Folding boom

Claim 2

A foldable sprayer boom comprising: a main section adapted to be attached to one end of a vehicle; an outer section having one end secured to the main section for pivotal movement abouT a generally vertical axis between extended and folded positions; means biasing the outer section to the extended position; a sprocket wheel fixedly secured to the main section for rotation about the vertical axis; extensible and retractable means mounted on the main frame and operatively engaging the sprocket wheel to rotate the sprocket wheel in a folding direction upon movement of the extensible and retractable means in one direction; whereby, upon movement of the last-mentioned means in the one direction the outer section is pivoted about the vertical axis to the folded position and upon movement of the last-mentioned means in the opposite direction the biasing means returns the outer section to the extended position.

Claim 3

The sprayer boom set forth in claim 1 wherein the extensible and retractable means has a one-way engagement with the sprocket wheel.

Claim 4

The sprayer boom set forth in claim 2 wherein the extensible and retractable means includes hydraulic cylinder means having one end anchored on the main section; an elongated channel member slidably carried by the main section with the sprocket wheel extending between the legs of the channel member; one end of the channel member being secured to the other end of the cylinder means; chain means having one end secured to the sprocket wheel and another end secured to the other end of the channel member; the chain means being wrapped about the sprocket wheel when the outer section is in the extended position and extending between the legs of the channel member when the outer section is in the folded position.

Claim 5

A foldable sprayer boom comprising: a main section adapted to be carried at one end of a vehicle; an outer section; means mounting the outer section to the main section for pivotal movement about either one of a pair of spaced generally vertical axes positioned on opposite sides of the main section; the outer section being movable about one of the axes between extended and breakaway positions and being movable about the other axis between extended and either a folded or breakaway position; means biasing the outer section toward the extended position from both the folded and breakaway positions; an elongated channel member slidably mounted on the main section; roller means fixedly secured to the outer section for rotation about the other axis; elongated flexible means having one end secured to the periphery of the roller means and another end secured to one end of the channel member; and extensible and retractable means operatively connected between the channel member and the main section to move the channel member relative to the sections, whereby movement of the channel member in one direction rotates the outer section about the other axis to the folded position and movement of the channel member in the opposite direction permits the biasing means to return the outer section to the extended position.

Claim 6

A foldable sprayer boom comprising: a main section adapted to be carried at one end of a vehicle; an outer section; means mounting the outer section to the main section for pivotal movement about either one of a pair of spaced generally vertical axes positioned on opposite sides of the main section; the outer section being movable about one of the axes between extended and breakaway positions and being movable about the other axis between extended and either a folded or breakaway position; means biasing the outer section toward the extended position from both the folded and breakaway positions; an elongated channel member slidably mounted on the main section; roller means fixedly secured to the outer section for rotation about the other axis; elongated flexible means having one end secured to the periphery of the roller means and another end secured to one end of the channel member; and extensible and retractable means operatively connected between the channel member and the main section to move the channel member relative to the sections, whereby movement of the channel member in one direction rotates the outer section about the other axis to the folded position and movement of the channel member in the opposite direction permits the biasing means to return the outer section to the extended position.

Claim 7

The sprayer boom set forth in claim 4 wherein the roller means extends between the legs of the channel member.

Claim 8

The sprayer boom set forth in claim 5 wherein the roller means includes a sprocket wheel and the flexible means is a roller chain.

Claim 9

Spraying apparatus comprising: a vehicle; a multisection boom including a main section carried at one end of the vehicle, an intermediate section, and an outer section; the main section extending transversely of the vehicle and having upper and lower portions; the intermediate and outer sections having inner and outer ends; means pivotally connecting the inner end of the intermediate section to the lower portion of the outer section for movement about a generally horizontal axis between raised and lowered positions and movement about a generally vertical axis through approximately 180* between extended and folded positions; an intermediate section-supporting member having one end secured to the intermediate section remotely from the inner end and an opposite end secured to the upper portion of the main section for pivotal movement about a generally uPright axis located outwardly of the vertical axis whereby swinging movement of the intermediate section from an extended position to a folded position causes the intermediate section to pivot upwardly about the horizontal axis; means mounting the inner end of the outer section to the outer end of the intermediate section for pivotal movement through an arc of approximately 180* about a second generally vertical axis between extended and folded positions; a generally upright support mounted on the outer end of the intermediate section; an outer section-supporting member having one end secured to the outer section remotely from the inner end and an opposite end pivotally secured to the upright support for movement about a third generally vertical axis between the extended and folded positions, whereby the outer section is foldable back along the intermediate section, the intermediate section is foldable back along the main section, and when both sections are in the folded positions they extend generally diagonally across the end of the vehicle.

