Variable ripper plow shank assembly

Claim 2

A variable plow shank positioning assembly comprising: a tool bar, a shank support member pivotally mounted to said tool bar and including an aperture for rigidly receiving a plow shank, wedge means slidably movable relative to said tool bar, abutment means on said support member, and pressurized fluid means operable to move said wedge means against said abutment means to pivot said support member.

Claim 3

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said wedge means comprises first and second wedges connected by linkage.

Claim 4

The assembly of claim 2 wherein said first and second wedges are disposed on opposite sides of said shank support member and slide in opposite directions into selective engagement with first and second shoulder means on said support member.

Claim 5

The assembly of claim 2 and further comprising spring means to normally bias said shank in a predetermined position.

Claim 6

The assembly of claim 2 wherein said linkage comprises pivotally connected bars disposed on opposite sides of said shank support member.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 and further comprising: pivotally mounted shank housing means as part of said tool bar at the rear end and carrying said support member, and parallelogram linkage bars connected at one end to said shank housing and adapted for connection to a prime mover whereby said tool bar is adapted in a parallelogram lift configuration.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 6 wherein said tool bar has diverging arms at the forward end adapted for connection to a prime mover, the rearward end of said tool bar being elongate and narrower than said forward end.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 1 and further comprising: pivotally mounted shank housing means as part of said tool bar at the rear end and carrying said support member, and rigid plate means connected between said shank housing means and said tool bar whereby said tool bar is adapted in a radial lift configuration.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 1 wherein said tool bar carries a plurality of ripper plow shanks.

Claim 11

A variable plow shank positIoning assembly comprising: a frame member defining an opening including a generally circular interior cavity, a shank support member pivotally mounted to said frame having a circular portion disposed in said cavity, said shank support adapted to rigidly receive a ripper shank and having first and second abutment surfaces oppositely projecting therefrom with respect to the pivot of said support, spring means disposed between said frame and said support biasing said support to a predetermined position relative to said frame, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said frame, and first and second wedges mounted for slidable engagement at said first and second abutments, said first wedge operably connected to the rod of said cylinder and said second wedge linked to said first wedge whereby said wedges are operable to vary the position of said support relative to said frame.

Claim 12

A variable plow shank positIoning assembly comprising: a frame member defining an opening including a generally circular interior cavity, a shank support member pivotally mounted to said frame having a circular portion disposed in said cavity, said shank support adapted to rigidly receive a ripper shank and having first and second abutment surfaces oppositely projecting therefrom with respect to the pivot of said support, spring means disposed between said frame and said support biasing said support to a predetermined position relative to said frame, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said frame, and first and second wedges mounted for slidable engagement at said first and second abutments, said first wedge operably connected to the rod of said cylinder and said second wedge linked to said first wedge whereby said wedges are operable to vary the position of said support relative to said frame.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 10 wherein said first and second abutment surfaces are provided with pivotally mounted pads.