Rear furrow wheel control structure for disc tillers and the like

Claim 2

In a disc tiller or the like having a frame, a plurality of ground-working tools supported on the frame, wheel means for supporting the frame relative to the ground and including a furrow wheel adapted to ride in a furrow formed by the groundworking tools, control structure mounting the furrow wheel on the frame comprising: a. first, rearwardly extending arm means pivotally mounted at its forward end on the frame; b. second arm means pivotally mounted medially on the rearward end of the first arm means, the furrow wheel being rotatably mounted on one end of the second arm means; c. pivot structure means on the frame; d. first link means slidably received in said pivot structure means and pivotally connected to said first arm means; e. second link means slidably received in said pivot structure means and pivotally connected to the end of the second arm means opposite the end thereof mounting the furrow wheel; f. stop means on said first and second link means acting against said pivot means to define the normal operating position of said furrow wheel; and, g. spring means biasing said stop means on said first and second link means toward said pivot structure, said spring means permitting said stop means on said first and second link means to move away from said pivot means, and thereby permitting said furrow wheel to swing away from its normal operating position, in response to an abnormal side load on said wheel.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1, wherein the stop means on one of said link means is engageable with said pivot structure means, and wherein the stop means on the other of said link means is engageable with the stop means on said one link means, and wherein said spring means acts between the frame and said other link means to bias the stop means on said other link means against the stop means on said one link means and, in turn, to bias the stop means on said one link means against said pivot structure means.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the stop means on said first and second link means is adjustable.

Claim 5

The invention defiNed in claim 1 wherein said pivot structure means comprises trunnion means.

Claim 6

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said second link means comprises a first member slidably received in said pivot structure means, and a second member linking said first member with said second arm means; and further including means maintaining said first link means and said first member of said second link means in fixed angular relationship.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said first link means is slidably received within the first member of said second link means.

Claim 8

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein one of said link means is slidably received within the other of said link means.

Claim 9

The invention defined in claim 7 wherein the stop means on said other link means is engageable with said pivot structure means, and wherein the stop means on said one link means is engageable with said stop means on said other link means, and wherein said spring means acts between the frame and said one link means to bias the stop means on said one link means against the stop means on said other link means and, in turn, to bias the stop means on said other link means against said pivot means.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 1 including means mounted on the frame for selectively locking said first and second link means relative to the frame, and thereby locking said furrow wheel in its transport position.

Claim 11

In a disc tiller or the like having a frame, a plurality of ground-working tools supported on the frame, wheel means for supporting the frame relative to the ground and including a furrow wheel adapted to ride in a furrow formed by the ground-working tools, control structure mounting the furrow wheel on the frame comprising: a. first, rearwardly extending arm means pivotally mounted at its forward end on the frame; b. second arm means pivotally mounted medially on the rearward end of the first arm means, the furrow wheel being rotatably mounted on one end of the second arm means; c. stop means mounted on the frame; d. stop means connected to said first and second arm means and acting against said stop means on said frame to define the normal operating position of said wheel; e. spring means biasing the stop means on one of said arms against the stop means on the other of said arms and, in turn biasing the stop means on said other arm against the stop means on the frame, said spring means permitting said stop means on said arms to move away from the stop means on said frame, and thereby permitting said furrow wheel to swing away from its normal operating position, in response to an abnormal side load on said wheel.

Claim 12

In a disc tiller or the like having a frame, a plurality of ground-working tools supported on the frame, wheel means for supporting the frame relative to the ground and including a furrow wheel adapted to ride in a furrow formed by the ground-working tools, control structure mounting the furrow wheel on the frame comprising: a. first, rearwardly extending arm means pivotally mounted at its forward end on the frame; b. second arm means pivotally mounted medially on the rearward end of the first arm means, the furrow wheel being rotatably mounted on one end of the second arm means; c. stop means mounted on the frame; d. stop means connected to said first and second arm means and acting against said stop means on said frame to define the normal operating position of said wheel; e. spring means biasing the stop means on one of said arms against the stop means on the other of said arms and, in turn biasing the stop means on said other arm against the stop means on the frame, said spring means permitting said stop means on said arms to move away from the stop means on said frame, and thereby permitting said furrow wheel to swing away from its normal operating position, in response to an abnormal side load on said wheel.

Claim 13

In a disc tiller or the like having a frame, a plurality of ground-working tools supported on the frame, wheel means for supporting the frame relative to the ground and including a furrow wheel adapted to ride in a furrow formed by the ground-working tools, control structure mounting the furrow wheel on the frame comprising: a. first, rearwardly extending arm means pivotally mounted at its forward end on the frame; b. second arm means pivotally mounted medially on the rearward end of the first arm means, the furrow wheel being rotatably mounted on one end of the second arm means; c. stop means mounted on the frame; d. stop means connected to said second arm means and engageable with said stop means on said frame to define the angle of said furrow wheel for normal operating purposes; e. stop means connected to said first arm and engageable with said stop means on said second arm to define the lateral position of said wheel for normal operating purposes; f. spring means biasing said stop means on said first arm against said stop means on said second arm and, in turn biasing said stop means on said second arm against said stop means on said frame, said spring means permitting said stop means on said first and second arm means to move away from said stop means on said frame, and thereby permitTing said furrow wheel to swing away from its normal operating position, in response to an abnormal side load on said wheel.

