Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to agricultural drawbars and
particularly rearwardly folding agricultural drawbars~
As farming has become less labour intensive,
agricultural implements have been designed to cover a wider swath.
In addi-tion, two or three opera-tions are accomplished with one
passage over the land. More specifically, agricultural drawbars
have become wider and wider to accomplish this end. Because of
the excessive width, it has become necessary to fold such drawbars
in order that the implement ma~ be pulled through gates or along
roadways when it is not being operated in the field position.
Generally, the drawbar is construc-ted such that it has two or more
and preferably three boom sections. Sections of the drawbar are
connected to each other by 2-way pivotal connections. Drawbars of
this general class are folded either forwardly, vertically or
rearwardly. In the drawbar of the present invention, there are
two wing boom sections and one centre boom section. When the
drawbar is required to go into the transport position, the two
wing boom sections are folded rearwardly and are aliyned with the
direction of travel of the machine.
When the drawbar is required to be in the operating or
field position, the wing booms and the centre boom are generally
aliyned and are transverse to the direction of travel. In order
to hold the wing sections of the main boom transverse to the
direction of travel, some sort of boom draw is connected forwardly
to a cart and rearwardly to the wing sections. This has been
accomplished in the past by cables or some other arm device which
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is taut when the drawbar is in the operating position moving
forwardly.
One of the problems with the flexible cable boom draw
device is that -the machine cannot be backed up when the wings are
in the aligned extended position because the wings will fold
forwardly. This is a disadvantage when the operator is working
the land and finds himself in an awkward position and must back up
the drawbar in order to escape from such position. It is also
advantageous to be able to leave the the attachments on the ground
and move the drawbar to another location.
It is an object of the present invention to be able to
back up the drawbar when the boom sections are in the field
extended position without having the wing boom sections move from
their substantially aligned position with the centre boom.
It is a second object of this invention to quickly
attach and detach agricultural implements in the field.
It is a third object of this invention to provide a
drawbar which can be converted to or be used as a field sprayer
with rigid boom draws.
It is a fourth object of this invention to provide a
drawbar with minimal transport width when in the transport
position.
This is accomplished by usiny a single solid one piece
boom draw or a two piece boom draw which can be made rigid by
inserting a pin between its two sections. When the drawbar is
moved into the transport position or is being pulled forwardly in
the operating position in the field, the pin is removed so that
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the boom draw can flex, particularly when turning corners. In
another embodimen~ of the inven-tion, an end of the boom draw or
wing hitch sections is pivotally connected to two pivotally
connected support arms. When the drawbar i 5 in tlle transport
position, these folding support arms permit the drawbar to occupy
a much narrower overall width than if a slngle support arm is
used.
Therefore, this invention seeks to provide a wing hitch
assembly for use with a rearwardly foldable agricultu.ral drawbar
0 comprising:
a first wing hitch support arm,
a second wing hitch support arm,
a first wing hitch sec-tion,
a second wing hitch section,
and a connecting means
wherein said first and second wing hitch sections are pivotally
connected and free to pivot inwardly towards the cart or trailer
when said drawbar is in an operating position or a transport
position; and wherein said wing hitch sections are optionally
lockable and unable to pivot when said drawbar is in a field
position.
The invention also seeks to provide a wing hitch
assembly for use with a rearwardly foldable agricultural drawbar
comprising:
a first wing hitch support arm
a second wing hitch support arm
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a rigid wing hi-tch section,
and a connecting means
wherein when in a transport position said wing hitch assemb:Ly
folds inward:Ly thereby occupying a minimum transport ~idth, and
when in an operating or field position said rigid wing hitch
section maintains a main boom substantially perpendicular to a
line of travel reyardless of whether said line of travel is
forwardly or rearwardly.
A further advantage of the present invention is -that a
frame supporting and towing implements such as harrows, or
harrows and packers can easily be detached from drawbar by
removing a plurality of pins from the clrawbar frame. The farmer
may then take the drawbar to another location or use ~he drawbar
for another use such as a field sprayer. When used as a field
sprayer said first and second wing hitch sections are locked.
