Abstract:
A towed rotary cutter includes a self-leveling hitch equipped with a parking stand mounted in a centered position beneath the hitch. Through the operation of the leveling links, the hydraulic lift cylinder that is used for raising and lowering the ground wheels of the cutter relative to the cutter frame is also used to manipulate the hitch, once the parking stand is placed in its park position, so as to remove the weight of the hitch from the tractor drawbar when unhitching the tractor from the rotary cutter, or to place the hitch clevis at the correct height for connecting it to the tractor drawbar when hitching the cutter to the tractor. In a first embodiment, the parking stand is constructed for use with a hitch having a feature for automatically maintaining the clevis in a horizontal attitude. In a second embodiment, the parking stand includes a clevis support which is oriented for supporting the clevis in a horizontal attitude when the parking stand is in its park position, but is moved so as to permit free pivotal movement of the clevis when the parking stand is in its stored position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a rotary cutter and more specifically relates to a parking stand for a pull-type rotary cutter. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Pull-type rotary cutters require some means of raising and lowering the hitch to attach it to, or disconnect it from, the drawbar of a towing tractor and for supporting the cutter in storage. Currently, known rotary cutters are provided with crank jacks that are mounted on the side and near the front of the hitch. After attaching the tractor, the jack must be removed from the hitch and stored on the deck to prevent tire, driveshaft or ground interference. A storage bracket is provided for this, however, jacks stored on the deck tend to cause paint damage from hitting the deck during rough field work. 
     On heavy, flex wing cutters, it becomes difficult to crank the jack. Further, because the jack is located off to one side, it tends to lean and cause the cutter to shift to one side as the hitch is raised, putting pressure on, and making it difficult to remove, the drawbar pin. Some jacks, when used with hitches not having a self-leveling feature, tend to lean fore-and-aft depending on the angle of the hitch, this leaning likewise putting pressure on the drawbar pin. A further drawback of these crank jack arrangements is that they tend to get lost, because they are removable and sometimes are not put back in the storage position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, there is provided an improved arrangement for supporting the hitch of a rotary cutter. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a parking stand arrangement, for a towed rotary cutter, which does not require a screw jack. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a parking stand arrangement which is mounted for being swung between a lowered park position and a raised stored position beneath the hitch of the rotary cutter. 
     A more specific object of the invention is to provide a parking stand arrangement, like that of the immediately preceding object, which, in accordance with a second embodiment, acts to hold the hitch clevis in a horizontal attitude when the parking arrangement is in its park position. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a parking stand arrangement, for a towed rotary cutter, which, in accordance with a first embodiment, utilizes the hydraulic actuator used for raising and lowering the cutter to also adjust the hitch such that the deployed parking stand acts to raise the hitch so as to relieve any stress on the drawbar or hitch pin which can then be removed. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a parking stand arrangement, as set forth in the objects appearing above, wherein the parking stand is located at a central location beneath the hitch so that the hitch is lifted straight up with no binding forces being generated at the hitch pin. 
     These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the ensuing description together with the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a right front perspective view of a towed rotary cutter with which the present invention is particularly adapted for use. 
     FIG. 2 is a right top perspective view of the hitch of the rotary cutter shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective underside view of the cutter hitch showing the parking stand in its stored position. 
     FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of the cutter hitch shown in FIG. 2, with the parking stand shown in its raised stored position. 
     FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 4, but showing the parking stand in its lowered park position. 
     FIG. 6 is a right side elevational view of cutter hitch which is not self-leveling with a second embodiment of the parking stand being shown in its raised stored position wherein it permits the hitch clevis to pivot freely about its horizontal pivot connection. 
