Assembly for angle adjustment

An assembly for angle adjustment may be used with agriculture equipment such as planters, applicators and tillage equipment wherein deployment of a coupler upon a shaft to allow introduction of an angle is beneficial. A closing wheel assembly incorporating the assembly for angle adjustment allows control of the angle of a closing wheel to improve soil gathering action for delivery of more or less soil to the seed slot/open furrow generated by the opener or opener assembly of a planter (drill) row unit. Exemplary applications of the assembly for angle adjustment include row unit closing wheel assemblies, fertilizer applicators and strip tillage closing systems.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The methods and apparatuses described herein are generally applicable to the field of agricultural equipment. The embodiments shown and described herein are more particularly designed for improving assemblies benefitting from inclusion of an angle and adjustability therein. As discussed in detailed, the concept may be applied to many embodiments and designs allowing for improved performance in varying soil types and soil moisture conditions including closing wheel assemblies, fertilizer applicators, strip tillage closing systems and other farm equipment.

No federal funds were used to develop or create the invention disclosed and described in the patent application.

Not Applicable.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright and trademark protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.

SUMMARY OF REFERENCES

The preceding list of references provides useful background for the present disclosure and is incorporated by reference herein. The incorporation of the preceding list of references and the teaching of each reference therein is not an admission by the Applicant as to relevancy of the references as prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An assembly for angle adjustment is disclosed and shown for use with agriculture equipment such as planters, applicators and tillage equipment wherein deployment of a coupler upon a shaft to allow introduction of an angle is beneficial. Without restriction or limitation, exemplary applications include row unit closing wheel assemblies, fertilizer applicators and strip tillage closing systems.

In one embodiment, a closing wheel assembly to adjust the angle of a closing wheel relative to the seed slot (furrow) opening is disclosed herein and illustrated herein. In one illustrative application, the closing wheel assembly may be retrofitted to existing drill, planter or air-seeder closing wheel arms. As disclosed and claimed herein, the closing wheel arm modification allows adjustment or change in the gathering action (side angle relative to the direction of travel) and caster angle (left/right tilting action, relative to the direction of travel). This is beneficial to users as soil types and conditions may change from day to day, from farm to farm, and or region to region. Adjustment of the angle of the closing wheel may be accomplished simply by rotating the outer coupler as shown in the enclosed figures. The range of adjustment is up to 12 degrees as necessitated by various soil and field conditions. As disclosed, the closing wheel adjusting assembly may be used with paired closing wheels, wherein each planter row unit includes two closing wheels, or it may be used with single closing wheels, wherein each planter row unit includes one closing wheel, as shown in the figures.

The Appendix provides several figures as referenced and included herein to illustrate an air-seeder of the prior art upon which the assembly for angle adjustment of the present disclosure may be mounted for use with a closing wheel assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Listing of Elements

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the present closing wheel adjusting assembly is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the assembly for angle adjustment30is not limited to specific methods, specific components, or to particular implementations. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Also, it is to be understood that phraseology and terminology used herein with reference to device or element orientation (such as, for example, terms like “front”, “back”, “up”, “down”, “top”, “bottom”, and the like) are only used to simplify description of the present closing wheel adjusting assembly, and do not alone indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation. In addition, terms such as “first”, “second”, and “third” are used herein and in the appended claims for purposes of description and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance.

Disclosed are components that can be used to perform the disclosed closing wheel adjusting assembly. These and other components are disclosed herein, and it is understood that when combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc. of these components are disclosed that while specific reference of each various individual and collective combinations and permutation of these may not be explicitly disclosed, each is specifically contemplated and described herein, for all closing wheel adjusting assembly. This applies to all aspects of this application including, but not limited to, components of an assembly for angle adjustment30. Thus, if there are a variety of additional components that can be added it is understood that each of these additional components can be added with any specific embodiment or combination of embodiments of the disclosed assembly for angle adjustment30.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,FIG. 1is a top view of a closing wheel assembly20of the prior art which may be mounted upon a row unit11(not shown) of a planter, drill or air-seeder1. One of ordinary skill will appreciate that a planter, drill or air-seeder1of the prior art upon which the closing wheel assembly20of the present disclosure may be mounted are well known. As shown in Appendix A, the air-seeder1is similar to a model built and sold by Case-IH, which is also branded and sold as New-Holland. The general design is similar to many models on the market upon which the assembly for angle adjustment30may be applied to allow introduction and control of an angle of the closing wheels23. Planter row units11of the type depicted inFIG. 8and Appendix A are generally mounted to a tool bar4or similar structure using linkage5and may be oriented in either a parallel or non-parallel arrangement. The planter row unit11generally includes an opener assembly14to open a furrow in the ground surface (shown as disc15), a down pressure member (shown as a spring17) for applying a biasing force to the opener assembly14, a depth regulator18for regulating the depth of the furrow, a seed delivery mechanism13for delivering seed to the opened furrow (shown as a hose), a closing wheel assembly20for closing the furrow, at least one hopper6for holding seed, and a row unit frame12to which various elements of the planter row unit11are mounted. (See Appendix A for linkage5, hopper6, and row unit frame12)

