Steerable rear wheel for plow

Claim 2

A plow adapted for attachment to a tractor having hitch means thereon comprising, a frame carrying a plurality of diagonally arranged plow bottoms adapted to form furrows, means adapted to connect the plow frame to said hitch means for lateral swinging movement relative thereto, transverse pivot means on the rear of the frame, a rearwardly extending arm connected at its forward end to said pivot means for generally vertical swinging of the arm, a ground engaging wheel assembly mounted on the rear end of said arm, power transmission means between the frame and said arm for vertically adjusting the latter about the axis of said pivot means, and means responsive to said lateral swinging of the plow frame for steering said wheel assembly comprising, motion transmitting means mounted on the frame, a first link connecting said hitch means to said motion transmitting means, and another link connected at one end to said wheel assembly for steering the same and pivotally connected at its other end to said motion transmitting means on an axis which when the ground engaging wheel is parallel to the direction of travel is, substantially coaxial with the pivot of said arm on the frame.

Claim 3

The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein said motion transmitting means is a lever pivoted medially of its ends on the frame for rocking movement on an axis generally parallel to said pivot means and pivotally connected at one end to said first link and at its other end to said other link.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 2, wherein said power transmission means is an extensible and retractable member operable in one direction to swing said wheel carrying arm downwardly about the axis of said pivot means to raise the rear end of the frame while maintaining the coaxial relation of said other link to said lever substantially unimpaired.

Claim 5

The invention set forth in claim 3, wherein said extensible and retractable member is a one-way hydraulic cylinder having a piston rod therein extensible to raise the rear of the plow frame to its transport position and collapsible by the weight of the plow upon return of the plow to its operating position.

Claim 6

The invention set forth in claim 4, wherein, in the operating position of the plow said piston rod is slidable in the cylinder to accommodate upward movement of the plow frame relative to the wheel to maintain engagement of the wheel with the ground when abnormal ground conditions are encountered exerting an upward force against the plow frame.

Claim 7

The invention set forth in claim 5, wherein a stop is provided on the rear of the frame engageable with said wheel carrying arm to limit downward movement of the plow frame relative to the wheel in the operating position of the plow.

Claim 8

The invention set forth in in claim 6, wherein said stop is adjustable to regulate and maintain the operating depth of the plow bottoms.

Claim 9

In a plow adapted for attachment to a tractor, a diagonally rearwardly extending frame adapted to be pivotally connected to the tractor for lateral swinging movement relative thereto, a plurality of plow bottoms mounted on the frame to form furrows, a gauge wheel assembly arranged to ride on unplowed ground landwardly of the furrow, a single wheel carrying arm pivotally connected at its forward end to the frame for vertical swinging movement about a gEnerally horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel of the plow, means mounting said wheel assembly on the rear end of said arm, steering linkage operatively connected between the tractor and said wheel for transmitting steering motion to said wheel in response to said lateral swinging movement of the plow frame relative to the tractor, and power transmission means connected between the frame and said wheel carrying arm for vertically swinging said arm to raise and lower the rear end of the frame, said steering linkage including a motion transmitting member mounted on the plow frame and a link connected at one end to said wheel assembly for steering the same and at its other end pivotally connected to said motion transmitting member on an axis substantially coaxial with the pivot axis which when the ground engaging wheel is parallel to the direction of travel is, of said arm.

Claim 10

In a plow adapted for attachment to a tractor, a diagonally rearwardly extending frame adapted to be pivotally connected to the tractor for lateral swinging movement relative thereto, a plurality of plow bottoms mounted on the frame to form furrows, a gauge wheel assembly arranged to ride on unplowed ground landwardly of the furrow, a single wheel carrying arm pivotally connected at its forward end to the frame for vertical swinging movement about a gEnerally horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel of the plow, means mounting said wheel assembly on the rear end of said arm, steering linkage operatively connected between the tractor and said wheel for transmitting steering motion to said wheel in response to said lateral swinging movement of the plow frame relative to the tractor, and power transmission means connected between the frame and said wheel carrying arm for vertically swinging said arm to raise and lower the rear end of the frame, said steering linkage including a motion transmitting member mounted on the plow frame and a link connected at one end to said wheel assembly for steering the same and at its other end pivotally connected to said motion transmitting member on an axis substantially coaxial with the pivot axis which when the ground engaging wheel is parallel to the direction of travel is, of said arm.

Claim 11

The invention set forth in claim 8, wherein said motion transmitting member is a lever pivoted medially of its ends on the plow frame and to one end of which said link is pivotally connected, the other end of the lever being operatively connected to the tractor to transmit turning motion of the tractor through said lever to said wheel.