     FIG. 7 is a view like FIG. 6 but showing the parking stand in its lowered parking position wherein it supports the clevis in a horizontal attitude. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a towed, flex wing rotary cutter  10  including a center frame  12  and left and right wing frames  14  and  16 , respectively. Mounted at the front end of the center frame  12  is a self-leveling hitch  18 , coupled in a manner not shown, with respective front ends of fore-and-aft extending, left and right leveling rods  20  and  22 . Rear ends of the leveling rods  20  and  22  are respectively coupled to a pair of transversely spaced lugs projecting from a tubular, transverse center axle  24  that is mounted to a rear location of the middle frame  12  for rotation about a transverse axis. Fixed to opposite end locations of the axle  24  are identical, rearwardly projecting struts  26 , to the rear ends of each of which a rocker arm  28  is mounted for pivoting vertically about a second transverse axis. A transverse spindle is fixed to the rear end of each of the rocker arms  28  and has a pair of tandem ground wheels  30  rotatably mounted on its opposite ends. An air spring  32  is mounted between each strut  26  and a forward end of the associated rocker arm  28 . A lift cylinder  34  is coupled between the center frame  12  and the center axle  24  for rocking the latter for adjusting the wheels  30  vertically relative to the frame  12 , the rocking movement of the axle  24  being transferred to the hitch  18  by the leveling rods  20  and  22 . Respectively provided on the wing frames  14  and  16  for adjustment simultaneously with the middle axle  24  are left and right wing axles  36  and  38 , respectively, which each have a strut  26  at its outer end together with a rocker arm  28  and air spring  32 . Rocking movement of the middle axle  24  is transferred to each of the axles  36  and  38  by links  40  in the form of turnbuckles coupled between respective brackets provided at the outer ends of the middle axle  24  and inner ends of the axles  36  and  38 . 
     Referring now also to FIGS. 2-5, it can be seen that the hitch  18  includes upper and lower arms  42  and  44 , respectively. The upper arm member  42  has a major portion generally in the form of a downwardly opening channel having opposite legs or flanges  46  and  48  depending from a web  50  which tapers or becomes narrower from rear to front. The opposite flanges  46  and  48  extend forwardly beyond the web  50  in parallel relationship to each other and define a coupling yoke having an upper rear end portion of a clevis  52  received between, and pivotally coupled to, them by a horizontal, transverse pivot pin  54 . The rear end of the web  50  of the upper arm member  42  is provided with a centrally located, rearwardly opening, U-shaped notch, with a U-shaped flange depending from the web at the notch so that left and right coupling portions are formed, with rear ends of the latter being respectively provided with cylindrical, axially aligned mounting tubes  58  and  60 . The left tube  58  is located between an upper location of a first set of inner and outer vertical flanges  62  and  64  provided on the front of the middle deck frame  12 , and a transverse pin  66  extends through aligned holes and collars respectively provided in and on the flanges  62  and  64  and through the left mounting tube  58 . Similarly, a right set of inner and outer vertical flanges  68  and  70  are provided on the front of the middle deck frame  12 , and a right mounting pin  72  extends through aligned holes and collars respectively provided in and on the flanges  68  and  70  and through the right mounting tube  60 . 
     The lower arm  44  of the hitch  18  is defined by a pair of vertical, fore-and-aft extending, parallel straps  74  having their rear ends angled upwardly from major straight portions of the straps and joined together by a cylindrical mounting tube  76 . The mounting tube  76  is located between lower locations of the inner vertical flanges  62  and  68  approximately vertically below the axis of the mounting tubes  58  and  60  of the upper arm  42  and a mounting pin  78  extends through aligned holes and collars, respectively provided in and on the flanges  62  and  68 , and through the mounting tube  76 . Forward ends of the straps  74  straddle a lower rear location of the clevis  52  and are pivotally attached thereto by a transverse pin  78 . Thus, the arms  42  and  44  are arranged as a parallel linkage between the deck frame  12  and the clevis  52  so that the latter remains disposed horizontally for having a drawbar of a towing tractor coupled thereto. An angle member  80 , which forms part of a chain shield (chains not shown) is mounted to the frame  12  beneath the hitch  18 , with its legs extending vertically and horizontally, and is used to check the clearance to the lower hitch link formed by the straps  74 . 
