Folding track removing implement

In a tractor mountable track removing implement with a U-shaped, downwardly oriented central frame member connectable to a three-point hitch at the rear of the tractor, and a plurality of earth scoring, horizontally extending wings, one-half of the plurality of wings being attached to each side of the central frame and extendable laterally with respect to the tractor and substantially horizontally behind the rear wheels of the tractor so as to score the earth and remove the tracks made by the rear tractor wheels when the central frame member is in a first position, an improvement comprising:

• a plurality of pin members, one of said pin members is associated with each said wing of the plurality of horizontally extending wings, and is selectively located on the U-shaped central member,
• a plurality of borings, one of said borings is located adjacent a first end of each of said wings,
• each of said borings receives a said pin member so as to provide a pivotal mounting for each said wing;
• first and second means for pulling, each said means for pulling has a first and a second end, each said means for pulling is connected at a said first end to a selected region on each said wing and said second ends of said means for pulling are fixedly attachable with respect to one another to a selected region on the tractor to which the implement is attachable;
• said means for pulling being operative to rotate each said wing into a non-horizontal position from the substantially horizontal position in response to the frame member of the implement being moved in a first direction;
• said means for pulling being operative to return each said wing to the substantially horizontal position, from the non-horizontal position in response to the frame member of the implement being moved opposite said first direction to the first position.

In a track removing implement for loosening and breaking compacted soil behind the wheels of a tractor having a movable hitch, the implement has a U-shaped central frame with a pair of spaced apart, generally vertical sides joined at a top end to an essentially horizontal member, the central frame is connectable to the hitch on the tractor, a first rigid elongated wing is connected to a lower end of one side of the central frame, a second rigid elongated wing is connected to a lower end of the second side of the central frame, the wings are extendable substantially horizontally behind selected wheels of the tractor, the rigid elongated wings each have at least one tine attached thereto, the tines extend vertically downward to engage and score the ground behind the selected wheels when the central frame is in a first position, an improvement comprising:

• first and second pivot means interposed between each said wing and the central frame for pivotably attaching the wings to the sides of the central frame;
• first and second rotating means for rotating said pivotably mounted wings connected to each of the wings,
• each said rotating means has a connection means fixedly connectable, with respect to said other connection means, to the tractor;
• support means for supporting each of the wings at the first, substantially horizontal, ground engaging position,
• the wings are selectively rotatable to a second, non-horizontal, non-ground engaging position in response to selected movement of the central frame away from the first position;
• said pivot means and said rotating means cooperate so as to allow the wings to return to said first, substantially horizontal, position from said second non-ground engaging position in response to opposite movement of the central frame.

In a track removing farm implement with a central frame that has first and second rigid, spaced apart, essentially vertical sides each connected at a top end to an essentially horizontal rigid member and first and second elongated wings, each said wing has a plurality of ground engaging tines attached thereto and each said wing is connected at a first end to a lower end of one of the sides and extends essentially horizontally therefrom, the central frame is attachable to a three-point hitch at the rear of an associated tractor, with the central frame in a first position the wings are extendable from each side of the central frame essentially horizontally so as to be locatable behind the rear wheels of the tractor such that the tines dig into the ground and break up the track marks left in the ground by the rear wheels as the tractor moves, an improvement comprising:

• first and second means for pivotably attaching the wings to the frame interposed between the first ends of the first and second wings and the associated lower ends of the first and second sides of the frame;
• first and second means for rotating the wings connected between the first and second wings and fixedly connectable with respect to one another to the tractor;
• said central frame, said means for pivotably attaching, said means for rotating, and said wings cooperating such that as the central frame is moved in a first direction from the first position, said means for rotating rotates said first and second pivotably mounted wings simultaneously from the essentially horizontal ground engaging position to a non-horizontal, non-ground engaging position, and as the central frame is moved opposite said first direction back to the first position, said means for rotating permit said pivotably mounted wings to simultaneously rotate, under the influence of gravity, from the non-horizontal to the essentially horizontal ground engaging position.

In a track removing farm implement with a U-shaped downwardly opening central frame member that has first and second elongated wing members extending laterally and essentially horizontally from first and second lower ends thereof, each said wing members has attached thereto a plurality of downwardly extending tines suitable for engaging and breaking up compacted earth, an improvement comprising:

• rigid connection means,
• first and second means for pivotably attaching the wing members to the frame interposed between the first and second wing members and the first and second lower ends of the central frame member, and
• first and second means each for rotating one of said wing members, said first and second means for rotating each have a first and a second end, each said means for rotating is connected at said first end by a means for attaching to a respective one of said wing members, and at said second end to said rigid connection means,
• said central frame member, said wing members, said connection means, said means for pivotably attaching, and said means for rotating so cooperating such that as the central frame member is moved in a first direction with respect to said rigid connection means, each said means for rotating causes the attached pivotably mounted one of said wing members to rotate upwardly from the essentially horizontal position to a non-horizontal position and as the central frame member is moved opposite said first direction with respect to said rigid connection means, each said means for rotating permits the attached pivotably mounted one of said wing members to rotate downwardly from the non-horizontal to the essentially horizontal position.