# US 2014/0150392 A1 · Pull-type agricultural implement drawbar hitch connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150392 A1 - Document ID: US20140150392A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/691,765 - Filed: 2012-12-01 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-01 - Assignees: Maschinenfabrik Bernard Krone GmbH - Applicants: Maschinenfabrik Bernard Krone GmbH - Inventors: Andreas Afting - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150392A1 ## CPC - A01B 59/042: having pulling means arranged on the rear part of the tractor - A01D 67/005: {Arrangements of coupling devices} - 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) - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING ## Abstract A pull-type agricultural implement has a beam with drawbar hitch pivotable relative to the beam about a vertical axis and a horizontal axis extending in the travel direction. The drawbar hitch has a receptacle for a tractor drawbar. The receptacle enables pivoting of the drawbar about an axis that is horizontal and transverse to the travel direction relative to the drawbar hitch in a locked position. Guiding and adjusting plates in the receptacle allow adjustment of the receiving width of the receptacle to different drawbar dimensions. From a first position, in which the plates limit lateral play of a drawbar with large cross-section relative to the travel and working direction to a minimum, the guiding and adjusting plates are transferable and lockable in a second position, in which the plates limit lateral play of a drawbar with small cross-section relative to the travel direction to a minimum. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pull-type agricultural implement comprising: a frame that is supported by wheels on the ground; at least one working unit for working an agricultural field or meadow arranged on the frame; a beam having a first end connected to the frame and a second end opposite the frame; a drawbar hitch connected to the second end of the beam so as to be pivotable relative to the beam about at least one vertical axis and an axis that is approximately horizontal and extends in a travel and working direction of the implement; the drawbar hitch having a receiving end facing away from the frame, wherein the receiving end has a channel-type receptacle adapted to receive and releasably lock a drawbar of an agricultural combined tractor and drive machine in a locked position; the receptacle enabling a pivot movement of the drawbar relative to the drawbar hitch in the locked position of the drawbar about an axis that is approximately horizontal and transverse to the travel and working direction; guiding and adjusting plates disposed in the receptacle and configured to adjust a receiving width of the receptacle to different dimensions of the drawbar; the guiding and adjusting plates are configured such that, from a first position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with large cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to a minimum, the guiding and adjusting plates are transferable and lockable in a second position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with small cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to a minimum. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The implement according to claim 1, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are configured such that, from the first position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with large cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to a minimum, the guiding and adjusting plates are moveable approximately in parallel orientation to the drawbar to be received into the second position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with small cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to a minimum. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The implement according to claim 1, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are configured such that, from the first position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with large cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to a minimum, the guiding and adjusting plates are pivotable into the second position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with small cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to a minimum. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The implement according to claim 3, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are supported pivotably in the receptacle on bearing bolts that are approximately vertically arranged. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The implement according to claim 1, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are configured to be continuously adjustable in the receptacle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The implement according to claim 1, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are configured to be adjusted in the receptacle by a stepwise adjustment at uniform step intervals. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The implement according to claim 6, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates comprise perforated plates and the drawbar hitch has locking plates, wherein the perforated plates are guided between the locking plates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The implement according to claim 7, wherein the locking plates have locking bores arranged in a hole pattern and the perforated plates have locking bores arranged in a hole pattern matched to the hole pattern of the locking plates, wherein a hitch bolt is insertable into aligned locking bores of the perforated plates and the locking plates and the stepwise adjustment is realized by varying an alignment of the locking bores of the locking plates and the perforate plates relative to each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The implement according to claim 1, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are provided on opposed sides of the receptacle and are transferred synchronously from the first position into the second position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The implement according to claim 1, further comprising a bolt that secures the drawbar in the drawbar hitch. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The implement according to claim 1, further comprising bushings correlated with the drawbar hitch for adjusting the drawbar hitch to different drawbar sizes, wherein the bushings are configured to change a bore size of the drawbar. ### Claim 12 A pull-type agricultural implement comprising: a frame that is supported by wheels on the ground; at least one working unit for working an agricultural field or meadow arranged on the frame; a beam having a first end connected to the frame and a second end opposite the frame; a drawbar hitch connected to the second end of the beam so as to be pivotable about at least one vertical axis relative to the beam; the drawbar hitch having a receiving end facing away from the frame, wherein the receiving end has a channel-type receptacle adapted to receive and releasably lock a drawbar of an agricultural combined tractor and drive machine in a locked position; the receptacle enabling a pivot movement of the drawbar about an axis that is approximately horizontal and transverse to the travel and working direction relative to the drawbar hitch in the locked position of the drawbar; guiding and adjusting plates disposed in the receptacle and configured to adjust a receiving width of the receptacle to different dimensions of the drawbar; the guiding and adjusting plates are configured such that, from a first position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with large cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to an adjusted size, the guiding and adjusting plates are transferable and lockable in a second position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with small cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to an adjusted size. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The implement according to claim 12, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are configured such that, from the first position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with large cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to an adjusted size, the guiding and adjusting plates are moveable approximately parallel to the drawbar to be received into the second position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with small cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to an adjusted size. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The implement according to claim 12, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are configured such that, from the first position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with large cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to an adjusted size, the guiding and adjusting plates are pivotable into the second position, in which the guiding and adjusting plates limit a lateral play of a drawbar with small cross-sectional dimensions relative to the travel and working direction to an adjusted size. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The implement according to claim 14, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are supported pivotably in the receptacle on bearing bolts that are approximately vertically arranged. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The implement according to claim 12, wherein the lateral play of the drawbar relative to the travel and working direction limited to an adjustable size is reached when the drawbar within the receptacle is moveable to a limited extent about an axis that is approximately horizontal and transverse to the travel and working direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The implement according to claim 12, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are configured to be continuously adjustable in the receptacle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The implement according to claim 12, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are configured to be adjusted in the receptacle by a stepwise adjustment at uniform step intervals. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The implement according to claim 18, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates comprise perforated plates and the drawbar hitch has locking plates, wherein the perforated plates are guided between the locking plates. ### Claim 20 (depends on 20) The implement according to claim 20, wherein the locking plates have locking bores arranged in a hole pattern and the perforated plates have locking bores arranged in a hole pattern matched to the hole pattern of the locking plates, wherein a hitch bolt is insertable into aligned locking bores of the perforated plates and the locking plates and the stepwise adjustment is realized by varying an alignment of the locking bores of the locking plates and the perforate plates relative to each other. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The implement according to claim 12, wherein the guiding and adjusting plates are provided on opposed sides of the receptacle and are transferred synchronously from the first position into the second position. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The implement according to claim 12, further comprising a bolt that secures the drawbar in the drawbar hitch. ### Claim 23 (depends on 12) The implement according to claim 12, further comprising bushings correlated with the drawbar hitch for adjusting the drawbar hitch to different drawbar sizes, wherein the bushings are configured to change a bore size of the drawbar.