis of the member such that upward movement of the lower lift arms will cause the member to pivot about its transverse pivotal axis; and stop means acting between the hitch means and the member for allowing only a predetermined amount of rotation of the member about the transverse pivotal axis as the lower arms move upwardly such that further upward motion of the lower arms will raise the entire frame means off the ground by allowing the upper arm to act in concert with the lower arms in raising the frame means, wherein said stop means is adjustable to change the amount of predetermined rotation allowed for the member before the stop means is effective to stop such rotation to thereafter lift the frame means off the ground. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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42. An apparatus for working soil adapted for connection to a draft vehicle having a three-point lift mechanism including two lower lift arms and a central upper arm, comprising:
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frame means which comprises a forward portion and a rearward portion, the frame means having a scraper member mounted in the forward portion of the frame means for loosening ground soil and at least one ground engaging member mounted in the rearward portion of the frame means, the ground engaging member having at least one edge in engagement with the ground for leveling any ground soil that has been loosened by the scraper member; a smoothing roller rotatably coupled to the rearward portion of the frame means and trailing behind the frame means for smoothing soil; three-point hitch means located in the forward portion of said frame adjacent the scraper member, said three-point hitch means including a top connection point for the upper arm and a pair of laterally spaced apart bottom connection points for the lower lift arms, said three-point hitch means having a lost motion linkage at the top connection point, said linkage comprising a member which is freely pivotal about a transverse axis on the three-point hitch means during normal operation of the frame means, wherein the top connection point for the upper arm is located on the member spaced from the transverse pivotal axis of the member such that upward movement of the lower lift arms will cause the member to pivot about its transverse pivotal axis; and stop means carried on the hitch means and acting between the hitch means and the member for allowing only a predetermined amount of rotation of the member about the transverse pivotal axis as the lower arms move upwardly such that further upward motion of the lower arms will raise the entire frame means off the ground by allowing the upper arm to act in concert with the lower arms in raising the frame means, wherein the user can use the lower lift arms to lift the forward portion of the frame up off the ground while leaving the rearward portion of the frame in engagement with the ground to adjust the effects of the scraper member, the ground engaging member and the smoothing roller on the ground during a soil leveling operation without having the entire frame means be lifted from the ground, such lifting of the entire frame means occurring only after the stop means engages the pivotal member of the lost motion linkage during upward motion of the lower lift arms. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An apparatus for working soil adapted for connection to a draft vehicle having a three-point lift mechanism including two lower lift arms and a central upper arm, comprising:
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a frame means including at least one transverse ground engaging member for working soil; a three-point hitch means attached to said frame means at or adjacent the front of the frame, said three-point hitch means including a top connection point for the upper arm and a pair of laterally spaced apart bottom connection points for the lower lift arms, said three-point hitch means having a lost motion linkage at the top connection point, said linkage comprising a member which is freely pivotal about a transverse axis on the three-point hitch means during normal operation of the frame means, wherein the top connection point for the upper arm is located on the member spaced from the transverse pivotal axis of the member such that upward movement of the lower lift arms will cause the member to pivot about its transverse pivotal axis; and first stop means acting between the hitch means and the member for allowing only a predetermined amount of rotation of the member in a first direction about the transverse pivotal axis as the lower arms move upwardly such that further upward motion of the lower arms will raise the entire frame means of the ground by allowing the upper arm to act in concert with the lower arms in raising the frame means, the predetermined amount of rotation that is allowed by the first stop means allowing the frame means a limited amount of flotation relative to the ground as the frame means pivots in a first direction about the bottom connection points; and second stop means acting between the hitch means and the member for allowing only a predetermined amount of rotation of the member in a second direction about the transverse pivotal axis to allow the frame means a limited amount of flotation relative to the ground as the frame means pivots in a second direction about the bottom connection points which second direction is opposed to the first direction of frame means rotation. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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57. An adjustable lost motion connection for mounting between the top link of a three-point hitch and an attachment, which comprises:
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an outer section secured to the attachment, said outer section having top and bottom ends and comprising spaced apart side plates; an inner section extending into the top end of said outer section between said side plates of said outer section, said inner section having opposite ends; means for supporting said inner section for pivotal movement relative to said outer section about a transverse axis; means for connecting the top link of the three-point hitch to one end of said inner section in predetermined spaced relationship to the transverse axis; and adjustable stop means for limiting pivotal movement of said one end of said inner section relative to the three point hitch. - View Dependent Claims (58)
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Specification