Abstract:
A combination fertilizer and seeding Implement includes a front section of disk type fertilizer openers and a rear section of frame mounted seed openers. The fertilizer openers are connected by drawbars to a rockshaft which is vertically adjustable to accommodate different ranges of operating depths of the frame mounted tools. Shank depth is set by frame height, and the vertical adjustability of the rockshaft facilitates a wide range of frame operating heights for different tool depths while maintaining optimum disk opener drawbar angles.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements and, more specifically, to such implement having different sets of vertically adjustable tools including a set of rockshaft mounted tools.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     During agricultural seeding operations, placing fertilizer in soil at controlled separation from seed helps prevent high fertilizer concentrations from harming the young plants. Machines are available with a machine configuration having separate openers for seed and fertilizer. With many of the separate opener configurations, there is a reduced number of fertilizer openers. Typically there is one fertilizer opener for two seed openers, and the fertilizer application point is approximately equally spaced between the two seed application points. An example of such a machine is the John Deere 1895 Air Drill with two rows of disk-type rockshaft-mounted seed openers combined with one row of disk-type rockshaft-mounted fertilizer openers. Another example is the Bourgault 5710 Air Hoe Drill with shank-type frame-mounted seed openers and frame-mounted disk-type fertilizer openers. Disk-type openers are relatively complex and expensive compared to hoe openers. However, disks tend to have lower draft and higher residue flow capacity. Controlling fertilizer placement depth on frame mounted fertilizer openers can be difficult and time-consuming.  
         [0003]     On implements wherein the operating depth of a shank opener is set by the machine frame position, changes in fertilizer placement relative to seed placement require adjustment of the position of a disk-type fertilizer opener relative to the frame. Changes in the disk opener position relative to the frame are also required to raise the disk opener above the ground surface when only the shank openers are in use. Rockshaft mounted openers typically have a limited range of preferred rotational position due to a limited acceptable range of attack angles between the application boot and the soil surface.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved implement having different sets of tools. It is a further object to provide such an implement which overcomes most or all of the aforementioned problems.  
         [0005]     It is another object of the invention to provide an improved implement having both seeding and fertilizing tools. It is yet another object to provide such an implement which includes front mounted fertilizer openers and rear mounted seeding tools.  
         [0006]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved combination fertilizer and seeding implement having disk type fertilizer openers and frame-mounted seeding tools. It is yet another object to provide such an implement with front, rockshaft mounted fertilizer openers.  
         [0007]     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved implement having a frame-mounted rockshaft carrying tools. It is another object to provide such an implement wherein the rockshaft is adjustable vertically relative to the frame for accommodating different ranges of frame operating heights.  
         [0008]     Implement construction includes a front section of disk type fertilizer openers and a rear section of frame mounted tools such as seed openers. The openers are connected by drawbars to a rockshaft which is vertically adjustable to accommodate different ranges of operating depths of the frame mounted tools. The construction combines the lower draft, better residue cutting ability and higher residue flow capacity of a disk type opener with the lower cost, lower complexity and wider choice of soil engagement devices of a shank type opener. In addition, since the shank depth is set by frame height, readjustment of operating depth of all shanks can be accomplished easily and rapidly by changing frame height. The vertical adjustability of the rockshaft facilitates a wide range of frame operating heights for different tool depths while maintaining optimum disk opener drawbar angles. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a portion of an implement having a forward rockshaft supporting forward disk type openers and rear frame mounted tools.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged side view of the implement of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of a front portion of the implement of  FIG. 1  showing the adjustable rockshaft support structure.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the rockshaft support structure of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , therein is shown a portion of a multi-section implement  10  having a main frame  12  supported by vertically adjustable forward ground wheel assemblies  14 ,  16  and  18  for forward movement over a field. Rear ground wheel assemblies  20 , shown rotated upwardly to the retracted field-working position, are connected to a rear flexible rockshaft  22  forming part of the frame  12  and are rockable downwardly relative to the frame  12  to support the rear of the implement  10  for transport. Lift linkages  24 ,  26  and  28  are connected between the rockshaft  22  and the wheel assemblies  14 ,  16  and  18 , respectively. Main lift cylinders  30  connected between the wheel assemblies  20  and the frame  12  rotate the rockshaft  22  to raise and lower the wheel assemblies  14 - 20  relative to the frame. Rear wheel positioning cylinders  32  are connected between wheel arms  20   a  and the wheel assemblies  22  to rotate the wheels upwardly (shown) to provide ground clearance for field-working operations and downwardly to provide rear frame support during transport. The cylinders  32  are plumbed in combination with implement frame cylinders  36  which fold the implement  10 . As the cylinders  36  are retracted to fold sections of the frame  12  for transport, the cylinders  32  extend to move the wheel assemblies  20  downwardly. When the frame sections are unfolded for field-working operations by extending the cylinders  36 , the cylinders  32  retract to move the wheel assemblies  20  upwardly. In the field, the forward wheel assemblies  14 - 18  are adjusted vertically with respect to the frame  12  to change frame height relative to the ground and adjust planting depth, as described in detail below.  
