Hinge construction

Claim 2

In an agricultural implement having a main frame adapted to be drawn by a tractor, at least one auxiliary frame, both of said frames mounting work performing means, plural hinge means hingedly interconnecting the two frames, and means whereby the frames are lowerable between a first position wherein the work performing means engage the ground to perform an agricultural operation and are elevatable a second position wherein the work performing means are out of contract from the ground so that one frame may be pivoted and thereby folded relative to the other for towing or the like, the improvement to allow canting between said frames wherein each said hinge means comprises: a first pintle mounted to one of said frames, a second pintle mounted on the remaining of said frames, said pintles being generally parallel to each other, and an elongated member impaled at its ends by said pintles, one of said pintles being mounted on its associated frame by a U-shaped bracket mounted on said associated frame, said U-shaped bracket including aligned, elongated slots in the pair of legs thereof for receiving said pintle, said elongated member being received between the pair of legs of said U-shaped bracket and having an extent less than the extent between said pair of legs to cause said one of said pintles to be loosely secured to one of its associated frame and to cant relative to said one associated frame and thereby allow canting between both of said frames.

Claim 3

The implement of claim 1 wherein said elongated member comprises a pair of generally parallel sleeves, each receiving an associated one of said pintles interconnected by a bar-like structure, and further including a stop means mounted on one of said sleeves for limiting pivotal movement of said elongated member about the axis of rotation established by one of said pintles.

Claim 4

The implement of claim 1 wherein said pintles are mounted on their respective frames to be vertically offset from one another when said frames are in said first position.

Claim 5

A hinge construction for securing two frames of an agricultural implement together for permitting relative movement and canting between the two frames during the performance of an agricultural operation as well as during movement of the two frames to and from a location at which the agricultural operation is to be performed, said hinge construction comprising: first and second U-shaped brackets, each adapted to be secured to a respective one of the frames, first and second elongated members extending between said first and second U-shaped brackets respectively and having their respective ends received between the pair of Legs of said U-shaped brackets, said first elongated member having an extent less than the extent between a pair of legs which receive its respective ends; a pair of pintles, one for each U-shaped bracket, extending through the legs of its associated U-shaped bracket and journalling the associated end of said elongated member, said hinge means including a pair of elongated slots, one in each leg of said first U-shaped bracket and extending along the length thereof, said slots receiving the associated pintle to allow at least one end of said elongated member to move relative to the first U-shaped bracket in a direction substantially parallel to the length of the legs thereof and to cant relative to the first U-shaped bracket due to the extent of said first elongated member being less than the extent between the pair of legs with the pair of elongated slots therein.

Claim 6

A hinge construction for securing two frames of an agricultural implement together for permitting relative movement and canting between the two frames during the performance of an agricultural operation as well as during movement of the two frames to and from a location at which the agricultural operation is to be performed, said hinge construction comprising: first and second U-shaped brackets, each adapted to be secured to a respective one of the frames, first and second elongated members extending between said first and second U-shaped brackets respectively and having their respective ends received between the pair of Legs of said U-shaped brackets, said first elongated member having an extent less than the extent between a pair of legs which receive its respective ends; a pair of pintles, one for each U-shaped bracket, extending through the legs of its associated U-shaped bracket and journalling the associated end of said elongated member, said hinge means including a pair of elongated slots, one in each leg of said first U-shaped bracket and extending along the length thereof, said slots receiving the associated pintle to allow at least one end of said elongated member to move relative to the first U-shaped bracket in a direction substantially parallel to the length of the legs thereof and to cant relative to the first U-shaped bracket due to the extent of said first elongated member being less than the extent between the pair of legs with the pair of elongated slots therein.

Claim 7

The hinge of claim 4 further including stop means for limiting the rotation of said elongated member about the pintles of at least one of said U-shaped brackets, said stop means including a projection from one end of the elongated member adapted to engage the bight of the associated U-shaped member.