Method and apparatus for mounting and lifting implement extension wings

A mulch crimper implement for use in agricultural and horticultural applications is disclosed with a flexible mounting for extension wings that accommodates both pivotal and vertical movement of the wing in relation to the main frame of the implement. The mounting includes slotted pivot mounting holes in a pair of brackets positioned between and above the wing and main frame. A power lift system operated with a hydraulic cylinder utilizes the slotted hole wing mounting system for pivoting the wing through an angle greater than 180 degrees between work position adjacent the main frame and a transportation and storage position over the main frame.

BACKGROUND 
The present invention is related to agricultural and horticultural 
implements, and more specifically to flexible mounting of extension wings 
for implements and a method and hydraulic lift apparatus for such wings. 
The desireability of efficient and economic use of time and energy has 
contributed to the feasibility of larger mulching and tilling implements 
for agricultural and horticultural uses. Since there are practical and 
legal limitations for transporting such implements on public highways 
additional width for such implements are often provided by including 
extensions or wings of additional mulching or tilling tools on the lateral 
ends of an implement. In order to provide flexibility, it is common to 
mount such extension wings on implements in such a manner that they can be 
folded down into a use position for work and folded up and out of the way 
for transportation and storage. In recent years, with the advent of 
significantly larger implements and extension wings, such lifting and 
folding mechanisms are now often power operated, such as with hydraulic 
cylinders connected to the hydraulic system of a tractor. 
Extension wings and powered lifting and folding apparatus for such wings 
existing prior to this invention have been appropriate and useful for 
conventional agricultural applications. However, such conventional 
apparatus prior to this invention have lacked the flexibility and utility 
required for some specialized applications, such as crimping and fixing 
mulch in newly seeded road ditches, mining reclamation areas, pipeline 
rights of way, and other locations where sharp variations in terrain and 
tight operating spaces are commonly encountered. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel 
flexible mounting structure for extension wings capable of accommodating 
sharp variations in ground terrain. 
It is also an object of the present invention to provide extension wing 
apparatus for agricultural and horticultural implements wherein the wing 
is capable of vertical as well as pivotal movement in relation to the main 
implement frame. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide flexible extension 
wing apparatus for sharply contoured terrain that is foldable to an 
out-of-the-way position for transportation and storage. 
A still further object of the present invention is to provide hydraulically 
powered lift apparatus for folding a flexible extension wing on 
agricultural and horticultural implements to a non-use position through a 
rotation of more than 180 degrees. 
The flexible extension wings of the present invention are provided with 
attachment arms that are movable vertically as well as pivotally in 
relation to the main frame of an agricultural or horticultural implement, 
such as the mulch crimper implement described in this disclosure. The 
mounting arms include a slotted hole adapted for pivotal and vertically 
slidable mounting on a support shaft on the main frame. The invention also 
includes a method and hydraulic powered lift apparatus that operates in 
combination with the slotted hole mounting of the wing apparatus to the 
main frame to effectively pivot the wing through an angle greater than 180 
degrees from the use position to the transportation and storage position. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A mulch crimper implement 10 is shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 equipped with 
left and right extension wings 60, 120, respectively, flexibly mounted to 
the main frame 12 according to the present invention. The mulch crimper 10 
is generally comprised of a rectangular main frame 12 having parallel, 
spaced-apart elongated front beam 28 and rear beam 30 joined together at 
their ends by the left end beam 32 and right end beam 34. A rigid, 
elongated pole extends forwardly from the rectangular main frame 12 and 
has a hitch mechanism 22 on its distal end adapted for hitching to a 
pulling vehicle, such as a tractor (not shown). Angular braces 24, 26 
extend respectively from the left and right ends of the main frame 12 to 
the mid-section of the pole 20 to support and strengthen the pole 20. An 
elongated main axle 14 with the plurality of flat circular discs 18 
mounted thereon in spaced apart relation to each other is positioned under 
the main frame 12. A plurality of main supports 16 extend downwardly from 
the main frame 12, and the main axle 14 is journeled in the bearing blocks 
at the bottom of main supports 16. The discs 18 are adapted to roll over 
and penetrate into the ground to crimp and fix mulch into the soil as the 
mulch crimper 10 is pulled forwardly by a tractor (not shown). 
