Planting machine

Claim 2

A soil-working machine comprising a substantially horizontal main frame, said frame including forward, rear and opposed side portions, ground engageable plow means mounted on said main frame and extending transversely thereacross between the opposed side portions thereof, a level control frame generally paralleling said main frame toward the rear thereof, means pivotally engaging said level control frame with scope main frame for vertical pivoting of the level control frame relative to said main frame, ground support wheels mounted on said level control frame for pivotal movement therewith, a trailing frame generally paralleling said level control frame toward the rear thereof, means pivotally engaging said trailing frame with said level control frame for free vertical pivoting of the trailing frame relative to said level control frame, ground engageable cover means mounted on said trailing frame for pivotal movement therewith, power means engaged between said main frame and said level control frame for effecting a pivotal variation therebetween, the pivotal angle of the trailing frame relative to the level control frame freely and automatically varying in response to vertical movements of the level control frame because of ground surface variations whereby a generally constant orientation of the cover means relative to the ground is maintained, material-dispensing means mounted on said machine and selectively discharging between the plow means and the cover means, lock means for selectively locking said trailing frame to said level control frame whereby free pivotal movement therebetween is precluded and an elevation of the cover means above the ground can be effected through a pivotal adjustment of the level control frame by said power means, said lock means comprising at least one rigid upwardly projecting ear on said trailing frame, and a corresponding rearwardly directed lock arm on said level control frame, said lock arm and said ear being alignable upon a pivotal adjustment of said level control frame to a predetermined point, and lock pin means engageable between said lock arm and said ear for a locking of said ear, and hence the trailing frame, to said arm.

Claim 3

The machine of claim 1 wherein said material-dispensing means is mounted on said main frame in vertically spaced relation above said plow means, and drive means engaged between said plow means and said dispensing means for an activation of said dispensing means in response to a movement of said plow means induced by an engagement of the plow means with the ground during the travel of the machine.

Claim 4

The machine of claim 2 wherein said main frame includes a pair of laterally spaced side beams defining said side portions, and means rigidly interconnecting said side beams, said level control frame including a pair of laterally spaced parallel side beams, each of said level control frame side beams overlying and having the forward end portions thereof pivoted to the main frame side beams toward the forward end portions of the main frame side beams, said level control frame side beams projecting rearwardly of the main frame and each mounting a ground support wheel approximately at the rear of the main frame, said trailing frame including a pair of laterally spaced parallel side beams extending generally longitudinally rearward of the level control frame side beams, said means pivotally engaging said trailing frame with said level control frame constituting a pivotal connection between the forward end of each trailing frame beam and the rear end of the corresponding level control frame side beam, said ground engageable cover means extending between and being mounted on said trailing frame side beams.

Claim 5

The machine of claim 3 including a rigid forwardly projecting tractor engageable tongue unit rigidly secured to the forward portion of said main frame.

Claim 6

The machine of claim 4 including an elongated transversely extending crossbeam spanning said main frame in spaced relation over said main frame, column means extending between the main frame side beams and said transversely extending beam, said power means being pivotally engaged with said transversely extending beam and extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom for pivotal engagement with said level control frame whereby an extension of said power means will effect a corresponding raising of the rear portion of the main frame and forward portion of the level control frame, the rear portion of the level control frame lowering and causing a corresponding upward pivoting of the trailing frame.

Claim 7

The machine of claim 5 wherein said plow means comprises an elongated hollow cylindrical ballast-receiving drum having a plurality of coulter disks affixed thereto in laterally spaced relation to each other along the length of said drum.

Claim 8

The machine of claim 6 wherein said cover means comprises an elongated hollow ballast-receiving drum and earth moving means provided thereabout along the length thereof and in general alignment with the coulter disks on said plow means.

Claim 9

A soil-workiNg machine comprising a substantially horizontal main frame, said frame including forward, rear and opposed side portions, ground engageable plow means mounted on said main frame and extending transversely thereacross between the opposed side portions thereof, a level control frame generally paralleling said main frame toward the rear thereof, means pivotally engaging said level control frame with said main frame for vertical pivoting of the level control frame relative to said main frame, ground support wheels mounted on said level control frame for pivotal movement therewith, a trailing frame generally paralleling said level control frame toward the rear thereof, means pivotally engaging said trailing frame with said level control frame for free vertical pivoting of the trailing frame relative to said level control frame, ground engageable cover means mounted on said trailing frame for pivotal movement therewith, power means engaged between said main frame and said level control frame for effecting a pivotal variation therebetween, the pivotal angle of the trailing frame relative to the level control frame freely and automatically varying in response to vertical movements of the level control frame because of ground surface variations whereby a generally constant orientation of the cover means relative to the ground is maintained, material-dispensing means mounted on said machine and selectively discharging between the plow means and the cover means, said main frame including a pair of laterally spaced side beams defining said side portions, and means rigidly interconnecting said side beams, said level control frame including a pair of laterally spaced parallel side beams, each of said level control frame side beams overlying and having the forward end portions thereof pivoted to the main frame side beams toward the forward end portions of the main frame side beams, said level control frame side beams projecting rearwardly of the main frame and each mounting a ground support wheel approximately at the rear of the main frame, said trailing frame including a pair of laterally spaced parallel side beams extending generally longitudinally rearward of the level control frame side beams, said means pivotally engaging said trailing frame with said level control frame constituting a pivotal connection between the forward end of each trailing frame beam and the rear end of the corresponding level control frame side beam, said ground engageable cover means extending between and being mounted on said trailing frame side beams.