Claim 10

Spraying apparatus comprising: a vehicle; a multisection boom including a main section carried at one end of the vehicle, an intermediate section, and an outer section; the main section extending transversely of the vehicle and having upper and lower portions; the intermediate and outer sections having inner and outer ends; means pivotally connecting the inner end of the intermediate section to the lower portion of the outer section for movement about a generally horizontal axis between raised and lowered positions and movement about a generally vertical axis through approximately 180* between extended and folded positions; an intermediate section-supporting member having one end secured to the intermediate section remotely from the inner end and an opposite end secured to the upper portion of the main section for pivotal movement about a generally uPright axis located outwardly of the vertical axis whereby swinging movement of the intermediate section from an extended position to a folded position causes the intermediate section to pivot upwardly about the horizontal axis; means mounting the inner end of the outer section to the outer end of the intermediate section for pivotal movement through an arc of approximately 180* about a second generally vertical axis between extended and folded positions; a generally upright support mounted on the outer end of the intermediate section; an outer section-supporting member having one end secured to the outer section remotely from the inner end and an opposite end pivotally secured to the upright support for movement about a third generally vertical axis between the extended and folded positions, whereby the outer section is foldable back along the intermediate section, the intermediate section is foldable back along the main section, and when both sections are in the folded positions they extend generally diagonally across the end of the vehicle.

Claim 11

Spraying apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the second vertical axis is positioned to one side of a vertical plane through the longitudinal centerline of the intermediate section and the third vertical axis is positioned in the plane whereby the weight of the outer section and the relative positions of the second and third vertical axes serve to releasably hold the outer section in either its extended or folded positions.

Claim 12

The spraying apparatus set forth in claim 8 further including centering spring means acting between the main and intermediate sections to bias the intermediate section toward and normally hold the intermediate section in the extended position.

Claim 13

The spraying apparatus set forth in claim 9 further including a power-operated boom-folding means connected between the main and intermediate sections to move the intermediate from the extended to the folded positions.

Claim 14

The spraying apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein the boom-folding means has a one-way connection between the main and intermediate sections.

Claim 15

Spraying apparatus comprising: a vehicle; a multisection boom including a main section carried at one end of the vehicle, an intermediate section, and an outer section; means pivotally mounting the inner end of the intermediate section to the main section for movement between a first position in which it extends outwardly of the main section and a second position in which it extends back along the main section; means pivotally mounting the inner end of the outer section to the outer end of the intermediate section for movement through an arc of approximately 180* between extended and folded positions; the last-mentioned means including upper and lower generally vertical pivots with the upper pivot positioned generally in vertical planes through the longitudinal centerlines of the intermediate and outer sections and the lower pivot positioned to one side of the vertical planes through the longitudinal centerlines of the intermediate and outer sections, whereby the relative positions of the upper and lower vertical axes and the weight of the outer section act to releasably hold the outer section in either its extended or folded positions.

Claim 16

Spraying apparatus comprising: a vehicle; a multisection boom including a main section carried at one end of the vehicle, an intermediate section, and an outer section; means pivotally mounting the inner end of the intermediate section to the main section for movement between a first position in which it extends outwardly of the main section and a second position in which it extends back along the main section; means pivotally mounting the inner end of the outer section to the outer end of the intermediate section for movement through an arc of approximately 180* between extended and folded positions; the last-mentioned means including upper and lower generally vertical pivots with the upper pivot positioned generally in vertical planes through the longitudinal centerlines of the intermediate and outer sections and the lower pivot positioned to one side of the vertical planes through the longitudinal centerlines of the intermediate and outer sections, whereby the relative positions of the upper and lower vertical axes and the weight of the outer section act to releasably hold the outer section in either its extended or folded positions.