The mulch crimper 10 disclosed herein is also provided with a lift and 
carriage apparatus for lifting the main frame 12 and discs 18 upwardly 
away from the ground for transportation. This lift and carriage assembly 
is comprised of a pair of wheels 40, 46 positioned behind the main frame 
12 in spaced apart relation to each other, left and right wheel support 
arms 38, 44, respectively, rigidly attached to and extending rearwardly 
from an elongated support pipe 35, and a hydraulic cylinder 50. The 
support pipe 35 is positioned adjacent and parallel to the rear beam 30 of 
main frame 12. It is pivotally mounted to the rear beam 30 by journel 
boxes 36, 37 positioned respectively at opposite ends of pipe 35. 
Pivotal movement of the elongated support pipe 35 is effective to move the 
distal ends of wheel support arms 38, 44 upwardly and downwardly. The 
wheels 40, 46 are mounted to the distal ends of respective support arms 
38, 44 by respective wheel axles 42, 48. 
A lift arm 54 is rigidly attached to and extends upwardly from the 
mid-point of the elongated support pipe 35, and a hydraulic cylinder 
positioned over the main frame 12 is adapted to rotate the elongated 
support pipe 35 in opposite directions. The blind end of the cylinder 50 
is anchored to the pole 20 by cylinder mounting block 52, and the rod 51 
of cylinder 50 is connected to the lift arm 54. The cylinder 50 is 
preferably double acting and operates in a conventional manner such that 
extension of rod 51 rotates the elongated support pipe 35 rearwardly 
causing the wheels 40, 46 to move downwardly and bear on the ground, thus 
lifting the discs 18 off the ground. Conversely, retraction of the rod 51 
into the cylinder 50 is effective to move the wheels 40, 46 upwardly, 
thereby lowering the discs 18 to the ground. 
As mentioned above, a unique feature of this invention is the flexible 
extension wing structure utilized to expand the working span of the mulch 
crimper implement 10 during mulch crimping operations while accommodating 
relatively severe variations in terrain. This flexibility is best 
illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein left wing 60 is shown extending outwardly 
and downwardly from the main frame 12 while right wing 120 is extending 
outwardly and upwardly. It is significant to note that the connecting 
structures between the wings 60, 120 and the main frame 12 not only 
accommodate pivotal movement of the wings 60, 120 in relation to the main 
frame 12, but they also accommodate vertical movement as well. 
Consequently, as shown in FIG. 2, left wing 60 is not only pivoted 
angularly downward with respect to the main frame 12, but the wing axle 64 
is also offset vertically downwardly in relation to main axle 14. 
Likewise, where there is a sharp rise in the ground, such as that 
illustrated on the right side of FIG. 2, the right wing 120 cannot only 
pivot upwardly to accommodate an incline in the ground, but the wing axle 
124 of the wing 120 can also move upwardly to a vertically offset position 
in relation to the main axle 14 to accommodate a sharp rise in the ground. 
Of course, both the left wing 60 and the right wing 120 can accommodate 
upward and downward pivoting as well as vertical movement of the axle 
upwardly and downwardly. 
This enhanced wing flexibility to accommodate sharp variations in ground 
terrain is accomplished by the unique wing mounting structure of this 
invention. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the left wing 60 is comprised of 
a frame and tool structure similar to the main section of the mulch 
crimper. It includes a rectangular frame 62 comprised of parallel, 
spaced-apart front and rear elongated beams 72, 74, respectively. The 
front and rear beams 72, 74 are joined at the ends by an inside cross beam 
76 and an outside cross beam 78. A plurality of flat circular discs 68 are 
mounted in spaced apart relation to each other on a wing axle 64. The wing 
axle 64 is rotatably mounted under the wing frame 62 by a plurality of 
spaced apart wing supports and bearing blocks 66. Mud and rock scrapers 70 
are provided between the discs 68. 
The left wing 60 is connected to the main frame 12 of the mulch crimper by 
a pair of front and rear wing brackets 90, 92, respectively. These wing 
brackets 90, 92 extend upwardly and inwardly in spaced apart relation to 
each other from the inside beam 76 of the wing frame 62. These wing 
brackets 90, 92 are pivotally mounted by shaft 86 to a pair of front and 
rear mounting brackets 82, 84 attached to and extending rigidly upward and 
outward from the left beam 32 of main frame 12. The front and rear wing 
brackets 90, 92 are each provided with a substantially vertical slotted 
hole 93 at the upper distal end thereof through which the shaft 86 is 
positioned. This mounting structure with the shaft 86 extending through 
the slotted holes 93 allows the wing 60 to move pivotally about the shaft 
86 as well as vertically up and down in relation to the main axle 14. 
