Abstract:
A towed farm implement includes a set of auxiliary wheels mounted for elevating the implement to a height which permits the implement to be pulled over and lowered onto a transport trailer or which permits the trailer to be otherwise maneuvered to a loading position beneath the implement. Once the implement is loaded, a pivoted tongue of the implement is positioned so as to be used for the endwise transport of loaded implement. In one embodiment, the auxiliary wheels are mounted on their own lift arms for being swung vertically by an adjusting mechanism that is independent of that use to effect vertical adjustment of the ground wheels. In another embodiment, the wheel support arms of the ground wheels and the lift arms to which the auxiliary wheels are mounted are secured together for being swung by the same adjusting mechanism.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention pertains to a towed farm machine, especially a mowing machine, with a frame, supported on ground wheels, that is adjustable vertically within an operating range, and having a hitch for connecting the machine to a towing vehicle to form a paired unit. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,560 shows a mowing machine and a trailer for its transport. The trailer is equipped with vertically pivotable ramps, via which the mowing machine can be driven onto the trailer. Once the mowing machine is on the trailer, it is lowered so as to rest on the trailer, and a hitch between the mowing machine and a towing vehicle is pivoted in such a way that the mowing machine on the trailer can be pulled behind the towing vehicle. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,828 discloses a mowing machine with transport wheels that can be lowered to the ground in place of the normal wheels and can be used for pulling the mowing machine with the hitch behind the towing vehicle. This mowing machine is not drawn on a trailer but rather on the transport wheels, so that the transport wheels and their suspension must be of commensurately stable design. The weight and expense of such an integrated transport capability are considerable. 
     The problem fundamental to the invention is that driving backward onto the trailer requires and presumes driving skill, so that the trailer will remain fixed in place during the ascent. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, there is provided an improved paired towed implement and trailer arrangement for permitting the implement to be loaded on, and transported by the trailer. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a towed implement and trailer arrangement which does not require the usage of ramps for loading the implement onto the trailer. This is accomplished, for example, by raising the implement and positioning the trailer under it, or, alternatively, the towed implement is simply raised and towed to a position over the trailer where it is lowered onto it. 
     A more specific object of the invention is to provide a towed implement which is equipped with an auxiliary loading wheel arrangement which is normally elevated above the ground during field operation but which is lowered into ground engagement for raising the implement to a loading height permitting a trailer to be moved under it or permitting it to be driven to a position above the trailer. 
     These and other objects will become apparent from a reading of the ensuing description together with the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a left side elevational view showing a towed implement equipped with an auxiliary lifting wheel arrangement in accordance with the principles of the present invention, with the wheel arrangement being shown in an elevated, non-working position. 
     FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1 but showing the auxiliary wheel arrangement in a lowered, loading position. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a trailer on which the towed implement may be placed for transport. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a swinging arm and auxiliary wheel of the auxiliary wheel arrangement and showing the associated locking bolt, which is used in a second embodiment of the auxiliary lifting wheel arrangement, locked to the wheel support arm in a lifting position. 
     FIG. 5 is a left side elevational view of the towed implement showing the second embodiment of the auxiliary lifting wheel arrangement in a first locked, raised inoperative position. 
     FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5 but showing the auxiliary lifting wheel arrangement in the second locked lifting position shown in FIG. 4, but disposed above the ground. 
     FIG. 7 is a view like FIG. 6 but showing the auxiliary lifting wheel arrangement in a lowered position supporting the implement above the ground. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a towed farm implement  10  configured as a mowing machine, which is drawn over a field during its operation by an undepicted towing vehicle, e.g., an agricultural tractor, and can be transported on the roadway between periods of operation. The invention is specifically employable in the case of machines  10  that are longitudinally transportable on the roadway and have a transport width no greater than three meters. The machine  10 , described below in greater detail, is adapted for being positioned on a trailer  22  (FIG.  3 ). The machine  10  can also be designed as a tiller/cultivator, as a planter as a harvester, or the like. 
