Earth working – With wheel steering or actuator for horizontally angling... – Wheel on trailing implement responds to turning movement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-19
2001-07-17
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)
Earth working
With wheel steering or actuator for horizontally angling...
Wheel on trailing implement responds to turning movement
C172S278000, C172S310000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260629
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a swing hitch for an agricultural implement.
BACKGROUND
Various agricultural implements have elongate frames that extend laterally across the direction of travel when working. For transport these frames are often supported on wheels and towed endwise. A number of systems have been devised to permit the conversion between working and transport modes. Some of these use swing hitches, that is a tongue or hitch pole that will pivot between a working position extending from the front of the implement and a transport position extending from one end of the implement. In addition, various ground wheel mechanisms are used to support the implement in the two modes. Frequently this involves the use of two sets of wheels, one for transport and the other for working. In another arrangement, disclosed in Degelman U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,897, the wheels are mounted on swing arms and each is moved manually between its working and transport positions.
The present invention is concerned with a novel swing hitch system that simplifies the conversion from working to transport mode and vice versa.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention there is provided an agricultural implement having a working travel direction and a transport travel direction transverse to the working travel direction, said implement comprising:
a frame having a lateral extent in the transport travel direction;
first and second laterally spaced apart ground wheels, each mounted on the frame for rotation about a respective upright axis between a working position oriented in the working direction of travel and a transport position oriented in the transport travel direction;
a hitch pole mounted on the frame for pivotal movement between a laterally extending transport position and a working position transverse to the transport position; and
a steering linkage connecting the hitch pole to the ground wheels for moving the ground wheels between their transport and working positions in response to movement of the hitch pole between the transport and working positions respectively.
Thus, moving the hitch pole between its working and transport positions produces a corresponding movement of the wheels used for ground support in the working position to a transport position. This eliminates the need for a second set of wheels for this purpose. It also eliminates the need for manual movement of the wheels as they are turned automatically with movement of the hitch pole.
Where additional support is required for the transport position, as where the first and second wheels are both mounted on either the leading or trailing side of the frame, one or more additional ground wheels may be provided on the unsupported side of the frame and lowered into a ground supporting transport position when required.
In an exemplary embodiment, the frame includes a laterally extending beam at the trailing side of the frame on which the first and second ground wheels are mounted. The hitch pole may also be mounted on this beam. The steering linkage includes steering arms on the wheels and drag links connecting to the steering arms to the hitch pole.
The present invention has applicability to a wide range of agricultural implements. One particular example, which will be described in more detail in the following, is a rock windrower.
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Mammen Nathan
Will Thomas B.
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