Parallelogram boom devices for mounting agricultural implements to short wheel base tractors and adjusting implement position relative to ground

A parallelogram boom device for mounting agricultural implements has a parallelogram arrangement of a first upper beam horizontally and longitudinally aligned with a second upper beam plus a single lower beam longitudinally aligned with the first and second upper beams, but at a lower horizontal level. A first hydraulic piston unit acts via a bridle to raise and lower the parallelogram arrangement relative to the ground. An agricultural implement is attached at one end to a mounting arm supported via the parallelogram arrangement and a second hydraulic piston unit serves to move the implement in an arc about its attached end. The new boom devices also have the capability of retracting the supported implements rearwards from their forward direction of travel in the event the implement encounters a rock, stump or like obstruction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This application relates to parallelogram boom devices for mounting 
agricultural implements to short wheel base tractors and adjusting 
implement position relative to ground during operation of the implements 
from the tractors. More particularly, it concerns assemblies of boom 
devices with short wheel base tractors for supporting spraying, cutting or 
like agricultural implements extending laterally from the tractors for 
movement close to the ground in a manner permitting such implements to: 
(1) have accurately controlled position relative to the ground from aboard 
the tractors and (2) kickback from the direction of travel in the event 
the implement encounters a rock, post, stump or like endangering 
obstruction. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
There are many type operations in which a land vehicle, typically a 
tractor, must transit terrain with some form of implement held thereby 
close to the ground, but out of contact therewith. An example of such 
operation is the periodic spraying of liquids onto the ground from spray 
jets fixed to a boom carried by a tractor as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 
4,206,569, 5,012,608 & 5,280,685. 
It is know to use parallelogram booms to raise and lower platforms relative 
to ground as shown by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,129,480 and 5,605,431. The present 
invention applies this parallelogram principle in unique manner to enable 
short wheel base tractors to laterally support agricultural implements, 
particularly spray units, while permitting their position relative to 
ground to be adjusted by an operator aboard the tractors. 
Typically, prior art parallelogram booms are constructed with one or more 
pairs of upper and lower beams. Thus, they will have a single pair of 
upper and lower beams, e.g., see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,477,930 and 5,560,130, 
or plural pairs of upper and lower beams, e.g., see U.S. Pat. Nos. 
5,249,643, 5,577,563 and 5,584,356. In contrast, the booms of the present 
invention comprise two upper beams with a single lower beam thereby 
enabling this unique type of parallelogram boom to operate inboard of the 
front wheels of tractors and outboard of a front end tractor motor. 
OBJECTS 
A principal object of the invention is the provision of unique 
parallelogram boom devices for mounting agricultural implements to short 
wheel base tractors and for adjusting the position, i.e., height and 
angle, of the implements relative to ground during their operation. 
Another object is the provision of such boom devices capable of being 
positioned between the front wheels of tractors and the front end tractor 
motor to operate inboard of the front wheels of tractors and above their 
drive axles while, at the same time, being able to handle the severe 
twisting forces applied to them by the side extending implements which 
they support. 
Further objects include the provision of such boom devices having (1) the 
capability of retracting supported implements rearwards from their forward 
direction of travel in the event the implement encounters a rock, post, 
stump or like endangering obstruction. 
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention 
will become apparent from the detailed descriptions given herein; it 
should be understood, however, that the detailed descriptions, while 
indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of 
illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the 
spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent from such 
descriptions. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The objects are accomplished in accordance with the invention by the 
provision of a unique parallelogram boom device for mounting agricultural 
implements to short wheel base tractors having right and left front wheels 
mounted via an axle unit to a chassis that carries a motor assembly 
between the wheels and adjusting the position of such mounted implements 
relative to ground during their operation. 
The new boom devices of the invention basically comprise a parallelogram 
arrangement of a first upper beam horizontally and longitudinally aligned 
with a second upper beam plus a single lower beam longitudinally aligned 
with the first and second upper beams, but at a horizontal level 
therebelow, the parallelogram arrangement being defined by a forward end 
and a rearward end. 