     The machine  10  includes a main frame  12  supported on ground wheels  14  for being towed across a field by a draft tongue  16 . When viewed in the direction of advance, the frame  12  extends over the entire width of the machine  10  and has the shape of an inverted “U”, with the tools  18 , e.g., a cutter bar, being supported from the frame  12  in the open space of the “U”. Opposite sides of the frame  12  are defined by upright legs  24 , and a wheel arm  30  is pivotally mounted to the lower end of each leg  24 , as at a joint  34 , for being adjusted vertically by an adjustment mechanism  32 , and mounted to each wheel arm  30  is one of the wheels  14 . The adjustment mechanism  32  is designed as a simply functioning hydraulic actuator, which is pivotably engaged at one end with the arm  24  and at the other end with the wheel arm  30 . When the adjustment mechanism  32  is charged with hydraulic fluid or the charge is released, the wheel arm  30  pivots vertically and thus changes the position of the wheel  14  in relation to the frame  12 , which results in a change of the frame&#39;s distance above the ground surface contacted by the wheels  14 . 
     The tongue  16  represents the connection between the frame  12  and the towing vehicle, and engages the frame  12  via a joint  26  so as to be horizontally pivotable. While the joint  26  can be located on the side of the frame  12 , its preferred location is in the middle of the frame. The length of the tongue  16  is dimensioned such that it projects appreciably beyond the side edge of the frame  12  when it is positioned transversely to the normal working direction of the machine  10 . This permits the machine  10  to be towed endwise behind the towing vehicle by the draft tongue  16 . Provided between the tongue  16  and the frame  12  is a hydraulically actuated adjustment mechanism  28  that is operated from the driver&#39;s seat of the towing vehicle. By means of such a known adjustment mechanism  28 , the machine  10  can be variably positioned in relation to the towing vehicle. With regard to a possible embodiment form of the adjustment mechanism, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,607, granted Jul. 1, 1997. 
     The tools  18  in this embodiment are configured as a cutter bar with several rotating mower blades. The position of the tools  18  during operation of the machine  10  is adapted in each case to the variable harvesting conditions. Within an operating range, the tools  18  can be progressively adjusted between a position directly on the ground and a position in which the tools assume a height above the ground, e.g., of 0.4 m. 
     The implement  10 , thus far described, is conventional. Shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a first embodiment of a lift mechanism  20  comprising a swinging arm  36  and an auxiliary wheel  38  mounted to each end of the frame  12 . It is the job of the lift mechanism  20  to elevate the implement  10  a sufficient distance above the ground for being loaded onto the trailer  22 . 
     Each swinging arm  36  is designed similarly to the wheel arm  30  and is articulately joined at a lower end of the associated frame leg  24 , rotationally bears the auxiliary wheel  38  at its trailing end, and is connected in between to an adjustment mechanism  40 . The swinging arms  36  are connected at the joint  34  on the outside of the leg  24 . Depending upon the position and the size of the wheel  14 , the swinging arm  36  is laterally offset in order to achieve sufficient clearance for a vertical pivoting movement. However, such an offset can be avoided when the wheel  14  is of narrow design or is laterally offset inwardly. While not an absolute necessity, provision is made in this embodiment for the swinging arm  36  to extend to the rear appreciably beyond the wheel arm  30 . The further the swinging arm  36  projects out beyond the wheel arm  30 , the greater is the transport lift range achievable with it. 
     The auxiliary wheel  38  is made smaller than the wheel  14 , since it is required only for the purpose of loading the machine  10  onto the trailer  22 , and is not subjected to the stresses of rough operation in the field. Each auxiliary wheel  38  is provided as closely as possible to the projecting end of the swinging arm  36 . Unlike the wheel  14 , the auxiliary wheel  38  does not need not be a rubber tire but can instead be fashioned as a steel wheel. In one case, wherein the machine  10  is not driven over the trailer  22  but is merely lifted to a height above the latter, it is sufficient for the swinging arm  36  to be equipped with a foot instead of an auxiliary wheel  38 , with the machine  10  then being supported on the ground by the foot. 
