Rocker link lift system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9801323-B2
Application number	US-201414537206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Nov 13, 2013
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A lift system for an implement has the lift cylinder near the implement front end. A rocker link with three vertically spaced pivot holes is located rearward of the cylinder and connected to an implement frame by a pivot pin through the center one of the holes. The lift cylinder is connected to the lower pivot hole while two further links are connected to the top hole and extend longitudinally away from one another to control raising and lowering of front and rear wheels respectively. As the cylinder extends and retracts, the rocker pivots causing the front and rear wheels to raise and lower in synchronism with each other. Fore and aft leveling adjustment may be achieved by including a turnbuckle in one of the further links to vary the length thereof relative to the other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural tillage implement, comprising:
a main frame section including a plurality of generally downwardly extending soil working tools, the main frame section adapted to be coupled by a floating hitch arrangement to and towed by a traction unit in a generally horizontal forward direction of travel;
a lift wheel pivotably supported with respect to the main frame section at a first pivot location;
a gauge wheel pivotably supported with respect to the main frame section at a second pivot location generally forward of the lift wheel; and
a linkage assembly for simultaneously pivoting the gauge and lift wheels between respective retracted and extended positions for selectively lowering and raising the main frame section and associated soil working tools, the linkage assembly including:
an actuator pivotably connected to the main frame section;
a rocker link pivotably connected to the main frame section having a rocker link first arm extending below the main frame section and having a rocker link first arm lower end coupled to the actuator below the main frame section, and a rocker link second arm extending above the main frame section and having a rocker link second arm upper end;
a rearwardly extending lift wheel actuating link having a lift wheel actuating link inner end and a lift wheel actuating link outer end, wherein the lift wheel actuating link inner end is pivotably connected to the rocker link second arm upper end above the main frame section and wherein the lift wheel actuating link outer end is arranged toward the lift wheel; and

a forwardly extending gauge wheel actuating link having a gauge wheel actuating link inner end and a gauge wheel actuating link outer end, wherein the gauge wheel actuating link inner end is pivotably connected to the rocker link second arm upper end above the main frame section and wherein the gauge wheel actuating link outer end is arranged toward the gauge wheel,
wherein actuation of the actuator moves the rocker link first arm lower end below the main frame section in a first direction and moves the rocker link second arm upper end in a second, opposite, direction to move the inner ends of the lift wheel and gauge wheel actuating links above the main frame section.

2. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is connected to the main frame section rearward of the gauge wheels and forward of the rocker link.

3. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein one of the lift wheel actuating link and gauge wheel actuating link is selectively adjustable in length.

4. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 3 , wherein the gauge wheel actuating link is defined by an adjustable length link with two link portions and a turnbuckle coupling the two link portions together.

5. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a linear hydraulic actuator operable between extended and retracted positions extending rearwardly from the main frame section to the rocker link first arm.

6. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein the gauge wheel actuating link is pivotably coupled to the gauge wheel by a knuckle having a first pivot axis positioned relative to the main frame section and a second pivot axis displaced from the first axis, and an arm extending from the knuckle to the gauge wheel.

7. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 1 , wherein the lift wheel actuating link and the gauge wheel actuating link are pivotably connected to the rocker link second arm along a common pivot axis.

8. A linkage assembly for use with an agricultural implement having a frame towed by a traction unit in a generally horizontal forward direction of travel and a front wheel and a rear wheel that are longitudinally spaced from each other relative to the frame of the agricultural implement, wherein the linkage assembly is adapted to simultaneously pivot the front and rear wheels between respective retracted and extended positions for selectively lowering and raising the frame and any associated soil working tools, the linkage assembly comprising:
an actuator pivotably connected to the frame;
a rocker link pivotably connected to the frame having a rocker link first arm extending therefrom and having a rocker link first arm lower end arranged below the frame and coupled to the actuator, and a rocker link second arm extending therefrom and having a rocker link second arm upper end arranged above the frame;
a rearwardly extending rear wheel actuating link with a rear wheel actuating link inner end and a rear wheel actuating link outer end, wherein the rear wheel actuating link inner end is pivotably connected to the rocker link second arm upper end; and
a forwardly extending front wheel actuating link with a front wheel actuating link inner end and a front wheel actuating link outer end, wherein the front wheel actuating link inner end is pivotably connected to the rocker link second arm upper end,
wherein one of the rear wheel actuating link and front wheel actuating link is selectively adjustable in length, and
wherein the front wheel actuating link is defined by an adjustable length link with two link portions and a turnbuckle coupling the two link portions together.

9. The linkage assembly of claim 8 , wherein the actuator is connected to the frame rearward of the front wheel and forward of the rocker link.

10. The linkage assembly of claim 8 , wherein the actuator comprises a linear hydraulic actuator extending rearwardly from the frame to the rocker link first arm, said actuator operable between extended and retracted positions.

11. The linkage assembly of claim 8 , wherein the front wheel actuating link is pivotably coupled to the front wheel by a knuckle having a first pivot axis positioned relative to the frame and a second pivot axis displaced from the first axis, and an arm extending from the knuckle to the front wheel.

12. The linkage assembly of claim 8 , wherein the front wheel actuating link and the rear wheel actuating link are pivotably connected to the rocker link second arm along a common pivot axis.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Sudbrink Matthew R
• Knobloch Dean A

Classifications

• Y10T74/20

  Control lever and linkage systems · CPC title

• F16H21/44

  for conveying or interconverting oscillating or reciprocating motions · CPC title

• A01B63/22 Primary

  operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means · CPC title