Row unit for agricultural implement

• US 9,192,089 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Inventors: Bassett, Joseph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US13/772,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20130199808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 111/139, 111/140, 111/143, 111/157, 111/52, 111/59, 111/62, 111/63, 111/65, 111/66, 111164-169, 111/149, 111/135, 111/134, 111190-196, 111/200, 111/900, 111/927, 172/551, 172/624.5, 172/705, 172/613, 172/619, 172/624, 172/634, 172/635, 172/639, 172/661, 172677-681, 172/684, 172/684.5, 172/734, 172/739, 172/744, 172/748, 172/261, 172264-268, 172/518, 172/579, 172/583, 172/605, 172/4, 172/2, 172/413, 701/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 33/024 with disk-like tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 61/044 the connection enabling a yielding pivoting movement around a substantially horizontal and transverse axis
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 61/046 the device including an energy accumulator for restoring the tool to its working position
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/008 Vertical adjustment of tools A01B63/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/111 regulating working depth of implements
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/24 Tools or tool-holders adjustable relatively to the frame
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/32 operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means without automatic control
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/205 comprising pressure regulation means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/927 Parallelogram mounting

Abstract

An agricultural row unit for use with a towing frame hitched to a tractor includes an attachment frame adapted to be rigidly connected to the towing frame, a linkage pivotably coupled to the attachment frame, and a row unit frame having a leading end pivotably coupled to the linkage to permit vertical pivoting movement of the row unit frame relative to the attachment frame. A hydraulic cylinder coupled to the attachment frame and the linkage, for urging the row unit frame downwardly toward the soil, includes a movable ram extending into the cylinder, and a hydraulic-fluid cavity within the cylinder for receiving pressurized hydraulic fluid for advancing the ram in a direction that pivots the linkage and the row unit frame downwardly toward the soil. An accumulator positioned adjacent to the hydraulic cylinder has a fluid chamber containing a diaphragm, with the portion of the chamber on one side of the diaphragm being connected to the hydraulic-fluid cavity in the hydraulic cylinder, and the portion of the chamber on the other side of the diaphragm containing a pressurized gas.

Claims

1. A pressure control unit for an agricultural implement pivotably attached via a parallel-bar linkage assembly to a towing frame of an agricultural machine, the parallel-bar linkage assembly including a crossbar attached to the linkage bar and having a crossbar hole, the linkage bar being attached to the agricultural implement, the pressure control unit comprising:

a support bracket configured to operatively attach to one of the towing frame and the agricultural implement; and

a hydraulic actuator assembly including;

a housing operatively attached to the support bracket, the housing forming therein a fluid cavity configured to receive pressurized fluid, the housing having a rounded surface operatively engaging the support bracket such that the housing can tilt with respect to the support bracket, and

a movable ram extending out of the housing and having a ram stem configured to operatively attach to the crossbar, the ram stem projecting through the crossbar hole to connect the movable ram to the crossbar, the movable ram being movable in response to pressurized fluid received in the fluid cavity to thereby pivot the linkage bar, the ram stem having a curved flange configured to slidingly mate with another component such that the movable ram can tilt with respect to the linkage bar.

2. The pressure control unit of claim 1, wherein the support bracket defines a support hole, and the housing includes a housing stem projecting through the support hole to connect the housing to the support bracket, the support hole in the support bracket being sufficiently sized to allow the housing stem of the housing to rotate inside the support hole of the support bracket.

3. The pressure control unit of claim 2, wherein the housing stem of the housing includes a threaded outer surface, the pressure control unit further comprising a nut threadably engaged on the threaded outer surface of the housing stem to connect the housing to the support bracket.

4. The pressure control unit of claim 3, further comprising a compressible washer between the nut and the support bracket, the compressible washer allowing tilting movement of the housing relative to the support bracket.

5. The pressure control unit of claim 1, further comprising a curved bearing ring between the rounded surface of the housing and the support bracket, the rounded surface lying flush with and sliding against a complementary surface of the curved bearing ring.

6. The pressure control unit of claim 5, further comprising a washer between the curved bearing ring and the support bracket.

7. The pressure control unit of claim 1, wherein the crossbar hole is sufficiently sized to allow the ram stem to rotate inside the crossbar hole.

8. The pressure control unit of claim 7, wherein the ram stem includes a threaded outer surface, the pressure control unit further comprising a nut threadably engaged on the outer surface of the ram stem to connect the movable ram to the crossbar.

9. The pressure control unit of claim 8, further comprising a compressible washer between the nut and the crossbar, the compressible washer allowing tilting movement of the movable ram relative to the crossbar.

10. The pressure control unit of claim 7, further comprising a curved bearing ring between the curved flange of the ram stem and the crossbar, the curved flange lying flush with and sliding against a complementary surface of the curved bearing ring.

11. The pressure control unit of claim 10, further comprising a washer between the curved bearing ring and the crossbar.

12. The pressure control unit of claim 1, further comprising an energy storage device attached to the housing of the hydraulic actuator assembly and defining therein a fluid chamber containing a diaphragm.

