Pivot assembly for planter closing wheel frame

• US 6,918,343 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copperhead Planter Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Philip C. Kester
• Inventors: Kester, Philip C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Batson, Victor
• Application Number:
  US10/435,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20030209175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 111/200, 111/191, 111/192, 111/193, 111/194, 111/195, 111/196, 172/763, 172/762, 172/773, 172/693, 403/87, 403/26, 403/71, 403/168, 403/365
• US Class Current: 111/195
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/163 laterally adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 71/04 Bearings of rotating parts, e.g. for soil-working discs discs A01B15/16, A01B23/06 ; bearings in general F16C
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/066 Devices for covering drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/201 Mounting of the seeding tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7047 Radially interposed shim or bushing

Abstract

A pivot assembly is provided for attaching a closing wheel frame to a planter. The closing wheel frame has a pair of closing wheels attached at a rear end and a pair of mounting openings formed at a front end. The pivot assembly includes ball bearings having outer races fit loosely within each of the mounting openings of the closing wheel frame. The inner races of the ball bearings are secured to the planter frame using threaded nut and bolt assemblies. The closing wheel frame is pivotal relative to the planter frame during normal operation by relative movement between the inner and outer races of the bearing. Variations of the mounting openings in the closing wheel frame are disclosed, including a tubular part, heavy washer or other annular structure welded to an outside surface of the closing wheel frame, or a bearing housing formed integral with the closing wheel frame.

Claims

1. A pivot assembly for attaching a closing wheel frame to a planter frame, comprising:

a bearing housing welded to an outer surface of the closing wheel frame;

a ball bearing having an outer race and an inner race, the outer race being fit loosely within said bearing housing with a clearance of at least 0.005″

to allow the outer race to tip in the bearing housing sufficiently to allow for some misalignment;

a threaded bolt that extends through a hole in the planter frame and through an opening in the inner race; and

a threaded nut placed on the bolt and operable in conjunction with the bolt to secure the inner race of the bearing to the planter frame while allowing the outer race of the bearing to pivot with the closing wheel frame relative to the planter frame.

2. The pivot assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said closing wheel frame is formed of sheet metal and said bearing housing is a tubular metal part welded to the sheet metal.

3. The pivot assembly according to claim 1, wherein said closing wheel frame is formed of a cast metal and said bearing housing is a heavy metal washer welded to the cast metal.

4. The pivot assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least one flat washer placed on the bolt between the inner race and the planter frame.

5. The pivot assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a cam that can be used interchangeably with said bearing to allow adjustment of an alignment of the closing wheel frame relative to the planter frame.

6. The pivot assembly according to claim 1, wherein said loose fit of the outer race within the bearing housing is provided by a clearance of approximately 0.005″

to 0.040″

between an inside surface of the bearing housing and an outside surface of the outer race.

7. The pivot assembly according to claim 6, wherein said clearance is approximately 0.015″

.

8. The pivot assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a thread deforming locking jam nut threaded onto the bolt into locking engagement with said threaded nut.

9. The pivot assembly according to claim 1, wherein a substantially identical pivot assembly is provided on each side of the closing wheel frame for attaching the closing wheel frame to the planter frame.

10. A pivot assembly for attaching a closing wheel frame to a planter frame, comprising:

a closing wheel frame having a closing wheel attached at a rear end and a mounting opening at a front end;

a ball bearing having an outer race and an inner race, the outer race being fit loosely within said mounting opening at the front end of the closing wheel frame with a clearance of at least 0.005″

to allow the outer race to tip in the mounting opening sufficiently to allow for some misalignment;

a threaded bolt that extends through a hole in the planter frame and through an opening in said inner race; and

a threaded nut placed on said bolt and operable in conjunction with said bolt to secure the inner race of the bearing to the planter frame, whereby the closing wheel frame is pivotal relative to the planter frame during normal operation by relative movement between the inner race and outer race of the bearing.

11. The pivot assembly according to claim 10, wherein said closing wheel frame is formed of sheet metal and said mounting opening comprises a tubular part welded to said sheet metal.

12. The pivot assembly according to claim 10, wherein said closing wheel frame is formed of cast metal and said mounting opening comprises a heavy metal washer welded to an outer surface of the closing wheel frame.

13. The pivot assembly according to claim 10, wherein said mounting opening is formed integral with said closing wheel frame.

14. The pivot assembly according to claim 10, wherein said closing wheel frame is formed of sheet metal and said mounting opening is formed integral with said sheet metal.

15. The pivot assembly according to claim 14, wherein said mounting opening comprises an inner surface having a smallest diameter at a center portion and flared ends which are larger in diameter than the center portion.

16. The pivot assembly according to claim 15, wherein the outer race of said ball bearing is generally cylindrical.

17. The pivot assembly according to claim 14, wherein said mounting opening comprises a generally cylindrical inner surface formed in said sheet metal for receiving the outer race of said ball bearing.

18. The pivot assembly according to claim 17, wherein the outer race of said ball bearing is generally spherical.

19. The pivot assembly according to claim 10, further comprising at least one flat washer placed on the bolt between the inner race and the planter frame.

20. An agricultural planter, comprising:

a furrow opener that forms a furrow in the ground;

a seed tube for directing seed into the furrow; and

a closing wheel assembly for closing the furrow after the seed is placed in the furrow, the closing wheel assembly comprising a closing wheel frame having a pair of closing wheels attached at a rear end and a pair of mounting openings provided at a front end, the closing wheel frame being secured to a frame of the planter by a pair of pivot assemblies each comprising;

a ball bearing having an outer race and an inner race, the outer race being fit loosely within a respective one of said mounting openings at the front end of the closing wheel frame with a clearance of at least 0.005″

to allow the outer race to tip in the mounting opening sufficiently to allow for some misalignment;

a threaded bolt that extends through a hole in the planter frame and through an opening in said inner race; and

a threaded nut placed on said bolt and operable in conjunction with said bolt to secure the inner race of the bearing to the planter frame, whereby the closing wheel frame is pivotal relative to the planter frame during normal operation by relative movement between the inner and outer races of the bearing.