Forwardly folding agricultural planter

• US 6,202,756 B1
• Filed: 11/10/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• 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:
  US09/438,057
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 172/452, 172/456, 172/463, 172/467, 172/474, 172/478, 172/479, 172/481, 172/662, 172/668, 172/311
• 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 planter is provided with hydraulically operated devices to effect the folding and unfolding of the planter support structure between operative and transport configurations. The planter includes a telescopic hitch apparatus that lengthens as the pivoted wing members are folded forwardly to position a transport lock mechanism for engagement with vertically oriented wing latch retainer bars mounted in a latch tower on the draw bar. A hitch latch mechanism is also provided to control the movement of the telescopic draw bar. A caster lock apparatus is also provided to control the castering action of a wheel device positioned near the ends of the wing members. In operation, the laterally extending tool bar is pivoted on a transverse axis to forwardly roll the tool bar toward an intermediate transport position. Once the tool bar is properly positioned, wing fold hydraulic cylinders pivot the laterally extending wing assemblies forwardly to effect engagement between the transport lock mechanism and the latch tower. An unfold abutment finger is provided to allow the wing assemblies to float with changing ground undulations, while providing a abutment against which the wing cylinders can push to effect unfolding of the wing members. A tool bar lock fixes the tool bar in a forwardly rolled transport position.

Claims

1. An agricultural implement supporting ground working devices comprising:

a draw bar adapted for connection to a prime mover;

a frame connected to said draw bar and having mounted thereon wheels for mobilely supporting said frame for movement over the ground;

a tool bar connected to said frame for pivotal movement about a transversely extending axis between a horizontally oriented rearward field operating position and a vertically oriented forward transport position, said tool bar including left and right wing members pivotally moveable relative to said frame, each of said wing members being pivotal about a wing pivot axis;

a tool bar actuator interconnecting said frame and said tool bar for pivoting said tool bar about said transversely extending axis such that said wing pivot axis extends in a longitudinal, horizontal direction when said tool bar is in said field operating position to permit a generally vertical movement of said wing members, said wing pivot axis extending in a generally vertical direction when said tool bar is in said transport position to permit a generally horizontal movement of said wing members; and

a wing fold actuator operatively associated with each said wing member for pivoting said wing member about the corresponding said wing pivot axis between a laterally extending field operating position and a forwardly extending transport position.

2. The agricultural implement of claim 1 wherein said tool bar further includes a center member connected to said tool bar actuator, said center member carrying said wing pivot axes.

3. The agricultural implement of claim 2 further comprising:

a tool bar latch mechanism for selectively locking said tool bar in said forward transport position.

4. The agricultural implement of claim 3 wherein said tool bar latch mechanism is coupled to one of said wing members to control the operation thereof, such that the movement of said wing members into said laterally extending position effects an unlocking of said tool bar latch mechanism so that said tool bar actuator is capable of pivoting said tool bar rearwardly into said field operating position.

5. The agricultural implement of claim 4 wherein said tool bar latch mechanism includes a clasp member spring-loaded into a locked position, said tool bar latch mechanism further including a cable interconnecting said clasp member and said one wing member so that the positioning of said one wing member into said laterally extending position pulls on said cable to overcome the spring bias of said clasp member and move said clasp member into an unlock position.

6. The agricultural implement of claim 2 further comprising:

a transport latch mechanism for selectively locking said wing members in said forwardly extending transport position adjacent said draw bar.

7. The agricultural implement of claim 6 wherein said wing members are supported by caster wheels positioned proximate a distal end of each said wing member.

8. The agricultural implement of claim 7 wherein said caster wheels are locked in a forwardly directed position when said wing members are positioned in said laterally extending, field operating position.

9. The agricultural implement of claim 7 wherein said caster wheels support said distal ends of said wing members when positioned in said forwardly positioned transport position.

10. The agricultural implement of claim 9 wherein said transport latch mechanism is operable to accommodate generally vertical movement of said wing member relative to said draw bar when oriented in said forwardly extending transport position.