     Provided for transferring fore-and-aft shifting motion of the leveling rods  20  and  22  to the hitch  42  are left and right crank arms  82  and  84 , which are generally triangular is side view and have respective cylindrical couplers  86  and  88  received on the hitch mounting pins  66  and  72  at respective locations between the outer plates  64  and  70  and the upper hitch arm  42 . Respective upper forward corners of the crank arms  82  and  84  are provided with threaded tubes receiving screws  90  and  92  which are held in selected adjusted positions where their lower ends bear against respective, transverse cylindrical stops fixed to the flanges  46  and  48  of the upper hitch arm  42  and received in over-sized cylindrical openings provided in the crank arms  82  and  84 , with only the cylindrical stop  94  fixed to the right flange  48  and the oversized opening  96  of the right crank arm  84  being visible. Lower rear corners (not shown) of the crank arms  82  and  84  are respectively pinned to devises formed at the front ends of the leveling rods  20  and  22 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, it can be seen that a parking stand  98  is mounted to the hitch  18 . Specifically, as considered in its raised stored position, as shown, the parking stand  98  includes a straight, tubular parking stand member  100 , of square cross section, and a plate welded to a forward end of the member  100  so as to define a foot  102 . A rear end of the member  100  is located centrally between the flanges  46  and  48 , of the hitch upper arm  42 , and is joined to a tubular spacer  104  that extends to the flanges  46  and  48 . A horizontal, transverse pivot pin  106  extends through the flanges  46  and  48  and through the spacer  104  so as to define a horizontal transverse axis about which the parking stand  98  may pivot. A latch or retaining pin  108  is releasably received in axially aligned holes  110  (FIG. 5) provided in the straps  74  of the hitch lower arm  44  and bears against a bottom surface of the tubular member  100  at a location adjacent the foot  102  so as to keep the parking stand  98  in its raised, stored position. 
     When the retaining pin  108  is removed from the holes  110 , the parking stand  98  may be swung downwardly to a near vertical position wherein a hole, not visible, provided in the tubular member  100  becomes aligned with vertically elongated, transversely aligned holes  112  provided in the hitch lower arm straps  74 . The latch pin  108  is inserted through the aligned holes  112  and the hole in the stand tubular member  100  so as to retain the parking stand  98  in its lowered, park position shown in FIG.  5 . 
     The operation of the embodiment parking stand embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5 is as follows. 
     Assuming that the rotary cutter  10  is being towed by a tractor, the hitch clevis  52  will be pinned to the rear end of the tractor drawbar and the parking stand  98  will be in its raised stored position beneath the web  50  of the hitch upper arm  42 . There it will rest on the latch pin  108  which holds the parking stand  98  in place. 
     If it is then desired to park the rotary cutter  10 , the tractor will be driven to the desired location and the lift cylinder  34  will be extended to raise the cutter  10  to its full height. The latch pin  108  would then be removed from its location in the front set of holes  110 , in the hitch lower arm straps  74 , and the parking stand  98  lowered to its park position and retained therein by inserting the latch pin  108  through the rear set of holes  112 , in the lower arm straps  74 , and the hole provided in the stand tubular member  100 . The lift cylinder  34  is then lowered until the foot  102  of the parking stand  98  engages the ground and the clevis  52  just starts to be lifted off the drawbar. Because the hitch  18  is self-leveling and the parking stand  98  is centered beneath the hitch  18 , the lifting action of parking stand  98  is substantially vertical resulting in non-binding movement relative to the drawbar pin. The drawbar pin is then pulled, the tractor moved forward to clear the clevis  52  and the lift cylinder then actuated to either lower the cutter  10  to its transport position wherein a cylinder lock is placed in a lock position about the cylinder rod to prevent its further collapse, or to a lowered position wherein pads at the front, underside of the frame section  12  rest on the ground. Next, the tractor is shut off and the hydraulic hoses disconnected. 