The powered wing lift system of the present invention is also unique in its 
structure and in its ability to pivot the wings from the work position 
through an angle of more than 180 degrees to the transportation and 
storage position shown in FIG. 3, while allowing the flexibility of wing 
movement in relation to the main frame 12 as described above. The 
structure of the left wing lift apparatus 80 is best described with 
reference to FIGS. 1 through 5. An elongated pipe 88 is rotatably 
positioned concentrically on the shaft 86 between the front and rear 
mounting brackets 82, 84. A pair of elongated front and rear lift arms 94, 
100, respectively, are rigidly affixed to opposite ends of the pipe 88 and 
extend outwardly from the pipe 88 to a position over the front and rear 
beams 72, 74, respectively of the wing frame 62. 
The distal ends of the lift arms 94, 100 are flexibly connected to the wing 
frame 62 by downwardly depending links 96, 102, respectively. The front 
link 96 is pivotally attached by pin 97 to the distal end of the front 
lift arm 94. It is also pivotally attached by pin 99 to a rigid ear 98 
extending upwardly from the front beam 72. Likewise, the rear link 102 is 
pivotally connected to the distal end of rear lift arm 100 by pin 103 and 
to the rigid ear 104 extending upwardly from rear beam 74 by pin 105. It 
is preferred that the distal ends of the lift arms 94, 100 are connected 
to the mid-section of frame 62 so the weight of the wing 60 outward of the 
connections approximately balances the weight inward of the connections. 
When the wing 60 is connected to the lift arms 94, 100, in this manner, the 
lift arms 94, 100 can lift the wing 60 upwardly and pivot it about the 
shaft 86 to the folded transportation and storage position shown in FIG. 
3. Also, the rigid wing brackets 90, 92 can move upwardly and downwardly 
in relation to the shaft 86 the distance of the slotted holes 93 while 
pivoting about pins 97, 103 or 99, 105. Also, upward and downward movement 
of the lift arms 94, 100 approximately of the distance of the slotted 
holes 93 can result in vertical movement of the wing 60 upwardly and 
downwardly in relation to the main frame 12 of the mulch crimper 10. Of 
course, the flexibility of this wing mounting could also be obtained by 
providing the slotted holes in the distal ends of the mounting brackets 
82, 84 and connecting the shaft 86 to the wing brackets 90, 92. 
The wing lift apparatus 80 also includes a hydraulic cylinder 110 for 
pivoting the lift arms 94, 100 upwardly and downwardly. The blind end of 
cylinder 110 is anchored to a cylinder mounting bracket 114 on the main 
frame 12. The rod 112 of cylinder 110 is attached at its distal end to a 
rigid bracket or lever 116 affixed to and extending upwardly and outwardly 
from the pipe 88. Therefore, retraction of the rod 112 into the hydraulic 
cylinder 110 causes the lift arms 94, 100 to pivot upwardly, and extension 
of rod 112 allows the lift arms 94, 100 to pivot downwardly. 
As mentioned above, this lift apparatus 80 in combination with the slotted 
hole mounting 93 of the wing 60 to the main frame 12 is effective to pivot 
the wing 60 through an angle of more than 180 degrees with the hydraulic 
cylinder 110. This unique wing lifting and folding capability is best 
described by reference to FIGS. 6 through 17, which illustrate sequential 
positions of the wing 60 as it is lifted from the use position and folded 
to the transportation and storage position and then unfolded and lowered 
again to the use position. 
The wing 60 is shown in FIG. 6 in the use position extending outwardly and 
downwardly from the main frame 12 with the wing axle 64 dropped vertically 
downward in relation to the main axle 14. In this position, the rod 112 of 
cylinder 110 is fully extended, and the shaft 86 is positioned at the top 
of slotted hole 93. As the rod 112 of hydraulic cylinder 110 begins to 
retract inwardly as shown by arrow 181, the lift arms 94, 100 begin to 
lift upwardly, thereby applying an upward force to the wing 60. This 
upward force causes both the inner and outer ends of wings 60 to move 
upwardly as shown by arrows 180, 182 in FIG. 7. As the inner end of the 
wing 60 is pulled upwardly, the wing bracket 92 shifts upwardly so that 
the shaft 86 is positioned in the bottom of slotted hole 93. 