Claim 10

A soil-workiNg machine comprising a substantially horizontal main frame, said frame including forward, rear and opposed side portions, ground engageable plow means mounted on said main frame and extending transversely thereacross between the opposed side portions thereof, a level control frame generally paralleling said main frame toward the rear thereof, means pivotally engaging said level control frame with said main frame for vertical pivoting of the level control frame relative to said main frame, ground support wheels mounted on said level control frame for pivotal movement therewith, a trailing frame generally paralleling said level control frame toward the rear thereof, means pivotally engaging said trailing frame with said level control frame for free vertical pivoting of the trailing frame relative to said level control frame, ground engageable cover means mounted on said trailing frame for pivotal movement therewith, power means engaged between said main frame and said level control frame for effecting a pivotal variation therebetween, the pivotal angle of the trailing frame relative to the level control frame freely and automatically varying in response to vertical movements of the level control frame because of ground surface variations whereby a generally constant orientation of the cover means relative to the ground is maintained, material-dispensing means mounted on said machine and selectively discharging between the plow means and the cover means, said main frame including a pair of laterally spaced side beams defining said side portions, and means rigidly interconnecting said side beams, said level control frame including a pair of laterally spaced parallel side beams, each of said level control frame side beams overlying and having the forward end portions thereof pivoted to the main frame side beams toward the forward end portions of the main frame side beams, said level control frame side beams projecting rearwardly of the main frame and each mounting a ground support wheel approximately at the rear of the main frame, said trailing frame including a pair of laterally spaced parallel side beams extending generally longitudinally rearward of the level control frame side beams, said means pivotally engaging said trailing frame with said level control frame constituting a pivotal connection between the forward end of each trailing frame beam and the rear end of the corresponding level control frame side beam, said ground engageable cover means extending between and being mounted on said trailing frame side beams.

Claim 11

The machine of claim 8 including a rigid forwardly projecting tractor engageable tongue unit rigidly secured to the forward portion of said main frame.

Claim 12

The machine of claim 9 including an elongated transversely extending crossbeam spanning said main frame in spaced relation over said main frame, column means extending between the main frame side beams and said transversely extending beam, said power means being pivotally engaged with said transversely extending beam and extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom for pivotal engagement with said level control frame whereby an extension of said power means will effect a corresponding raising of the rear portion of the main frame and forward portion of the level control frame, the rear portion of the level control frame lowering and causing a corresponding upward pivoting of the trailing frame.

Claim 13

The machine of claim 10 wherein said material-dispensing means is mounted on said transversely extending beam rearwardly thereof, and drive means engaged between said plow means and said dispensing means for a selective activation of said dispensing means in response to a ground-motivated movement of said plow means.

Claim 14

An articulated framework for a planting machine or the like comprising a main frame including laterally spaced parallel side beams and at least one transversely extending beam rigidly interconnecting said side beams, a forwardly projecting tractor engageable tongue unit rigidly engAged with said main frame and projecting forward therefrom, a level control frame projecting generally rearward of the main frame, said level control frame including a pair of laterally spaced parallel side beams paralleling the main frame side beams and overlapping these beams, pivot means engaging the forward ends of the level control frame beams with said main frame side beams, power means engaged between said main frame and said level control frame for effecting a pivotal adjustment therebetween and a corresponding raising and lowering thereof, a trailing frame, said trailing frame including a pair of laterally spaced parallel side beams, means pivotally connecting the forward end of each trailing frame side beam with the rear end portion of the adjacent level control frame side beams for a free pivotal movement of the trailing frame relative to the level control frame, and means selectively engageable between the trailing frame and level control frame for locking the trailing frame to the level control frame whereby the free pivotal movement therebetween can be selectively precluded and an adjustment of the trailing frame with the level control frame can be effected to elevate the trailing frame away from the ground.

Claim 15

An articulated framework for a planting machine or the like comprising a main frame including laterally spaced parallel side beams and at least one transversely extending beam rigidly interconnecting said side beams, a forwardly projecting tractor engageable tongue unit rigidly engAged with said main frame and projecting forward therefrom, a level control frame projecting generally rearward of the main frame, said level control frame including a pair of laterally spaced parallel side beams paralleling the main frame side beams and overlapping these beams, pivot means engaging the forward ends of the level control frame beams with said main frame side beams, power means engaged between said main frame and said level control frame for effecting a pivotal adjustment therebetween and a corresponding raising and lowering thereof, a trailing frame, said trailing frame including a pair of laterally spaced parallel side beams, means pivotally connecting the forward end of each trailing frame side beam with the rear end portion of the adjacent level control frame side beams for a free pivotal movement of the trailing frame relative to the level control frame, and means selectively engageable between the trailing frame and level control frame for locking the trailing frame to the level control frame whereby the free pivotal movement therebetween can be selectively precluded and an adjustment of the trailing frame with the level control frame can be effected to elevate the trailing frame away from the ground.

Claim 16

The framework of claim 12 including plow means mounted on and depending from said main frame, a cover roller mounted on and depending from said trailing frame and seed-dispensing means mounted rearward of said plow means and operative in response to ground induced movement of said plow means, said level control frame incorporating ground-engaging traveling wheels.