Abstract:
A toolbar is provided having a field position and a transport position. The toolbar includes a first bar section and a second bar section. A flexible line is retained partially adjacent to a pin pivotally joining the first bar section and the second bar section. The flexible line folds from the transport position to the working position.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, the increasing size of farms and farm operations has led to a demand for wider toolbars. Such toolbars are preferably configurable between a working or “field” position and a transport position so that the toolbar may be transported over the road without loading onto a trailer or other transport means. However, the routing of hydraulic, electrical, and other lines supported by the toolbar becomes complex when the toolbar must support those lines in both positions and transition between the positions without damaging or pinching the lines, preferably without any line adjustment by the user other than folding the toolbar itself . Thus there is a need in the art for agricultural toolbar line routing systems and apparatus for effectively supporting lines on a toolbar in a range of toolbar configurations between and including working and transport positions. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is front perspective view of an embodiment of an agricultural toolbar in a field position. 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the toolbar of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the toolbar of  FIG. 1  with certain components removed for clarity. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of an embodiment of the dogleg joint circled in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the dogleg joint of  FIG. 4  with certain components removed for clarity. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the joint as viewed along the section  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged perspective view of the draft tube joint circled in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of the toolbar of  FIG. 1  in a transport position. 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the toolbar illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged view of the dogleg joints circled in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1-2  illustrate an embodiment of an agricultural toolbar  100 . The toolbar  100  is preferably similar to that disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/590,643, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. The toolbar  100  is coupled to a tractor (not shown) by a hitch and weight transfer assembly  500 . The hitch and weight transfer assembly  500  preferably includes a longitudinally extending hitch portion  510 . The hitch portion  510  is pivotally connected to draft tubes  120 - 1 ,  120 - 2  at draft tube joints  800 - 1 ,  800 - 2 , respectively, for relative motion about a substantially vertical axis. The draft tubes  120  are pivotally coupled to doglegs  124  at dogleg joints  700  for relative motion about a substantially vertical axis. Doglegs  124  are coupled to inner wing sections  130 . The inner wing sections  130  are pivotally coupled to outer wing sections  110  for relative motion about a substantially horizontal axis. The inner wing sections  130  are pivotally coupled to a center bar  330  by pins  334  for relative motion about a substantially vertical axis. A center section  300  includes the center bar  330  and an attachment tube  310  coupled to the center bar  330 . 
     Continuing to refer to  FIGS. 1-2 , a single line  12  is illustrated supported on the toolbar  100 . It should be appreciated that the term “line” as used herein may refer to any flexible line including (without limitation) electrical leads, wiring harnesses, and hydraulic hoses. Turning to  FIG. 3 , the right draft tube  120 - 2  and the right dogleg  124 - 2  are removed to better illustrate the line  12 . The line  12  preferably includes a first line portion  12   a  extending generally forwardly inside the hitch portion and extending toward the tractor to a connection point (e.g., an oil supply or electrical connection). The first line portion  12   a  is preferably constrained at a rearward end by a clamp  512 - 2 . The line  12  also preferably includes a second line portion  12   b  extending rearward of a line guide pin  128 - 2  toward the dogleg joint  700 - 2 . The second line portion  12   b  preferably extends inside the draft tube  120 - 2 . The line  12  also preferably includes a third line portion  12   c  extending to the left of the dogleg joint  700 - 2 . The third line portion  12   c  preferably extends inside the dogleg  124 - 2 . The line  12  also preferably includes a fourth line portion  12   d  supported by the inner wing section  130 - 2  and the outer wing section  110 - 2 . The fourth line portion  12   d  preferably includes sufficient slack length (at a location generally indicated by reference character S in  FIG. 3 ) to permit the inner and outer wing sections  130 , 110  to rotate or “flex” relative to one another about a generally horizontal axis. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 4-6 , the line  12 , along with additional lines  13 ,  14 ,  15 , is shown extending to the right of the dogleg joint  700 - 2 . Each joint  700  preferably includes a pin  720 . The pin  720  preferably extends through plates  125 ,  126  mounted to the dogleg  124 . The pin  720  also preferably extends through plates  121 , 122  mounted to the draft tube  120 . Thus, it should be appreciated that the dogleg  124  is pivotally coupled to the draft tube  120  by the pin  720  for relative rotation about a central longitudinal axis of the vertical pin  720 . The lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  preferably extend through holes provided in a clamp  710 . The clamp  710  is preferably comprised of an outer portion  712  and an inner portion  714 . The outer and inner portions  712 ,  714  are preferably secured together by bolts (not shown) in order to constrain the lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  such that the lines are prevented from sliding through holes provided in the clamp  710 . The holes in the clamp  710  are preferably sized to receive and constrain the lines. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the inner portion  714  of the clamp  710  is preferably welded to a sleeve  730 . The pin  720  is preferably slidably housed within sleeve  730  by a loose clearance fit. Thus, as the toolbar  100  folds as described below, the clamp  710  is free to rotate about a substantially vertical axis defined by the pin  720 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 7 , the lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  are illustrated at a location where they enter the draft tube  120  through an opening  129  in the draft tube adjacent the draft tube joint  800 . The draft tube joint  800  includes a pin  810  pivotally coupling the draft tube  120  to the hitch portion  510  for relative rotation about a longitudinal axis of the vertical pin  810 . The lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  preferably extend between the pin  810  and the line guide pin  128 . The line guide pin  128  is preferably vertically disposed within the draft tube  120 . Forward of the opening  129 , the lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  pass through holes in a clamp  512 . The line guide pin  128  is preferably positioned to prevent the lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  from contacting an edge of the opening  129 . The clamp  512  is mounted to the hitch portion  510 . Similar to the clamp  710 , the clamp  512  preferably includes an inner and outer portion defining holes sized to constrain the lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  when the inner and outer portions of the clamp  512  are joined together (e.g., by bolts). Forward of the clamp  512 , the lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  enter an opening  514  in the hitch portion  510 . 