As the rod 112 of cylinder 110 continues to be retracted inwardly as 
indicated by arrow 185 in FIG. 8, the wing 60 continues to pivot upwardly, 
as indicated by arrow 184 about shaft 86, which remains positioned in the 
bottom of slotted hole 93. FIG. 9 illustrates a continuation of the 
pivotal movement of the wing 60 about shaft 86 as indicated by arrow 186, 
as the rod 112 of cylinder 110 continues to be retracted inwardly in the 
direction of arrow 187. It should be noted here that the shaft 86 has 
still not shifted position in the slotted 93, although the wing brackets 
90, 92 are pivoted about shaft 86 92 are turned nearly upside down such 
that the portion that was the top of slotted hole 93 is now rotated to a 
position under shaft 86. 
At approximately the position shown in FIG. 10, with the wing 60 having 
been pivoted through nearly 180 degrees from the starting or fully 
extended position, the rod 112 of the hydraulic cylinder 110 is fully 
retracted. This condition occurs when the hydraulic cylinder mounting pins 
are aligned in a straight line with shaft 86. At this point, an 
"over-center" motion must occur to carry the rod mounting pin below the 
line between the shaft 86 and the mounting pin at the blind end of the 
cylinder. When this "over center" motion occurs, the operator can reverse 
the motion of rod 112 to begin extending it in the direction indicated by 
arrow 189 in order to continue the pivotal movement of the wing 60 in the 
direction shown by arrow 188. This "over center" motion is induced by the 
weight of the wing 60. Once this over center movement is accomplished so 
that the rod 112 can be extended outwardly from the cylinder 110, the 
pivotal movement of the wing 60 continues through an angle greater than 
180 degrees to the folded transportation and storage position shown in 
FIG. 11. In this transportation and storage position, the distal or outer 
end of the wing rests on shelf 178 a spaced distance above main frame 12. 
The inner end continues to rest on shaft 86, which remains in the same 
position in slotted hole 93 as was occupied by the shaft 86 throughout 
this entire folding movement. 
The hydraulic lift apparatus 80 of the present invention is also capable of 
pivoting the wing 60 in the opposite direction to move it from the folded 
transportation and storage position shown in FIG. 11 to the fully extended 
position shown in FIG. 17. The sequential positions of this unfolding 
movement through an angle of greater than 180 degrees are illustrated in 
FIGS. 12 through 17. 
The beginning of this unfolding movement is shown in FIG. 12, wherein the 
rod 112 of cylinder 110 begins the movement by retracting in the direction 
of arrow 192. As the rod 112 is retracted in this inital movement, the 
lift arms 94, 100 move upwardly and cause the entire wing 60 to move 
vertically upwardly off the shelf 178 as indicated by arrow 190. This 
upward movement of the wing 60 also causes the wing mounting brackets 90, 
92 to move vertically upward, thereby shifting the positions of shaft 86 
to the opposite end of slotted hole 93. 
Continued retraction of the rod 112 into the cylinder 110 causes the wing 
60 to pivot upwardly about shaft 86 in the direction of arrow 194 to the 
approximate position shown in FIG. 13. In this position, the mounting pins 
of the hydraulic cylinder 110 and rod 112 become aligned again with shaft 
86 such that continued retraction of the rod 112 or extension of the rod 
112 is resisted by the in-line neutral mechanical position of these 
components. Therefore, in order to continue the unfolding pivotal movement 
of the wing 60 in the direction of arrow 194, it is necessary to 
accomplish an upwardly directed "over center" motion so that the rod 112 
of cylinder 110 can be extended over shaft 86. Such "over center" motion 
at this phase is not accomplished naturally by the mere downward force of 
the weight of the wing, as it was at this position in the folding mode 
described above, because the dead weight of wing 60 tends to push the rod 
downward and resist its movement upward. The slotted hole mounting 93 in 
combination with the pivotal links 96, 102 are significant in this regard, 
since they provide sufficient flexibility to continue the momentum of the 
upward movement of the wing 60 required to carry the rod 112 over center 
upwardly while the direction of rod movement is reversed. Without this 
additional flexibility, the momentary cessation of rod 112 motion while 
changing from retraction to extension mode would also stop the upward 
pivotal movement of the wing. Without such upward pivotal momentum, the 
weight of the wing would prevent the lever 116 and rod 112 from being 
moved over center upwardly. 
According to the method and apparatus of this invention, at the moment when 
retraction movement of the rod 112 stops, the pivotal momentum of the wing 
continues by pivoting in the links 96, 102 at the distal ends of the lift 
arms 94, 100. This pivoting in the links 96, 102 is possible because the 
slotted holes 93 allow the wing mounting brackets 90, 92 to move in 
relation to the shaft 86, even though the lift arms 94, 100 are held 
momentarily stationary as the rod 112 changes direction. 
