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US 9,883,621 B2Granted
Soil working machines including height and pitch tool adjustability
AssigneeABI Attachments, Inc.
InventorKevin V. Keigley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Unique self-propelled soil working machines are disclosed. In certain exemplary embodiments the self propelled soil working machine includes a tool carrier which is actively adjustable to provide variable downward force on a soil working tool via a suspension element which is further passively responsive to accommodate motion of the tool in response to external force. In certain exemplary embodiments, the tool carrier is configured to adjust the working depth and pitch of the tool. Further embodiments, forms, objects, features, advantages, aspects, and benefits shall become apparent from the following description and figures.
Claims33
An apparatus comprising:
- a soil working machine including a frame;
- front and rear ground supporting wheels coupled with the frame;
- a linkage coupled with the frame and coupled with a soil working tool, the soil working tool including one or more ground working members coupled with a carrier member, the soil working tool being adjustably positioned by the linkage rearward of the front wheels and forward of the rear wheels, the linkage including first and second fixed-length pull members rotatably coupled with the frame at respective frame locations forward of the soil working tool and rotatably coupled with the carrier member of the soil working tool at respective tool connection locations and a suspension element accommodating movement of the tool in response to external force;
- a first adjustment mechanism coupled with the suspension element and coupled with the frame;
- a second adjustment mechanism coupled with the soil working tool and coupled with the frame;
- wherein the first adjustment mechanism and the second adjustment mechanism are adjustable to raise and lower the carrier member relative to the frame without varying a pitch of the carrier member relative to the frame and to vary the pitch of the carrier member relative to the frame without raising or lowering the carrier member relative to the frame.
3 more elements
A soil working machine comprising:
- a plurality of surface contact wheels carrying a chassis;
- a carrier assembly coupled with the chassis, the carrier assembly including a suspension coupled with the chassis, a soil working tool including a soil contacting member and a carrier member coupled with the and soil contacting member and coupled with the suspension, and first and second pull members rotatably coupled with the chassis at respective chassis locations forward of the soil working tool and rotatably coupled with the carrier member at respective tool connection locations, the first and second pull members maintaining a constant distance between the respective chassis locations and the respective tool connection locations;
- a first actuator coupled with the suspension and coupled with the chassis;
- and
- a second actuator coupled with the soil working tool and coupled with the chassis;
- wherein the first actuator is adjustable to raise the carrier member toward the frame from a first position to a second position, the carrier member being at the same pitch relative to the frame in the first position and the second position, and wherein the second actuator is adjustable to vary a predetermined pitch of the carrier member relative to the frame without raising or lowering the carrier member relative to the frame.
3 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a soil working machine comprising a plurality of support members configured to contact a ground surface under the machine, the ground contacting members being rotatable as the soil working machine moves relative to the ground surface, a tool linkage rotatably coupled with the machine and including a tool mount, at least one compressible member, and first and second bar members rotatably coupled with a frame of the machine at respective frame locations and rotatably coupled with the tool mount of the soil working tool at respective tool connection locations, a first actuator coupled with the compressible member and coupled with the chassis;
- and a second actuator coupled with the soil working tool and coupled with the chassis;
- wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are adjustable to raise the tool mount relative to the frame from a first position to a second position with the tool mount having the same pitch relative to the frame in the first position and the second position and to vary a predetermined pitch of the tool mount relative to the frame without raising or lowering the tool mount relative to the ground surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.