초록 ▼

A folding agricultural tool carrier for supporting tillage, seeding, fertilizer or other ground engaging tools. On each side of a carrier frame a boom support frame is hinged for pivoting about a fore-and-aft axis, and a wing frame or boom is pivotally connected to the boom support frame forwardly o

A folding agricultural tool carrier for supporting tillage, seeding, fertilizer or other ground engaging tools. On each side of a carrier frame a boom support frame is hinged for pivoting about a fore-and-aft axis, and a wing frame or boom is pivotally connected to the boom support frame forwardly of the aft end of the carrier frame and adjacent wheel structure supporting the carrier. A rear fold cylinder pivots the boom forwardly from an extended position to a flat-fold position alongside the boom support frame, and a torque resisting and fatigue reducing diagonal brace flat-folds between boom and the support frame. Frame cylinders pivot the support frame and folded boom and brace into a narrow transport position over the carrier frame. A wheel accommodation space is defined between support frame hinges to facilitate tread adjustments.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An agricultural implement carrier having a working position, a folded position, and a storage position, the carrier comprising: (a) a fore-and-aft extending carrier frame defining a center longitudinal axis and having a front, a rear, a left side, and a right side;(b) a left wheel structure suppo

1. An agricultural implement carrier having a working position, a folded position, and a storage position, the carrier comprising: (a) a fore-and-aft extending carrier frame defining a center longitudinal axis and having a front, a rear, a left side, and a right side;(b) a left wheel structure supporting the carrier frame and having an outermost portion extending outwardly from the left side of the carrier frame;(c) a right wheel structure supporting the carrier frame and having an outermost portion extending outwardly from the right side of the carrier frame;(d) a left boom support frame pivotally connected to the left side of the carrier frame at two or more spaced apart hinges for pivoting about a single horizontal axis between a working position outwardly of the carrier frame and a storage position above the carrier frame and inwardly of the outermost portion of the left wheel structure;(e) a right boom support frame pivotally connected to the right side of the carrier frame at two or more spaced apart hinges for pivoting about a single horizontal axis between a working position outwardly of the carrier frame and a storage position above the carrier frame and inwardly of the outermost portion of the right wheel structure;(f) a left elongated tool support boom having an innermost end pivotally connected to the left boom support frame at a hinge for pivoting about a vertical axis between a working position transverse to the longitudinal axis of the frame and a folded position parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame and adjacent the left boom support frame;(g) a right elongated tool support boom having an innermost end pivotally connected to the right boom support frame at a hinge for pivoting about a vertical axis between a working position transverse to the longitudinal axis of the frame and a folded position parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame and adjacent the right boom support frame;(h) a left activator connected to the left boom support frame and the left support boom for pivoting the left support boom; and(i) a right activator connected to the right boom support frame and the right support boom for pivoting the right support boom. 2. The carrier, as set forth in claim 1 wherein each boom support frame includes an offset defining with the carrier frame a fore-and-aft extending wheel structure accommodation space, wherein the wheel structure accommodation space is located adjacent the wheel structure to facilitate different size and types of the wheel structure and adjustment of the wheel structure. 3. The carrier as set forth in claim 2 wherein two of the hinges pivotally each boom support frame to the carrier frame are located above and at opposite ends of each wheel structure accommodation space. 4. The carrier as set forth in claim 1 wherein each vertical axis is located adjacent the wheel structure at the innermost end of the tool support boom, wherein each hinge pivotally connecting a boom support frame and a tool support boom includes torque-resisting plates receiving the innermost end of the tool support boom, and wherein the innermost end of each tool support boom is sandwiched between the plates. 5. The carrier as set forth in claim 4 wherein each vertical axis is offset in the direction of travel from an aft end of the carrier and each activator comprises a hydraulic cylinder extendible to rotate each tool support boom forwardly towards the folded position. 