Farm implement

Claim 2

A trailer type ground cultivating device comprising, a. a frame, b. ground cultivating means mounted on said frame and operable in response to movement of the frame in a cultivating path to cultivate soil, c. hitch means for releasably connecting said frame to a tractor, d. a soil traction member mounted on said frame in a soil engaging operative position and aligned with said frame for movement with said frame in said cultivating path, e. hydraulic drive means mounted on said soil traction means for driving said soil traction member, f. connecting means for connecting said hydraulic drive means to a hydraulic power source carried by said tractor.

Claim 3

A trailer type ground cultivating device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said soil traction member is mounted at the rear end of said frame so as tO push the frame in use.

Claim 4

A trailer type ground cultivating device as claimed in claim 1 having wheel means at the front of said frame and a single castor-mounted wheel at the rear end of said frame.

Claim 5

A trailer type ground cultivating device as claimed in claim 1 including horizontally oriented pivot means mounting said soil traction member with respect to said frame to pivot freely about a horizontal axis which is transversely disposed with respect to the tilling direction.

Claim 6

A trailer type ground cultivating device as claimed in claim 4 including vertically oriented pivot means mounting said soil traction member to pivot about a vertical axis with respect to said frame, and releasable locking means for locking said soil traction member in said operative position and for releasing said soil traction member to pivot about said vertical axis to facilitate turning of said frame.

Claim 7

A trailer type ground cultivating device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said soil traction member includes a sub-frame pivotably mounted on said frame for movement about a vertical axis, releasable locking means for locking said sub-frame relative to said frame to prevent pivoting about said vertical axis, said locking means being releasable to permit said trailer traction means to pivot freely about said vertical axis.

Claim 8

A device as claimed in claim 4 including hydraulically adjustable load transfer means having one end secured to said frame and the other end secured to said traction device on opposite sides of said horizontal axis, said load transfer means being adjustable in length for transferring a portion of the trailer load to said traction member.

Claim 9

A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said load transfer means includes first support bracket means mounted on and projecting upwardly from said frame, and second support bracket means mounted on said traction device, said first and second bracket means being located on opposite sides of said horizontal axis and extendible hydraulic cylinder means extending between said pair of brackets, and means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said extendible cylinder to effect the required load transfer.

Claim 10

A trailer type ground tilling device comprising, a. a frame, b. ground tilling members mounted on said frame and operable in response to movement of the frame in tilling path to till the soil, c. hitch means for releasably connecting said frame to a tractor, d. a soil traction member mounted on said frame in a soil engaging operative position and aligned with said frame in said tilling path, e. hydraulic drive means mounted on said soil traction means for said soil traction member, f. connecting means for connecting said hydraulic drive means to a hydraulic power source carried by said tractor.

Claim 11

A trailer type ground tilling device comprising, a. a frame, b. ground tilling members mounted on said frame and operable in response to movement of the frame in tilling path to till the soil, c. hitch means for releasably connecting said frame to a tractor, d. a soil traction member mounted on said frame in a soil engaging operative position and aligned with said frame in said tilling path, e. hydraulic drive means mounted on said soil traction means for said soil traction member, f. connecting means for connecting said hydraulic drive means to a hydraulic power source carried by said tractor.

Claim 12

A trailer type ground tilling device as claimed in claim 9 including vertically oriented pivot means pivotably mounting said traction means rearwardly of said frame for movement about a vertical axis, releasable locking means for releasing said soil traction member from said operative position to permit said soil traction device to pivot with respect to said frame to facilitate turning of said frame.

Claim 13

A trailer type ground cultivating device as claimed in claim 1 including pivot means for pivotably connecting said soil traction member to said frame to permit said soil traction member to pivot about a vertical axis to release said soil traction member from said operative position and releasable locking means for normally retaining said soil traction member in said operative position.

Claim 14

A trailer type ground cultivating device as claimed in claim 1 in which said soil traction member has a traction tread formed with a plurality of substantially transversely extending lugs which are circumferentially spaced from one another a distance at least equal to the height of the lugs.

Claim 15

A trailer type ground cultivating device as claimed in claim 1 in which said soil traction member is a wheel.

Claim 16

A trAiler type ground tilling device as claimed in claim 9 in which said frame is a plow frame.

Claim 17

A trailer type ground tilling device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said ground tilling members are plow blades arranged on said frame to sequentially form a plurality of side-by-side furrows.

Claim 18

A trailer type ground tilling device as claimed in claim 9 having a plurality of ground engaging traction-free support wheels adjustably mounted on said frame, said wheels being adjustable relative to said frame to control the height of said ground tilling members relative to the soil.

Claim 19

A trailer type ground tilling device as claimed in claim 16 wherein said soil traction member is mounted to ride in the last furrow formed by said ground tilling members in use.