Further, the boom device includes (a) a mount adapted to be carried upon 
the tractor chassis inboard of the wheels comprising a vertical plate, (b) 
a horizontal top spar and (c) a horizontal bottom spar with both spars 
supported by the vertical plate in a plane parallel to the plate. 
The forward end of the parallelogram arrangement is supported by the top 
and bottom spars and hydraulic piston means is attached to the 
parallelogram arrangement to raise and lower it. 
A frame is positioned vertically adjacent the rearward end of the 
parallelogram arrangement which is supported by the rearward end of the 
parallelogram arrangement and a lug extends laterally from the frame 
carrying a outboard bearing. 
There is an implement mounting arm defined by an inboard end and an 
outboard end. Such inboard end is rotationally pinned to the bearing and 
the outboard end is equipped to support an agricultural implement. 
Hydraulic piston means is attached to the implement mounting arm to raise 
and lower it plus any agricultural implement attached thereto. 
The objects of the invention are further accomplished by the combination of 
a short wheel base tractor with at least one parallelogram boom device as 
above described positioned either on the right or left side of the 
tractor. Alternatively, such combination may comprise a pair of the new 
parallelogram boom devices. 
The objects of the invention are still further accomplished by structuring 
the new parallelogram boom device to include kickback means to retract the 
implement mounting arm rearwards from its forward direction of travel to 
protect any mounted agricultural implement against damage in the event the 
implement supported thereby encounters an obstruction, e.g., rock, stump 
or the like. 
In a preferred embodiment of the new parallelogram boom devices, the 
kickback means basically comprises an accumulator, a first flow control 
value, a second flow control value, a hydraulic cylinder means and a 
relief valve. 
The accumulator is attached to a T-connector defined by an accumulator 
connection, a first valve connection and a second valve connection. The 
first flow control value is joined to the first valve connection for 
controlled flow of fluid there through away from the accumulator, but free 
flow toward the accumulator. Further, the second flow control value is 
joined to the second valve connection for controlled flow of fluid there 
through away from the accumulator, but free flow toward the accumulator. 
The hydraulic cylinder means comprises a cylinder, a piston that 
reciprocates therein defined by a first face and a second face, a shaft 
defined by an internal end and an external end and the internal end is 
attached to the first face. There is a first cylinder port in the cylinder 
that communicates with the first face of the piston and a second cylinder 
port that communicates with the second face. First tubing operatively 
joins the first flow control valve to the first cylinder port for fluid 
flow there between. 
The relief valve comprises a first relief valve port and a second relief 
valve port and second tubing operatively joins the second flow control 
valve to the first relief valve port for fluid flow there between. 
Finally, third tubing operatively joins the second cylinder port to the 
second relief valve port for fluid flow there between. 
In order to permit an operator positioned in the drivers compartment of the 
short wheel base tractor equipped with a parallelogram boom device of the 
invention, hydraulic lines lead into such compartment where they are 
associated with control valves having hand levers that permit the operator 
to move agricultural implements up and down horizontally, angle the 
implements relative to the horizon and manipulate the kickback protection 
feature.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring in detail to the drawings, a parallelogram boom device 2 of the 
invention is structured for mounting agricultural implements 4 to a short 
wheel base tractor 6 having a right front wheel 8 and left front wheel 10 
supported via an axle unit 12 on a chassis 14 that carries a motor 
assembly 16 between the wheels 6 & 8 and for adjusting the position of 
such mounted implements relative to ground 19 during their operation. 
The boom device 2 comprises a right parallelogram arrangement 18 and a 
mirror image left parallelogram arrangement 18A. It will be understood 
that the new boom devices of the invention may consist of a single right 
or left parallelogram boom arrangement per se or in combination with a 
short wheel base tractor. Since the construction of arrangements 18 & 18A 
are mirror images of each other, the detailed description below is limited 
to the right arrangement 18. 
