Agricultural apparatus with hydraulic cylinder and manifold for a row unit

• US 9,226,440 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Original Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Inventors: Bassett, Joseph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US14/063,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20140048297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 172/4, 172/2, 172/413, 172/624.5, 172/635, 172/639, 172/661, 172/678, 172/680, 172/705, 172/739, 172/744, 172/264, 172/583, 701/50, 111/135, 111139-143, 111/157, 111163-169, 111190-196, 111/200, 111/900, 111/927, 111/66
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 61/046 the device including an energy accumulator for restoring the tool to its working position
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/114 to achieve a constant working depth
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/205 comprising pressure regulation means

Abstract

An agricultural row unit includes an attachment frame adapted to be rigidly connected to a towing frame, and a linkage assembly pivotably coupled to the attachment frame to permit vertical pivoting movement of the linkage assembly relative to the attachment frame. The row unit further includes a hydraulic actuator coupled to the linkage assembly for urging the linkage assembly downwardly toward the soil, and a hose connection manifold mounted adjacent to the hydraulic actuator for circulating hydraulic fluid between a hydraulic source and the hydraulic actuator. The hose connection manifold has a modular port for accepting, one at a time, a removable control valve and a port plug.

Claims

1. An agricultural row unit comprising:

an attachment frame adapted to be rigidly connected to a towing frame;

a linkage assembly pivotably coupled to the attachment frame to permit vertical pivoting movement of the linkage assembly relative to the attachment frame;

a hydraulic actuator coupled to the linkage assembly for urging the linkage assembly downwardly toward the soil; and

a hose connection manifold mounted adjacent to the hydraulic actuator for circulating hydraulic fluid between a hydraulic source and the hydraulic actuator, the hose connection manifold having a modular port for accepting, one at a time, a removable control valve and a port plug.

2. The agricultural row unit of claim 1, wherein the control valve is a hydraulic cartridge valve attached to a control module.

3. The agricultural row unit of claim 2, wherein the control module includes one or more of a pressure transducer, embedded electronics, and an electronic connector.

4. The agricultural row unit of claim 1, wherein the hose connection manifold further includes an inlet port coupled to a down-pressure hose and an outlet port coupled to a return-pressure hose, the down-pressure hose supplying hydraulic fluid received from a hydraulic source.

5. The agricultural row unit of claim 4, wherein the inlet port is adapted to receive, one at a time, the down-pressure hose and an inlet plug.

6. The agricultural row unit of claim 4, wherein the outlet port is adapted to receive, one at a time, the return-pressure hose and an outlet plug.

7. The agricultural row unit of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic fluid is received from the hydraulic source via an adjacent hose connection manifold, the adjacent hose connection manifold being mounted in an adjacent row unit.

8. The agricultural row unit of claim 1, wherein the port plug includes a port cavity and is connected to a pressure hose.

9. The agricultural row unit of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic actuator is removably attached to the hose connection manifold via one or more removable fasteners.

10. The agricultural row unit of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic actuator is fixedly attached to the hose connection manifold via a welded connection.

11. An agricultural system, comprising:

a hydraulic source for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid;

a towing frame attachable to a towing vehicle;

a first row unit attached to the towing frame and including a

a first hydraulic actuator for urging the first row unit downwardly toward the soil, and

a first hose connection manifold having a first modular port and mounted adjacent the first hydraulic actuator for circulating hydraulic fluid between the hydraulic source and the first hydraulic actuator, the first hose connection manifold having a removable control valve inserted into the first modular port; and

a second row unit attached to the towing frame and including a

a second hydraulic actuator for urging the second row unit downwardly toward the soil, and

a second hose connection manifold having a second modular port and mounted adjacent the second hydraulic actuator for circulating hydraulic fluid between the hydraulic source and the second hydraulic actuator, the second hose connection manifold having a removable plug inserted into the second modular port.

12. The agricultural system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first hose connection manifold and the second hose connection manifold further includes an inlet port coupled to a down-pressure hose and an outlet port coupled to a return-pressure hose, the down-pressure hose supplying hydraulic fluid received from the hydraulic source.

13. The agricultural system of claim 12, wherein the inlet port is adapted to receive, one at a time, the down-pressure hose and an inlet plug.

14. The agricultural system of claim 12, wherein the outlet port is adapted to receive, one at a time, the return-pressure hose and an outlet plug.

15. The agricultural system of claim 11, wherein first row unit and the second row unit are attached to the towing frame adjacent to each other.

16. The agricultural system of claim 11, wherein the removable plug includes a port cavity and is connected to a pressure hose.

17. The agricultural system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first hydraulic actuator and the second hydraulic actuator is removably attached, respectively, to the first hose connection manifold and the second hose connection manifold via one or more removable fasteners.

18. The agricultural system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first hydraulic actuator and the second hydraulic actuator is fixedly attached, respectively, to the first hose connection manifold and the second hose connection manifold via a welded connection.