When the farmer again wishes to use the detachable implements that
have been left in the field, he merely brings the drawbar ahead of
the implements, folds the drawbar outwards, and inserts the pins
in the wing hitch sections of each boom draw thereby making them
rigid. Thereafter he can back up the drawbar into the desired
position where pins may be reinserted and again the drawbar is
ready to work the field with the harrrows or harrows and packers.
The invention also provides a rearwardly foldable
agricultural drawbar, having a plurality of detachable soil
working implements, wherein when said drawbar is in a first
working position at a point of origin, a plurality of pins are
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removed and said drawbar is pulled forwardly leaving said
implements on the ground, said drawbar being free to move
elsewhere without said implemen-ts; and wherein when said drawbar
is in a field position, pins are i.nserted in pivotal connections
between first wing hitch sections and second wing hi-tch sections,
and said drawbar is pushed rearwardly to said point of origin in
said first working position; said soil working implements are
raised and placed in cradles and thereafter said plurality of pins
are reinserted thereby reattaching said soil working implements,
and wherein said pins in said pivotal connections are removed, and
said drawbar may thereafter be pulled Eorwardly in an operating
position.
The invention .is clescribed in more detail in connection
with the fo.Llowiny drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a top view of the basic components of the
drawbar, and the wing boom sections centre boom section are
aligned in the extended position;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the drawbar showing a
number o~ the detachable implements;
~0 Figure 3 is a partial top view of the wing hitch
sections and support arms, and one of the wing boom sections in
the extended position;
Figure 4 is a partial top view showing one wing boom
section and wing hitch sections and support arms in a position
between the transport position and the field extended position;
Figure 5 is a partial top view of the same side of the
drawbar in the transport position.
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Figure 5A shows the wing hitch assembly movement when
the drawbar and cart are in a left hand turn;
Figure 5B shows the wing hitch assembly movement when
the drawbar and cart are in a right hand turn;
Figure 6 is a close up view of pivot point 18.
Figure 7 is a close up view of 2-way pivotal
connections.
Figure 8 shows movement and procedure to easily reattach
packer to drawbar.
In Figure 1, a cart or trailer 1 having a hitch point 3
which is adapted to be pulled by a trac-tor ~not shown~. The cart
is supported by wheels 2. At the rear of the cart is a centre
boom section 4. On each side of the centre boom portion and
aligned therewith are wing boom sections 5. The riyht and left
wing boom sections are connected to the centre section by 2-way
pivotal connections 24. Main frame members 6 extend rearwardly
from the centre boom and wing boom sections. The wing boom
sections are supported by wheels 7 which have hydraulic cylinder 8
attached to the boom. On the front portion of each wing boom is a
connecting member 9 which is pivotally mounted on wing boom 5 at
pivot 20. The other end of the connecting member 9 is pivotally
mounted at 19 to a rear winy hitch section 10. Wing hitch section
10 is pivotally mounted at 18 to front wing hitch section 11.
Pivot 18 pivots inwardly only. Alternatively, it can be
constructed to pivot outwardly only. A pin 17 can be inserted in
pivot 18 to lock wing hitch sections 10 and 11 in approximate
direct alignment. Front winy hitch section 11 is pivotally
connected at 16 to second winy hitch support arm 12. The second
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wing hitch support arm 12 is pivotally connected at 15 to a first
wing hitch support arm 13 which in turn is pivotally connected to
the cart rame 1 at 14. Spring 22 extends from the first wing
hitch support arm 13 to a CLOS5 member of the eart 1. It should
be noted that with one boom draw rather than two wing hitch
sections sp.ring 22 is not neeessary. A second spring 21 connects
the first and second wing hitch support arms 13 and 12. Pivot
point 16 is adapted to latchably loek the front wing hiteh section
to the cart frame at eradle 23.
