Ground working apparatus

• US 8,596,374 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald J. Kile
• Original Assignee: Ronald J. Kile
• Inventors: Kile, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mitchell, Joel F.
• Application Number:
  US12/982,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20120168186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 172/265, 172/389, 172/390, 172/392, 172/705, 172/727
• US Class Current: 172/389
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 23/02 Teeth; Fixing the teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 3/00 Ploughs with fixed plough-shares
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 35/22 Non-rotating tools; Resilient or flexible mounting of rigid tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 61/046 the device including an energy accumulator for restoring the tool to its working position

Abstract

A ground working apparatus has a plow assembly including a frame formed with an attached runner and a plow tool. A linkage assembly couples the frame to a bridle assembly for movement of the plow assembly between raised and lowered positions relative to the bridle assembly. The runner and the plow tool depend downwardly from the frame to concurrently run over and plow, respectively, ground to be plowed along a plowing path ahead of the bridle assembly and the plow assembly, wherein the runner sets the frame of the plow assembly at a fixed elevated position with respect to the ground to be plow.

Claims

1. A ground working apparatus, comprising:

a bridle assembly to secure a plow frame;

a plow assembly defines a load and comprises a frame, and a runner and a plow tool each coupled to the frame;

a linkage assembly coupling the frame to the bridle assembly to secure the plow frame for movement of the plow assembly between a raised position and lowered ground-working position relative to the bridle assembly;

the runner and the plow tool depending downwardly from the frame to concurrently run over and plow, respectively, ground to be plowed along a plowing path ahead of the bridle assembly and the plow assembly, and the runner to run over the ground to be plowed to set the frame of the plow assembly at a fixed elevated position with respect to the ground to be plowed; and

a load take-up assembly coupled between the bridle assembly and the linkage assembly, in the lowered ground-working position of the plow assembly the load take-up assembly applies a bias to the linkage assembly that takes up a portion of the load of the plow assembly, which, while insufficient to alone displace the plow assembly from the lowered ground-working position to the raised position relative to the bridle assembly, urges the plow assembly toward the raised position away from the lowered ground-working position relative to the bridle assembly to assist the plow assembly in displacing upwardly into the raised position from the lowered ground-working position relative to the bridle assembly in response to the runner encountering an obstacle.

2. A ground working apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

the plow tool mounted to the frame for movement between a lowered plowing position and an elevated clearance position; and

means coupled between the frame and the plow tool urging the plow tool in a direction toward the lowered plowing position.

3. A ground working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the load take-up assembly comprises a compression spring coupled between the bridle assembly and the linkage assembly.

4. A ground working apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means comprises a compression spring coupled between the frame and the plow tool.

5. A ground working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the runner is positioned between the plow tool and the bridle assembly.

6. A ground working apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the plow tool comprises an elongate shank coupled to the frame and which depends downwardly therefrom to an attached tilling head assembly to extend into and plow the ground to be plowed in the lowered plowing position of the plow tool; and

the runner comprises an elongate, rigid support having an upper end rigidly coupled to the frame and which depends downwardly therefrom to an opposed lower end formed with a ground-engaging skid set forwardly of and above the tilling head assembly to support the frame at an elevated position relative to the ground to be plowed by the tilling head assembly.

7. A ground working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the linkage assembly comprises a four-bar linkage pivotally coupled between the frame and the bridle assembly.

8. A ground working apparatus, comprising:

a bridle assembly to secure a plow frame;

a plow assembly defines a load and comprises a frame, and a runner and a plow tool each coupled to the frame;

a linkage assembly pivotally coupled between the frame and the bridle assembly permitting movement of the plow assembly between a raised position and lowered ground-working position relative to the bridle assembly;

the runner and the plow tool depending downwardly from the frame to concurrently run over and plow, respectively, ground to be plowed along a plowing path ahead of the bridle assembly and the plow assembly, and the runner to run over the ground to be plowed to set the frame of the plow assembly at a fixed elevated position with respect to the ground to be plowed;

the linkage assembly comprises generally horizontal upper and lower links pivoted to the frame and the bridle at frame and bridle pivot points, respectively;

an extension of the lower link extends forwardly of the bridle pivot point of the lower link away from the plow assembly; and

first means coupled between the bridle assembly and the extension of the lower link applying a bias to the linkage assembly in the lowered ground-working position of the plow assembly taking up a portion of the load of the plow assembly, which, while insufficient to alone displace the plow assembly from the lowered ground-working position to the raised position relative to the bridle assembly, urges the plow assembly toward the raised position away from the lowered ground-working position relative to the bridle assembly to assist the plow assembly in displacing upwardly into the raised position from the lowered ground-working position relative to the bridle assembly in response to the runner encountering an obstacle.