13. The pressure control unit of claim 12, wherein the energy storage device includes a gas-charged hydraulic accumulator.

14. The pressure control unit of claim 12, wherein one portion of the fluid chamber on one side of the diaphragm is fluidly connected to the fluid cavity in the housing, and another portion of the fluid chamber on the other side of the diaphragm contains a pressurized gas.

15. The pressure control unit of claim 12, wherein the housing is a single-piece unitary structure forming the fluid cavity and a cavity containing at least a portion of the energy storage device.

16. An agricultural row unit for use with a towing frame coupled to a tractor, the row unit comprising:

a front bracket configured to rigidly mount to the towing frame;

a parallel-bar linkage assembly including a plurality of linkage bars pivotably attached to the front bracket, and a crossbar extending between and coupled to the linkage bars;

a row unit frame pivotably connected to the linkage bars of the parallel-bar linkage assembly for pivoting movement relative to the front bracket;

an agricultural implement mounted on the row unit frame;

a support bracket rigidly mounted to the front bracket; and

a hydraulic actuator assembly including;

a housing pivotably coupled to the support bracket, the housing forming therein a fluid cavity configured to receive pressurized fluid, the housing having a rounded shoulder operatively engaging the support bracket such that the housing can tilt with respect to the support bracket,

a movable ram extending out of the housing and pivotably coupled to the crossbar, the movable ram being selectively movable in response to pressurized fluid received in the fluid cavity to thereby pivot the row unit frame via the linkage bars, the movable ram having a rounded flange operatively engaging the crossbar such that the movable ram can tilt with respect to the crossbar, and

an energy storage device operatively coupled to the pressurized-fluid cylinder and defining therein a fluid chamber containing a diaphragm.

17. The agricultural row unit of claim 16, wherein the support bracket defines a hole, and the housing includes a stem projecting through the hole, the stem including a threaded outer surface threadably engaged with a nut to thereby connect the housing to the support bracket, the hole in the support bracket being sufficiently sized to allow that stem to rotate inside the hole.

18. The agricultural row unit of claim 16, further comprising a curved bearing ring between the rounded shoulder of the housing and the support bracket, and a washer between the curved bearing ring and the support bracket, the rounded shoulder lying flush with and sliding against a complementary surface of the curved bearing ring.

19. The agricultural row unit of claim 16, wherein the crossbar defines a hole, and the movable ram includes a stem projecting through the hole, the stem including a threaded outer surface threadably engaged with a nut to thereby connect the movable ram to the crossbar, the hole in the crossbar being sufficiently sized to allow that stem of the movable ram to rotate inside the hole.

20. The agricultural row unit of claim 16, further comprising a curved bearing ring between the rounded flange of the movable ram and the crossbar, and a washer between the curved bearing ring and the crossbar, the rounded flange lying flush with and sliding against a complementary surface of the curved bearing ring.

21. The agricultural row unit of claim 16, wherein the housing is a single-piece unitary structure forming the fluid cavity and a cavity containing at least a portion of the energy storage device.

22. A method of assembling a pressure control unit for an agricultural implement pivotably attached via a parallel-bar linkage assembly to a towing frame of an agricultural machine, the parallel-bar linkage assembly including a crossbar attached to the agricultural implement, the method comprising:

providing a support bracket configured to operatively attach to the towing frame or the agricultural implement, or both;

operatively attaching a housing to the support bracket, the housing forming therein a fluid cavity configured to receive pressurized fluid, the housing having a rounded stem surface operatively engaging and projecting through the support bracket such that the housing can rotate about a first axis with respect to the support bracket; and

disposing a ram at least partially inside of the housing such that the ram extends out of the housing, the ram being movable in response to pressurized fluid received in the fluid cavity to thereby pivot the crossbar, the ram having a rounded stem end configured to operatively engage and project through the crossbar such that the ram can rotate about a second axis with respect to the crossbar.

23. A pressure control unit for an agricultural implement pivotably attached via a parallel-bar linkage assembly to a towing frame of an agricultural machine, the parallel-bar linkage assembly being pivotably mounted to a front bracket, the front bracket being configured to rigidly mount to the towing frame, the parallel-bar linkage assembly including a linkage bar attached to the agricultural implement, the pressure control unit comprising:

a support bracket configured to operatively attach to the towing frame or the agricultural implement, or both; and

a hydraulic actuator assembly including;

a housing forming therein a fluid cavity configured to receive pressurized fluid, the housing being operatively attached to the support bracket such that the hydraulic actuator assembly can rotate about a first axis, and

a movable ram extending out of the housing, the movable ram being movable in response to pressurized fluid received in the fluid cavity to thereby pivot the linkage bar, the movable ram being configured to operatively attach to the linkage bar such that the hydraulic actuator assembly can rotate about a second axis different from the first axis.