BI-FOLD IMPLEMENT FRAME

Abstract: The invention provides a farm implement frame which includes a plurality of elongated generally planar and horizontal frame sections (2a, 2b) to which individual ground working tools may be mounted, extending transverse to the direction of travel when in the working position and including spaced apart forward and rearward members, and extending generally in the direction of travel when in the transport position, connected to elongated hitch members (18) for connection to a tractor or other motive source the center 2 of said frame sections; each including an inner end and a distal end, connected together at their respective inner ends by a main pivotal connection (3) adjacent the said forward members having a generally vertical axis so that the inner ends of said center frame sections about one another in the working position, each separately supported above the ground by first wheel means adjacent said inner end of said rearward member respectively, each also supported by said hitch members and by 2<nd> wheel means adjacent each said distal end, and, so as to remain generally parallel to the ground in the working position.

Description: Bϊ-FOLD IMPLEMENT FRAME DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a farm implement frame which includes a plurality of elongated generally planar and horizontal frame sections to which individual ground working tools may be mounted, extending transverse to the direction of travel when in the working position and including spaced apart forward and rearward members, and extending generally in the direction of travel when in the transport position, connected to elongated hitch members for connection to a tractor or other motive source the center 2 of said frame sections; each including a inner end and an distal end, connected together at their respective inner ends by a main pivotal connection adjacent the said forward members having a generally vertical axis so that the inner ends of said center frame sections abut one another in the working position, each separately supported above the ground by first wheel means adjacent said inner end of said rearward member respectively, each also supported by said hitch members and by 2 nd wheel means adjacent each said distal end, and, so as to remain generally parallel to the ground in the working position. The invention also provides a frame wherein said wheels are castering wheels. The invention further provides hydraulic means operable between said center sections to move said sections between said working position and said transport position including tongue means pivotally connected to said center sections about said main pivotal connection wherein said tongue means may extend rearwardly from said main axis. The invention also provides a pair of hydraulic cylinders each connected to respective ones of said rearward members of said center sections wherein said center sections include upper and lower members adjacent their respective inner ends extending between said upper and lower members. The invention further provides hitch members which are pivotally connected together at a forward end adjacent said tractor or motive source and pivotally connected to said frame sections about a generally vertical axis and locking means operable in the transport position to maintain said center sections generally in the direction of travel. The invention also provides no wheel support adjacent the said pivotal connection. The invention also provides a plurality of rockshafts each pivotally attached to respective ones of said rearward members for movement about an axis parallel to and rearward of said frame section when in the working position and adapted to carry tool sub-frame sections and a plurality of tool sub- frame sections each pivotally attached to a respective rockshaft for motion between a generally horizontal working position and a generally upright transport position. Tool hydraulic means between said rockshafts and said tool sub-frame sections operable to control their respective positions operable to provide relative rotational movement of the said tool sub-frame sections about the rockshaft and accommodate undulations in the ground when in the working position. The tool sub-frames are non-rectangular to provide both rows of tool support locations transverse to the direction of travel in the working position and spaces therebetween at a substantial non-right angle to said rockshaft. The tool sub-frames may be parallelogram shaped and extend at a substantial non-right angle to the said rockshaft and carry wheeled support means rearward of said tool sub-frames when in the working position. The wheeled support means include connection means between said tool sub-frames and said rockshaft to control their respective position. Connection means are operable to provide a working position in which each of said tool sub-frames are substantially parallel to and spaced from the ground by a variable amount further operable to reduce the height of said wheel support means above the ground when said tool sub-frame is raised to said substantially vertical position for transport. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows the preferred embodiment in full transport position with tools attached. Figure 2 shows the rear of the folding frame of Figure 1 in greater detail. Figure 3 shows a plan view of Figure 2 Figure 4 shows the folding frame with tool sub-frames in upright position and central frame sections partially folded forward towards transport position. Figure 5 shows a view of the central frame sections from the rear in greater detail, partially folded. Figure 6 shows a view of the central frame sections in Figure 5 in greater detail and with tool sub-frames raised into a non- working position. Figure 7 shows the central portion with tool sub-frames raised from the ground and partially folded forward towards transport but not raised. Figure 8 shows the abutment of the 2 central frame sections in the working position. