Gravity actuated guiding device for farm machines

A gravity-actuated apparatus for providing a visual guide to an operation of a traction vehicle pulling a cultivator for a row crop, comprising:

• a. a frame adapted to be mounted to the front of a vehicle and defining first and second pivotal connections spaced, laterally from each other in a plane transverse of the direction of travel of said vehicle;
• b. a weighted pendulum member suspended downwardly from said first pivotal connection of said frame for movement relative to said frame to be maintained by gravity in a generally vertical position as the slope of the terrain on which the tractor rides varies;
• c. a guide arm mounted to said second pivotal connection of said frame and including a gauge means for placement at a predetermined spacing relative to said crop to indicate the transverse position of the cultivator relative to the crop;
• and
• d. a crossbar pivotally connected to a third connection to said weighted pendulum member and pivotally connected at a fourth connection to said guide arm with said guide arm extending below said fourth connection and below said weighted pendulum member, said crossbar responding to movement of said pendulum member as the slope of the terrain varies to move said guide arm, said crossbar, guide arm, and weighted pendulum member being so connected to each other that the arc of movement of the guide arm is increased relative to the arc of movement of the pendulum member, thereby varying the displacement of said gauge means relative to the vertical position a predetermined amount which amount is a function of slope of the terrain on which the tractor is riding.