Spray boom suspension lock assembly

An agricultural sprayer, comprising:

• a boom assembly that includes a central frame structure in pivotal support of a boom between an extended position and a folded position;
• a carrying frame coupled by a suspension arrangement to the boom assembly;
• a lift linkage operable to move the carrying frame and the boom assembly between a lowered, operative position and a raised, inoperative position;
• and
• a suspension lock assembly, comprising:
• a lock pin mounted at the lift linkage, and
• a lock bracket assembly having a first bracket and a second bracket, the first bracket mounted at the central frame structure of the boom assembly and the second bracket mounted at the carrying frame,
• wherein at an unlocked position of the suspension lock assembly, the boom assembly is operable to rotate via the suspension arrangement with respect to the carrying frame and lift linkage, and
• wherein at the raised position of the carrying frame and the boom assembly, the first and second brackets receive the lock pin in a locked position in a manner so as to restrain the boom assembly from rotating about the suspension arrangement with respect to the lift linkage.

A method of restraining a boom assembly from moving independently about a suspension arrangement with respect to a lift linkage, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a carrying frame in support of the boom assembly on the linkage,
• holding the carrying frame and the boom assembly in a lowered, operative position;
• raising the carrying frame and the boom assembly with the lift linkage to a raised, inoperative position;
• and
• inserting a lock pin fixedly attached at the lift linkage in a first slot formed a first bracket attached at the boom assembly and a second slot formed in a second bracket attached at the carrying frame,
• wherein the lock pin restrains movement of the first and second brackets so that the boom assembly is restrained from rotating with respect to the lift linkage.