Agricultural apparatus having bracing means for laterally extending pivotal frame sections

Claim 2

An agricultural type of apparatus in the form of a frame means which can support or carry a number of earth-working or treating devices and which can be secured to a prime mover means for movement over the ground, the combination comprising: a rigid support bar means which can be connected to a tractor or other prime mover for securing said apparatus thereto, a pair of pivot bar means mounted in horizontal planes on each side of a central longitudinal axis of said apparatus for supporting frame sections which extend generally transversely outwardly therefrom, said pivot bar means being rigidly secured to said rigid support bar means so that the complete apparatus can be lifted and lowered by a lifting mechanism of said tractor or prime mover, a frame section pivotally connected to each of said pivot bar means in which a way that each frame section can pivot about the axis of its pivot bar means so as to conform to the surface of the ground over which the apparatus is moving, said frame sections further functioning to carry a plurality of earthworking or treating devices, and a pair of guiding means secured to said rigid support bar means so that each guiding means contacts a portion of one of said frame sections, each guiding means being mounted so as to permit up and down movements of a frame section about its respective pivot bar means while preventing a displacement of said frame section in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said apparatus over the ground, each guiding means being in the form of a vertically disposed raceway defined by a housing having an opening therethrough for passage of a portion of a frame section, said opening being elongate in shape and vertically disposed to permit limited up and down movement of said frame section relative thereto, and including bearing means mounted on said frame section portion for rolling engagement with said guiding means during vertical movements of said frame sectiOn relative to the guiding means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 and including power operated means for separately controlling the positions of said frame sections about their respective pivot axes.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said power operated means includes a lever arm means associated with each of said pivot bar means for controlling movement of a cable means extending between each lever arm means and an outer portion of a frame section associated therewith, and power means for moving each of said lever arm means to lift and lower an associated frame section.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each said lever arm means extends upwardly from its associated pivot bar means and is pivotally connected at its lower end to the pivot bar means, and wherein each said cable means extends from an upper end of its associated lever arm means to a pulley means positioned above its point of connection to the outer portion of a frame section, and said pulley means being positioned above the highest vertical position of movement available to the frame section at that point.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each guiding means is in the form of a vertically disposed raceway defined by a housing structure having an elongate opening formed therethrough for receiving a portion of an associated frame section.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said pulley means is mounted on an upper portion of said guiding means.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said frame sections are provided with bearing elements at their points of passage through said guiding means so that there is a rolling engagement of said frame sections with their associated guiding means during vertical movements of the frame sections about their pivot axes.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein power means for each lever arm includes a fluid operated piston and cylinder combination which can be controlled from said tractor or prime mover.

Claim 10

An agricultural type of apparatus in the form of a frame means which can support or carry a number of earth-working or treating devices and which can be secured to a prime mover means for movement over the ground, the combination comprising: a rigid support bar means which can be connected to a tractor or other prime mover for securing said apparatus thereto, a plurality of frame sections mounted to said rigid support bar means for limited pivotal movements about pivot axes which extend in horizontal planes along lines generally parallel to or coincident with the intended line of travel for said apparatus, said frame sections having a plurality of earth-working or treating devices attached thereto, guiding means carried by said support bar means for bracing each of said frame sections to prevent unwanted rearward movement or distortion of said frame sections during forward movement of the apparatus over the ground, said guiding means including vertically disposed bearing surfaces for receiving rearwardly directed forces created on said frame sections as the apparatus is moved forwardly over the earth with said plurality of earth-working or treating devices engaging the earth, roller or wheel means carried by said frame sections for making rolling contact with said bearing surfaces of said guiding means, and means for selectively lifting said frame sections about their respective pivot axes.