11. An agricultural implement comprising:

a hitch member adapted for connection to a prime mover; and

a tool bar pivotally connected to said hitch member for rotation about a transversely extending pivot axis between a lower, horizontally oriented working position and an upper, vertically oriented transport position, said tool bar including;

left and right wing members pivotally movable between a laterally extending field position and a forwardly extending transport position when said tool bar is rotated through an angular displacement of approximately 90 degrees from said working position into said upper transport position; and

wing wheel assemblies supporting said left and right wing members in both said laterally extending field position and said forwardly extending transport position.

12. The agricultural implement of claim 11 further comprising:

a tool bar latch mechanism for selectively locking said tool bar in said upper transport position.

13. The agricultural implement of claim 12 further comprising:

a transport latch mechanism for selectively locking said wing members in said forwardly extending transport position adjacent said draw bar.

14. The agricultural implement of claim 13 wherein said transport latch mechanism is operable to accommodate generally vertical movement of said wing member relative to said draw bar when oriented in said forwardly extending transport position.

15. The agricultural implement of claim 14 wherein said tool bar further includes a center member connected to said tool bar actuator, said center member carrying said wing pivot axes.

16. The agricultural implement of claim 15 further comprising:

a tool bar actuator interconnecting said frame and said tool bar for pivoting said tool bar about said transversely extending axis between a rearward field operating position and a forward transport position; and

a wing fold actuator operatively associated with each said wing member for pivoting said wing member about the corresponding said wing pivot axis between a laterally extending field operating position and a forwardly extending transport position.

17. The agricultural implement of claim 16 wherein said tool bar latch mechanism is coupled to one of said wing members to control the operation thereof, such that the movement of said wing members into said laterally extending position effects an unlocking of said tool bar latch mechanism so that said tool bar actuator is capable of pivoting said tool bar rearwardly into said field operating position.

18. The agricultural implement of claim 17 wherein said tool bar latch mechanism includes a clasp member spring-loaded into a locked position, said tool bar latch mechanism further including a cable interconnecting said clasp member and said one wing member so that the positioning of said one wing member into said laterally extending position pulls on said cable to overcome the spring bias of said clasp member and move said clasp member into an unlock position.

19. A method of converting an agricultural implement from a laterally extending field operating position to a longitudinally extending transport position, said agricultural implement having a draw bar and a tool bar pivotally mounted on said draw bar, said tool bar having a pair of laterally opposing wing members pivotally supported for movement about a wing pivot axis, comprising the steps of:

forwardly pivoting said tool bar about a transversely extending axis through an angular rotation of approximately ninety degrees to re-orient said wing pivot axes from a generally longitudinally extending orientation to a generally vertically extending orientation; and

then, forwardly pivoting said wing members about said vertically oriented wing pivot axes to a transport position with said wing members being oriented in a generally longitudinal direction.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

before the step of forwardly pivoting said wing members, unlatching a caster wheel supporting a distal end of each said wing member to permit said caster wheel to freely caster relative to the corresponding said wing member, said caster wheel supporting the respective said wing member in said transport position.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of:

locking said wing members to said draw bar in said transport position.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of:

after the step of forwardly pivoting said tool bar, latching said tool bar to said draw bar.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the conversion of said agricultural implement from said longitudinally extending transport position to said laterally extending field operating position comprises the steps of:

unlocking said wing members from said draw bar;

then, rearwardly pivoting said wing members about said vertically oriented wing pivot axes to a laterally extending orientation;

latching said caster wheels in a forwardly directed orientation relative to said wing members; and

rearwardly pivoting said tool bar about said transversely extending axis through an angular rotation of approximately ninety degrees to re-orient said wing pivot axes from back to said generally longitudinally extending orientation.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein said step of forwardly pivoting said wing members includes the step of:

telescoping said draw bar to extend the length thereof.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of telescoping said draw bar includes the step of:

pushing on a forward portion of said draw bar with a brace interconnecting said forward portion of said draw bar and each said wing member to extend a rearward portion of said draw bar from said forward portion.