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In figure 1 is shown the preferred embodiment of the bi-fold implement frame 1 of the invention in full transport position. The frame includes 2 generally planar and elongated central frame portions 2a and 2b. The frame remains generally horizontal in working and transport position as shown in figures 2 and 7. The frame sections 2a and 2b are generally aligned in the direction of travel in the transport position and transverse to the direction of travel in the working position. The central frame portions 2 are joined together at a centrally located king post 3 for pivotal motion about a, preferably single, vertical axis 4 which is forward of the rear frame member 15, figure 5. Each central frame portion is independently supported above the ground by castering wheels 5 at the kingpost end 16 and at the distal end 16 of the central portion, respectively. Central frame portions 2a and 2b, as shown in figure 7, include an elongated tool mounting member 7 to the rear of the frame portion when in the working position. Central frame portions 2a and 2b, as shown in figure 3 also include a 2nd elongated member 8 positioned forward of member 7 in the working position. Members 7 and 8 are substantially spaced apart as shown in figures 5 and 7 by 1 st and 2 nd end members 9 and 10. As shown in figure 5 the end members 9 and 10 provide for both of a substantial spacing between the kingpost 3 and each castering wheel 5 and a correspondingly substantial spacing as at 11a and 1 lb respectively between each of the tool mounting members 7. In transport as shown in figures 2 and 3 each of the tool mounting members and the 2 nd elongated frame portion members is generally parallel to the direction of travel. This spacing 11 provides for stability in transport as the aspect ratio of the pair of central frame section joined together at kingpost 3 is reduced by a factor of 4 while the width of the implement is narrow enough for transport. Kingpost 3 includes a tongue 12 which is pivotally attached for rotation about the same axis and is generally directed rearwardly of the implement. At its rearmost end 13, tongue 12 is connected to a pair of hydraulic cylinders 14a and 14b the other ends of which are attached to a respective central frame portion 2a or 2b. Activation of the cylinders as at 21 in figures 1, 2, and 5 rotates each of the central frame portions about the kingpost 2 so that they can be transported as aligned in the direction of travel. As shown in figure 4 each central frame section is pivotally attached as at 17 to a respective hitch member 18 for motion about a vertical axis so as to assist in supporting the frame sections above the ground. The forward end (not shown) of hitch members 18 are pivotally connected together for relative motion about another vertical axis and to a tractor or other motive power source 19 shown in figure 1. As shown in figure 8 the central frame sections 2a and 2b abut one another in the working position as at 20 in order to maintain the working position under load. Rockshaft 22 in figure 7 is pivotally attached at lug 23 to the frame section and is generally alinged parallel to the rear tool mount member of the frame section for rotation motion about an axis preferably below and parallel to the frame section from a lowered working position as in figure 7. Rotation of the tool sub-frames 25 about the rockshaft raises the sub-frames 25 to a non- working position as at 26 in figure 6 and thence to an over center generally upright position 27 as shown in figure 4. Full transport position is shown in figure 1. Each rockshaft includes a number of sub-frames as at 25a through 25d in figure 4. The relative position of the sub-frames 25 is controlled by a hydraulic cylinder such as 27 on figure 6 which determines its working height above the ground by relative rotation of the rockshaft 22 and the tool sub-frame 25 about the rear tool member of the respective frame section. The rear of tool sub-frame 25 is supported above the ground by wheel assembly 28 in figure 4 by a pivotally attached connecting arm 29 whose relative position is also determined by hydraulic cylinder 27 when acting in conjuction with rod 30 in figure 6. As rockshaft 25 is further rotated, rod 30 acts to rotate arm 29 further to bring wheel assembly 28 in close proximity to the tool sub-frame 25 as shown in full transport in figure 1. Each tool sub-frame 25 indepently floats on its own cylinder 27 which are ganged in parallel so as to provide for a single hydraulic ajustment of the working height 31 of all of the sub-frames 25 together. Each sub-frame 25a through 25c in figure 4 provides for transverse rows of tool mount positions 32. The sides 33 of sub-frames 25 are spaced from 1 another and irregular so as to provide for continuous tool coverage and for access spaces 34 between each sub-frame. Preferably spaces 34 are straight sided such as result from a parallelogram shaping of the tool sub-frames 25. The central frame sections 2a and 2b may be extended by addition of further outboard wing sections (not shown) which are pivotally connected to the sections 2a and 2b for motion about an axis in the direction of travel in the working position so as to provide flexability over uneven ground in both the working and transport positions. Further embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims: What we claim is: 1 ) A farm implement frame which includes: a) a plurality of elongated generally planar and horizontal frame sections to which individual ground working tools may be mounted, i) extending transverse to the direction of travel when in the working position and including spaced apart forward and rearward members, and ii) extending generally in the direction of travel when in the transport position, iii) connected to elongated hitch members for connection to a tractor or other motive source b) the center 2 of said frame sections: i) each including a inner end and an distal end, ii) connected together at their respective inner ends by a main pivotal connection adjacent the said forward members having a generally vertical axis so that the inner ends of said center frame sections abut one another in the working position, iii) each separately supported above the ground by first wheel means adjacent said inner end of said rearward member respectively, iv) each also supported by said hitch members and by 2 n wheel means adjacent each said distal end, and, v) so as to remain generally parallel to the ground in the working position 2) As in claim 2 where said wheels are castering wheels. 3) As in claim 2 further comprising hydraulic means operable between said center sections to move said sections between said working position and said transport position. 4) As in claim 3 wherein said hydraulic means includes tongue means pivotally connected to said center sections about said main pivotal connection. 5) As in claim 4 wherein said tongue means extends rearwardly from said main axis. 6) As in claim 5 wherein said hydraulic means includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders each connected to respective ones of said rearward members of said center sections. 7) As in claim 6 wherein said center sections include upper and lower members adjacent their respective inner ends. 8) As in claim 7 wherein said hydraulic means extends between said upper and lower members. 9) As in claim 8 wherein said tongue means extends between said upper and lower members 10) As in claim 1 wherein said hitch members are pivotally connected together at a forward end adjacent said tractor or motive source and pivotally connected to said frame sections about a generally vertical axis. 11) As in claim 10 further comprising locking means operable in the transport position to maintain said center sections generally in the direction of travel. 12) As in claim 11 further comprising hydraulic means operable between said center sections to move said sections between said working position and said transport position. 13) As in claim 12 wherein said hydraulic means includes tongue means pivotally connected to said center sections about said main pivotal connection. 14) As in claim 13 wherein said tongue means extends rearwardly from said main axis. 15) As in claim 14 wherein said hydraulic means includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders each connected to respective ones of said rearward members of said center sections. 16) As in claim 1 further including pairs of generally planar wing sections each pivotally connected to a respective one of said center sections about an axis generally parallel to the direction of travel when in the working position. 17) As in claim 1 having no wheel support adjacent the said pivotal connection. 18) As in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of rockshafts each pivotally attached to respective ones of said rearward members: a) for movement about an axis parallel to and rearward of said frame section when in the working position and b) adapted to carry tool sub-frame sections. 19) As in claim 18 further comprising a plurality of tool sub-frame sections each pivotally attached to a respective rockshaft for motion between a generally horizontal working position and a generally upright transport position. 20) As in claim 19 further comprising tool hydraulic means between said rockshafts and said tool sub-frame sections operable to control their respective positions. 21) As in claim 20 wherein said tool hydraulic means are operable to provide relative rotational movement of the said tool sub-frame sections about the rockshaft and accommodate undulations in the ground when in the working position. 22) As in claim 21 wherein said sub-frames are non-rectangular to provide both rows of tool support locations transverse to the direction of travel in the working position and spaces therebetween at a substantial non-right angle to said rockshaft. 23) As in claim 22 wherein said tool sub-frames are parallelogram shaped and extend at a substantial non-right angle to the said rockshaft. 24) As in claim 23 further comprising wheeled support means rearward of said tool sub-frames when in the working position. 25) As in claim 24 wherein said wheeled support means include connection means between said tool sub-frames and said rockshaft to control their respective position. 26) As in claim 25 wherein said connection means are operable to provide a working position in which each of said tool sub-frames are substantially parallel to and spaced from the ground by a variable amount. 27) As in claim 26 wherein said connection means is further operable to reduce the height of said wheel support means above the ground when said tool sub-frame is raised to said substantially vertical position for transport.

Inventors: FRIGGSTAD TERRENCE, FRIGGSTAD, TERRENCE
Applicants: FLEXI COIL LTD, FRIGGSTAD TERRENCE, FLEXI-COIL LTD., FRIGGSTAD, TERRENCE
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A01B73
IPC codes: A01B73