Three point hitch rock and root puller

A pair of cultivator shanks are secured together in side-by-side relationship and pivotally connected by the upper end thereof to a three point hitch assembly of a tractor. Check chains limit the sideways swinging movement and the most important aspect of the device is that it is not the power of the tractor which is essential, but the hydraulic lift generated by the hitch which is used to roll relatively large rocks from out of the ground.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rock and root 
pulling devices. 
Conventionally, such devices consist of a relatively heavy duty prong 
secured to the rear of a tractor and which is maneuvered to engage a 
submerged or partially submerged rock whereupon the power of the tractor 
is utilized to endeavour to pull or roll the rock from the ground. 
Alternatively, a front end loader bucket is often used for such purposes or 
the heavy duty prong is attached to the leading edge of a front end 
loader. 
All of these devices are unsatisfactory and rely primarily upon the power 
of the tractor for the rock or root disengagement. 
The present device overcomes such disadvantages by providing a heavy duty 
prong assembly attachable to the three point hydraulic hitch assembly of a 
tractor so that the hydraulic power of the three point hitch assembly may 
be used rather than the power of the tractor in order to roll the rock or 
root from the ground. 
In accordance with the invention there is provided in combination with a 
three point hydraulic hitch assembly of a tractor, a rock pulling device, 
said device including a resilient, arcuately curved rock engaging prong 
assembly, means operatively connecting same to the three point hitch 
assembly, said prong assembly being pivotally attached for limited 
sideways pivotal movement to said three point hitch assembly. 
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a rock pulling device for use 
with a three point hydraulic hitch assembly of a tractor comprising in 
combination a resilient, arcuately curved prong assembly and means for 
attaching same to the associated hydraulic hitch assembly, said means 
including a transverse member for attachment to the outer ends of the pair 
of spaced and parallel lift arms of the hitch assembly, said prong 
assembly being pivotally secured by the upper end thereof to intermediate 
the ends of said transverse member and means to limit the sideways 
movement of said prong assembly relative to said transverse member. 
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a device of the character 
herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in 
manufacturing, otherwise well suited to the purpose of which it is 
designed. 
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to 
those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this 
specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a 
description of the best mode known to the Applicant and of the preferred 
typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, reference 
character 10 illustrates the rear of a tractor having a conventional three 
point hitch assembly collectively designated 11 secured thereto. This 
hitch assembly includes the pair of spaced and parallel lift arms 12 
pivoted to the cross member of the tractor frame by means of pivot pin 13 
and actuated by the lift mechanism collectively designated 14. 
A resilient, arcuately curved prong assembly collectively designated 15 is 
operatively connected to the outer or distal ends 16 of the lift arms 12 
by means of a transverse beam or member 17 extending between the distal 
ends 16 of the lift arms and being detachably secured thereto by means of 
bolts 18. 
A channel member 19 is pivotally secured intermediate the ends of the beam 
17 by means of pivot bolt assembly 20 and it will be noted that this beam 
17 is multi-apertured so that any one of the apertures may be used to 
attach the channel member 19 depending upon circumstances. 
The prong assembly 15 consists preferably of a pair of resilient, arcuately 
curved cultivator shanks 21 welded together in side-by-side relationship 
and welded into the channel member 19 by the upper ends 22 thereof with 
shanks extending rearwardly, and then curving downwardly and slightly 
forwardly as clearly shown. 
Means are prevented to limit the sideways swinging movement of the shank 
assembly relative to the beam 17, said means taking the form of short 
lengths of chain or cable 23 secured by the forward ends thereof as by 
bolt 24, one each to the corresponding end of the transverse beam 17. 
These chains then extend rearwardly and are secured by means of bolts 25, 
one each to adjacent the distal ends of a transverse member 26 welded to 
the top surface of the rear end of the channel 19 and extending upon 
either side thereof. This assembly allows the prong assembly to swing from 
side to side in the direction of double headed arrow 27 and the amount can 
be controlled by the positioning of the chains or cables 23 in any one of 
the apertures within the beam 17. 
In operation, the prong assembly is controlled vertically by means of the 
hydraulic three point hitch assembly and engages freely under rocks 
embedded or partially embedded in the ground due to the pivotal attachment 
of the member 17 and the curvature of the prong or prongs, whereupon the 
three point hitch assembly is utilized in conjunction with forward 
movement of the tractor where necessary, in order to lift and roll the 
rock clear of the ground and this utilization of the lifting action of the 
three point hitch assembly which, of course, is actuated hydraulically, 
enables relatively large rocks to be moved with a relatively small 
tractor. 
The device is easily detached when not required so that the three point 
hitch assembly can be used in a conventional manner. 
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove 
described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made 
within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such 
spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the 
accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and 
not in a limiting sense.