During this secondary pivot in the links 96, 102, the operator has time to 
reverse the hydraulic pressure to begin extending rod 112. Therefore, by 
the time the shaft 86 shifts to the opposite end of the slotted holes 93, 
hydraulic pressure is applied to extend rod 112 along with the continuing 
upward pivotal momentum of the wing 60. The combination of this upward 
momentum acting on the lift arms 94, 100 when the shaft 86 reaches the 
opposite end of slotted holes 93 along with the hydraulic pressure acting 
to extend rod 112 is sufficient to move lever 116 and rod 112 over center. 
The extension of rod 112 from hydraulic pressure in the cylinder 110 can 
then continue in the direction of arrow 196 to unfold the wing 60. 
As the rod 112 of cylinder 110 continues to extend outwardly in the 
direction of arrow 199, the wing continues to unfold as shown by arrow 198 
in FIG. 14. FIG. 15 illustrates a continuation of the sequential unfolding 
movement of wing 60 as the rod 112 continues to extend in the rod 112 
continues to extend in the direction of arrow 201 and the wing continues 
to unfold in the direction of arrow 200. Throughout this portion of the 
pivotal unfolding movement, the shaft 86 remains in the same end of 
slotted hole 93, the position to which it was shifted in the over center 
movement illustrated in FIG. 13. This same position is maintained to the 
fully extended position of wing 60 shown in FIG. 16 as the rod 12 
continues to extend in the direction of arrow 203 and the wing 60 
continues to pivot in the direction of 202. Finally, as the wing 60 
reaches full extension, it is free to flat vertically upwardly and 
downwardly or to pivot upwardly and downwardly as described above. For 
example, in the fully extended position shown in FIG. 17, with the ground 
having a sharp drop under the wing 60, the wing 60 can move vertically 
downward in relation to the main frame 12 as indicated by arrow 205, while 
the shaft 86 is shifted to the upper portion of slotted hole 93. 
While the preceding description of the wing mounting and wing lift 
apparatus was directed to the description of the left wing 60 and the left 
wing lift apparatus 80, it should be noted that that structure and 
operation of the right wing 120 and the right wing lift apparatus 140 is 
the same. 
The right wing 120 includes a rectangular wing frame 122 comprised of 
forward and rear parallel beams 132, 134, respectively, joined on the ends 
by parallel spaced apart inner beam 136 and outer beam 138. A plurality of 
flat, circular wing discs 128 are mounted on wing axle 124 in spaced apart 
relation to each other, and the wing axle 124 is rotatably mounted under 
the wing frame 122 by a plurality of spaced apart wing support and bearing 
blocks 126. 
The wing 120 is mounted to the main frame 12 in a manner similar to the 
left wing 60. A pair of mounting brackets 142, 144 extend upwardly and 
outwardly from the end beam 34 of main frame 12, and a pair of wing 
mounting brackets 150, 152 extend upwardly and inwardly from the inner 
beam 136 of wing frame 122. The wing mounting brackets 150, 152 are 
pivotally mounted to the brackets 142, 144 by a shaft 146 extending 
therethrough. The wing mounting brackets 150, 152 are provided with 
slotted holes 153 at their distal ends through which the shaft 146 is 
positioned. 
The left hydraulic lift apparatus 140 is comprised of an elongated pipe 148 
mounted concentrically on shaft 146, and a pair of lift arms 154, 160 
rigidly attached to and extending outwardly from the ends of pipe 148. The 
wing frame 122 is suspended from the distal ends of the lift arms 154, 160 
by lengths 156, 162. The right hydraulic cylinder 170 is anchored at its 
blind end to a cylinder mounting bracket 174 on main frame 12, and the rod 
172 is mounted to a rigid arm 176 extending rigidly upwardly and outwardly 
from the pipe 148. Therefore, it can be appreciated that the right wing 
120 has the same flexibility of movement and ability to be pivoted through 
an angle greater than 180 degrees to the transportation and storage 
position shown in FIG. 3, similar to the above description for the left 
wing 60. 
While the present invention has been described with a certain degree of 
particularity, it should be appreciated the the invention is defined by 
the following claims construed in view of the prior art so that 
modifications or changes can be made to the embodiments of the present 
invention without departing from the inventive concepts comprised herein.