As shown,FIG. 2illustrates a detailed view of the closing wheel assembly20of one particular air-seeder row unit11, particularly the opener (disc)15and closing wheel23. The model shown is a row unit offered by CNH and marketed as a Case-IH 500/500T and by New Holland as a 2080/2085. As those practiced in the art will appreciate, the closing wheel assembly20shown inFIGS. 1-2allows the closing wheel23to raise or lower, relative to the air-seeder row unit and row unit opener, to allow the closing wheel23to follow the soil surface. The closing wheel assembly20shown herein includes a closing wheel torsion spring24and closing wheel torsion spring rack25that function to adjust the pressure upon the closing wheel23and thus the amount of soil compression and the potential soil engaging depth of the closing wheel23. Typically, increasing pressure upon the closing wheel23increases the scraping action of the closing wheel23on the ground surface8thereby increasing the dirt or soil moved during planting for delivery to the open furrow9to improve closing of the furrow. (See alsoFIG. 9and Appendix along with discussion herein)

Applicant has studied the prior art closing wheel assembly20as depicted byFIGS. 1-2and ascertained that in operation the preferred and beneficial amount of soil is many times not delivered to the furrow9opened by row unit opener15resulting in poor closing of the furrow, poor soil to seed contact and generally poor conditions for germination and growth of seeds. The closing wheels23and closing wheel assembly20as pictured inFIGS. 1 and 2are an illustrative example of a configuration in which the closing wheel23when operated across a field does not have enough “soil gathering action” to effectively close the furrow/seed slot, particularly in moist field and soil conditions.

To address and correct this failure to deliver soil10(not shown) in a direction10a(seeFIG. 9) to the open furrow/seed slot9, thus improving soil gathering action, for a closing wheel assembly20of the type depicted herein, an assembly for angle adjustment30incorporated into the closing wheel assembly20is beneficial. As depicted inFIGS. 3-9, an assembly for angle adjustment30comprised of a coupler31is mounted to the closing wheel shaft22of the closing wheel assembly20. The coupler31has a hollow body and is configured with a first end (shaft end31a) that mounts to the closing wheel shaft22by sliding onto and over the closing wheel shaft22, after removal of the closing wheel23. (SeeFIGS. 5A & 5B) A tapped (timed) hole32is configured in the body of the coupler31proximate the first or shaft end31aof the coupler and is typically threaded and configured for engagement with a set screw34. The second end of coupler31bis configured as a cap having a bore37creating a straight passage through the coupler31with a special face and end36aconfigured therein which applicant has named a “D-hole”36as the interior barrel of the D-hole is made up of indexing and non-indexing edges, referenced respectively as,36band36cas illustrated inFIG. 6C. The D-hole36and bore37are concentric at the cap end and pass straight through the body of the coupler31. The face (D-hole face)36aof the cap end may be angled up to 12 degrees as illustrated throughout and particularly byFIG. 6B. Further, the D-hole36has an angled face36awhich correspondences to the range of angle allowed by the closing wheel adjustment assembly30, which as disclosed is 0-12 degrees. Rotating the coupler31upon the shaft22changes the angle23abetween shaft22and closing (rotatable) wheel23while maintaining even contact between closing wheel23and angled face36ato support smooth rotation of closing (rotatable) wheel23. A bolt33, specially configured for the coupler31is configured for insertion in the coupler31. (SeeFIGS. 6A and 6B) The angled bolt is comprised of three sections as illustrated throughout but particularly inFIG. 6B. A first section—the shaft (receiver) end33ais straight and is threaded and is configured for insertion inside to interlock with the mating threads22a(not shown) inside closing wheel shaft22of the prior art. (SeeFIG. 2) The first section is generally parallel with the body of the coupler31. An indexing barrel33cforms the second section and interconnects the first section and the third sections, referenced respectively as,33aand33bas illustrated inFIGS. 6A and 6B. The indexing barrel33chas locking or indexing edges which correspond to the interior shape of the D-hole36to index the bolt33in the d-hole36. The third section is the angled end33bwhich is also threaded and is angled relative to the first section of the bolt and the indexing barrel33. The assembly for assembly for angle adjustment30comprising coupler31and bolt33are typically constructed from high quality galvanized steel to inhibit corrosion and increase run life. The above-referenced elements may, however, be constructed of any material known to those skilled in the art or later developed, which material is appropriate for the specific application of the assembly for angle adjustment30without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. One of ordinary skill will also appreciate that the actual mating shape of the D-hole36and locking edges (36b,36c) of the indexing barrel (33c) are inconsequential, i.e. shapes other than a “D” may be chosen without departure from the present disclosure, but that the indexing nature of the design disclosed provides additional benefits in operation and adjustment. One of ordinary skill will also appreciate that although applicant has disclosed the assembly for angle adjustment30having two components including coupler31and bolt33, one of ordinary skill will appreciate the end of an axle could be figured as bolt33for engagement with coupler31to allow for a similar end result and function, rotation to allow for angle introduction and control, without departure from the scope, spirit and intent of the present disclosure.

Illustrative Use and Adjustment

Use and operation using the assembly for angle adjustment30is illustrated byFIG. 3andFIG. 9as incorporated into a closing wheel assembly20. The opener assembly unit pictured inFIG. 3is a right-hand (RH) opener, and the timed hole32of the coupler31is pointing straight backwards (towards the user), assuming the user is positioned posterior of the closing wheel assembly20inFIG. 3. For example, and by way of illustration and without limitation, positioning the set-screw34straight backwards on a RH opener, as shown, allows the maximum closing wheel adjustment angle of 12 degrees. Further, if the coupler31is rotated further so the set-screw34is now pointed straight downwards (for a RH opener) the closing wheel angle23ais now neutral. Finally, if the coupler31is rotated further (so the set-screw34is pointing straight forward (or away from the user), on a RH opener), the closing wheel angle23abecomes negative at the maximum angle (not desired as it doesn't gather the soil to close the open furrow9.

FIG. 9is a rear view of a right mounted closing wheel assembly with the assembly for angle adjustment30of the present disclosure incorporated therein. The closing wheel23is adjusted to approximately to an angle23ahaving a value of 10.4 degrees and soil10(not shown) is moving right to left (soil direction10a) for a right handed (RH) opener towards the furrow9(not shown) to be closed. (SeeFIG. 1for illustrative example of an open furrow9) When the coupler31is installed on the closing wheel shaft22, the assembly for angle adjustment30is infinitely adjustable allowing an angle23aoperating range of −12 and +12 degrees to the open furrow9(aka seed slot) (when viewed from above, with the closing wheel arm21in the horizontal position). One of ordinary skill will appreciate that a closing wheel23positioned with a negative angle23atypically is not desirable as the closing wheel23does not gather sufficient soil to close the open furrow9so the operating range for a closing wheel angle23ais 0-12 degrees. Applicant has found that 12 degrees of closing wheel angle23ais best suited for higher moisture clay soils, especially with no-till conditions. The maximum 12 degree angle is achieved when the set screw34is positioned straight backwards on a closing wheel arm22that's horizontal when viewed from the side. As the coupler is rotated downwards, the closing wheel angle23ais reduced. The reduced angle is better suited for looser soils, drier soils or when operating at higher speeds where increased soil throw is common. When the coupler31is adjusted so the set screw34points straight downwards, the closing wheel23will run parallel to the open furrow9with little to no closing wheel action which is typically undesirable for this particular application.

After setting the desired closing wheel angle23a, the lock nut on the axle and the set screw34on the coupler31are both tightened to lock the coupler31in position. The opener assembly unit pictured inFIG. 3is a right-hand (RH) opener, and the set screw34is pointing straight backwards (towards the user). The settings are the same with the left-handed (LH) opener as the coupler31is reversed on the opposite side. Indicator marks35are provided on the coupler31to ensure all couplers31are positioned at a consistent angle within all of the closing wheel arm shafts22across the drill/planter/seeder1.

FIG. 7is a perspective view of another embodiment of the assembly for angle adjustment30wherein indicator marks35have been positioned around the outer circumference of the body of the coupler31. One of ordinary skill will appreciate that the assembly for angle adjustment30may be configured for use and operation adjacent a plurality of closing wheel assemblies20attached to a plurality of corresponding planter row units10attached to a tool bar4to form a contiguous planter unit (not shown). Furthermore, the assembly for angle adjustment30may be adapted for use with non-symmetrical closing wheels (not shown), or walking style closing wheels (not shown), or multiple point closing wheels (shown), independent of the styles or types of closing wheels shown or disclosed herein.

FIG. 8is a perspective view of another embodiment of the assembly for angle adjustment30wherein an annular groove39has been positioned in the interior of the coupler (shaft end31a) with a rubber o-ring40positioned therein to inhibit intrusion of soil, dirt, water and dust between the coupler shaft end31aand shaft22.

Having described the preferred embodiments, other features of the will undoubtedly occur to those versed in the art, as will numerous modifications and alterations in the embodiments as illustrated herein, all of which may be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the assembly for angle adjustment30disclosed herein. Accordingly, the methods and embodiments pictured and described herein are for illustrative purposes only, and the scope of the present disclosure extends to all method and/or structures for providing increased functionality, comfort, and/or longevity to shoes and/or components thereof. Furthermore, the methods and embodiments pictured and described herein are no way limiting to the scope of the assembly for angle adjustment30unless so stated in the following claims.

It should be noted that the assembly for angle adjustment30is not limited to the specific embodiments pictured and described herein, but is intended to apply to all similar apparatuses and methods for providing the various benefits and/or features of a assembly for angle adjustment30. Modifications and alterations from the described embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art without departure from the spirit and scope of the assembly for angle adjustment30. It is understood that the assembly for angle adjustment30as disclosed herein extends to all alternative combinations of one or more of the individual features mentioned, evident from the text and/or drawings, and/or inherently disclosed. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the assembly for angle adjustment30and/or components thereof. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the assembly for angle adjustment30and/or components thereof and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the same. The claims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.