Pin adapter bushing for retaining a furrowing tip on a shank body

An adapter bushing for use with a furrowing opener on an agricultural implement to form a furrow in a forward working direction of the implement in which the furrowing opener includes i) a shank body including a main portion supported on the agricultural implement and a tip mounting portion protruding forwardly from the main portion which locates a transverse opening extending laterally fully through between opposing sides of the tip mounting portion transversely to the forward working direction, ii) a tip body including a socket formed in a rear side thereof which receives the tip mounting portion of the shank body therein in which the tip body includes a transverse aperture extending laterally therethrough transversely to the forward working direction in alignment with the socket, and iii) a retainer pin extending through the transverse aperture of the tip body so as to selectively retain the tip body on the shank body, the adapter bushing comprising:

• a bushing body having an outer surface which is adapted to be received by interference fit within the transverse opening in the tip mounting portion of the shank body and to extend in the lateral direction across a full width between the opposing sides of the tip mounting portion of the shank body;
• and
• a cooperating aperture formed in the bushing body to extend fully through the bushing body in the lateral direction for in alignment with the transverse aperture of the tip body, the cooperating aperture having an interior dimension which is reduced in size relative to the transverse opening across the full width in the lateral direction so as to be adapted to receive the retainer pin therein by interference fit when the retainer pin is received within the transverse aperture of the tip body.

A method of supporting a furrowing opener on an agricultural implement to form a furrow in a forward working direction of the implement, the method comprising:

• providing a shank body having a main portion supported on the agricultural implement and a tip mounting portion protruding forwardly from the main portion which locates a transverse opening having a square cross section with a prescribed interior dimension extending laterally fully through between laterally opposing sides of the tip mounting portion of the shank body, transversely to the forward working direction;
• providing a tip body having a socket formed in a rear side thereof which receives the tip mounting portion of the shank body therein, the tip body including a transverse aperture having an interior diameter which is reduced relative to the prescribed interior dimension of the transverse opening extending fully through the tip mounting portion of the shank body, the transverse aperture of the tip body extending laterally fully through the tip body, transversely to the forward working direction in alignment with the socket;
• providing an adapter bushing including i) an outer surface which is sized and shaped to fit non-rotatably within the square cross section of the transverse opening extending fully through the tip mounting portion of the shank body and ii) a cooperating aperture having an interior diameter extending fully through the adapter bushing in the lateral direction which is reduced in size relative to prescribed interior dimension of the transverse opening in the shank body;
• inserting the adapter bushing into the transverse opening of the shank body;
• inserting the tip mounting portion of the shank body into the socket in the tip body such that the transverse aperture of the tip body is in alignment with the cooperating aperture in the adapter bushing;
• providing a retainer pin having an outer diameter along a length of the retainer pin which is sized to fit within the interior diameter of the cooperating aperture in the adapter bushing;
• and
• inserting the retainer pin through the transverse aperture of the tip body and the cooperating aperture of the adapter bushing so as to selectively retain the tip body on the shank body.