Agricultural device movable between a transport position and a working position

• US 8,567,518 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lely Patent N.V. (Lely)
• Original Assignee: Lely Patent N.V. (Lely)
• Inventors: Arnold, Martin, Havermans, Cornelis Christianus Franciscus
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOLLMAN, BRODIE J
• Application Number:
  US13/490,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20120256396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 280/639, 280/656, 280/30, 280/400, 280/414.1, 280/415.1, 172/311, 172/456, 172/1, 172/448, 172/624.5, 172/626, 172/677, 172/679, 172/680, 172/683, 172/773, 172/775, 172/776, 56/6, 563/78, 563/79, 563/77, 372/34
• US Class Current: 172/311
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 73/067 to a position essentially rearward of the axis, in relation to the direction of travel

Abstract

An agricultural device is displaceable between a transport position and a working position and includes a frame having a main beam extending in a longitudinal direction, which main beam defines a longitudinal axis, and two side arms extending on both sides of the main beam to support one or more tools, wherein the side arms are hingeably connected at an inner end to a slide connection which is slidable along the main beam. The side arms are displaceable between a transport position, in which they substantially extend along the main beam, under a first angle with the main beam, and a working position, in which the side arms extend from the main beam under a second angle, larger than the first angle. The side arms are displaceable between the transport position and the working position by sliding of the slide connection along the main beam at that location.

Claims

1. A device comprising a frame having a main beam extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein the main beam defines a longitudinal axis, and two side arms extending on both sides of the main beam to support one or more agricultural tools, wherein the side arms are hingeably connected at an inner end of the side arms to a slide connection which is slidable along the main beam, wherein the side arms are displaceable between a transport position, in which they substantially extend along the main beam, under a first angle with the main beam, and a working position, in which the side arms extend from the main beam, under a second angle, larger than the first angle, wherein the side arms are displaceable between the transport position and the working position by sliding of the slide connection along the main beam at the location of the side arms,

wherein the side arms and the main beam are interconnected at a distance from the slide connection by a respective holding rod that is hingeably connected at both ends to the respective side arm and the main beam,

wherein the inner ends of the holding rods are stationary attached to the main beam when viewed in longitudinal direction,

wherein the main beam is provided at the front end with a coupling to a tractor, wherein the inner ends of the holding rods and the coupling are mutually stationary when viewed in longitudinal direction,

wherein each side arm is provided with a support wheel for supporting the side arm in the working position and in the transport position, and wherein the coupling and the two support wheels form the sole support points for the device in the transport position, and

wherein each of the side arms carries one or more tools.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device has a front end and a rear end, wherein the slide connection is located closer to the front end in the transport position than in the working position.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein an aligning rod for aligning the support wheels extends between the slide connection and the respective support wheels and substantially parallel to the respective side arm which extends from the main beam.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the slide connection, the respective side arm, the aligning rod, and a hub assembly for a support wheel form in each case a parallelogram arrangement for aligning the support wheels in a direction of travel.