The right parallelogram arrangement 18 comprises a first upper beam 20 
horizontally and longitudinally aligned with a second upper beam 22 plus a 
single lower beam 24 longitudinally aligned with the first and second 
upper beams 20 & 22, but at a horizontal level therebelow. The arrangement 
18 being defined by a forward end 26 and a rearward end 28. 
The first upper beam 20 has a front end 30, a rear end 32 and a arcuate 
midsection 34. Also, the second upper beam 22 has a front end 36, a rear 
end 38 and a arcuate midsection 40. The single lower beam 24 has a front 
end 42, a rear end 44 and a arcuate midsection 46. 
A mount means 48, positioned adjacent the forward end 26 of the 
parallelogram arrangement 18, comprises a vertical plate 50, a top end 52, 
a bottom end 53 plus right and left support legs 54 that extend normally 
from the plate 50 to support the mount 48 upon the chassis 14 inboard of 
the wheels 8 & 10 and in front of the motor assembly 16. 
A horizontal top spar 56 is supported by the top end 52 parallel to the 
vertical plate 50 and a horizontal bottom spar 58 is similarly supported 
by the bottom end 53. The outboard ends of the spars 56 & 58 are equipped 
with braces 59. 
The front ends 30 & 36 of the upper beams 20 & 22 respectively are 
rotationally carried by the top spar 56 and the front end 42 of lower beam 
24 is rotationally carried by the bottom spar 58. 
Bridle means 60 has one end fixed to the arcuate midsection section 34 and 
an opposed end fixed to the arcuate midsection section 40 holding the 
beams 20 & 22 horizontally spaced apart and longitudinally aligned. 
Hydraulic boom piston means 62 is attached to bridle means 60 to raise and 
lower the parallelogram arrangement 18 relative to the ground 19. 
A frame 64 having an upper portion 66, a lower portion 68 and a midportion 
70, is positioned vertically adjacent the rearward end 28 of the 
parallelogram arrangement 18. The first and second rear ends 32 & 38 of 
the upper beams are rotatably carried by the upper portion 66 and the 
third rear end 44 of the lower beam is rotatably carried by the midportion 
70. 
A lug 72 extends laterally from the lower portion 68 of the frame 64 and 
carries a bearing 74 outboard of the lower portion 68. 
There is an implement mounting arm 76 having an inboard end 78 and an 
outboard end 80. The inboard end 78 is rotationally pinned to the bearing 
74 and the outboard end 80 is equipped to support the agricultural 
implement 4. 
Hydraulic second piston means 82 is attached to the implement mounting arm 
76 via linkage 83 to raise and lower arm 76. 
The boom arrangement 18 is fixed to the tractor chassis 14, in addition to 
the mount 48, by support means 84. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 & 3, 
such support means 84 comprises a front plate 85 and a rear plate 86 which 
are fastened to the chassis 14 by bolts 87. In other embodiments (not 
shown), the support means 84 may be an elongated single plate (not shown) 
or a plurality of angle brackets (not shown) which are structured to 
accommodate the different contours of the tractor chassis to which the 
boom arrangement 18 needs to be mounted. 
The boom arrangement 18 also preferably includes a thrust means 88 to 
stabilize the boom arrangement against lateral strains. Advantageously, 
thrust means 88 includes a bracing cross-bar 89 that extends over the 
motor assembly 16. 
With reference to FIGS. 3 & 4-7, a kickback device 90 that forms a portion 
of the parallelogram boom device 2 basically comprises an accumulator 92 
having T-connector 93, valve 94 with flow controller 95, valve 96 with 
flow controller 97, relief valve 98 with control lever 99, kickback 
cylinder 100 and pressure gage 102. 
Typically the accumulator 92 comprises a flexible bladder (not shown) 
enclosed in a metal housing with a nipple (not shown) that connects to the 
T-connector 93 via the neck 91. 
