Patent ID: 7658056

Claim:
A method of providing folding of a towed agricultural implement for operation and for transport, the agricultural implement comprising a main frame, a sub-frame articulatable with respect to the main frame, a header, a plurality of work tools operatively attached to the header, and a tongue for operatively, pivotally attaching the towed agricultural implement to a towing vehicle, the method comprising: (a) operatively, rotatably attaching at least one ground engaging wheel to the towed agricultural implement main frame, said main frame not a part of a towing vehicle, said ground engaging wheel having a forwardmost point, in a usual direction of travel; (b) operatively, pivotally attaching said tongue to the main frame, an angle between the tongue and the main frame in a substantially horizontal plane being variable; (c) operatively attaching the tongue to the towing vehicle; (d) supporting the main frame with the at least one ground engaging wheel; (e) operatively suspending the sub-frame from the main frame on a four-bar linkage; (f) operatively, pivotally attaching a first of said plurality of work tools to the sub-frame on a substantially vertical first work tool pivot axis; (g) disposing the first work tool pivot axis entirely forward, in the usual direction of travel, of the forwardmost point of the at least one ground engaging wheel; (h) operatively attaching a second of said plurality of work tools to the sub-frame on a substantially vertical second work tool pivot axis; (i) disposing the second work tool pivot axis forward, in a usual direction of travel, of the forwardmost point of the at least one ground engaging wheel; (j) pivoting the first of the plurality of work tools relative to the sub-frame about the first work tool pivot axis to narrow a width of the towed agricultural implement for transport; and (k) pivoting the second of the plurality of work tools relative to the sub-frame about the second work tool pivot axis to narrow the width of the towed agricultural implement for transport.