Gauge wheel mounting
First Claim
1. In an agricultural implement with tool support tube rockably connected to an implement tool bar for movement vertically with respect thereto, the tube having upright side walls, an earth engaging tool supported from the tube and moveable therewith, a tube height control system for maintaining the tube a preselected distance above the ground, the height control system including:
- a pivot bushing located in the tube;
a control arm pivotally connected to the pivot bushing for rocking about an axis, the arm having an upper end extending above the tube and a lower end extending below the tube;
a ground-contacting gauge wheel supported from the lower end of the arm;
an adjustable length assembly supported above the tube and connected to the upper end of the control arm for pivoting the control arm and moving the gauge wheel vertically relative to the tube; and
wherein the tube side walls include first and second opposed apertured portions, and the bushing comprises first and second members, the first member having an outer portion with a bearing surface, a side wall engaging portion providing a friction fit in the first apertured portion, and an axially inward portion projecting towards the second apertured portion, the second member supported in the second apertured portion and projecting inwardly therefrom into contact with the first member to provide a rigid joint, and a bolt member extending through the first and second members and apertured portions, and urging the members into contact with each other, the rigid joint preventing inward deformation of the tube side walls.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gauge wheel assembly includes a gauge wheel arm that straddles the rig tube and is supported on the tube by two bushings inserted through holes on either side of the tube. The bushings contact each other near the center of the tube to provide a solid or hard joint which permits the pivot bolt to be tightened without crushing the sides of the tube. The bushing has protrusions that are pressed into the tubing wall during installation and thereby prevent bushing rotation. Two different straps at the lower end of the wheel arm permits at least three different combinations of gauge wheels to be quickly and easily mounted. A compact and easily accessible depth adjusting crank is supported entirely above the rig tube. A depth indicator projects from the crank trunnion mounting on the upper end of the wheel arm to provide an indication of depth adjustment.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. In an agricultural implement with tool support tube rockably connected to an implement tool bar for movement vertically with respect thereto, the tube having upright side walls, an earth engaging tool supported from the tube and moveable therewith, a tube height control system for maintaining the tube a preselected distance above the ground, the height control system including:
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a pivot bushing located in the tube; a control arm pivotally connected to the pivot bushing for rocking about an axis, the arm having an upper end extending above the tube and a lower end extending below the tube; a ground-contacting gauge wheel supported from the lower end of the arm; an adjustable length assembly supported above the tube and connected to the upper end of the control arm for pivoting the control arm and moving the gauge wheel vertically relative to the tube; and wherein the tube side walls include first and second opposed apertured portions, and the bushing comprises first and second members, the first member having an outer portion with a bearing surface, a side wall engaging portion providing a friction fit in the first apertured portion, and an axially inward portion projecting towards the second apertured portion, the second member supported in the second apertured portion and projecting inwardly therefrom into contact with the first member to provide a rigid joint, and a bolt member extending through the first and second members and apertured portions, and urging the members into contact with each other, the rigid joint preventing inward deformation of the tube side walls. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. In an agricultural implement with tool support tube rockably connected to an implement tool bar by a parallel bar linkage having upper and lower arms for movement of the tube vertically with respect to the tool bar, the tube having upright side walls, an earth engaging tool supported from the tube and moveable therewith, a tube height control system for maintaining the tube a preselected distance above the ground, the height control system including:
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a pivot bushing located in the tube; a control arm pivotally connected to the pivot bushing for rocking about an axis, the arm having an upper end extending above the tube and a lower end extending below the tube; a ground-contacting gauge wheel supported from the lower end of the arm; an adjustable length assembly supported above the tube and below the lower arm, the assembly connected to the upper end of the control arm for pivoting the control arm and moving the gauge wheel vertically relative to the tube; and wherein the adjustable length assembly includes a fore-and-aft extending depth setting crank pivotally connected at its forward end to the upper end of the control arm and supported substantially entirely above the tube and below the lower arm. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. In an agricultural implement with a fore-and-aft extending tool support tube rockably connected to an implement tool bar for movement vertically with respect thereto, the tube having upright side walls, an earth engaging tool supported from the tube and moveable therewith, a tube height control system for maintaining the tube a preselected distance above the ground, the height control system including:
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a pivot bushing located in the tube at the forward end of the tube; a control arm pivotally connected to the pivot bushing for rocking about an axis at the forward end of the tube, the arm having an upper end extending above the tube and a lower end extending below the tube and extending forwardly of the tube; a ground-contacting gauge wheel supported from the lower end of the arm; an adjustable length assembly supported above the tube and connected to the upper end of the control arm for pivoting the control arm and moving the gauge wheel vertically relative to the tube; and wherein the control arm comprises first and second side arm members straddling the tube, a swivel supported between the side arm members at the upper end of the control arm, wherein the adjustable length assembly is connected to the swivel.
