Rail roller pin gang adjustment system

#The present disclosure relates to tillage machines, and specifically to gang angle adjustment on tillage machines.

#Tillage machines commonly include a gang. The gang includes a gang support element (e.g., elongate tube, arm, frame member, etc.), and a set of blades that are rotatably coupled to the gang support element and are aligned parallel to one another along a common axis of rotation. The blades dig into soil as the gang is being pulled behind a tractor or other vehicle. In some machines, the gang may be adjusted angularly relative to a main frame of the tillage machine, between a shallow gang angle and a more aggressive gang angle. When the gang is adjusted to a shallow gang angle, the axis of rotation of the blades is generally aligned perpendicular (or close to perpendicular) to the direction of forward movement of the tractor, thus creating relatively narrow seedbeds. In contrast, with a more aggressive gang angle, the blades create wider seedbeds because of the larger angle at which the blades engage the soil.

#In one aspect, the disclosure provides a tillage machine having a main frame, a gang rotatably coupled to the main frame, and an arcuately-shaped adjustment rail coupled to the main frame. At least a portion of the adjustment rail is spaced from the main frame. The adjustment rail includes a plurality of apertures each configured to receive a locking structure, and the adjustment rail defines an open space adjacent the main frame.

#FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a tillage machine, illustrating a gang adjustment system.

#FIG. 2 is a further perspective view of the gang adjustment system of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a top view of the gang adjustment system of FIG. 1.

#Before constructions of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The disclosure is capable of supporting other constructions and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

#FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a tillage machine 10. The tillage machine 10 includes a main frame 14 and a gang 18 coupled to the main frame 14. The gang 18 includes a gang support element 22 (e.g., elongate tube, arm, frame member, etc.), and a set of blades 26 coupled to the gang support element 22. The blades 26 each rotate about a common axis of rotation 30 (FIG. 3), and are used for example to dig into soil to create seedbeds as the tillage machine 10 is pulled with a tractor or other vehicle.

#With continued reference to FIGS. 1-4, the tillage machine 10 includes a gang adjustment system 34 that may be used to adjust an angle of the gang 18 relative to the main frame 14. The gang adjustment system 34 includes a first bracket 38 coupled (e.g., welded, attached via fasteners, etc.) to the main frame 14, a second bracket 42 coupled to the main frame 14 (e.g., extending parallel to the first bracket 38), and an adjustment rail 46 coupled to and extending between the first and second brackets 38, 42. In some constructions, the first bracket 38, the second bracket 42, and/or the adjustment rail 46 are integrally formed as a single piece with the main frame 14. As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the adjustment rail 46 includes a plurality of apertures 50. The apertures 50 are equally spaced along the adjustment rail 46, and are equally sized and shaped to receive a locking pin or other locking structure. Other constructions include different numbers, spacing, and/or size of apertures 50 than that shown.