     The adjustment mechanism  40  is designed as a hydraulic actuator, which in each case is pivotably engaged at one end to the leg  24  of the frame  12 , and at the other end to the swinging arm  36 . In this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism  40  is double-acting, ensuring that the auxiliary wheel  38  can be pivoted far enough upward that it does not roll on the ground in an inoperative state. If this criterion does not matter, a single-acting adjustment mechanism  40  is sufficient. Alternatively, a single-acting adjustment mechanism  40  could be used that is adjusted, for example, by means of hydraulic fluid in one direction and by means of a spring or the like in the other direction. This adjustment mechanism  40 , like the adjustment mechanism  28  for the wheel  14 , is charged with a pressure medium by an undepicted hydraulic system comprising a pump, line, valves, and other known system components. A withdrawal or retraction of the adjustment mechanism  40  causes the swinging arm  36  of the auxiliary wheel  38  to pivot upward until the auxiliary wheel  38  lifts off the ground. An extension of the adjustment mechanism  40  results in the swinging arm  36  and the auxiliary wheel  38  being pivoted downward, or in the clockwise direction as seen in the drawing, and in fact until the wheel  14  lifts off the ground and the frame  12  achieves the required clearance above the ground. 
     The lift mechanism  20  is provided on each side of the frame  12 , i.e., on each leg  24 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the trailer  22  comprises a platform  42 , an axle  44  and wheels  46 . The length of the platform  42  is such that on the one hand it is possible for the machine  10  to be lowered onto it, while on the other hand, it can fit between the auxiliary wheels  38 . The platform,  42  is provided with various depressions, hollows, etc., that make it possible for the machine  10  to be lowered onto it such that its position does not shift during transport. Locking devices, as already known, can also be provided as necessary. 
     The depicted trailer  22  has only a single axle  44 , equipped with two wheels  46 , which is located in the middle of the platform  42 . In order for the platform  42  to have an essentially horizontal orientation while the machine  10  is loaded, undepicted supports or the like can be provided. Alternatively, two axles  44  can be provided in place of the single axle  44 . If the lift mechanism  20  is sufficient for an adequate lift height, the machine  10  can also be set onto the platform  42  when the latter is tilted, wherein the placement of the machine  10  will then force the platform  42  into a horizontal position. The wheels  46  are rotationally mounted on the axle  44  and are kept as small as possible in order that the lift range of the lift mechanism  20  need not be made too large. 
     With all of the above, the following function of the invention results. 
     One proceeds from the assumption that the trailer  22  is so positioned that the machine  10  can be driven onto it transversely to its longitudinal extension. Furthermore, the machine  10  is located behind a towing machine in an elevated position, in which the adjustment mechanism  32  of the wheel  14  is fully extended and the frame  12  is at the upper limit of its operating range. 
     In order to load the machine  10  onto the trailer  22 , it must be maneuvered onto the platform  42  transversely to the longitudinal direction of the latter and the adjustment mechanism  40  is actuated such that it extends outward. As a result of the extension of the adjustment mechanism  40 , the auxiliary wheels  38  touch the ground, and when the adjustment mechanism  40  extends still further, lift the frame  12  still higher. The actuation of the adjustment mechanism  40  is continued until the frame  12  or the tools  18  assume a position above the ground corresponding to the maximal height of the trailer  22 . Subsequently, the machine  10  is advanced still further onto the trailer  22  until the trailer  22  or its platform  42  is positioned between the auxiliary wheels  38 , and the wheels  14  and/or the tools  18  are above the platform  42 . Then the adjustment mechanisms  40  are released, so that the frame  12  descends until it rests on the platform  42 . Then the adjustment mechanisms  40  are retracted still further until they are lifted off of the ground. In the event locking mechanisms are provided between the machine  10  and the trailer  22 , they are then engaged. Finally, the adjustment mechanism  28  of the hitch  16  is actuated, so that the machine  10  together with the trailer  22  is pivoted horizontally around the joint  26  and ultimately comes to rest longitudinally behind the towing vehicle. 
     A second embodiment of the invention of the invention is described below, with reference to FIGS. 4 through 7. 
