# US 2012/0073844 A1 · Harrow > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2012/0073844 A1 - Document ID: US20120073844A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/893,334 - Filed: 2010-09-29 - Published: 2012-03-29 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-29 - Inventors: Michael Ian James Friesen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120073844A1 ## CPC - A01B 63/32: operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means {without automatic control} - A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21) ## Abstract A harrow includes plural hydraulic actuators to displace respective working elements between opposing first and second positions. The actuators are connected in series in a phasing relationship to define one or more hydraulic circuits. Each circuit includes a lead actuator mounted in a first orientation to displace the respective working elements in a first direction when extended and a secondary actuator in series with the lead actuator in an opposing second orientation to displace the respective working elements in the first direction when retracted. One of the ports of the secondary actuator is coupled to the same one of the ports of the lead actuator such that all of the working elements are simultaneously displaced in a common direction when supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to the lead actuator. Additional actuators may be similarly connected in series in alternating orientations with the lead and secondary actuators of each circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ground working implement comprising: an elongate tool bar; ground wheels supporting the tool bar for movement across the ground in a forward working direction at right angles to the tool bar; a plurality of working elements coupled to the tool bar for movement relative thereto between opposing first and second positions; a plurality of hydraulic actuators associated with respective ones of the working elements to displace the elements between the opposing first and second positions when the respective actuators are extended or retracted; each hydraulic actuator having one fluid port arranged to extend the actuator when receiving hydraulic fluid therein and a second fluid port arranged to retract the actuator when receiving hydraulic fluid therein; at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprising a lead actuator mounted in a first orientation relative to the tool bar so as to be arranged to displace the respective working elements in a first direction from the first position towards the second position when the actuator is extended; at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprising a secondary actuator in series with said at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprising the lead actuator so as to form a common hydraulic circuit in a phasing relationship therewith, the secondary actuator being mounted in a second orientation relative to the tool bar opposite the first orientation so as to be arranged to displace the respective working elements in the first direction from the first position towards the second position when the secondary actuator is retracted; one of the ports of the secondary actuator being coupled to the same one of the ports of the lead actuator of the common hydraulic circuit such that all of the working elements associated with the common hydraulic circuit are simultaneously displaced in a common direction when supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to the lead actuator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The implement according to claim 1 wherein the hydraulic actuators are identical in size to one another. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The implement according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprises a third actuator in series with said at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprising the lead actuator so as to form the common hydraulic circuit in phasing relationship therewith, the third actuator being mounted in the first orientation opposite the second orientation of the secondary actuator of the common hydraulic circuit so as to be arranged to displace the respective working elements in the first direction from the first position towards the second position when the third actuator is extended, wherein one of the ports of the third actuator is coupled to the same one of the ports of the secondary actuator of the common hydraulic circuit such that all of the working elements associated with the common hydraulic circuit are simultaneously displaced in a common direction when supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to the lead actuator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The implement according to claim 3 wherein at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprises a fourth actuator in series with said at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprising the lead actuator so as to form the common hydraulic circuit in phasing relationship therewith, the fourth actuator being mounted in the second orientation so as to be arranged to rotate the respective working elements in the first direction from the first position towards the second position when the fourth actuator is retracted, wherein one of the ports of the fourth actuator is coupled to the same one of the ports of the third actuator of the common hydraulic circuit such that all of the working elements associated with the common hydraulic circuit are simultaneously displaced in a common direction when supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to the lead actuator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The implement according to claim 1 wherein the hydraulic actuators include two lead actuators and two secondary actuators, each lead actuator defining a respective hydraulic circuit and each including one of the secondary actuators associated therewith, wherein the secondary actuator is mounted in an opposing orientation relative to the respective lead actuator, and wherein one of the ports of each secondary actuator is coupled to the same one of the ports of the respective lead actuator such that each secondary actuator is in a phasing relationship with the respective lead actuator of the common hydraulic circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The implement according to claim 5 wherein the lead actuators are mounted in opposing first and second orientations relative to one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The implement according to claim 5 wherein the lead actuators are mechanically coupled to one another for movement together between the respective opposing positions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The implement according to claim 7 wherein the lead actuators are supported on a common central frame section of the implement, each second actuator being supported on a respective lateral wing frame section relative to the central frame section. ### Claim 9 A ground working implement comprising: an elongate tool bar; ground wheels supporting the tool bar for movement across the ground in a forward working direction at right angles to the tool bar; a plurality of separate harrow sections for mounting on the tool bar at a plurality of spaced positions thereon along the length thereof for movement therewith across the ground in a harrowing action; each harrow section comprising: a frame; a frame suspension for mounting the frame on the tool bar so as to trail in a longitudinal direction behind the tool bar in a substantially horizontal plane; a plurality of parallel tine support bars mounted on the frame at longitudinally spaced positions to extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of