Tubing 104 joins T-connector 93 to valve 94 for controlled fluid flow there 
through in the direction of the arrow by manipulation of controller 95, 
but there is free flow of fluid through valve 94 in the opposite 
direction, i.e., from valve 94 to T-connector 93. 
Tubing 106 joins T-connector 93 to valve 96 for controlled fluid flow there 
through in the direction of the arrow by manipulation of controller 97, 
but there is free flow of fluid through valve 96 in the opposite 
direction, i.e., from valve 96 to T-connector 93. 
Tubing 108 connects valve 94 with kickback cylinder 100 for flow of fluid 
into or out of end 101 thereof and tubing 110 connects kickback cylinder 
100 for flow of fluid into or out of end 103 of kickback cylinder 100 into 
or out of relief value 98. 
Tubing 112 connects valve 96 with relief valve 98 for flow of fluid into or 
out of relief valve 98. Tubing 114 operatively connects valve 98 to 
cylinder 100. 
A piston 116 with attached shaft 118 reciprocates in the kickback cylinder 
100. The end 120 of shaft 118 connects via a hinge 122 to implement mount 
124 to rotate it about the hinge 126 fixed on end 80 of implement mounting 
arm 76. 
Piston 116 serves to move a implement 4 carried by mount 124 from a lateral 
operational position shown in FIG. 4 to a safety kickback position shown 
in FIG. 5. Piston means 82 via linkage 83 serves to move mounting arm 76 
from a horizontal operational position as shown in FIG. 6 to an elevated 
non-operational position as shown in FIG. 7. 
Referring to FIG. 9, a hydraulic system 140 for powering boom device 2 
comprises a pair of control units 142 and 144 that are connected in 
conventional manner to a hydraulic pump (not shown) and hydraulic fluid 
sump (not shown). Where the boom device 2 consists of both right and left 
boom arrangements 18, there will be a duplicate (not shown) of the system 
140 to power the right or left arrangement, as the case may be. 
Control unit 142 controls the raising and lowering of the boom arrangement 
18. It comprises a lever operated valve 148 that is monitored by the 
pressure gauge 150 and is operatively connected by fluid line 152 to the 
boom piston means 62. 
Control unit 144 controls the raising and lowering of the instrument 
mounting arm 76. It comprises a lever operated valve 154 that is monitored 
by the pressure gauge 156 and is operatively connected by fluid line 158 
to the second piston means 82. 
Advantageously, the control units 142 and 144 are bundled together with 
control value 98 and gage 102 on a panel (not shown) accessing the tractor 
operator to a convenient trio of three gages and three control levers, in 
the case of a single right or left boom arrangement 18, or a display of 
six gages and six control levers in the case of duplex right and left boom 
arrangements 18 & 18A. 
FIG. 10 is a lateral view of an upper beam 20 of the parallelogram 
arrangement 18. 
FIG. 11 is a lateral view of an lower beam 24. 
FIG. 12 is a lateral view of thrust means 88. 
FIG. 13 is a lateral view of bracket 130 that forms a part of the mount 
means 48. It comprises a horizontal portion 132 that clamps to the chassis 
14 and a vertical portion 134 contains bore 136 to receive and support top 
spar 56 and a similar bore 138 for bottom spar 58. 
FIG. 14 is a lateral view of part 64A of the frame 64 and comprises an 
upper portion 66A, lower portion 68A and midportion 70A. Only the top 
portion 66A shows in FIG. 2. 
FIG. 15 is a lateral view of part 64B of the frame 64 and comprises an 
upper portion 66B, lower portion 68B and midportion 70B, all of which are 
shown in FIG. 2. 
Those skilled in the art will clearly recognize that substitutions may be 
made for specific parts that have been described for construction of the 
embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein. Thus, instead of the 
manual type valves 148, 154 and others, solenoid or cable assisted valves 
may be used. Similar suitable substitutions for other specific parts will 
be apparent to those skilled in the art.