Greaseless gauge wheel arm assembly
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorRobert W. Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pivot arm assembly for an agricultural machine. The pivot arm assembly has a pivot arm having a bushing block on a first end and configured to be coupled to a gauge wheel on a second end, a lateral positioning member configured to be selectively coupled to the bushing block to provide lateral adjustment of the pivot arm, a through bolt configured to selectively couple the lateral positioning member to a frame, and a friction reducing member positioned between the bushing block and the through bolt. The friction reducing member allows pivotal movement of the pivot arm relative to the through bolt and does not require a routine application of grease.
Claims15
A pivot arm assembly for an agricultural machine, comprising:
- a pivot arm having a bushing block on a first end and configured to be coupled to a gauge wheel on a second end;
- a lateral positioning member configured to be selectively coupled to the bushing block to provide lateral adjustment of the pivot arm;
- a through bolt configured to selectively couple the lateral positioning member to a frame by selectively compressing the lateral positioning member to the frame;
- and
- a friction reducing member positioned between the bushing block and the through bolt;
- wherein, the friction reducing member allows pivotal movement of the pivot arm relative to the through bolt without requiring a routine application of grease;
- wherein the lateral positioning member does not move substantially in a lateral direction relative to the through bolt when adjusted to provide lateral adjustment of the pivot arm;
- wherein the through bolt is configured to selectively compress the lateral positioning member to the frame in all secured positions of the lateral positioning member.
A method of manufacturing a laterally movable pivot arm assembly, comprising:
- positioning a lateral positioning member within a bushing block of a pivot arm, the lateral positioning member being laterally repositionable relative to the bushing block;
- coupling a friction reducing member to the lateral positioning member, the friction reducing member configured to allow the pivot arm to pivot about a through bolt;
- coupling the lateral positioning member and friction reducing member to a frame of an agricultural machine with the through bolt;
- adjusting the lateral positioning member so the pivot arm is positioned to align a gauge wheel with an opener disk;
- and
- locking a lateral position of the lateral positioning member relative to the bushing block;
- wherein the locking the lateral positioning member step comprises providing sufficient torque to the through bolt to create a clamp load between the lateral positioning member and the frame to substantially prevent rotation of the lateral positioning member relative to the frame by tightening the through bolt to the frame;
- wherein, the lateral positioning member does not move substantially in a lateral direction relative to the through bolt when adjusting the lateral positioning member;
- wherein the through bolt comprises a head that prevents axial movement of the lateral positioning member.
A pivot arm assembly for an agricultural machine, comprising:
- a pivot arm having a bushing block on a first end and configured to be coupled to a gauge wheel on a second end;
- a lateral positioning member configured to be selectively coupled to the bushing block to provide lateral adjustment of the pivot arm;
- a through bolt configured to selectively couple the lateral positioning member to a frame;
- and
- a friction reducing member positioned between the bushing block and the through bolt;
- wherein, the friction reducing member allows pivotal movement of the pivot arm relative to the through bolt without requiring a routine application of grease;
- wherein the lateral positioning member comprises a bearing carrier threadably coupled to the bushing block, wherein rotation of the bearing carrier relative to the bushing block provides for lateral adjustment of the pivot arm;
- wherein the friction reducing member comprises a bearing assembly comprising a plurality of roller balls, the bearing assembly positioned radially between the bearing carrier and the through bolt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.