Claim 20

A trailer type ground tilling vehicle comprising, a. a plow frame having a front end and a rear end, b. a plurality of plow blades operatively mounted on said frame, c. support wheel means mounted at the front end of said plow frame, d. a sub-frame consisting of a first portion pivotably mounted at the rear end of said frame to pivot about a generally vertical axis and a second portion pivotably mounted on said first portion to pivot about a generally horizontal transversely extending axis, said second portion projecting rearwardly from said first portion, e. a soil traction wheel member mounted for rotation in said second portion of said sub-frame, said soil traction wheel member having a tread surface formed with a plurality of widely spaced deep traction lugs, f. load transfer means extending between said first and second portions of said sub-frame for transferring a predetermined portion of the load to said soil traction wheel member, g. releasable locking means for locking said sub-frame in a first operative position relative to said frame to retain said soil traction wheel means in a soil engaging operative position for movement in the required tilling direction, said locking means being releasable to permit said sub-frame and said soil traction wheel means to pivot about said vertical axis to facilitate turning of said frame, h. hydraulic drive means mounted in said wheel means and connecting means for connecting said hydraulic drive means to a hydraulic power source mounted on a tractor and coupling means for connecting the front end of said trailer to a tractor.

Claim 21

A trailer type ground tilling vehicle comprising, a. a plow frame having a front end and a rear end, b. a plurality of plow blades operatively mounted on said frame, c. support wheel means mounted at the front end of said plow frame, d. a sub-frame consisting of a first portion pivotably mounted at the rear end of said frame to pivot about a generally vertical axis and a second portion pivotably mounted on said first portion to pivot about a generally horizontal transversely extending axis, said second portion projecting rearwardly from said first portion, e. a soil traction wheel member mounted for rotation in said second portion of said sub-frame, said soil traction wheel member having a tread surface formed with a plurality of widely spaced deep traction lugs, f. load transfer means extending between said first and second portions of said sub-frame for transferring a predetermined portion of the load to said soil traction wheel member, g. releasable locking means for locking said sub-frame in a first operative position relative to said frame to retain said soil traction wheel means in a soil engaging operative position for movement in the required tilling direction, said locking means being releasable to permit said sub-frame and said soil traction wheel means to pivot about said vertical axis to facilitate turning of said frame, h. hydraulic drive means mounted in said wheel means and connecting means for connecting said hydraulic drive means to a hydraulic power source mounted on a tractor and coupling means for connecting the front end of said trailer to a tractor.

Claim 22

A trailer type ground tilling device as claimed in claim 18 in which said wheel has a traction tread diameter of at least 48 inches.

Claim 23

A trailer type ground tilling device as claimed in claim 19 wherein said soil traction wheel has a traction tread width of at least 12 inches.

Claim 24

A trailer type soil cultivator for cultivating soil as it is trailed in a predetermined cultivating path by a tractor comprising, a. a frame consisting of at least two sections, b. soil cultivating means mounted on each of said sections, c. coupling means connecting said frame sections in a side-by side relationship so as to cultivate adjacent tracks of soil in response to movement of said frame in said cultivating path, d. hitch means for connecting a first of said frame sections to a tractor, e. a soil traction member pivotably mounted on at least one frame section other than said first frame section for movement with respect to said frame about a vertical axis, and releasable locking means for locking said traction member in a soil engaging operative position aligned with the frame section on which it is mounted for movement with said frame in said cultivating path, said locking means being releasable to facilitate turning of said frame, f. hydraulic drive means mounted on said soil traction means for driving said soil traction means, g. connecting means for connecting said hydraulic drive means to a hydraulic power source.

Claim 25

A trailer type soil cultivator for cultivating soil as it is trailed in a predetermined cultivating path by a tractor comprising, a. a frame consisting of at least two sections, b. soil cultivating means mounted on each of said sections, c. coupling means connecting said frame sections in a side-by side relationship so as to cultivate adjacent tracks of soil in response to movement of said frame in said cultivating path, d. hitch means for connecting a first of said frame sections to a tractor, e. a soil traction member pivotably mounted on at least one frame section other than said first frame section for movement with respect to said frame about a vertical axis, and releasable locking means for locking said traction member in a soil engaging operative position aligned with the frame section on which it is mounted for movement with said frame in said cultivating path, said locking means being releasable to facilitate turning of said frame, f. hydraulic drive means mounted on said soil traction means for driving said soil traction means, g. connecting means for connecting said hydraulic drive means to a hydraulic power source.

Claim 26

A trailer as claimed in claim 21 wherein said frame consists of a plurality of sections and including soil traction means mounted on at lEast some of said sections other than said first section.

Claim 27

A trailer as claimed in claim 22 including traction means mounted on all of said frame sections other than said first section.

Claim 28

A trailer as claimed in claim 22 including traction means mounted on said first frame section.

Claim 29

A trailer as claimed in claim 22 wherein said frame consists of at least three sections, said first section being located between two other sections such that at least one other section projects outwardly from each opposite end of said first section.

Claim 30

A trailer as claimed in claim 25 including traction means mounted on all of said frame sections other than said first section.

Claim 31

A trailer as claimed in claim 26 including traction means mounted on said first section.

Claim 32

A trailer as claimed in claim 25 wherein said frame section coupling means is partially releasable to permit said other frame members to pivot rearwardly from said side-by-side position with respect to said first frame member to a position disposed rearwardly from and in substantial alignment with said first frame member.

Claim 33

A device as claimed in claim 9 including load transfer means having one end secured to said frame and the other end secured to said traction device for transferring a portion of the trailer load to said traction member.