9. A ground working apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

the plow tool mounted to the frame for movement between a lowered plowing position and an elevated clearance position; and

second means coupled between the frame and the plow tool urging the plow tool in a direction toward the lowered plowing position.

10. A ground working apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first means comprises a first compression spring coupled between the bridle assembly and the extension of the lower link.

11. A ground working apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first compression spring has an upper end pivoted to the bridle assembly, and an opposed lower end pivoted to the extension of the lower link.

12. A ground working apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second means comprises a second compression spring coupled between the frame and the plow tool.

13. A ground working apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the runner is positioned between the plow tool and the bridle assembly.

14. A ground working apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

the plow tool comprises an elongate shank coupled to the frame and which depends downwardly therefrom to an attached tilling head assembly to extend into and plow the ground to be plowed in the lowered plowing position of the plow tool; and

the runner comprises an elongate, rigid support having an upper end rigidly coupled to the frame and which depends downwardly therefrom to an opposed lower end formed with a ground-engaging skid set forwardly of and above the tilling head assembly to support the frame at an elevated position relative to the ground to be plowed by the tilling head assembly.

15. A ground working apparatus, comprising:

a bridle assembly to secure a plow frame;

a plow assembly defines a load and comprises a frame, and a runner and a plow tool each coupled to the frame;

a linkage assembly pivotally coupled between the frame and the bridle assembly permitting the plow assembly to displace between a raised position and lowered ground-working position relative to the bridle assembly;

the runner and the plow tool depending downwardly from the frame to concurrently run over and plow, respectively, ground to be plowed along a plowing path ahead of the bridle assembly and the plow assembly, and the runner to run over the ground to be plowed to set the frame of the plow assembly at a fixed elevated position with respect to the ground to be plowed;

the linkage assembly comprises generally horizontal upper and lower links pivoted to the frame and the bridle at frame and bridle pivot points, respectively;

an extension of the lower link extending forwardly of the bridle pivot point of the lower link away from the plow assembly;

a bracket affixed to the bridle assembly near the bridle pivot point of the upper link; and

a bridle spring coupled between the bracket and the extension of the lower link applying a bias to the linkage assembly at the extension of the lower link in the lowered ground-working position of the plow assembly that takes up a portion of the load of the plow assembly, which, while insufficient to alone displace the plow assembly from the lowered ground-working position to the raised position relative to the bridle assembly, urges the plow assembly toward the raised position away from the lowered ground-working position and the ground to be plowed relative to the bridle assembly to assist the plow assembly in displacing upwardly into the raised position from the lowered ground-working position relative to the bridle assembly in response to the runner encountering an obstacle.

16. A ground working apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the bridle spring has an upper end pivoted to the bracket, and an opposed lower end pivoted to the extension of the lower link.

17. A ground working apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the runner is positioned between the plow tool and the bridle assembly.

18. A ground working apparatus according to claim 17, wherein:

the plow tool comprises an elongate shank coupled to the frame and which depends downwardly therefrom to an attached tilling head assembly to extend into and plow the ground to be plowed; and

the runner comprises an elongate, rigid support having an upper end rigidly coupled to the frame and which depends downwardly therefrom to an opposed lower end formed with a ground-engaging skid set forwardly of and above the tilling head assembly to support the frame at an elevated position relative to the ground to be plowed by the tilling head assembly.

19. A ground working apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

the shank mounted to the frame for movement between a lowered plowing position of the tilling head assembly to plow the ground to be plowed and an elevated clearance position of the tilling head assembly; and

a plow spring coupled between the frame and the shank urging the plow tool in a direction toward the lowered plowing position of the tilling head assembly.