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9. In an agricultural implement with tool support tube rockably connected to an implement tool bar for movement vertically with respect thereto, the tube having upright side walls, an earth engaging tool supported from the tube and moveable therewith, a tube height control system for maintaining the tube a preselected distance above the ground, the height control system including:
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a pivot bushing located in the tube; a control arm pivotally connected to the pivot bushing for rocking about an axis, the arm having an upper end extending above the tube and a lower end extending below the tube; a ground-contacting gauge wheel supported from the lower end of the arm; an adjustable length assembly supported above the tube and connected to the upper end of the control arm for pivoting the control arm and moving the gauge wheel vertically relative to the tube; and wherein the pivot bushing comprises a pair of substantially identical bushing sections, each having a cylindrical outer bearing portion, a tube engaging portion with anti-rotation protrusions located adjacent the bearing portion for engaging the tube side walls, and an inner portion received within the tube between the side walls, the inner portion having an end, the inner ends of the pair of bushing sections contacting each other in a central area between the side walls for lending strength and stability to the side walls.
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10. In a agricultural implement having a tool frame and adapted for forward movement over the ground, a fore-and-aft extending tool support tube rockably connected to the tool frame by a parallel bar linkage including an upright bracket connected to the linkage, the tube connected to the bracket in generally a horizontal attitude and having upright side walls, an earth engaging tool supported from the tube and moveable therewith, a height control system for maintaining the tube a preselected distance above the ground, the height control system including:
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a control arm pivotally connected to the tube for rocking about an axis, the arm having a central portion straddling the tube, an upper end extending above the tube and a lower end extending below the tube; a ground-contacting gauge wheel supported from the lower end of the control arm; an adjustable depth control connected to the upper end of the control arm for pivoting the control arm about the axis and moving the gauge wheel vertically relative to the tube; and wherein the adjustable depth control includes a crank having a first end connected to the upper end of the control arm, a central portion pivotally connected to the upright bracket, and a crank handle offset from the bracket, and wherein the crank is supported substantially entirely above the tube and below the parallel bar linkage. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. In an agricultural implement having a tool frame and adapted for forward movement over the ground, a fore-and aft extending tool support tube rockably connected to the tool frame by a parallel bar linkage including an upright bracket connected to the linkage and forward and aft linkage pivots, the tube connected to the bracket in generally a horizontal attitude and having upright side walls, an earth engaging tool supported from the tube and moveable therewith, a height control system for maintaining the tube a preselected distance above the ground, the height control system including:
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a control arm pivotally connected to the tube for rocking about an axis located below the parallel bar linkage and between the forward and aft linkage pivots, the arm having a central portion straddling the tube, an upper end extending above the tube and a lower end extending below the tube; a ground-contacting gauge wheel supported from the lower end of the control arm; an adjustable depth control connected to the upper end of the control arm for pivoting the control arm about the axis and moving the gauge wheel vertically relative to the tube; and wherein the control arm comprises first and second generally flat arm sections supported on either side of the tube, and upper and lower spacers connected between the arm sections and retaining the arm sections in generally a parallel spaced relationship adjacent the side walls. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. In a agricultural implement having a tool frame and adapted for forward movement over the ground, a fore-and-aft extending tool support tube rockably connected to the tool frame by a parallel bar linkage including an upright bracket connected to the linkage, the tube connected to the bracket in generally a horizontal attitude and having upright side walls, an earth engaging tool supported from the tube and moveable therewith, a height control system for maintaining the tube a preselected distance above the ground, the height control system including:
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a control arm pivotally connected to the tube for rocking about an axis, the arm having a central portion straddling the tube, an upper end extending above the tube and a lower end extending below the tube; a ground-contacting gauge wheel supported from the lower end of the control arm; an adjustable depth control connected to the upper end of the control arm for pivoting the control arm about the axis and moving the gauge wheel vertically relative to the tube; and including a bushing assembly extending between the side walls of the tube, the bushing assembly having first and second axially opposed bushing sections pressed inwardly through apertures in the side walls, the bushing sections including inwardmost ends contacting each other within the tube and defining a solid pivot joint, and wherein the control arm is pivotally connected to the bushing assembly. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification