Earth working – Tool – standard or connection – Spring biased or formed tool or tool part
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-18
2001-06-26
Batson, Victor (Department: 3671)
Earth working
Tool, standard or connection
Spring biased or formed tool or tool part
C251S010000, C172S265000, C172S500000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250398
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements and, more specifically, to an improved and simplified spring trip standard for tillage implements.
2) Related Art
Spring trip standards typically include a mounting bracket attached to rectangular toolbar and extending upwardly and rearwardly to a downwardly and forwardly directed spring abutment surface. A spring is compressed between the abutment surface and an upwardly directed spring abutment surface on a member pivotally connected to the lower portion of the bracket, and a tool supporting shank is fixed to the member. A tension link assembly extends from the shank supporting member through the spring and through an aperture in the spring abutment surface on the bracket to adjust the preloading of the spring and vary the vertical position of the tool connected to the shank. Such an assembly is shown by way of example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,039 entitled SPRING TRIP SHANK ASSEMBLY. Such a shank assembly provides good trip force characteristics but has numerous parts and is expensive and time-consuming to assemble and repair. Previously available assemblies, particularly those with numerous tension link or spring support components such as pins, straps, spacers and washers, typically require extensive instructions for assembly and disassembly. In some shank assemblies, the tension link reduces forces on the pivot area in the at rest position, thereby introducing some looseness in the pivot joints which often is perceived as a quality disadvantage and which causes the tool to have some lateral shift during operation. Often the precompression of the spring when the tool is in the normal operating position is not sufficient to prevent some continual tripping action. The portion of the tension link extending through the aperture is subject to wear as a result of such tripping action.
In some spring trip shank assemblies such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,878 the bottom of the coil spring rests on a seat which can swivel to maintain the lower face of the spring substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the spring and thereby reduce spring buckling forces. Such arrangements require numerous components and are relatively difficult to assemble. The swiveling seat construction introduces additional wear components into the assembly.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved spring trip assembly for an implement. It is a further object to provide such an assembly which overcomes most or all of the aforementioned problems.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved spring trip assembly which has fewer parts and is lower in cost than most previously available shank assemblies. It is another object to provide such an assembly which has fewer wear areas and requires less maintenance and repair than at least most previously available spring trip shank assemblies. It is another object to provide such an assembly which obviates a tension link extending through the spring for field operation. It is also an object to provide a simple spring compression structure to disassemble the parts only to the extent necessary for the desired component replacement or repair.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved spring trip shank assembly which is easier to assemble and disassemble than at least most previously available shank assemblies. It is another object of the invention to provide such an assembly which eliminates need for a tension link during field-working operations thereby eliminating an area of wear. It is a further object to provide such an assembly having a minimal number of parts. It is yet another object to provide such an assembly having an easily replaceable and inexpensive pivot assembly.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved spring trip standard assembly having less looseness and better tool tracking than many previously available assemblies. It is yet another object to provide such an assembly which includes a positive downstop arrangement and obviates tension links through the coils of compression springs. It is a further object to provide such an assembly which has increased downpressure preloading for reducing unwanted tripping action. It is yet another object to provide such an assembly which does not require a pivoting spring seat or a spring retainer extending through the coils of the spring.
A spring trip standard for a tillage implement includes a coil spring compressed between an upper spring-abutting surface on the mounting bracket and a lower spring abutment surface on a casting which is connected by a transverse pivot to the mounting bracket. A tool supporting shank is bolted to the casting and biased downwardly into a ground working position by the spring. The casting includes an integral stop extending forwardly from the pivot. The stop contacts the bottom of the bracket when the shank is in the ground working position so that a tension link between the bracket and casting is eliminated. A relatively high trip force on the order of two hundred pounds or more prevents unwanted tripping of the shank and prevents looseness in the shank so the desired fore-and-aft and lateral position of the tool is maintained for maximum efficiency. The casting includes a spring receiving projection to help maintain the bottom of the spring in position. The projection is slotted to receive a simple tool for compressing the spring to disassemble and reassemble the standard. Wear only occurs in the components of a relatively inexpensive bushing and sleeve assembly in the pivot, and these components can be easily replaced using the tool to compress the spring and remove the loading from the pivot without complete disassembly of the unit. If complete disassembly is required for any reason, the tool permits complete relaxation of the spring. The shank assembly has a minimal number of components and is relatively inexpensive and easy to assemble.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description in view of the drawings.
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Morris, 9100 Series Floating Hitch Cultivator, one page of brochure, publication date and location—unknown.
Sunflower, one page of brochure, publication date and location—unknown.
Hook Richard Wayne
Zaun Richard David
Batson Victor
Deere & Company
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