         [0014]     As shown, the implement  10  is a combination seeding and fertilizing implement having a set of forward fertilizer openers  40  connected to a forward flexible rockshaft  42  and rear frame-mounted hoe-type seed openers  44 . As the frame  12  is raised and lowered during field-working operations, the operating depth of the seed openers  44  is adjusted. The forward fertilizer openers  40  are shown as disk-type openers having drawbars  50  with upper forward ends connected by lower portions of drawbar brackets  52  to the drawbar  42 . Spring and tension link assemblies  54  are connected between upper portions of the brackets  52  and lower rearward ends of the drawbar  50  to bias the drawbar assembly downwardly during field-working operations and to lift the fertilizer openers  40  from the ground when the rockshaft  42  is rotated in the clockwise direction as viewed in the drawings. A motor or rockshaft cylinder  60  having a rod end connected to a rockshaft bracket  62  and a base end connected to a frame bracket  64  rotates the rockshaft  42  to raise and lower the fertilizer openers  40  and to adjust the downpressure on the openers when in the field-working position. Angled opener disks  70  and depth gauging wheels  72  are mounted on the lower aft ends of the drawbars  50 . Fertilizer boots  74  open downwardly on the shadow side of the angled disks  70  and deposit material in furrows opened by disks  70 . Trailing closing wheels  76  supported by inverted U-shaped brackets  78  from the aft ends of the drawbars  50  close the furrow and firm the soil over the deposited material.  
         [0015]     The main frame  12  includes transverse members or ranks  12   a ,  12   b  and  12   c  offset rearwardly of a forward frame member  12   f . The forward frame member  12   f  carries adjustable rockshaft support structure  80  for selectively mounting the rockshaft  42  at one of a plurality of vertically spaced locations depending on the operating height of the frame  12  to maintain opener drawbar angle within a desired range. The rear ranks  12   a - 12   c  support transversely spaced shank assemblies  44   a  with C-shaped shanks having lower ends with hoe-type or other suitable openers  44   b . Seed tubes  44   t  connected to a source of seed (not shown) provide seed to furrows opened by the openers  44   b . Gangs of trailing press wheels  84  ( FIG. 2 ) close and firm soil over the seed furrows. The fertilizer openers  40  are typically spaced on the rockshaft  42  to provide fertilizer application points centrally between two adjacent rows of seed. The depth of penetration of the openers  44   b  is determined by the height of the frame  12  above the surface of the ground, and by adjusting the wheel assemblies  14 - 18  the planting depth of the entire implement  10  can be easily changed.  
         [0016]     The adjustable rockshaft support structure  80  facilitates vertical adjustment of the rockshaft  42  relative to the frame  12  so that the operating range of the angles of the drawbar  50  are optimized. For example, for relatively deep seeding depth operations, the rockshaft  42  can be raised relative to the frame to prevent the drawbar angles from decreasing beyond a minimum desired angle. Conversely, for shallower seed opener operations wherein the frame  12  is in a relatively higher position, the rockshaft can be lowered to maintain the drawbars within the desired operating angle range.  
         [0017]     As best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each adjustable rockshaft support structure  80  includes a frame bracket  90  supported from the forward frame member  12   f  and having a forward slotted wall  92 . A bearing block support  94  includes a rear plate  96  with vertically spaced apertures  98  ( FIG. 4 ) which abuts the slotted wall  92 . A split bearing block assembly  100  which rotatably supports the rockshaft  42  is secured to the back of the slotted wall  92  and against the plate  96  by bolts  102  and  106 , respectively. Bolts  110  pass through selected sets of the apertures  98  and apertures in the plate  92  which align with the apertures  98 . The set of apertures are selected to position the rockshaft  42  at the desired vertical location with respect to the frame  12 . The plate  96  can be repositioned relative to the slotted wall  92  to change the vertical location of the rockshaft.  
         [0018]     To facilitate easier vertical adjustment of the rockshaft  42 , an adjustable support structure  120  extends between the frame bracket  90  and the bearing block attachment structure. As shown, the support structure  120  includes a threaded end  122  extending upwardly through an aperture in a horizontal member  124  on the bracket  90 . A nut  126  threaded onto the end  122  maintains the support structure  120  in the bracket aperture and facilitates vertical adjustment of a lower eye end  128  which receives the end of the upper bearing block bolt  102 . The bolt  102  also passes through a backing plate  130  which abuts the slotted wall  92  adjacent the slot. The change the vertical location of the rockshaft  42  relative to the frame  12 , the bolts  110  are removed and the bearing block bolt  102  is loosened. The structure  120  supports the rockshaft  42  when the bolts  110  are removed from the apertures. The operator then rotates the nut  126  to raise or lower the eye end  128  until the set of apertures  98  in the plate  96  align with the apertures in the wall  92  providing the desired height setting. The slots in the wall  92  facilitate vertical movement of the bearing block bolts and thus the bearing block support  94 . The bolts  110  are then inserted into the aligned sets of apertures and tightened secure the rockshaft  42  ins position relative to the frame  12 . The support structure  120  therefore supports the rockshaft  42  during adjustments and helps align the apertures for easy insertion of the bolts  110 .  
         [0019]     The frame bracket  64  for the rockshaft cylinder  60  is also connected to the plate  96  by a bracket support  130  adjacent the bearing block support  94 . Therefore, the cylinder  60  automatically maintains proper positional relationship with the rockshaft  42  as the rockshaft height is adjusted. The cylinders  60  can be connected by a conventional hydraulic system to an adjustable pressure regulator  140  to provide adjustable downpressure for the leading fertilizer openers  40 .  
         [0020]     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.  
       Assignment  
       [0021]     The entire right, title and interest in and to this application and all subject matter disclosed and/or claimed therein, including any and all divisions, continuations, reissues, etc., thereof are, effective as of the date of execution of this application, assigned, transferred, sold and set over by the applicant(s) named herein to Deere &amp; Company, a Delaware corporation having offices at Moline, Illinois 61265, U.S.A., together with all rights to file, and to claim priorities in connection with, corresponding patent applications in any and all foreign countries in the name of Deere &amp; Company or otherwise.