Bifold transport lock
AssigneeKuhn North America, Inc.
InventorJeff Marggi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus includes a tongue, a pivotable beam linked to the tongue, a cylinder configured to move the pivotable beam from an operating position to a transport position, which is narrower than the operating position, and a latchable member connected to the pivotable beam. A locking assembly includes first and second dogs which can receive the latchable member. The second dog can move relative to the first dog from an open position to a closed position in response to movement of the latchable member such that movement of the latchable member out of the second dog opening is blocked by the first dog while the second dog is in the closed position. The apparatus includes a locking member that moves in response to movement of the cylinder from an unlocked to a locked position to lock the dogs in the closed position.
Claims22
An agricultural apparatus configured to be pulled in a forward direction, comprising:
- a tongue assembly;
- a pivotable beam linked to the tongue assembly and configured to pivot relative to the tongue assembly;
- a cylinder configured to move the pivotable beam from an operating position, in which the apparatus has a first width as measured in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction, to a transport position in which the apparatus has a second width as measured in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction, and the first width is larger than the second width;
- a latchable member connected to the pivotable beam at a location on the pivotable beam that is closer to the tongue assembly when the pivotable beam is in the transport position than when the pivotable beam is in the operating position;
- a first dog connected to the tongue assembly and including a first dog opening configured to receive the latchable member;
- a second dog connected to the tongue assembly and including a second dog opening configured to receive the latchable member, the second dog being configured to move relative to the first dog from an open position to a closed position in response to movement of the latchable member such that movement of the latchable member out of the second dog opening is blocked by the first dog while the second dog is in the closed position;
- and
- a locking member configured to move, in response to movement of the cylinder, from an unlocked position to a locked position such that the second dog is locked in the closed position when the locking member is in the locked position.
A rake apparatus configured to be pulled in a forward direction, comprising:
- a tongue assembly;
- a pivotable beam connected to the tongue assembly and configured to pivot relative to the tongue assembly;
- a cylinder configured to move the pivotable beam from an operating position, in which the apparatus has a first width as measured in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction, to a transport position in which the apparatus has a second width as measured in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction, and the first width is larger than the second width;
- a latchable member connected to the pivotable beam at a location on the pivotable beam that is closer to the tongue assembly when the pivotable beam is in the transport position than when the pivotable beam is in the operating position;
- a first dog connected to the tongue assembly;
- a second dog connected to the tongue assembly and including a second dog opening configured to receive the latchable member, the second dog being configured to move relative to the first dog from an open position to a closed position in response to movement of the latchable member such that movement of the latchable member out of the second dog opening is blocked by the first dog while the second dog is in the closed position;
- and
- a locking member configured to move, in response to movement of the cylinder, from an unlocked position to a locked position such that the second dog is locked in the closed position when the locking member is in the locked position.
A rake apparatus configured to be pulled in a forward direction, comprising:
- a tongue assembly;
- a pivotable beam connected to the tongue assembly and configured to pivot relative to the tongue assembly;
- a cylinder configured to move the pivotable beam from an operating position, in which the apparatus has a first width as measured in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction, to a transport position in which the apparatus has a second width as measured in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction, and the first width is larger than the second width;
- a latchable member connected to the pivotable beam at a location on the pivotable beam that is closer to the tongue assembly when the pivotable beam is in the transport position than when the pivotable beam is in the operating position;
- a first dog connected to the tongue assembly;
- a second dog connected to the tongue assembly and including a second dog opening configured to receive the latchable member, the second dog being configured to move relative to the first dog from an open position to a closed position in response to movement of the latchable member such that movement of the latchable member out of the second dog opening is blocked by the first dog while the second dog is in the closed position;
- and
- means for locking the latchable member in the second dog opening in response to movement of the cylinder independently of movement of the pivotable beam.
A method of locking a rake apparatus in a transport position, which transport position is narrower than an operating position, comprising:
- providing a tongue assembly;
- moving a cylinder to pivot a pivotable beam relative to the tongue assembly such that an overall width of the rake apparatus is narrower as measured in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel than when the rake apparatus is in an operating position;
- capturing, via a dog connected to the tongue assembly, a latchable member connected to the pivotable beam;
- locking the dog in a closed position, which holds the latchable member, via a locking member, in response to movement of the cylinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.