Figure 2 is a perspec-tive view of the agricultural
drawbar in the operating position. ~ydraulic cylinders 25 are
attached to levers 26 and are eapable of rotating eentre boom
seetion 4 and indirectly winy boom sections 5 from an operating to
a field position and visa versa. When centre boom section 4 and
wing boom seetion 5 are rotated, frames members 6 move from a
substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertieal
position, thereby lifting frame members 28 with harrows 29 and
packers 30 off the ground. In Figure 2, the maehine is in A
position to be pulled forwardly and to work the ground with
harrows 29 and paekers 30. If pins 17 are inserted in pivotal
joints 18 keeping wing hitches 10 and 11 in rigid alignment, and
the main boom consisting of eentre seetion 4 and wing sections 5
is rotated upwardly by hydraulic cylinders 25, sueh that frames 28
and implements 29 and 30 are lifted off the ground, the drawbar
may be moved rearwardly while the centre boom and wing booms
maintain direct alignment transverse to the direction of travel.
In operation, in the field position, wing boom sections
5 are in direct alignment with centre boom 4 as shown in Figure 3.
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Pivot point 16 i5 latchably locked to cradle 23. Wheel 7 is in
the operating position direction. If the drawbar is moved
forwardly, pivot point 18 is free to pivot ln one direction, for
example when the tractor and drawbar turn to the left.
When the operator wants to place the d.rawbar in -the
folded transport position, wheel 7 is turned approximately 90 so
that it is substantially parallel with wing boom 5. I'hereafter,
as shown in Figure 4 r latch cradle 23 releases pivot point 16 and
the operator moves the vehicle in a forward direction such that
wing boom section 5 gradually trails further behind until it is
substantially parallel with the direction of travel of the cart.
Figure 4 shows wing hitch support arms 12 and 13 rotate around
point 14. Tension is placed on both sprinys 22 and 21. Again
spring 22 is not necessary with one wing hitch section.
In Figure 5, wing boom section 5 is substantially
perpendicular to centre boom 4. First wing hitch support arm 13
has pivoted about pivot 14. If support arm 13 has reached a
limiting stop, second wing hitch support arm 12 will pivot about
first wing hitch support arm at pivot point 15. Wing hitch
sections 10 and 11 have pivoted about pivot point 16 and
connecting arm 9 has pivoted about pivot point 19. Spring 21
urges second wing hitch support arm 12 inwardly as does spring 22
urge first wing hitch support arm 13 inwardly. This allows for a
narrow transport width. During transport, pivot 18 is free to
pivot inwardly if the tractor and cart make a sharp turn to -the
left; or members 12 and 13 will pivot about 1~, whatever has leas-t
resistance. Member 12 will rotate outwardly about 15 if the cart
makes a sharp turn -to the right. Figures 5a and 5b illustrate
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this movemen-t when the tractor and cart make sharp turns.
Wheels 7 are steered by cylinder 8 in order -to keep
alignment in the transport position and allow faster mo~ement into
the field position. When the operator wishes to put the drawbar
in the e~tended field position, he simply backs the tractor and
cart rearwardly and wheel 7 tends to push the wing boom section 5
outwardly to the position shown in Figure ~. When pivot point 1
abuts latch cradle 23, it is securely locked in place and the
driver turns the wheel 7 so that it is parallel to the line of
travel in the field position.
If the operator wan-ts to move the drawbar to another
location without the implements, pins 27 are removed from frames
6, and frames 28, harrows 29 and packers 30 which are attached to
frames 31 and 32 are left in their position on the field. The
driver may then take the drawbar in its extended position to
another area of the field. When the operator wishes to reaktach
the implements, pins 17 are placed into pivot joints 18 keeping
wing hitch sections 10 and 11 aligned and the operator urges the
cart and boom rearwardly to the point of origin where frames 31
and 32 are placed back into cradles on frame 6, then the pins are
reattached and the drawbar is again ready to work in the operating
position.
A further option to this invention is the ability to
detach only packers 30 from frames 31 and 32. To easily reattach
packers the drawbar is moved rearwardly beyond a point of origin,
packers 30 are placed on top of Erames 31 and 32, the drawbar is
moved forwardly and packers 30 are guided into cradles on frames
31 and 32. Pins 33 secures packers 30 in cradles.
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