     To once again attach the rotary cutter to the towing tractor, the tractor is backed to align its drawbar with the clevis  52 , with the tractor being stopped so that the drawbar is just forward of the clevis  52 . The tractor is shut off and the hydraulic hoses are once again attached to the tractor. The tractor is started and the cylinder  34  is actuated to raise the rotary cutter  10  until the clevis  52  and the tractor drawbar are at the same height. The tractor is backed up until the drawbar enters the clevis  52  and the holes in the drawbar and clevis become aligned. The drawbar pin is then installed, the cylinder  34  actuated to raise the cutter  10  to its full height, the parking stand latch pin  108  removed and the parking stand  98  rotated to its stored position wherein the pin  108  is once again installed so that the parking stand is retained centered under the hitch  18 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown a second embodiment of the invention wherein the parking stand is associated with a rotary cutter hitch that does not have a self-leveling clevis. Specifically, there is shown a rotary cutter frame  120  having a vertical bracket assembly  122  at its forward end. A hitch  124 , which is preferably configured somewhat like the upper hitch arm  42  of the previously described hitch  18 , includes a web  126  and opposite depending flanges  128 . Upper rear end portions of the hitch  18  are located between, and coupled by one or more pins  130  to vertical, transversely spaced plates, including a rightmost plate  132 , defined by the bracket assembly  122 . A pair of leveling rods  134  (only one shown) are coupled to lower rear locations of respective side-to-side leveling links of the hitch  124  for keeping it level as the wheels of the cutter are raised and lowered by the cutter hydraulic lift cylinder. The hitch  124  has a U-shaped clevis  136  at its forward end which is mounted for pivoting about a transverse pin  138 . 
     A parking stand arrangement  140  is mounted at a central location beneath the web  126  of the hitch  124 . Specifically, the parking stand arrangement  140  is constructed in the form of a scissors link including first and second arms  142  and  144 , respectively, with the first arm  142  being defined by a pair of parallel straps  146  having respective first ends received between forwardly projecting ends of the flanges  128  of the hitch  124  at opposite sides of the clevis  136  and pivotally mounted to the flanges  128  by the pin  138  which pivotally mounts the clevis  136 . The other ends of the parallel straps  146  are located on the opposite sides of one end of the second arm  144  and pivotally connected thereto by a pin  148 , this pin also passing through spaced parallel lugs of a shoe  150 . As shown in FIG. 6, the parking stand arrangement  140  is in a raised, stored position wherein the second arm  144  is folded between the straps  146  of the first arm  142 , with a cylindrical pin  152 , that is welded to an upwardly facing surface of the arm  144  adjacent the end carrying the shoe, being received in a hole provided in the hitch web  126  and secured there by a fastener  154  inserted in a cross bore provided in the pin  152 . A clevis support  156 , in the form of a shaped plate, is welded across the bottoms of the straps  146  of the parking stand arrangement first arm in the vicinity of the clevis  136 , with an engagement portion  158  of the support  156  being in a downward rotated position relative to the clevis  136  so as to allow it to pivot freely when the parking stand arrangement  140  is in its stored position. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, there the parking stand arrangement is shown in is park position wherein the first arm  142  is rotated down from its stored position, and the second arm  144  is substantially vertical with a second cylindrical pin  160 , that is fixed so as to define an extension of the second arm  144  in a direction opposite from the shoe  150 , the pin  160  being received in the hole in the hitch web  126  that was previously occupied by the pin  152 , with the fastener  154  being inserted in a cross hole in the pin  160  so as to hold this end of the second arm  144  in place. It is noted that when the parking stand arrangement  124  is in its park position, an end of the engagement portion  158  of the clevis support  156  engages the clevis  136  and supports it in a horizontal attitude conducive to having the tractor drawbar backed to it for hooking the rotary cutter to the tractor. 
     Other than for the part played by the clevis support  156 , the operation of the parking stand arrangement  140  is quite similar to that for the parking stand  98  and further description of the operation is omitted for the sake of brevity. 
     Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.