Patent ID: 7562719

Claim:
A tool bar with forward folding wings comprising: a main frame assembly; a telescopic tongue assembly including a rear tube secured to the main frame assembly, and a forward tube telescopically received in the rear tube; a transverse horizontal tool mounting tube secured to the main frame assembly; a left pivot frame assembly pivotally attached to the main frame assembly for pivotal movement about a left vertical axis and a right pivot frame assembly pivotally attached to the main frame assembly for pivotal movement about a right vertical axis; a left wing assembly pivotally attached to the left pivot frame assembly for pivotal movement about a left fore and aft pivot axis and including a left tool mounting tube; a right wing assembly pivotally attached to the right pivot frame assembly for pivotal movement about a right fore and aft pivot axis and including a right tool mounting tube; at least two gauge wheels attached to and supporting the main frame assembly, at least one left gauge wheel attached to and supporting the left wing assembly and at least one right gauge wheel attached to and supporting the right wing assembly; and a hitch assembly including a mast fixed to a forward end of the forward tube of the telescopic tongue assembly, at least one draft link pivotally attached to the mast and to a hitch block, a parallel draft link pivotally attached to the mast and to the hitch block, parallel to the at least one draft link and cooperating with the mast, the at least one draft link and the hitch block to form a pantographic linkage, and a hydraulic cylinder attached to the mast and the at least one draft link and operable to lift and lower the mast between a raised transport position and a lowered working position, and a draft link extension on the at least one draft link that extends to the rear of the pivot attachment to the mast and includes a slot that receives a bar on the rear tube when the mast is in a working position and anchors the hitch assembly to the rear tube.