the frame; a plurality of harrow tine elements at spaced positions along each tine support bar, each harrow tine having an upper portion fixed to the respective bar and a lower ground engaging portion extending downwardly from the respective bar for engagement with the ground, each tine support bar being mounted on the frame for rotational movement relative thereto about an axis longitudinal of the tine support bar so as to vary the angle of each tine mounted thereon about the axis of the tine support bar and relative to the ground; each frame having an actuator arm extending generally longitudinal of the frame and a plurality of cranks each extending from the arm to a respective one of the tine support bars such that longitudinal movement of the arm causes simultaneous rotation of the tine support bars each about its respective axis between opposing first and second positions corresponding to different tine angles; each frame having a hydraulic actuator associated therewith which is coupled by a linkage to simultaneously rotate the tine support bars when the actuator is extended or retracted; each hydraulic actuator having one fluid port arranged to extend the actuator when receiving hydraulic fluid therein and a second fluid port arranged to retract the actuator when receiving hydraulic fluid therein; at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprising a lead actuator mounted in a first orientation on the respective frame so as to be arranged to rotate the tine support bars in a first direction of rotation corresponding to displacement of the tine elements from the first position towards the second position when the actuator is extended; at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprising a secondary actuator in series with said at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprising the lead actuator so as to form a common hydraulic circuit in a phasing relationship therewith, the secondary actuator being mounted in a second orientation on the respective frame opposite the first orientation so as to be arranged to rotate the respective tine support bars in the first direction of rotation corresponding to displacement of the tine elements from the first position towards the second position when the secondary actuator is retracted; one of the ports of the secondary actuator being coupled to the same one of the ports of the lead actuator of the common hydraulic circuit such that all of the tine elements associated with the common hydraulic circuit are simultaneously rotated in a common direction of rotation when supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to the lead actuator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The implement according to claim 9 wherein the hydraulic actuators are identical in size to one another. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The implement according to claim 9 wherein at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprises a third actuator in series with said at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprising the lead actuator so as to form the common hydraulic circuit in phasing relationship therewith, the third actuator being mounted in the first orientation on the respective frame opposite the second orientation of the secondary actuator of the common hydraulic circuit so as to be arranged to rotate the respective tine support bars in the first direction of rotation corresponding to displacement of the tine elements from the first position towards the second position when the third actuator is extended, wherein one of the ports of the third actuator is coupled to the same one of the ports of the secondary actuator of the common hydraulic circuit such that all of the tine elements associated with the common hydraulic circuit are simultaneously rotated in a common direction of rotation when supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to the lead actuator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The implement according to claim 11 wherein at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprises a fourth actuator in series with said at least one of the hydraulic actuators comprising the lead actuator so as to form the common hydraulic circuit in phasing relationship therewith, the fourth actuator being mounted in the second orientation on the respective frame opposite the first orientation of the third actuator of the common hydraulic circuit so as to be arranged to rotate the respective tine support bars in the first direction of rotation corresponding to displacement of the tine elements from the first position towards the second position when the fourth actuator is retracted, wherein one of the ports of the fourth actuator is coupled to the same one of the ports of the third actuator of the common hydraulic circuit such that all of the tine elements associated with the common hydraulic circuit are simultaneously rotated in a common direction of rotation when supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to the lead actuator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The implement according to claim 9 wherein the hydraulic actuators include two lead actuators and two secondary actuators, each lead actuator defining a respective hydraulic circuit and each including one of the secondary actuators associated therewith, wherein the secondary actuator is mounted in an opposing orientation relative to the respective lead actuator, and wherein one of the ports of each secondary actuator is coupled to the same one of the ports of the respective lead actuator such that each secondary actuator is in a phasing relationship with the respective lead actuator of the common hydraulic circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The implement according to claim 13 wherein the lead actuators are mounted in opposing first and second orientations relative to one another. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The implement according to claim 13 wherein the lead actuators are mechanically coupled to one another for movement together between the respective opposing positions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The implement according to claim 15 wherein the lead actuators are supported on a common central harrow section, each secondary actuator being supported on a harrow section supported on a respective lateral wing relative to the central harrow section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The implement according to claim 9 wherein each harrow section is substantially identical in configuration. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The implement according to claim 9 wherein each harrow section includes a first mounting location for mounting the respective actuator in the first orientation thereon and a second mounting location for mounting the respective actuator in the second orientation thereon. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The implement according to claim 9 wherein the linkage coupling each actuator to the respective tine support bars comprises a lever arm coupled to one of the tine support bars for rotation therewith, the frame including first and second mounting locations arranged for coupling a cylinder end of the respective actuator thereto and the lever arm being arranged for coupling a piston end of the respective actuator thereto. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The implement according to claim 19 wherein the lever arm of each linkage is supported on a central one of the tine support bars of the respective harrow section in the longitudinal direction and wherein the hydraulic actuators are oriented generally in the longitudinal direction in both the first and second orientations thereof.