6. The carrier as set forth in claim 4 wherein the innermost end of each tool support boom includes an inside portion and a torque tube fixed to the inside portion of the tool support boom and extending between the plates, wherein the torque tube is connected to a hinge plate extending radially from the boom axis, and the hydraulic cylinder includes a rod end connected to the hinge plate. 7. The carrier as set forth in claim 1 wherein each boom support frame is pivotally connected to the carrier frame by hinges located adjacent the front and rear of the carrier frame. 8. The carrier as set forth in claim 1 additionally comprising: (j) a left diagonal brace connected between the left tool support boom and the left boom support frame, the left diagonal brace including a centrally located brace hinge facilitating folding of the brace between the tool support boom and the boom support frame as the tool support boom moves inwardly from the working position, wherein the diagonal brace is tucked between the tool support boom and the boom support frame when the tool support boom is in the folded position; and(k) a right diagonal brace connected between the right tool support boom and the right boom support frame, the right diagonal brace including a centrally located brace hinge facilitating folding of the brace between the tool support boom and the boom support frame as the tool support boom moves inwardly from the working position, wherein the diagonal brace is tucked between the tool support boom and the boom support frame when the tool support boom is in the folded position. 9. The carrier as set forth in claim 8 wherein each brace hinge includes a joint having at least one resilient joint to accommodate misalignment between the tool support boom and the boom support frame. 10. An agricultural implement carrier including a fore-and-aft extending carrier frame supported by wheel structure for movement in a forward direction over a field by a towing vehicle, a fore-and-aft extending boom support frame pivotally connected to opposite ends of the carrier frame for pivoting about a fore-and-aft frame axis between a working position outwardly of the carrier frame and an upwardly and inwardly directed storage position above the carrier frame, a vertically adjustable rear toolbar connected to the carrier frame for supporting earthworking tools rearwardly of the carrier frame; a tool support boom having an inner boom end and outer boom end portion and supporting earthworking tools; hinge structure pivotally connecting the inner boom end to the boom support frame forwardly of an aft end of the boom support frame and forwardly of the rear toolbar for pivoting about a boom axis, wherein the boom axis is upright when the boom support frame is in the working position, and wherein the hinge structure includes torque-resisting plates receiving the inner end of the tool support boom, wherein inner end of the tool support boom is sandwiched between the plates and includes a torque tube located within the tool support boom and having an innerwardmost tube end secured to the inner boom end between the torque-resisting plates, and an outer tube end secured to the outer boom end portion; a boom fold cylinder located rearwardly of the boom axis, the fold cylinder connected at an aft end to the aft end of the boom support frame and at a forward end to the hinge structure for pivoting the tool support boom about the boom axis outwardly towards an extended position transverse to the working direction when the boom support frame is in the working position, the tool support boom movable inwardly by the boom fold cylinder from the extended position to a fore-and-aft folded position adjacent the carrier frame; a folding diagonal brace connected to a forward end of the boom support frame and to the outer boom end, the diagonal brace including centrally located brace hinge facilitating folding of the brace between tool support boom and the boom support frame as the tool support boom moves inwardly from the extended position, wherein when the tool support boom is in the folded position the diagonal brace is tucked between the tool support boom and the boom support frame, a boom mount offset above and below the tool support boom and connected to the diagonal brace for limiting twisting of the tool support boom, and the brace hinge includes a resilient mount for accommodating misalignment of the tool support boom and the boom support frame; cylinder structure connected between the carrier frame and the boom support frame for pivoting the boom support frame and tool support boom upwardly from the working position to the storage position of the boom support frame when the tool support boom is in the folded position; wherein the carrier frame includes an offset portion defining a wheel accommodation space above the wheel structure and adjacent the hinge structure for facilitating different tire and track sizes and tread widths; and a boom support wheel connected to the outer boom end portion and defining a wheel axis, wherein in the folded position of the boom, the boom support wheel is located forwardly of the boom support frame and wheel axis is adjacent and generally parallel to the frame axis in both the working and storage positions of the boom support frame.