     In  FIGS. 1 and 2  the toolbar  100  is illustrated in the unfolded field position, whereas in  FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 , the toolbar  100  is illustrated in the folded transport position. In the unfolded field position ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ), the inner wing sections  130  and outer wing sections  110  are in substantial alignment with the center bar  330  and the draft tubes  120  are in a generally transverse position. As the toolbar folds from the field position to the transport position ( FIGS. 8, 9, 10 ), the inner and outer wing sections  130 ,  110  rotate forward and away from the center section  300 , while the draft tubes  120  translate forward and rotate such that the inner ends of the draft tubes  120  move generally forward while the distal ends of the draft tube  120  move both inward and forward. Once the toolbar is in the folded transport position, the inner and outer wing sections  130 ,  110  are substantially perpendicular to the center bar  330  and the draft tubes  120  are in a generally longitudinal position. 
     As the toolbar  100  folds from the field position to the transport position, the clamp  512  pulls the lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  forward such that the portions of the lines within the draft tube  120  and the dogleg  124  preferably remain substantially taut and preferably remain substantially parallel to the draft tube  120  and the dogleg  124 , respectively. For example, the second line portion  12   b  preferably remains substantially parallel to the draft tube  120  during folding and the third line portion  12   c  preferably remains substantially parallel to the dogleg  124  during folding. As the dogleg  124  folds forward, the clamp  710  rotates clockwise (as viewed in  FIGS. 3 and 10 ) relative to the dogleg  124 , allowing the line  12  to fold into a transport position in which second and third line portions  12   b  and  12   c  preferably remain substantially parallel. Because the line  12  does not slide through the clamp  710 , as the toolbar  100  folds from the field position to the transport position, the second line portion  12   b  preferably translates along a direction substantially parallel to the draft tube  120  and toward the dogleg joint  700 - 2 , and the third line portion  12   c  preferably translates along a direction substantially parallel to the dogleg  124  and away from the dogleg joint  700 - 2 . 
     As the toolbar  100  unfolds from the transport position to the field position, the clamp  710  pulls the lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  outward (to the right as viewed in  FIGS. 3 and 10 ) such that the portions of the lines within the draft tube  120  and the dogleg  124  preferably remain substantially taut and substantially parallel to the draft tube  120  and the dogleg  124 , respectively. For example, the second line portion  12   b  preferably remains substantially parallel to the draft tube  120  during unfolding, and the third line portion  12   c  preferably remain substantially parallel to the dogleg  124  during unfolding. As the dogleg  124  unfolds rearwardly, the clamp  710  rotates counterclockwise (as viewed in  FIGS. 3 and 10 ) relative to the dogleg  124 , allowing the line  12  to unfold into a field position in which second and third line portions  12   b  and  12   c  are disposed at an acute relative angle. Because the line  12  does not slide through the clamp  710 , as the toolbar  100  unfolds from the transport position to the field position, the second line portion  12   b  preferably translates along a direction substantially parallel to the draft tube  120  and away from the dogleg joint  700 - 2  and the third line portion  12   c  preferably translates along a direction substantially parallel to the dogleg  124  and toward the dogleg joint  700 - 2 . 
     It should be appreciated that one or more lines mirroring lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  described herein on the right side of the toolbar  100  are preferably routed through corresponding components of the left-hand side of the toolbar in an equivalent fashion to that described herein with respect to the right side of the toolbar. In some embodiments the portions of the lines  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  extending along the inner and outer wing sections  130 ,  110  are in fluid or electrical communication with components mounted to row units (e.g., planter row units) pivotally mounted in transversely spaced relation along the toolbar  100 . For example, in embodiments in which the line  12  comprises an electrical lead, the line  12  may place a monitor mounted in the tractor cab such as that disclosed in applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/292,384 (Pub. No. 2012/0050023), incorporated herein by reference, in electrical communication with multiple electrical control modules (e.g., seed meter drive control modules or hydraulic valve control modules) on multiple row units. In embodiments in which the line  12  comprises a hydraulic hose, the line  12  may place a hydraulic port on the tractor (not shown) in fluid communication with hydraulic control valves on multiple row units or with one or more hydraulic control valves mounted to the tool bar. 
     The foregoing description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, and the general principles and features of the system and methods described herein will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Thus, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments of the apparatus, system and methods described above and illustrated in the drawing figures, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the spirit and scope of the appended claims.