Tillage implement with preset disk frame angle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10051773-B2
Application number	US-201414463800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2014
Priority date	Aug 21, 2013
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

An agricultural tillage implement including a carriage frame assembly and pull hitch towed by a tractor and forward and aft secondary frames supported by the carriage frame assembly. The forward and aft secondary frames mount gangs of disk blades for tilling the soil. The secondary frames establish a plane and the aft secondary frame is connected to the carriage frame assembly at a greater distance from the plane than the forward secondary frame so that the depth of penetration of the disk blades is uniform during field operation. The tillage implement has outboard wing sections pivotally connected to the secondary frames and annular shims are provided to establish the wing sections and secondary frames in common plane during field operation, the annular shim being rotatable about central axis to present a common surface to the implements irrespective of the orientation of the shims.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural tillage implement, comprising:
a carriage frame assembly including a pull hitch extending in a travel direction;
forward and aft secondary frames extending generally laterally with respect to the travel direction;
forward and aft gangs of disks blades connected to and supported by said forward and aft secondary frames to till soil over which the tillage implement traverses, the penetration depth of said forward and aft gangs of disk blades into the soil being set by the position of said forward and aft secondary frames, wherein the aft secondary frame is positioned a greater distance from the carriage frame assembly than the forward secondary frame, such that flexing of the forward and aft secondary frames during operation causes the forward and aft gangs of disk blades to have uniform penetration depth;
wherein each forward and aft secondary frame includes an outboard wing section having gangs of disk blades, and each forward and aft secondary frame and each outboard wing section are connected via a linkage assembly, an actuator connected to each linkage assembly for moving the agricultural tillage implement between a tillage position and a transport position,
the linkage assembly including
an elongated first bracket coupled near an end of the at frame member of each forward and aft secondary frame, the first bracket having a central section which does not contact or connect to the aft frame member;
an elongated second bracket coupled near an end of the wing frame of each outboard wing section, the second bracket having a central section which does not contact or connect to the wing frame, wherein a portion of the second bracket overlaps a portion of the first bracket forming overlapped portions, and a first pivot axis is formed through the overlapped portions, the first bracket and the second bracket pivotably coupled together at the pivot axis;
a first link pivotably coupled at one end thereof to a second end of the first bracket, the first link including an opposite end which extends a distance from the first bracket and is pivotably coupled to the actuator;
a second link pivotably coupled at one end thereof to a second end of the second bracket, the second link including an opposite end which extends a distance from the second bracket and is pivotably coupled to the opposite end of the first link, forming a second pivot axis above the central portion of the second bracket when the agricultural tillage implement is in the tillage position; and

an adjustment assembly, a portion of which is carried by an end of the wing frame of each outboard wing section and an end of the aft frame member of each forward and aft secondary frame to permit, when ends are abutted against each other, the aft frame member of the respective forward and aft secondary frame and the wing frame of the respective outboard wing section to be positioned in substantially the same plane when the agricultural tillage implement is in the tillage position, and
wherein when the actuator of each forward and aft secondary frame and connected outboard wing section is actuated to move the agricultural tillage implement from the tillage position to the transport position, the first link, the second link, and the second bracket pivotably move, the first link and the second link configured to pivotably move via at least the second pivot axis, and the second bracket configured to pivotably rotate at the first pivot axis, such that the second bracket and the wing frame of the respective outboard wing section connected thereto are pivotably rotated relative to the first bracket and the aft frame member of the respective forward and aft secondary frame connected thereto.

2. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment assembly further includes
an annular shim carried on the end of the aft frame member of each forward and aft secondary frame, the annular shim having a preselected thickness to establish the forward and aft secondary frame and the outboard wing section connected thereto in a common plane, the annular shim including a central opening therein in which a fastener is positioned to hold the annular shim to the end of the aft frame member of each forward and aft secondary frame, the fastener positioned to project beyond a plane of the annular shim; and
an end cap carried on the end of the wing frame of each outboard wing section for abutting the end on the aft frame member and the annular shim and fastener carried thereon, wherein the end cap includes a recess to accommodate the projection of the fastener projecting out of the plane of the shim.

3. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 2 , in which the mechanism comprises rock shafts mounted on the carriage frame assembly and having pivotable links connected to the secondary frames.

4. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein the secondary frames are tied together to form a frame in substantially a uniform plane, said secondary frames further including lift lugs extending out of the uniform plane and connected to the pivotable links of said mechanism, the lift lugs for the aft secondary frame extending a greater distance from the uniform plane than the brackets for the forward section.

5. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 4 , wherein the difference in the distance between the lift lugs on the forward and aft secondary frames from the uniform plane is up to 16 mm.

6. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 4 , wherein each lift lug has a pair of spaced holes for connecting with the pivotable links at one of two positions of the secondary support frames from the carriage frame assembly.

7. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 2 , wherein the carriage frame assembly comprises a pair of forward and aft extending support frames connected to said pull hitch, said mechanism being connected to said forward and aft extending support frames.

8. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 3 , wherein the pivotable links of the rock shafts are connected to said forward and aft secondary frames in a trailing arm arrangement.

9. An agricultural tillage implement, comprising:
a carriage frame assembly including a pull hitch extending in a travel direction;
forward and aft secondary frames extending generally laterally with respect to the travel direction;
forward and aft gangs of disks blades connected to and supported by said forward and aft secondary frames to till soil over which the tillage implement traverses, the penetration depth of said forward and aft gangs of disk blades into the soil being set by the position of said forward and aft secondary frames, wherein the aft secondary frame is positioned a greater distance from the carriage frame assembly than the forward secondary frame, such that flexing of the forward and aft secondary frames during operation causes the forward and aft gangs of disk blades to have uniform penetration depth;
wherein each forward and aft secondary frame includes an outboard wing section having gangs of disk blades, and each forward and aft secondary frame and each outboard wing section are connected via a linkage assembly, an actuator connected to each linkage assembly for moving the agricultural tillage implement between a tillage position and a transport position;
the linkage assembly including
an elongated first bracket coupled near an end of an aft frame member of each forward and aft secondary frame, the first bracket having a central section which does not contact or connect to the aft member;
an elongated second bracket coupled near an end of a wing frame of each outboard wing section, the second bracket having a central section which does not contact or connect to the wing frame of

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Kovach Michael G
• Anderson Eric J
• Gerber Rick L

Classifications

• A01B63/32 Primary

  operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means {without automatic control} · CPC title

• A01B73/044

  the axis being oriented in a longitudinal direction (A01B73/042 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01B21/083

  of the type comprising four individual disk groups each pivotally connected at fixed locations to a substantially rigid frame · CPC title