Lift assist mechanism for a forwardly folding planting implement

• US 6,192,994 B1
• Filed: 11/10/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Flexi-Coil Ltd. (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Friggstad, Terrance A., Hundeby, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US09/437,758
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 172/311, 172/452, 172/456, 172/463, 172/467, 172/474, 172/478, 172/479, 172/481, 172/662, 172/668, 111/163
• US Class Current: 172/311
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/32 operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means without automatic control
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/022 Ridge marking by deposition of a chemical substance, e.g. foam, on the surface of the soil
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 73/00 Means or arrangements to facilitate transportation of agricultural machines or implements, e.g. folding frames to reduce overall width arrangements of lifting devices for soil working implements A01B63/00; carriers for harvesters or mowers A01D75/002; arrangements or carriers for haymakers A01D78/1007, A01D80/005; vehicles adapted for load transportation or to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects B60P; motor vehicles, trailers B62D
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 73/02 Folding frames
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 73/065 to a position essentially forward of the axis, in relation to the direction of travel

Abstract

An agricultural implement, having a tool bar that is pivoted forwardly to initiate the conversion of the implement from a working position toward a transport position, including left and right wing members extending in opposing directions to respective distal ends, is provided with a lift assist mechanism to support the distal ends of the wing members as the tool bar is pivoted forwardly to an intermediate transport position. The lift assist mechanism includes a frame pivotally mounted to each respective wing member, a lift assist wheel providing ground-engaging support for the wing member, and a lift assist actuator that controls the pivoted movement of the lift assist mechanism to maintain the lift assist wheel in supporting contact with the ground until the tool bar has been rotated approximately 60 degrees from the lowered working position toward the raised intermediate transport position. A cable extends from the lift assist mechanism to a toll bar lock apparatus to release the tool bar lock only when the lift assist mechanism has been positioned for proper support of the wing member during the pivotal movement of the tool bar from the intermediate position rearwardly into the working position. A hydraulic circuit controls the operation of the lift assist actuators and the tool bar actuators to effect a coordinated action between them so as to maintain proper support for the wing member during the pivotal movement of the tool bar.

Claims

1. In an agricultural implement supporting ground working devices, said agricultural implement having a draw bar adapted for connection to a prime mover;

and a tool bar connected to said draw bar and including left and right wing members pivotally movable about a wing pivot axis relative to said draw bar, each of said wing members having a distal end laterally spaced from a longitudinal center of said implement, the improvement comprising;

said tool bar being pivotally mounted on said draw bar for rotational movement about a generally transversely extending pivot axis between a horizontally oriented working position and a vertically oriented transport position, such that said tool bar rotates through an angular displacement of approximately 90 degrees; and

a lift assist mechanism mounted on each said wing member and extending rearwardly thereof to support the distal end of said wing member as said tool bar is being rotated from said working position toward said transport position.

2. The agricultural implement of claim 1 wherein each said lift assist mechanism comprises:

a sub-frame member having a first end pivotally attached to the corresponding said wing member and a second end extending in a fore-and-aft direction from said first end;

a lift assist wheel mounted on said second end for support thereof above the ground; and

a lift assist actuator interconnecting said wing member and said sub-frame to control the pivotal movement of said sub-frame about said first end.

3. The agricultural implement of claim 2 wherein said tool bar is pivotally moved between said working position and said transport position by an tool bar actuator, said lift assist actuator and said tool bar actuator being coupled to a common control circuit so that said lift assist actuator pivotally moves said sub-frame relative to the corresponding said wing member as said corresponding wing member is being rotated by said tool bar actuator about said transverse pivot axis.

4. The agricultural implement of claim 3 wherein the coordinated movement of said lift assist actuator with said tool bar actuator is operable to keep said lift assist wheel on the ground for a predetermined period as said tool bar is being moved from said working position toward said transport position.

5. The agricultural implement of claim 4 wherein said lift assist wheel is retained in contact with the ground to provide support for said distal end of the corresponding said wing member through approximately 60 degrees of rotation of said tool bar.

6. The agricultural implement of claim 5 wherein said tool bar further includes a tool bar lock mechanism having a releasable latch, said lift assist mechanism further comprising a connection between one of said sub-frames and said tool bar lock mechanism to effect a release of said tool bar lock latch after said lift assist mechanism has been moved into a predetermined position for appropriate support of said distal ends of said wing members.

7. The agricultural implement of claim 6 wherein said connection comprises a cable interconnecting said one sub-frame and said releasable latch to effect a release of said latch when said one sub-frame has been moved to said predetermined position.

8. The agricultural implement of claim 7 wherein said lift assist mechanism is positioned intermediate of said center of said implement and said distal end of the corresponding said wing member.

