Support assembly for wing moldboard and related methods

A plowing system comprising:

• a vehicle;
• a wing moldboard operatively connected to the vehicle;
• and
• a support assembly for the wing moldboard, the support assembly comprising:
• a rearward base configured to be secured to a vehicle to pivot with respect to the vehicle about an upright axis;
• a lower boom having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the proximal end portion configured to be secured to the rearward base to pivot with respect thereto about a lower-boom pivoting axis, the lower-boom pivoting axis being horizontal, wherein the lower boom extends upwardly with respect to the rearward base so that the distal end portion is located above the proximal end portion;
• an upper boom having an upper-boom proximal portion and an upper-boom distal portion, the upper-boom proximal portion being configured to be secured to the distal end portion of the lower boom to pivot the upper boom with respect to the lower boom about an upper-boom pivoting axis, the upper-boom pivoting axis being horizontal, wherein the upper-boom distal portion extends at least partially downwardly from the distal end portion of the lower boom;
• a lower-boom mechanical actuator configured to be operatively connected to the lower boom to drive the lower boom between a first lower-boom position having a fixed portion of the lower boom displaced a first horizontal distance from the rearward base, and a second lower-boom position with the fixed portion of the lower boom displaced a second horizontal distance from the rearward base, the second horizontal distance being greater than the first horizontal distance;
• and
• a rotation member having a rotation-member proximal portion and a rotation-member distal portion, the rotation-member proximal portion being configured to be operatively engaged with the rearward base, and the rotation-member distal portion being configured to be operatively engaged with the upper boom to pivot the upper boom with respect to the lower boom when the lower-boom mechanical actuator drives the lower boom between the first lower-boom position and the second lower-boom position;
• wherein the support assembly is operatively connected to both the vehicle and the wing moldboard, thereby operatively connecting the wing moldboard to the vehicle.

A plowing system comprising:

• a vehicle;
• a wing moldboard operatively connected to the vehicle and having a forward portion, a rearward portion, and a lower edge;
• and
• a support assembly operatively connected to the rearward portion of the wing moldboard and including:
• a rearward base configured to be secured to the vehicle to pivot with respect to the vehicle about an upright axis;
• a lower boom having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the proximal end portion configured to be secured to the rearward base to pivot with respect thereto about a lower-boom pivoting axis, the lower-boom pivoting axis being horizontal, wherein the lower boom extends upwardly with respect to the rearward base so that the distal end portion is located above the proximal end portion;
• an upper boom having an upper-boom proximal portion and an upper-boom distal portion, the upper-boom proximal portion being configured to be secured to the distal end portion of the lower boom to pivot the upper boom with respect to the lower boom about an upper-boom pivoting axis, the upper-boom pivoting axis being horizontal, wherein the upper-boom distal portion extends at least partially downwardly from the distal end portion of the lower boom;
• a lower-boom mechanical actuator configured to be operatively connected to the lower boom to drive the lower boom between a first lower-boom position having a fixed portion of the lower boom displaced a first horizontal distance from the rearward base, and a second lower-boom position with the fixed portion of the lower boom displaced a second horizontal distance from the rearward base, the second horizontal distance being greater than the first horizontal distance;
• a rotation member having a rotation-member proximal portion and a rotation-member distal portion, the rotation-member proximal portion being configured to be operatively engaged with the rearward base, and the rotation-member distal portion being configured to be operatively engaged with the upper boom to pivot the upper boom with respect to the lower boom when the lower-boom mechanical actuator drives the lower boom between the first lower-boom position and the second lower-boom position;
• wherein the support assembly has a ground-proximity configuration wherein the lower edge of the wing moldboard is placed either in contact with a level-ground surface or less than six inches above the level-ground surface, and a storage configuration wherein the lower edge of the wing moldboard is placed between ground level and 40 inches above the level-ground surface and is generally aligned with a body of the vehicle, so that the support assembly is selectively movable between the ground-proximity configuration and the storage configuration by extension and retraction of the lower-boom mechanical actuator, and a vertical position of the rearward portion of the wing moldboard is determined at least in part by a degree of extension of the lower-boom mechanical actuator;
• a forward moldboard-support assembly including a forward hinge mount operatively connected to a forward-support mechanical actuator for raising and lowering the forward hinge mount, the forward moldboard-support assembly being operatively connected to the forward portion of the wing moldboard;
• and
• a control arrangement including a controller operatively connected to the support assembly and to the forward moldboard-support assembly, the controller configured for retracting the wing moldboard from the ground-proximity configuration to the storage configuration, the controller including:
• a single input for causing both the support assembly and the forward support assembly to move the wing moldboard into the storage position.