Folding implement and folding support therefor

A multiple section fold-up agricultural implement is provided with a folding support (61) for the outboard section (13). When the outboard section (13) is pivoted from its aligned position with the adjacent implement section (12), as shown in FIG. 2, to its folded position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a long support arm (62) swings from a low silhouette position of FIG. 2 to an extended bracing position wherein the cradle (76) on the end of the support arm (62) abuts the frame member (77) of the outboard section (13) sufficiently far from the folding axis (26) to adequately support outboard section (13), particularly in its inverted position, shown in FIG. 4, wherein excessive forces would otherwise be imposed on the folding mechanism (45) during travel over rough terrain.

This invention relates to a folding agricultural implement and more 
particularly to a foldable support for a foldable section of the 
implement. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Heretofore, others have provided fixed supports for foldable sections of 
agricultural implements whereby the foldable implement section is 
supported in its folded position. One such arrangement is shown in U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,321,028. It has been customary to rigidly secure the supports 
to one implement section so as to present an abutment surface engageable 
with a complementary abutment surface on the folding section. The support 
structures have characteristically extended above the implement sections 
to a considerable extent thereby presenting a rather unattractive 
implement silhouette. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is incorporated in a foldable implement having support and 
folding sections pivotally interconnected on a longitudinal folding axis 
and an actuator for causing the folding section to pivot about the 
longitudinal folding axis from a working position, wherein the sections 
are in alignment, to a folded transport position. A novel folding support 
is provided for supporting the folding section in its folded position 
which includes a main support arm pivotally connected at one of its ends 
to the support section on a first longitudinal pivot axis which is 
parallel to and spaced laterally from the folding axis. The folding 
support also includes a link pivotally connected at one of its ends to an 
intermediate point of the support arm on a second longitudinal axis. The 
other end of the link is pivotally connected to the folding section on a 
third longitudinal axis which is parallel to and spaced laterally from the 
folding axis. The link causes the arm to swing from a first predetermined 
angular relationship with the support section, wherein the folding support 
has a low silhouette, to a support position of increased angle 
relationship with the support section wherein the other end of the arm is 
in abutting relationship with the folding section, when the latter is 
pivoted from its working position to its folded transport position. 
This invention permits a rather long support arm to be used for supporting 
the folding section in its folded condition without having a grotesque, 
high silhouette support structure extending above the implement when it is 
in an unfolded operating position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the foldable implement includes a main 
nonfolding section 11, an inboard folding section 12 and an outboard 
folding section 13. It should be understood that there are a total of five 
sections for the foldable implement and that inboard and outboard foldable 
sections similar to sections 12 and 13 are provided on the right-hand side 
of the implement, not shown. A suitable draft structure 14 is secured to 
the frame 15 of the central main section 11 and its forward end, not 
shown, is adapted for draft connection to a tractor, not shown. The 
illustrated implement is a field cultivator with appropriate earthworking 
shanks 16. The frame 17 of inboard section 12 is pivotally connected to 
the frame 15 of the main section 11 on a longitudinal pivot axis 22 by a 
pair of aligned pivot pins 23, 24 and the frame 18 of the outboard section 
13 is pivotally connected to the frame 17 of the inboard section 12 on a 
longitudinal pivot axis 26 by a pair of aligned pivot pins 27, 28. As 
illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the field cultivator is in a raised 
position wherein the earthworking shanks 16 are not penetrating the soil. 
The cultivator sections are supported in the raised position by ground 
engaging wheels 31, 32 rotatably mounted on arms 33, 34 having their upper 
ends welded to transverse cross shafts 36, 37 which are journaled on the 
frames 11, 12 by bearing blocks 38, 39, 41, 42, 43. The implement is 
raised and lowered by power means, not shown, operatively connected to the 
shafts 36, 37. 
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the implement sections are in horizontal 
alignment and as such may be considered to be in a working position, 
although the implement will not be in an actual earthworking position 
until lowered by rotation of the support wheel shafts 36, 37. When lowered 
to an earthworking position, the section frames 15, 17, 18 remain in 
general horizontal alignment with some deviation being permitted by 
conventional lost-motion connections in the raising and lowering 
mechanisms 44, 45 incorporating and powered by hydraulic actuators 46, 47, 
respectively. 
A relatively low height support structure 51 is rigidly secured to the 
frame 15 of the main implement section 11 which includes a U-shaped cradle 
52 for abutment with the shaft 37 on inboard section frame 17 when the 
latter is pivoted to an upright transport position, as shown in FIG. 4, by 
contraction of double acting hydraulic actuator 46. 
