System for and method of moving an agricultural implement between a folded, inoperative position and an extended, operative position

A system configured to move right and left wings of tools of an agricultural implement between a folded, inoperative position and an extended, operative position for operation in a field, the implement including a left boom in support of the left wing of tools located on one side of a central longitudinal axis of the implement opposite a right boom in support of the right wing of tools, comprising:

• a valve network located at the implement and in fluid communication with a fluid drive source;
• at least one wing actuator in fluid communication with the valve network, the at least one wing actuator configured to rotate one of the right and left wings of tools upwardly in a vertical direction about a horizontal axis while the other of the right and left wings of tools is stationary;
• and
• at least one boom actuator in fluid communication with the valve network, the at least one boom actuator configured to rotate one of the right and left booms in support of the one of the right and left wings of tools moved upwardly about a vertical axis in a rearward direction while the other of the right and left wings of tools is stationary;
• wherein the valve network includes a first rotary valve and a second rotary valve each in fluid communication with both a left wing and right wing actuators from the at least two wing actuators, each first and second rotary valve including a selector configured to communicate a fluid flow from a single inlet port to one of two outlet ports, the selector of the first rotary valve mechanically connected to move with the selector of the second rotary valve.

An agricultural implement, comprising:

• a first boom in support of a first wing of tools located on one side of a central longitudinal axis of the implement;
• a second boom in support of a second wing of tools located on another side of the central longitudinal axis opposite the first boom and the first wing of tools;
• a system configured to rotate the first wing of tools upwardly in a vertical direction about a horizontal axis and then rotate the first boom about a vertical axis in a horizontal direction while the second wing of tools and the second boom are stationary, the system comprising:
• a valve network in fluid communication with a fluid drive source;
• at least two wing actuators in fluid communication with the valve network, the at least two wing actuators configured to rotate the first wings of tools upwardly in the vertical direction while the second wing of tools is stationary;
• and
• at least two boom actuators in fluid communication with the valve network, the at least two boom actuators configured to rotate the first boom about the vertical axis in the horizontal direction while the second boom is stationary;
• wherein the valve assembly includes a plurality of valves each associated with the at least two wing actuators and the at least two boom actuators, each of the plurality of valves including a selector configured to communicate a fluid flow from a single inlet port to one of a first outlet port in fluid communication with at least one of a first wing actuator from the at least two wing actuators and a first boom actuator from the at least two boom actuators and a second outlet port in fluid communication with at least one of a second wing actuator and a second boom actuator, the selector of a first valve from the plurality of valves mechanically connected to move with the selector of a second valve from the plurality of valves.