MXPA96005571A - Adjustable guide equipment structure for agric unimplement - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a row harvesting implement adapted for forward movement through a field planted in parallel harvest rows, the implement has a tubular tool support frame of rectangular cross section with the front faces and after, tools transversely spaced over the tubular frame and adapted to run between row crops, a guide structure and equipment to follow a pre-existing groove in the ground and keep the tools transversely positioned with respect to the rows, the structure of Equipment and guide comprises: a guide wheel adapted to run in the groove, a wheel support fixed to the frame, the wheel support includes flanged members having transversely extending flanges positioned against a rear face of the frame and flanges transversely spaced backwards, the flanged members extend towards garlic to a lower end directly connected to and holding the guide wheel to rotate about a transverse axis located at a pre-selected distance below the frame, a longitudinally extending joint having a trailing end and a leading end embraced by and connected in pivoting shape to the flanges directed rearwards for a vertical movement of the rear end in relation to the frame behind the wheel support, a tool holder that extends downwards and that can be moved vertically with the rear end between a raised position and a lower working field position, a ground working tool connected to the tool holder to work the earth directly behind the guide wheel, and means to adjust the lowermost position of the tool holder to the frame for both adjust the working depth of the work tool of the tier

Description

ADJUSTABLE GUIDE TEAM STRUCTURE FOR AN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1) Field of the Invention: The present invention relates generally to tillage implements, and more specifically to a structure of equipment and guidance for an implement such as a row crop cultivator. 2) Related art: The guide structure for implements such as a row crop cultivator typically includes ridge guide rims that follow the preformed grooves in the soil to keep the soil working tools properly aligned with the harvest rows. A cultivating equipment is fixed to the frame at one side of each of the ribbed rims and includes a ground working tool held behind the guide wheel at a fixed height relative to the frame. The guide wheel is connected directly to the implement frame and projects backwards by a sufficient distance so that the measuring wheel of conventional equipment can be used. Such fixed equipment makes the adjustment of the tool of work of earth or element in relation to the tool bar both time consuming and difficult. Teams on most of the guidance structures currently available are unable to float or travel when buried obstacles are encountered and as a result of this, damage to such structures is frequent.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a guide structure and improved equipment for an implement. It is a further object to provide such an improved structure that overcomes most or all of the aforementioned problems.

It is furthermore an object of the present invention to provide improved equipment and guidance structure for an implement with a floating earth work tool. It is an additional object to provide such a structure which can easily be adjusted to different ground conditions and depth of operation.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved equipment and guide structure having an adjustable and floating height guide kit that does not require a gauge wheel.

A structure of equipment and guide constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention includes a floating row crop cultivating equipment, and a rigid ribbed guide wheel held on the tool bar by a vertical support. The bracket is hanging on a bracket which holds the front end of the parallel bar link of equipment. A tool holder depends on the front end of the parallel bar linkage and carries a contact element with the ground directly behind the guide wheel. However, instead of a conventional equipment wheel for controlling the depth of the equipment, a member of adjustable length with a lost motion connection controls the lowermost position of the hinge and thus the tool holder while allowing movement towards above the joint when an obstacle is encountered. A threaded rod through a journal on the tool holder has a front end connected to a sleeve which is held in a slotted clamp on the lower bar of the parallel joint to adjustably limit the lowermost position of the joint while allowing to the articulation the pivot up against the pressure of the weight of the equipment and an adjustable downward pressure spring arrangement to overcome obstacles. A spring disengagement support can be supported by the tool holder to additionally provide a release protection.

The adjustable length member provides a simple height adjustment for the support of tools without the need for a computer gauge wheel. Height adjustment and downward pressure adjustments can be made conventionally from a general rear location. The floating joint and the release bracket provide good protection against the obstacles encountered. Adjustable spring downward pressure ensures that the contact element with the earth will penetrate the earth even in hard terrain conditions. The structure is simple and inexpensive to build and provides reliable operation of the contact element of the earth at the desired depth. When the team finds a buried obstacle, the team can move up to jump the obstacle without damaging the structure. Once the obstacle has been skipped, the equipment automatically returns to the predefined maximum depth.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art of reading the following detailed description with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view of a cultivating equipment and a guide structure.

