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US 7,395,767 B2Granted
Ground engaging apparatus
AssigneeCaplop Pty. Ltd.
InventorRichard Sulman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ground engaging apparatus (10) has a support plate (50) pivotally attached to a frame (100); a pair of arms (30, 40) interconnecting the support plate (50) and a shank support (60), which supports a shank (70) and ground follower (90) and first and second biasing rams or springs (200, 300), to maintain the ground follower (90); against the ground (91) but allow controlled break out of a ground opening, or tillage, tool (81) if an obstruction is engaged.
Claims16
A ground engaging apparatus comprising:
- i) a frame;
- ii) a support plate pivotally attached to the frame about a first point;
- iii) a first bias member attached at a first end to the frame and attached at a second end to the support plate;
- iv) at least two arms each pivotally attached at respective first ends to the support plate;
- v) a shank support to which respective second ends of the at least two arms are pivotally attached;
- vi) a second bias member attached at a first end to the frame and attached a second end to one arm of the at least two arms;
- vii) a shank attached to the shank support;
- viii) a ground opening tool attached to a free end of the shank opposite the shank support;
- and
- ix) a ground follower attached to the shank support;
- wherein:
- said first bias member applies a first force to the support plate urging the support plate to rotate about the first point to thereby abut a stop that obstructs rotation thereof until a counter force is applied against the ground follower or ground opening tool that is greater than the first force such that the support plate rotates about the first point in a direction away from the stop;
- and
- the second bias member applies a second force to the one arm thereby urging the ground follower against a surface and the ground opening tool into the surface.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.