9. An agricultural implement comprising:

a draw bar adapted for connection to a prime mover;

a tool bar connected to said draw bar and including left and right wing members pivotally movable about a corresponding wing pivot axis relative to said draw bar, each of said wing members having a distal end laterally remote of a center of said implement, said tool bar being pivotally connected to said tool bar to be rotatable about a generally transverse pivot axis between a lowered working orientation and a raised transport orientation, said tool bar rotating through an annular displacement of approximately 90 degrees between said working and transport orientations, each said wing member having a wheel assembly proximate to the corresponding distal end for support thereof,

a tool bar actuator for effecting the pivotal movement of said tool bar;

a lift assist mechanism pivotally mounted on each said wing member and extending rearwardly thereof to support said distal end of the respective said wing member as said tool bar is being rotated from said lowered working orientation toward said raised transport orientation; and

a lift assist actuator interconnecting each respective said lift assist mechanism and the corresponding said wing member to control the pivotal orientation of said lift assist mechanism relative to said corresponding wing member.

10. The agricultural implement of claim 9 wherein said tool bar actuator and said lift assist actuators are operatively controlled through a common control circuit such that said lift assist actuators pivot said lift assist mechanism relative to said wing member to maintain support of the corresponding distal end as said tool bar is being rotated from said working orientation toward said transport orientation.

11. The agricultural implement of claim 10 wherein said lift assist mechanism comprises:

a sub-frame member having a first end pivotally attached to the corresponding said wing member and a second end extending rearwardly of said first end; and

a lift assist wheel mounted on said second end for support thereof above the ground.

12. The agricultural implement of claim 11 wherein said lift assist actuator is operable to pivot said sub-frame to maintain said lift assist wheel in contact with the ground until said tool bar has been rotated through a predetermined angle of rotation.

13. The agricultural implement of claim 12 wherein said predetermined angle of rotation is approximately 60 degrees from said working orientation toward said transport orientation.

14. The agricultural implement of claim 13 wherein said tool bar further includes a tool bar lock mechanism having a releasable latch, said lift assist mechanism further including a cable interconnecting one of said sub-frames and said tool bar lock mechanism to effect a release of said tool bar lock latch after said lift assist mechanism has been moved into a predetermined position for appropriate support of said distal ends of said wing members.

15. An agricultural implement comprising:

a draw bar adapted for connection to a prime mover;

a tool bar pivotally connected to said draw bar for movement about a generally transverse pivot axis between a rearward working position and a forward transport position, said tool bar including left and right wing members pivotally movable about a corresponding wing pivot axis relative to said draw bar between a laterally extending operating position and a forwardly folded transport position, each of said wing members having a distal end;

a tool bar lock mechanism;

a lift assist mechanism for supporting the distal end of each said wing member as said tool bar is being pivotally rotated from said rearward working position toward said forward transport position, said lift assist member including;

a frame member having a first end pivotally connected to the corresponding said wing member and a second end trailing rearwardly of said first end;

a lift assist wheel mounted on said trailing second end of said frame; and

a hydraulic lift assist actuator interconnecting said frame and the corresponding said wing member to control the pivotal movement of said frame relative to the respective said wing member;

a cable connected to said tool bar lock mechanism to effect a release of said tool bar lock after said lift assist mechanism has been moved into a predetermined position for appropriate support of said distal ends of said wing members when said tool bar is to be moved from said transport position toward said working position; and

a hydraulic circuit operably connected to said lift assist actuator to control the pivotal movement of said frame so as to maintain said lift assist wheel in supporting contact with the ground as said tool bar is being pivotally rotated from said rearward working position toward said transport position until said tool bar has been moved to a predetermined position.

16. The agricultural implement of claim 15 wherein said lift assist actuator is operable to pivot said sub-frame to maintain said lift assist wheel in contact with the ground until said tool bar has been rotated through a predetermined angle of rotation.

17. The agricultural implement of claim 16 wherein said predetermined angle of rotation is approximately 60 degrees from said working position toward said transport position.

18. The agricultural implement of claim 15 wherein each said wing member has a wheel assembly proximate to the corresponding distal end for support thereof in addition to the support provided by said lift assist mechanism.

19. The agricultural implement of claim 15 wherein said tool bar further includes a hydraulic tool bar actuator for effecting the pivotal movement of said tool bar between said working and transport positions, said tool bar actuator being operably connected to said hydraulic circuit in such a manner as to have a coordinated actuation thereof in conjunction with said lift assist actuator to maintain said lift assist wheel in supporting contact with the ground as said tool bar is being pivotally moved from said working position to said transport position.