Soil working implement with retractable wheels

• US 7,540,331 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABI Attachments Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Absolute Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Keigley, Kevin V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Torres; Alicia M
• Application Number:
  US11/484,017
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 172195-200, 172663-668, 172/449, 172/445.1, 172/777, 172/683, 172/684.5
• US Class Current: 172/195
• 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

Abstract

A soil working implement is dragged behind a towing vehicle. The implement includes a hitch part and a soil working part. The soil working part may be pivoted about the hitch part by extending or retracting a longitudinal linkage member interposed between the hitch part and the soil working part. Wheels are mounted on the implement and may be raised and lowered relative to the implement by an operator-actuated mechanism, to thereby permit the soil working part to be raised off of the ground by lowering the wheels to thereby facilitate movement of the implement from one treatment area to another, whereupon the wheels may be raised to permit the soil working part to engage the soil.

Claims

1. Soil working implement adapted for being pulled behind a tow vehicle, said implement comprising a soil working part for engaging the soil, a hitch part pivotally connected to said soil working part and including a hitch adapted for connection to said tow vehicle, an extensible linkage connected to said soil working part, said extensible linkage having an extended position and a retracted position, said soil working part pivotally shiftable about said hitch part in response to the shifting of said extensible linkage between its said extended and retracted positions, said soil working part including a transverse frame member pivotable about an axis, a plurality of transversely spaced downwardly projecting scarifying teeth carried by said frame member for penetrating the soil, a plurality of transversely spaced tines carried by said frame member for engaging said soil, said hitch part including a hitch bar carrying said hitch and being pivotally connected at said axis to said frame member, said teeth located between said hitch and said tines, said extensible linkage pivotally connected at one end to said frame member and at the other end to said hitch bar, the angle of engagement of said teeth and tines with said soil being adjustable by shifting said extensible linkage between its extended and retracted positions, a set of ground engaging support members pivotally mounted on said axis for movement between a ground engaging position supporting said tines and teeth in an inoperative position displaced from the soil and a retracted position in which the support members are displaced from the soil to permit the tines and the teeth to engage and work the soil.

2. Soil working implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a retractable frame is pivotally mounted on said implement at said axis, said support members being a pair of wheels mounted on said frame, and an operator actuated mechanism for moving said frame and said wheels between said ground engaging and retracted positions.