Patent ID: 8016043

Claim:
A marker assembly for use with an agricultural implement towable by a towing vehicle, the marker assembly comprising: a marker frame adapted to be mounted to the agricultural implement, the marker frame adapted to fold against the agricultural implement and extend from the agricultural implement, comprising a mount which includes an inner knuckle and an outer knuckle, the inner knuckle configured to connect at one end to a portion of the agricultural implement, the inner knuckle including an opposite end to which an outer knuckle is connected, the outer knuckle configured to provide a frame mount for at least a portion of the frame, the outer knuckle further including on a side of the mount positioned opposite to a direction of travel an upper plate positioned over and against an upper plate of the inner knuckle and an opposite lower plate positioned below and against a lower plate of the inner knuckle, a vertical pin having a first end and a spaced-apart second end with a length therebetween positioned through openings in the plates to connect the outer knuckle and the inn knuckle together, the vertical pin configured to form a pivot axis thereabout, a bolt housing including a first portion carried by the inner knuckle and a second portion carried by the outer knuckle, both first and second portions of the bolt housing positioned on the side of the mount facing the direction of travel, the first and second portions of the bolt housing positioned together at a junction of the inner knuckle and the outer knuckle to form the bolt housing, and a tension bolt positioned in the bolt housing to hold the bolt housing together, wherein the bolt housing and tension bolt therein cooperate to provide a breakaway joint in the mount such that when the marker frame is in an operative position and is moved in the direction of travel by an agricultural implement and the marker frame encounters a field obstruction with sufficient force to overcome a holding force of the breakaway joint, the tension bolt breaks at the junction of the portions of the bolt housing and the outer knuckle pivots on the pivot axis of the vertical pin away from the direction of travel, a plurality of interconnected foldable frame members, at least one of the plurality of frame members coupled to the outer knuckle of the mount; a wheel rotatably connected to an arm pivotably carried by at least a portion of the frame; a marking disc rotatably mounted to an outer end of an outermost frame member; and at least one actuator pivotably connected to the outer knuckle of the mount and to at least a portion of one frame member, the actuator configured to move the frame members of the marker frame between an extended operative position when the actuator is extended and a folded non-operative position when the actuator is retracted.