US 4,180,135 AGranted

Hydraulic angling mechanism for disc harrow gangs

AssigneeInternational Harvester Company

InventorsEugen J. Birkenbach, Robert D. Woodworth

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Abstract

Hydraulic mechanism for varying the angular relationship between a pair of adjacent end-connected disc harrow gangs which uses the same power source that ordinarily is employed for raising and lowering the harrow frame structure as a power source to actuate the gang angling mechanism. A bell crank lever mechanism embodying a pivot shaft, trailing wheel axle arms, and a crank arm, has the latter arm connected to the power source so that when the crank arm is swung in opposite fore and aft directions, the frame structure is raised or lowered. The gang angling mechanism embodies floating links which are connected at one end to the crank arm and which pass slidingly through the pivotal juncture between the end-connected gangs, together with removable abutment members which, when applied to the floating links in the vicinity of such junctures, engages the latter when the power source is actuated in one direction or the other and forces the juncture in a direction either to increase or decrease the angular gang relationship, depending upon whether the abutment members are applied forwardly or rearwardly of the juncture.

In a disc harrow of the type having a generally rectangular frame structure including a pair of spaced outside main longitudinal frame members and a pair of inside longitudinal intermediate frame members, pairs of front and rear disc gangs operatively associated with said frame structure on generally opposite sides of said intermediate frame members and having gang beams which are arranged in end-to-end relationship and carry disc blades designed for engagement with the ground, suspension means between said outside main longitudinal frame members and said gang beams providing a sliding pivot for the latter relative to the former, suspension means between said inside longitudinal intermediate frame member and said gang beams permitting sliding therebetween, a connector device extending between adjacent ends of the gang beams of each pair and adapted upon longitudinal shifting movement thereof to effect a change in angular relationship of the associated pair of disc gangs, a transverse pivot shaft mounted on said frame structure, having trailing wheel axle arms and a crank arm extending radially therefrom, said axle arms, pivot shaft and crank arm establishing, in effect, a bell crank arrangement whereby forward and rearward swinging movement of the crank arm will effect lowering and raising of the frame structure to bring the disc blades into and out of engagement with the ground, and an hydraulic cylinder effective between the frame structure and crank arm to swing the latter in opposite directions, the improvement which comprises:

a floating link pivoted at one end to said crank arm and projecting slidingly through one of said connector devices, and an abutment member adapted for selective positioning lengthwise on said floating link forwardly and rearwardly of said one connector device and engageable therewith for longitudinal shifting thereof upon actuation of said cylinder, and cooperating means on said link and abutment member whereby the latter may be releasably mounted on the former in selected positions of longitudinal adjustment.

Abstract

Claims10