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US 4,049,063 AGranted
Multi-unit adjustable plow system
AssigneeDMI, Inc.
InventorWilliam John Dietrich
Life of this patent
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AssigneeDMI, Inc.
InventorWilliam John Dietrich
Estimating the term…
A plow system includes a number of individual plow units mounted on a beam which is inclined relative to the direction of travel of a traction vehicle. The units are mounted for continuous rotation about vertical axes so that they may be opened or closed to adjust the width of a cut between adjacent units over a continuous, wide range. The plow unit is supported by a forward furrow wheel located to ride in previously-plowed ground and a rear furrow wheel, and the main frame is pulled by a tongue or draft member connected between a tractor hitch and an intermediate location of the inclined beam. A hydraulic unit adjusts the individual plow units in unison, and at the same time, through a linkage, adjusts the tongue relative to the inclined beam to keep the forward furrow wheel at a constant distance from the rear tractor wheel for all width adjustments. A steering mechanism adjusts a steerable wheel, which may be the rear furrow wheel, to toe in such a manner as to offset the moment force on the system tending to rotate the system about the tractor hitch, and this offset or counter force caused by the toeing of the steerable wheel is adjusted to counteract the moment force which changes as the cutting width is varied. Further, the inclined beam is provided in modular form so that additional plow units may be added using standard parts or elements, as desired.
In a plow system adapted to be pulled by a traction vehicle having a rear wheel, sid plow system having a frame with an inclined beam, a plurality of plow units mounted on said inclined beam and connected together for rotation in unison to adjust the cutting width of the plows, and power adjustment means for adjusting the width of said plow units, the improvement comprising:
In a plow system adapted to be pulled through connection to a traction vehicle by means of a hitch permitting rotation of said plow system about a vertical hitch axis, said plow system including a frame having an inclined beam, a plurality of plow units mounted on said inclined beam and connected together for rotation in unison to adjust the cutting width of the plow units, the combination comprising power means for adjusting the width of said plow units and wherein the net rearward force on said frame shifts laterally relative to said hitch axis as the cutting width of said plow units is adjusted, said force shifting from a first position on one side of a line parallel to the direction of forward travel of said vehicle and passing through said hitch axis when said plow units are adjusted to a relatively closed position to the other side of said line when said plow units are adjusted to a relatively open position;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.