Figure 2 is a top view of a part of the equipment and the guide structure of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a main frame or tool bar extending transversely from an agricultural implement such as a row crop harvester 12 or the like. The tool bar 10 is supported from the coupling (not shown) of a tractor for a forward movement on the ground where the crops are planted in parallel rows. A groove or guide groove 14 is provided in the field by a seeding or pre-plowing operation. The guide wheel structure 18 is fixed to the tool bar 10 and includes a guide wheel or ridge wheel 20 which rotates about a transverse axis 22 and slides in the groove 14 to direct the tool bar 10 and maintain the desired lateral positioning of the implement 12 in relation to the harvest rows. A sweeper or other ground contact element 24 is supported behind the ridge wheel 20 by a floating hinge arrangement 26. The element 24 works the earth, and reforms the groove 14 if necessary for a subsequent operation. Additional ground contact tools, such as the disks 28 (Fig. 2) can be supported from the floating hinge arrangement 26.

A vertical support 30 supports the guide wheel structure 18 with the wheel axis 22 located below the tool bar 10. The support 30 includes a pair of transversely spaced flanged members 32 which are held against the front face of the wheel. the tool bar 10 by the U-bolts 34. The members 32 generally have the upper ends which generally embrace the forward end of the floating hinge arrangement 26 (Figure 2) and the lower ends between which the guide wheel rotates. .

The articulation arrangement 26 includes the front angle clamps 42 connected by the bolts U 44 (FIG. 2) to the front face of the tool bar 10 between the flanged members 32. The upper and lower parallel bars 46 and 48 have the ends sandwich-shaped front and pivotally connected at points 56 and 58 to the flanges directed rearwardly on the clamps 42. A rear tool holder 60 is pivotally connected to the forward ends of the bars 46 and 48 at the front ends. points 66 and 68 (figure 11 and extends downwards below the lower bar 48. The tool holder 60 includes a pair of vertical side plates 70 with the upper parts opening the front ends of the bars 46 and 48 and the lower parts embracing the tool mounting structure 74 for holding conventional tillage tools such as the sweeper 24 and the discs 28. As shown, a spring disengagement port 76 is connected to the structure 74 and provides the unhooking capabilities for the sweeper 24 to complete the float provided by the articulation arrangement 26.

The downward pressure structure 84 includes a spring 86 tensioned between the tool bar 10 and the articulation arrangement 26. As shown, the spring 86 includes a distal end connected to a spring support 88 projecting outwardly from the bottom of the vertical clamp 42. Spring 86 also includes a near end connected to the crank lever structure 90. The crank lever structure 90 is connected in the form of a pivot to the plate 70 for pivoting about an axis between a position on the high voltage center or higher (see 90 in Figure 1) and a second position on the center or lower tension. A nut wrench receiving projection 104 or a handle member extends outwardly from the bent lever structure 90 to move the structure between the positions on the center. A protrusion or stop member 110 projects inwardly from the interior side of the structure 90 at the front location to contract the leading edge of the plate 70 at the two positions above the center. A second downward pressure structure 84 'with a generally bended spring and lever arrangement (Figure 2) can be provided on the opposite side of the articulation arrangement 26.

Adjustable stop means 120 is provided between the articulation array 26 and the lower part of the tool holder 60 to adjustably limit the downward pivoting of the tool holder 60 while allowing the arrangement to float upwardly against the Downward pressure of the weight of the equipment and pressure of the pressure structure downwards 84 and 84 'when an obstacle is encountered. A pair of slotted clamps 122 (FIG. 1) hang from the lower bar 84 forward of the pivot at point 68. A sleeve 126 extends between the slots in the clamps 122 and is free to slide generally in a longitudinal direction within the slots. A threaded sleeve 130 is pivotally connected between the plates 70 below the pivots at points 66 and 68. An elongate pin 134 is threaded through the center of the pivot 130 and is slidably received through an opening in the center of the sleeve 126. A spacer 138 received on the threaded end of the bolt 134 abuts a flattened front face of the sleeve 126 and is secured between the sleeve 126 and the end of the bolt 134 by a first nut 140 and a lock nut 142. The headed end 144 of the pin 134 projects a substantial distance backward from the leading edges of the plates 70 and the distance between the sleeves 126 and 130 is adjustable to vary the working position in the lowermost field (shown in Figure 1) of the tool holder 60 and the tool 24.

As the equipment moves downward under the pressure of the equipment weight and the downward pressure structure 84 and 84 ', the sleeve 126 slides back into the slots of the clamps 122 until the sleeve 126 reaches the bottom against the front end of the slots to stop further downward swing of the tool holder 60. The weight of the equipment and the pressure provided by the downward pressure structure 84 keeps the sleeve 126 in the bottom position within the slots so that the tool 24 remains at the desired preselected distance below the tool bar 10, said distance depending on the adjustment of the pin 134. To increase the depth of the operation of the tool 24 the operator simply rotates the pin 134 in the direction that will increase the distance between the sleeves 126 and 130. By turning the pin in the opposite direction, the operator decreases the distance between the pins Anguitos and raises the lowermost position of the support 60 to decrease the depth of penetration of the tool 24. If an obstacle is encountered, the grooves in the clamps 122 allow the equipment to float upwards. The support 76 also provides a release function to further protect the equipment against damage when an obstacle is encountered. The downward pressure can be changed to accommodate a different floor condition by a simple rotation of the angled levers 90. The downward pressure and down position adjustments are arranged in a generally backward location for convenience and access, and can Use a single spanner to make both adjustments.