Claim 14

In a disc tiller or the like having a frame, a plurality of ground-working tools supported on the frame, wheel means for supporting the frame relative to the ground and including a furrow wheel adapted to ride in a furrow formed by the ground-working tools, control structure mounting the furrow wheel on the frame comprising: a. first, rearwardly extending arm means pivotally mounted at its forward end on the frame; b. second arm means pivotally mounted medially on the rearward end of the first arm means, the furrow wheel being rotatably mounted on one end of the second arm means; c. stop means mounted on the frame; d. stop means connected to said second arm means and engageable with said stop means on said frame to define the angle of said furrow wheel for normal operating purposes; e. stop means connected to said first arm and engageable with said stop means on said second arm to define the lateral position of said wheel for normal operating purposes; f. spring means biasing said stop means on said first arm against said stop means on said second arm and, in turn biasing said stop means on said second arm against said stop means on said frame, said spring means permitting said stop means on said first and second arm means to move away from said stop means on said frame, and thereby permitTing said furrow wheel to swing away from its normal operating position, in response to an abnormal side load on said wheel.

Claim 15

In a disc tiller or the like having a frame, a plurality of ground-working tools supported on the frame, wheel means for supporting the frame relative to the ground and including a furrow wheel adapted to ride in a furrow formed by the ground-working tools, control structure mounting the furrow wheel on the frame comprising: a. a vertical pivot on the frame; b. a first arm having a forward end mounted on the pivot and extending rearwardly therefrom; c. a wheel vertically pivoted on the arm; d. a second arm connected to and for pivoting the wheel; e. a stop on the frame; f. fore-and-aft extending first and second links connected to the respective first and second arms and interconnected to one another for fore-and-aft relative movement, said links being supported on the frame adjacent to and engageable with said stop for limiting rearward movement thereof; g. stop means on the second link for limiting rearward movement of the first link relative to the second link; and h. means on the frame biasing the first link rearwardly against the stop means on the second link and biasing the first and second links against the stop on the frame.

Claim 16

In a disc tiller or the like having a frame, a plurality of ground-working tools supported on the frame, wheel means for supporting the frame relative to the ground and including a furrow wheel adapted to ride in a furrow formed by the ground-working tools, control structure mounting the furrow wheel on the frame comprising: a. a vertical pivot on the frame; b. a first arm having a forward end mounted on the pivot and extending rearwardly therefrom; c. a wheel vertically pivoted on the arm; d. a second arm connected to and for pivoting the wheel; e. a stop on the frame; f. fore-and-aft extending first and second links connected to the respective first and second arms and interconnected to one another for fore-and-aft relative movement, said links being supported on the frame adjacent to and engageable with said stop for limiting rearward movement thereof; g. stop means on the second link for limiting rearward movement of the first link relative to the second link; and h. means on the frame biasing the first link rearwardly against the stop means on the second link and biasing the first and second links against the stop on the frame.

Claim 17

In a disc tiller or the like having a frame, a plurality of ground-working tools supported on the frame, and wheel means for supporting the frame relative to the ground and including a furrow wheel adapted to ride in a furrow formed by the ground-working tools, control structure mounting the furrow wheel on the frame comprising: a. first, fore-and-aft extending arm means pivotally mounted at its forward end on the frame; b. second arm means pivotally mounted medially on the rearward end of the first arm means, the furrow wheel being rotatably mounted on one end of the second arm means; c. pivot structure means on the frame; d. first link means received in said pivot structure means for fore-and-aft sliding movement and pivotally connected at its rearward end to said first arm means; e. second link means interconnecting the other end of said second arm means with said frame; f. stop means on the forward end of said first link means engageable with said pivot means to define the normal operating position of said furrow wheel; and, g. means normally urging said stop means rearwardly against said pivot means, though permitting said stop means to move forwardly out of engagement with said pivot means in response to turning movement of the disc tiller from its normal operating position, to thereby permit the wheel to swing away from its normal operating position to its turning position as the disc tiller is turned from its normal operating position.

Claim 18

In a disc tiller or the like having a frame, a plurality of ground-working tools supported on the frame, and wheel means for supporting the frame relative to the ground and including a furrow wheel adapted to ride in a furrow formed by the ground-working tools, control structure mounting the furrow wheel on the frame comprising: a. first, fore-and-aft extending arm means pivotally mounted at its forward end on the frame; b. second arm means pivotally mounted medially on the rearward end of the first arm means, the furrow wheel being rotatably mounted on one end of the second arm means; c. pivot structure means on the frame; d. first link means received in said pivot structure means for fore-and-aft sliding movement and pivotally connected at its rearward end to said first arm means; e. second link means interconnecting the other end of said second arm means with said frame; f. stop means on the forward end of said first link means engageable with said pivot means to define the normal operating position of said furrow wheel; and, g. means normally urging said stop means rearwardly against said pivot means, though permitting said stop means to move forwardly out of engagement with said pivot means in response to turning movement of the disc tiller from its normal operating position, to thereby permit the wheel to swing away from its normal operating position to its turning position as the disc tiller is turned from its normal operating position.

Claim 19

The invention defined in claim 13 wherein said stop means on said first link means is adjustable to permit adjustment of the normal operating position of said furrow wheel.

Claim 20

The invention defined in claim 14 wherein said stop means comprises a member threadably received on said first link means.

Claim 21

The invention defined in claim 13 wherein said second link means is adjustable in length to permit adjustment of the normal operating position of said furrow wheel.