Depth control mechanism
AssigneeCNH America LLC
InventorJacob N. Gust
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A depth control mechanism for an agricultural seed planter is made up of an index plate, a T-handle, a spring, and a gauge wheel arm. The T-handle is moved into different positions which are indicated in the index plate. The spring and the gauge wheel arm allow for selective manual movement and locking of the depth adjustment.
Claims18
A row furrow opener assembly for an agricultural seed planter, comprising:
- a pivot arm with a first end for vertical pivotable attachment to a tractor toolbar and a second generally remote opposing second end;
- a disc opener rotatably affixed at an axis point on said pivot arm adjacent said second end thereof;
- a depth control mechanism affixed to said pivot arm adjacent said second end thereof, said depth control mechanism comprising:
- a generally wedge-shaped structure with a curved arcuate index plate having first and second opposing ends and first and second support arms, said support arms each with a first end and a second opposing end, said first ends of said support arms interconnected at an intersection point and said second ends connected to respective said first and second ends of said index plate, said intersection point generally at the center of the radius of the curved arcuate index plate;
- said index plate having a longitudinal slot along the arc thereof and a plurality of notches spaced along said longitudinal slot generally transverse to said longitudinal slot, each said slot and said notches having length and width dimensions;
- said first support arm affixed to said pivot arm;
- an elongate shift arm affixed to said wedge-shaped structure for pivotable movement generally between said first and second support arms about a first axis adjacent said intersection point;
- said shift arm having a locking mechanism for selectively engaging said notches;
- and
- a gauge wheel arm affixed to said wedge-shaped structure for pivotable movement generally between said first support arm and said shift arm about said first axis, said gauge wheel arm having a spindle axle affixed thereto and a gauge wheel mounted for rotation on said spindle axle, whereby said locking mechanism can be selectively moved between said plurality of notches to modify the position of said spindle axle relative to said axis point of said disc opener and thus the depth at which said disc opener engages the ground.
In a row furrow opener assembly for an agricultural seed planter, said seed planter including a pivot arm with a first end for vertical pivotable attachment to a tractor toolbar and a second generally remote opposing second end, a disc opener rotatably affixed at an axis point on said pivot arm adjacent said second end thereof, and a depth control mechanism affixed to said pivot arm adjacent said second end thereof, the improvement in said depth control mechanism comprising:
- a generally wedge-shaped structure with a curved arcuate index plate having first and second opposing ends and first and second support arms, said support arms each with a first end and a second opposing end, said first ends of said support arms interconnected at an intersection point and said second ends connected to respective said first and second ends of said index plate, said intersection point generally at the center of the radius of the curved arcuate index plate;
- said index plate having a longitudinal slot along the arc thereof and a plurality of notches spaced along said longitudinal slot generally transverse to said longitudinal slot, each said slot and said notches having length and width dimensions;
- said first support arm affixed to said pivot arm;
- an elongate shift arm affixed to said wedge-shaped structure for pivotable movement generally between said first and second support arms about a first axis adjacent said intersection point;
- said shift arm having a locking mechanism for selectively engaging said notches;
- and
- a gauge wheel arm affixed to said wedge-shaped structure for pivotable movement generally between said first support arm and said shift arm about said first axis, said gauge wheel arm having a spindle axle affixed thereto and a gauge wheel mounted for rotation on said spindle axle, whereby said locking mechanism can be selectively moved between said plurality of notches to modify the position of said spindle axle relative to said axis point of said disc opener and thus the depth at which said disc opener engages the ground.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.