Claim 11

An agricultural type of apparatus in the form of a frame means which can support or carry a number of earth-working or treating devices and which can be secured to a prime mover means for movement over the ground, the combination comprising: a rigid support bar means which can be connected to a tractor or other prime mover for securing said apparatus thereto, a plurality of frame sections mounted to said rigid support bar means for limited pivotal movements about pivot axes which extend in horizontal planes along lines generally parallel to or coincident with the intended line of travel for said apparatus, said frame sections having a plurality of earth-working or treating devices attached thereto, guiding means carried by said support bar means for bracing each of said frame sections to prevent unwanted rearward movement or distortion of said frame sections during forward movement of the apparatus over the ground, said guiding means including vertically disposed bearing surfaces for receiving rearwardly directed forces created on said frame sections as the apparatus is moved forwardly over the earth with said plurality of earth-working or treating devices engaging the earth, roller or wheel means carried by said frame sections for making rolling contact with said bearing surfaces of said guiding means, and means for selectively lifting said frame sections about their respective pivot axes.

Claim 12

An agricultural type of apparatus in the form of a frame means which can support or carry a number of earth-working or treating devices and which can be secured to a prime mover means for movement over the ground, the combination comprising: a rigid support bar means which can be connected to a tractor or other prime mover for securing said apparatus thereto, a plurality of frame sections each mounted to said rigid support bar means for limited pivotal movements about a pivot axis which extends in a horizontal plane along a line generally parallel to the longitudinal center line of said apparatus, said frame sEctions having a plurality of earth-working or treating devices attached thereto, guiding means carried by said support bar means for bracing each of said frame sections to prevent unwanted rearward movement or distortion of said frame sections during forward movement of the apparatus over the ground, each guiding means being in the form of a vertically disposed raceway which includes a vertically disposed bearing surface for receiving rearwardly directed forces created on the respective frame section as the apparatus is moved forwardly over the earth with a plurality of earth-working or treating devices engaging the earth, said raceway being defined by a housing having an opening therethrough for passage of a portion of a frame section, said opening being elongate in shape and vertically disposed to permit limited up and down movement of said frame section relative thereto, and including roller or wheel means carried by said portion of the frame section for making rolling contact with and bearing against said bearing surface during vertical movements of the frame section relative to the guiding means, to thereby reduce friction between the guiding means and the frame sections, means for attaching said apparatus to a lifting and lowering mechanism of a prime mover so that the complete apparatus can be selectively lifted or lowered relative to the prime mover, and power operated means operatively connected to said frame sections for selectively lifting said frame sections about their respective pivot axes.

Claim 13

An agricultural type of apparatus in the form of a frame means which can support or carry a number of earth-working or treating devices and which can be secured to a prime mover means for movement over the ground, the combination comprising: a rigid support bar means which can be connected to a tractor or other prime mover for securing said apparatus thereto, a plurality of frame sections each mounted to said rigid support bar means for limited pivotal movements about a pivot axis which extends in a horizontal plane along a line generally parallel to the longitudinal center line of said apparatus, said frame sEctions having a plurality of earth-working or treating devices attached thereto, guiding means carried by said support bar means for bracing each of said frame sections to prevent unwanted rearward movement or distortion of said frame sections during forward movement of the apparatus over the ground, each guiding means being in the form of a vertically disposed raceway which includes a vertically disposed bearing surface for receiving rearwardly directed forces created on the respective frame section as the apparatus is moved forwardly over the earth with a plurality of earth-working or treating devices engaging the earth, said raceway being defined by a housing having an opening therethrough for passage of a portion of a frame section, said opening being elongate in shape and vertically disposed to permit limited up and down movement of said frame section relative thereto, and including roller or wheel means carried by said portion of the frame section for making rolling contact with and bearing against said bearing surface during vertical movements of the frame section relative to the guiding means, to thereby reduce friction between the guiding means and the frame sections, means for attaching said apparatus to a lifting and lowering mechanism of a prime mover so that the complete apparatus can be selectively lifted or lowered relative to the prime mover, and power operated means operatively connected to said frame sections for selectively lifting said frame sections about their respective pivot axes.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein each said pivot axis is generally coincident with the longitudinal center line of said apparatus.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 10 and including ground engaging wheel means on each of said frame sections.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said roller or wheel means are contained and guided within a vertical raceway formed as a transverse opening through each of said guiding means.