Having described the preferred mode it will be evident that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached clauses.

Claims (8)

1. On a row harvesting implement that has tools placed crosswise on a frame and adapted to run between row crops, a team structure and a chute to follow a pre-existing groove in the soil and maintain the tools positioned with respect to the rows, The team and guide structure includes: a guide wheel adapted to run in the groove; a wheel support fixed to the frame and holding the guide wheel to rotate about a transverse axis located at a preselected distance below the frame; a longitudinally extending hinge having a rear end, and a front end pivotally connected to the frame for vertical movement of the rear end relative to the frame behind the wheel support; a tool holder extending downward from and movable vertically with the rear end between a disengaged upward position and a working position in the lowermost field; a tool to work the earth connected to the support of tools to work the earth directly behind the guide wheel; Y means to adjust the lowermost position of the tool holder in relation to the frame to adjust the working depth of the tool to work the ground.

2. The invention as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the means for adjusting the lowermost position include a stop member connected between the tool holder and the articulation and limiting the downward oscillation of the joint beyond a lower adjusted position.

3. The invention as claimed in clause 2, characterized in that the articulation comprises a four-bar linkage having generally upper and lower parallel bars, the tool holder defines a rear bar and the wheel support defines a front bar of the joint, and wherein the stop member comprises a member of adjustable length that extends between one of the parallel bars and the tool holder.

4. The invention as claimed in clause 3, characterized in that it includes a grooved member that receives a part of the member of adjustable length to thereby allow a limited vertical oscillation of the tool holder upwards from the lowermost adjusted position.

5. The invention as claimed in clause 4, characterized in that it comprises an adjustable downward pressure spring structure connected to the hinge to normally press the hinge to the lowermost adjusted position while allowing the hinge to swing upwards against pressure when an obstacle is encountered.

6. In a row harvesting implement having tools spaced transversely on a frame and adapted to run between rows of crops, a structure of equipment and guidance to follow a pre-existing groove in the field and keep the tools in alignment with the rows, the equipment and the guide structure comprising: a guide wheel adapted to run in the groove; a "wheel support" fixed to the frame and holding the guide wheel to rotate about a transverse axis located at a preselected distance below the frame; a longitudinally extending hinge having a rear end and a front end connected in a pivot to the frame adjacent to the wheel support for vertical oscillation of the rear end relative to the frame; a tool holder extending downwardly from the trailing end to a lower tooling receiving end and which can be moved vertically with the trailing end between a working position in the most adjustable lowermost field and an upwardly sloping position; a pressure structure pushing the tool holder to the working position in the field; a work tool connected to the receiving end of the tool; Y an adjustable stop connected between the tool holder and the articulation to adjust the working position in the lowermost field of the tool holder without the need for a calibrating wheel structure connected to the joint.

7. The invention as claimed in clause 6, characterized in that the adjustable stop comprises a member of adjustable length having a first end slidably received in the groove and limiting the downward pivoting of the joint members that the articulation is allowed to float up from the work position in the field.

8. The invention as claimed in clause 6, characterized in that it includes an adjustable downward pressure structure connected between the hinge and the frame, and wherein the adjustable stop and adjustable downward pressure structure includes a key receiving structure of nuts to make the adjustments in the closely adjacent places. SUMMARY A floating row harvesting equipment is held behind a rigid guide wheel. A guide wheel bracket is chocked on a bracket which mounts the front end of the parallel bar link of equipment to a tool bar. A tool holder that hangs from the forward end of the parallel bar link and carries a ground engaging element directly back from the guide wheel. Instead of a conventional equipment wheel for controlling the depth of equipment, a member of adjustable length with a lost motion connection controls the lowermost position of the hinge and thus the tool holder while allowing upward movement of the tool. the joint when an obstacle is encountered. A threaded rod through a journal on the tool holder has a leading end held in a slotted clamp on the lower bar of the parallel joint to adjustably limit the lowermost position of the joint while allowing the joint to pivot towards up against the pressure of the equipment weight and an adjustable downward pressure spring arrangement to clear the obstacles. A spring disengagement support can be supported by the tool holder to provide additional release protection.