Tillage implement with enhanced blade gang adjustability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9648799-B2
Application number	US-201414468099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2014
Priority date	Aug 26, 2013
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A tillage implement has a main frame provided with ground-engaging wheels that support the main frame at a selected height above the ground. Tillage shanks may be provided on the main frame and, if so, have their depth of penetration into the ground determined by the selected height of the main frame. Gangs of freely rotatable circular blades are carried on the main frame for both fore-and-aft angle adjustment relative to the main frame about respective upright pivot axes and up-and-down depth adjustment relative to the main frame about respective horizontal pivot axes. Such angle and/or depth adjustments can be carried out on-the-go from the tractor seat and without raising or lowering the main frame such that if tillage shanks are provided on the main frame, the working depth of the tillage shanks can remain unchanged as the gangs are adjusted.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tillage implement comprising:
a substantially rigid main frame;
a hitch coupled to and extending forwardly from a front portion of said main frame with respect to a direction of travel of the main frame;
a blade gang comprising a plurality of spaced-apart blades rotatable on a common blade rotation axis; and
a gang support system for coupling said blade gang to said main frame,
wherein said gang support system comprises a gang angle actuator and a gang depth actuator,
wherein said gang angle actuator is configured to pivot said blade gang relative to said main frame on a substantially upright gang angle pivot axis to thereby adjust the angle of said blade gang relative to the direction of travel of said tillage implement,
wherein said gang depth actuator is configured to shift said blade gang upward and downwardly relative to said main frame to thereby adjust the depth of said blade gang,
wherein said gang support system comprises a first support section coupled to said main frame and a second support section coupled to said first support section and said blade gang,
wherein said gang angle actuator is configured to pivot said first support section relative to said main frame on said gang angle pivot axis and said gang depth actuator is configured to pivot said second support section relative to said first support section on a substantially horizontal gang depth pivot axis,
wherein said gang support system further comprises a depth transfer mechanism coupled to said first support section, said second support section, and said gang depth actuator,
wherein said depth transfer mechanism causes shifting of said second support section relative to said first support section when said depth transfer mechanism is shifted by said gang depth actuator,
wherein said depth transfer mechanism is rotatable on a substantially horizontal depth transfer axis when shifted by said gang depth actuator,
wherein said depth transfer mechanism comprises at least one depth lever arm and at least one depth adjustment arm,
wherein said gang depth actuator is coupled to said depth lever arm at a location spaced from said depth transfer axis,
wherein said depth adjustment arm is coupled to said second support section at a location spaced from said depth transfer axis,
wherein said depth transfer mechanism comprises a depth torque bar extending along said depth transfer axis,
wherein said at least one depth lever arm and said at least one depth adjustment arm are coupled to and extend outwardly from said depth torque bar.

2. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein said first support section is coupled to said main frame by an angle pivot joint located at said gang angle pivot axis,
wherein said gang angle actuator is coupled to said first support section at an angle actuator attachment location spaced from said gang angle pivot axis.

3. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein said second support section is coupled to said first support system by a depth pivot joint located at said gang depth pivot axis.

4. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein said depth transfer axis and said gang depth pivot axis are spaced from one another.

5. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 4 ,
wherein said depth transfer axis and said gang depth pivot axis are substantially parallel to one another.

6. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 4 ,
wherein said blade rotation axis, said gang depth pivot axis, and said dept transfer axis are substantially parallel to one another.

7. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 6
wherein said gang angle pivot axis is substantially orthogonal to said blade rotation axis, said gang depth pivot axis, and said depth transfer axis.

8. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein said depth transfer mechanism comprises at least two of said depth adjustment arms spaced from one another along the length of said depth torque bar.

9. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 8 ,
wherein said depth lever arm is coupled to said depth torque bar at a location between at least two of said depth adjustment arms.

10. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein said depth transfer mechanism further comprises a biasing mechanism connecting said depth adjustment arm to said second support section.

11. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 10 ,
wherein said biasing mechanism is a shock absorber.

12. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein said tillage implement comprises an additional blade gang and an additional gang support system,
wherein said additional gang support system comprises an additional gang angle actuator and an additional gang depth actuator,
wherein said additional gang angle actuator is configured to pivot said additional blade gang relative to said main frame on an additional substantially upright gang angle pivot axis to thereby adjust the angle of said additional blade gang relative to the direction of travel of said tillage implement,
wherein said additional gang depth actuator is configured to shift said blade gang upward and downward relative to said main frame to thereby adjust the depth of said additional blade gang.

13. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 12 ,
further comprising a gang synchronizing mechanism for causing synchronization of the angle at which said blade gangs extend relative to the direction of travel of said tillage implement.

14. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 13 ,
wherein said synchronizing mechanism comprises one of an electronically controlled synchronizing mechanism, a hydraulic synchronizing mechanism, and a mechanical synchronizing mechanism.

15. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 13 ,
wherein said additional blade gang is positioned to one side of said blade gang,
said synchronizing mechanism comprising a finger gear.

16. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 13 ,
wherein said additional blade gang is spaced in a fore-and-aft direction from said blade gang,
said synchronizing mechanism comprising a mechanical angle linkage assembly extending between said additional blade gang and said blade gang.

17. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 13 ,
wherein said synchronizing mechanism causes said additional blade gang to rotate in the opposite direction of said blade gang when said blade gangs are rotated relative to said main frame.

18. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein said gang support system is configured to permit said blades to be angled relative to the direction of travel of said tillage implement between a minimum gang angle of 0 up to a maximum gang angle of 20 degrees.

19. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein said gang support system is configured to permit rotation of said blade gang on said gang angle pivot axis through an angle of at least 2 degrees and/or not more than 30 degrees.

20. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein said gang support system is configured to permit vertical shifting of said blade gang relative to said frame by a distance of at least 2 inches and/or not more than 36 inches.

21. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein said tillage implement comprises a gang position adjustment controller located remotely from said gang angle actuator and said gang depth actuator.

22. A tillage implement as claimed in claim 21 ,
wherein said gang position controller is configured for position

Assignees

• Great Plains Mfg Inc
• Great Plains Mfg Incorporated

Inventors

• Ohnsat Michael J

Classifications

• A01B21/08

  with disc-like tools · CPC title

• A01B63/114

  to achieve a constant working depth · CPC title

• A01B63/22 Primary

  operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means · CPC title