     The lift mechanism  20  according to this embodiment has a swinging arm  30 ′ for the wheel  40 , which has a curved segment  48  on its free end, i.e., the end remote from the leg  24 , which, proceeding from the wheel arm  30 ′, ranges counterclockwise through nearly 90° with a constant radius about the joint  34  between the arm  30 ′ and the leg  24 . The connection of the curved segment  48  to the remainder of the arm  30 ′ can be in one piece as a forged part, or can be detachable by means of a bolted connection. The curved segment  48  is provided with radially extending lower and upper bored holes  50  and  52 , respectively, these holes been shown only in FIG.  4 . As can also be seen in FIG. 4, a further lifting arm  36 ′ is shown connected for movement with the wheel arm  30 ′ through the agency of a locking bolt  54 , here shown inserted in the lower bored hole  50 , so that the lifting arm  36 ′ is moved together with the wheel arm  30 ′ when the latter is swung by the adjustment mechanism  32 . 
     The lifting arm  36 ′ is constructed of parallel, spaced straps defining an intervening open space in which the curved segment  48  of the arm  30 ′ fits, with the straps being on the opposite sides of the leg  24  and vertically pivotable at the joint  34 . 
     The locking bolt  54  can be designed in the simplest form as a mechanical closure actuated, e.g., by means of a pull cable. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking bolt  54  is designed as a remotely actuated hydraulic cylinder, which is connected to an undepicted manner to a hydraulic system of the towing vehicle or the machine  10 . The locking bolt  54  is located between the straps of the swinging arm  36  and includes a cylinder  56  and a piston rod  58  displaceable therein. The locking bolt  54  extends in the direction of the swinging arm  36  in such a way that the piston rod  58  moves radially towards the curved segment  48  and can therefore enter the lower or the upper bored holes  50  and  52 . Accordingly, the rod  58  of the double-acting locking bolt  54  can be selectively inserted in one or the other of the opposite end portions of the curved segment  48  so as to join both swinging arms  30 ′ and  36 ′ positively together in different positions and thereby ensure a common movement. 
     The illustrations in FIGS. 5 through 7 will now be discussed. In the configuration depicted in FIG. 5, the locking bolt piston  58  is located in the upper bored hole  52  and, because the swinging arm  30 ′ is in an upper position, the swinging arm  36 ′ is also in an upper position, in which the auxiliary wheel  38  does not touch the ground. In this configuration, the machine  10  can be operated in the field. 
     In the configuration depicted in FIG. 6, the locking bolt piston  58  is located in the lower bored hole  50 , but the adjustment mechanism  32  has pivoted the swinging arm  30 ′ downward. Because, as in the first embodiment, the swinging arm  36 ′ is appreciably longer than the wheel arm  30 ′, the auxiliary wheel  38  describes a greater arc and comes to rest on the ground after a short movement of the swinging arm  30 . When the adjustment mechanism  32  pivots the swinging arm  30  still further, the swinging arm  36 ′ with the auxiliary wheel  38  lifts the machine  10  until the maximal adjustment reach of the adjustment mechanism  32  is reached. In this fully lifted position of the machine  10 , a free space exists between the wheels  14  and the ground that is sufficient for positioning the machine  10  over the trailer  22 , as depicted in FIG.  7 . Because, as shown in FIG. 3, the wheels  46  of the trailer  22  are located in the middle part of the trailer, it is sufficient when the machine  10  is raised to a height in which its wheels  14  reach thee height of the platform  42 . 
     For transport, the machine  10 , as shown in FIG. 6, is driven up to the trailer  22  with a lateral offset relative to the towing vehicle, the adjustment mechanism  32  is actuated, further extension is carried out until the wheels  14  and the tool  18  are above the platform  42 , the machine  10  is lowered until the auxiliary wheels  38  lift off of the ground and the hitch  16  pivots on the joint  26  until it extends in the longitudinal direction of the trailer  22  and therefore the machine  10  as well. Optionally, the machine  10  can be secured on the trailer  22  in case this should be necessary. 
     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.