The outboard folding section 13 is supported relative to the inboard 
folding section by a support mechanism 61 which includes a rather long 
main support arm 62 providing adequate support of the section when in the 
cantilevered folded transport position shown in FIG. 4. In order to avoid 
the unsightly appearance of a high support structure when the implement is 
in a working position, the support 61 folds to a lowered position when the 
implement sections are aligned. The support arm 62 is pivotally connected 
at its inboard end to the frame 17 of inboard section 12 on a longitudinal 
axis 63 by a pivot pin 64. The axis 63 is parallel to and spaced laterally 
inboard from the folding axis 26. A folding support 61 also includes a 
relatively short link 66 having one end pivotally connected to an 
intermediate point of the arm 62 on an axis 67 by pviot pin 68 and its 
other end pivotally connected to the frame 18 of outboard section 13 on a 
longitudinal axis 71 by a pivot pin 72. In the working position of the 
sections 12, 13, the axis 71 is spaced laterally outboard of and parallel 
to the folding axis 26 and the axis 68 is spaced above and parallel to the 
axes 26, 63, 71. It will be noted in the working or aligned position of 
the sections 12, 13, as shown in FIG. 2, that the folding support has a 
relatively low silhouette with the arm 62 defining a predetermined angle f 
of about 12 degrees with the frame 17 of implement section 12. 
When the actuator in the form of double acting hydraulic jack 47 is 
contracted to move the outboard or foldable implement section 13 to its 
folded position relative to section 12, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the arm 
will swing upwardly rom the inboard section to define an angle h therewith 
of about 45 degrees. In this position, the U-shaped cradle 76 on the free 
outboard end of the support arm 62 supportingly engages a laterally 
extending frame member 77 of the frame 18 of outboard section 13. The long 
support arm 62 supports the outboard section 13 near its free end (just 
inboard of the fixed axis gauge wheel 81), thus preventing excessive 
forces from being imposed on the wing folding mechanism 45 by the 
cantilevered outboard section 13 when transported over rough terrain or 
roads. 
During a cultivating operation, the transport wheels 31, 32 are adjusted 
relative to the main and inboard sections 11, 12 so as to serve as gauge 
wheels controlling the depth of cultivation. The depth of cultivation will 
correspond to the depth established for the outboard section 13 by its 
gauge or depth control wheel 81. During a cultivating operation, the axis 
of wheel 81 is fixed; however, its axle support bracket 82 may be adjusted 
vertically, by means not shown, relative to the frame 18 of the outboard 
section 13 so as to permit a different fixed depth setting. As shown in 
FIG. 2, the implement has been raised on the support wheels 31, 32 to 
remove the cultivating shanks 16 from the ground. The implement may be 
transported in this manner, however, this is not usually practical because 
of narrow gates and roadways. Thus, when it is desired to move the 
cultivator to or from a field, the operator will first cause it to be 
folded. A typical sequence of folding the implement would be to contract 
the double acting hydraulic jack (actuator) 47 to cause the outboard 
section 13 to pivot from its aligned position (shown in FIG. 2) to a 
generally perpendicular or upright position shown in FIG. 3. In this 
folded position of outboard section 13, its frame member 77 abuts the 
cradle 76 on the outer end of support arm 62 and the latter has pivoted 
from its low silhouette condition (FIG. 2) to its upward, wide angle, 
pivoted support position (FIG. 3). The operator next causes the double 
acting jack (actuator) 46 to be contracted which in turn swings the 
inboard section 12 from its aligned position with main section 11 to an 
upright or generally vertical position shown in FIG. 4. In this condition, 
the cradle 52 of the fixed support 51 abuts the shaft 37 on inboard 
section 12 to support the latter in its folded position. It will be noted 
that in the completely folded condition of the foldable implement, the 
outboard section 13 is in an inverted overhead position relative to the 
main section 11. The exceptionally long support arm 62 affords excellent 
bracing for the overhead cantilevered section 13 whereby the folding 
mechanism 45 is relieved of excessive forces that it may otherwise be 
subjected to, particularly when the implement is transported over uneven 
terrain. 
The low silhouette of the folding support 61 in the aligned or working 
condition (FIG. 2) of the implement sections affords a much more 
acceptable appearance than that which would be present if the support arm 
62 would extend at 45 degrees to section 12 as it does in its support 
condition (FIGS. 3, 4).