Draft linkage configuration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9706699-B2
Application number	US-201414528236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2014
Priority date	Dec 11, 2013
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

An agricultural tillage implement including a main frame section having a pull hitch tube extending in a travel direction, which may be a telescoping pull hitch tube, a plurality of pivotally coupled wing sections coupled with the main frame section, and a plurality of pivoting wing front shank frames. Draft linkage assemblies connect the plurality of pivotally coupled wing sections to the telescoping pull hitch tube, while allowing both the pivoting wing front shank frames and the plurality of pivotally coupled wing sections to articulate correctly. The main shank frame, the pivotal wing front shank frames, and the wing sections articulate from an operating configuration to a transport configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural tillage implement, comprising:
a main frame section including a pull hitch tube extending in a travel direction, said pull hitch tube having a forward end and a rearward end;
at least one wing section pivotally coupled with said main frame section about at least one generally vertical axis located at said rearward end of said pull hitch tube, said at least one generally vertical axis located a first distance laterally outward from said main frame section, said at least one wing section operable to pivot forward about said at least one generally vertical axis to a position adjacent to and generally parallel with said pull hitch tube when in a transport configuration, said at least one wing section operable to pivot outward about said at least one generally vertical axis to a position perpendicular to said pull hitch tube when in an operating configuration;
at least one wing front shank frame pivotally attached to said at least one wing section, said at least one wing front shank frame operable to pivot to a generally vertical position when in said transport configuration and operable to pivot to a generally horizontal position when in said operating configuration, said at least one wing front shank frame occupying a space forward of said at least one wing section when said at least one wing section is in said position perpendicular to said pull hitch tube in said operating configuration, said space forward of said at least one wing section having a longitudinal length that is lesser when said at least one wing front shank frame is in the generally vertical position, and greater when said at least one wing front shank frame is in the generally horizontal position;
at least one stand-off bracket attached to said at least one wing section and extending a second distance perpendicularly from said at least one wing section in a forward direction when said at least one wing section is in said position perpendicular to said pull hitch tube in said operating configuration, and extending perpendicularly from said at least one wing section in a laterally inward direction when said at least one wing section is in said position adjacent to and generally parallel with said pull hitch tube in said transport configuration, said second distance being equal to or greater than said longitudinal length of said space forward of said at least one wing section occupied by said at least one wing front shank frame when in the generally vertical position;
at least one pivoting swing arm being pivotally connected with said at least one stand-off bracket, said at least one pivoting swing arm being operable to pivot inward towards said at least one wing section when in said transport configuration and to pivot forward towards said forward end of said pull hitch tube when in said operating configuration; and
at least one draft member being coupled between said at least one pivoting swing arm and said forward end of said pull hitch tube.

2. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein:
said first laterally outward distance of said generally vertical axis from said main frame section being equal to or greater than said second distance to which said at least one stand-off bracket extends.

3. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one draft member further comprises at least one draft tube and at least one turnbuckle, said at least one draft tube being pivotally connected to said at least one turnbuckle.

4. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one pivoting swing arm further comprises a bell crank arrangement, having a center pivot connected with said at least one stand-off bracket, a second pivot connected with said at least one draft member, and a third pivot connected with at least one pivoting swing arm hydraulic cylinder, said at least one pivoting swing arm hydraulic cylinder being further connected to said at least one wing section.

5. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 4 , wherein:
said at least one pivoting swing arm hydraulic cylinder is connected to said at least one wing section at a location laterally outward from said stand-off bracket along said at least one wing section when said at least one wing section is in said position perpendicular to said pull hitch tube in said operating configuration, said at least one pivoting swing arm hydraulic cylinder being operable to pull said at least one pivoting swing arm third pivot outwards causing said at least one pivoting swing arm to pivot about said center pivot and causing said second pivot connected with said at least one draft member to pivot inwards towards said at least one wing section.

6. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 4 , wherein:
said at least one pivoting swing arm hydraulic cylinder is connected to said at least one wing section at a location laterally inward from said stand-off bracket along said at least one wing section when said at least one wing section is in said position perpendicular to said pull hitch tube in said operating configuration, said at least one pivoting swing arm hydraulic cylinder being operable to push said at least one pivoting swing arm third pivot outwards causing said at least one pivoting swing arm to pivot about said center pivot and causing said second pivot connected with said at least one draft member to pivot inwards towards said at least one wing section.

7. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein:
said pull hitch tube further comprises a telescoping pull hitch tube, said telescoping pull hitch tube, said at least one pivoting swing arm, and said at least one draft member cooperating to pivot said at least one wing section forward about said at least one generally vertical axis to said position adjacent to and generally parallel with said telescoping pull hitch tube upon extension of said telescoping pull hitch tube and inward pivoting of said at least one pivoting swing arm in said transport configuration, and said telescoping pull hitch tube, said at least one pivoting swing arm, and said at least one draft member cooperating to pivot said at least one wing section outward about said at least one generally vertical axis to said position perpendicular to said telescoping pull hitch tube upon contraction of said telescoping pull hitch tube and forward pivoting of said at least one pivoting swing arm in said operating configuration.

8. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 7 , further comprising:
at least one main fold hydraulic cylinder actuating said at least one wing section to fold forward about said at least one generally vertical axis to said position adjacent to and generally parallel with said telescoping pull hitch tube in cooperation with said telescoping pull hitch tube, said at least one pivoting swing arm, and said at least one draft member when in said transport configuration, said at least one main fold hydraulic cylinder actuating said at least one wing section to fold outward about said at least one generally vertical axis to said position perpendicular to said telescoping pull hitch tube in cooperation with said telescoping pull hitch tube, said at least one pivoting swing arm, and said at least one draft member when in said operating configuration;
at least one pivoting swing arm hydraulic cylinder causing said at least one pivoting swing arm to pivot inward towards said at least one wing section when in said transport configuration and to pivot forward towards said forward end of said pull hitch tube when in said operating configuration;
at least one wing front shank frame hydraulic cylinder causing said at least one wing front shank frame to pivot to said generally vertical position when in said transport confi

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Sudbrink Matthew R
• Knobloch Dean A

Classifications

• A01B73/044

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

• A01B73/065 Primary

  to a position essentially forward of the axis, in relation to the direction of travel · CPC title

• A01B59/002

  Details, component parts · CPC title

• A01B73/02 Primary

  Folding frames · CPC title

• A01B73/048

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