Agco Corporation

Sunflower Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Jeffrey Scott Hughes

Jarret Lee Brinker

Allan S Gengler

Joseph Shawn Meier

Bradley A Heidrick

Donald Eugene Bergmann

Dirk E Nichols

A tillage implement has a frame with a center section and first and second outer wing sections hingedly attached the center section such that the wing sections can be operably raised and lowered between a field-working position and a transport position. The sections each carry tillage tools for working the soil. Controlling a precharge in a secondary side of a hydraulic circuit enables the operator of the implement to adjust the downward pressure precharge provided by a plurality of hydraulic cylinders based on a desired stiffness of the implement. A pressure-reducing valve is configured such that flow from the hydraulic supply applies downward pressure precharge on the plurality of tillage tools. Once this desired precharge has been achieved, flow from the hydraulic supply is shut off and a check valve holds the pressure such that the plurality of hydraulic cylinders holds the tillage tools in position.

Tillage implement having hydraulic down-pressure

A tillage implement has a frame with a center section and first and second outer wing sections hingedly attached to respective outer ends of the center section. Controlling a pressure in a secondary side of a hydraulic circuit enables adjustment of the downward pressure precharge provided by hydraulic cylinders based on a desired stiffness of the implement. Flow from a hydraulic supply through a pressure-reducing valve puts the downward pressure precharge on gauge wheels. Once this desired downward pressure precharge has been achieved, flow from the hydraulic supply is shut off and a check valve holds the pressure such that the hydraulic cylinders hold the gauge wheels in the desired position.

Tillage implement with gauge wheels having hydraulic down-pressure

A gang assembly of a tillage implement has disc blades suspended from a support bar with a disc hanger assembly. A disc adjustment mechanism is configured to pivotably attach the disc hanger assembly for each of the plurality of disc blades to the support bar. The disc adjustment mechanism includes a pivot mount for each of the plurality of disc blades. Each pivot mount has a pivot configured to pivot the pivot mount, a first arm connected to the disc hanger assembly, and a crank arm. A shuttle is attached to the crank arms and causes each pivot mount to pivot and adjust the disc angle of the associated disc blade. The disc hanger assembly is configured to position the disc blade such that a vertical center line of the disc blade extends through the pivot point of the pivot.

Tillage implement having a mechanism for adjusting disc blade angle

A tillage implement has a gang of rotary spider tines, each spider tine having a center portion and a plurality of teeth forming a peripheral edge of the spider tine. Each tooth is rearwardly curving from the intended direction of rotation and has a curved leading edge and a curved trailing edge that taper to a rounded outward tip. A distal end of each tooth is angled relative to a tooth base to form a flared paddle such that the flared paddle is angled with respect to the tooth base and center portion of the spider tine. A first set of teeth have flared paddles angled in a first direction and a second set have flared paddles angled in a direction opposite said first direction, with the first set being alternately positioned with the second set in a circumferential pattern around the peripheral edge of the spider tine.

Rotary spider tine for tillage implement

A disc mounting system includes the attachment of each disc to a disc gang bar via a dedicated leaf spring. Each of the leaf springs, which can be generally U shaped, are attached at a top end to the gang bar and at a lower leg to a disc spindle such that the disc is positioned at least partially alongside the spring lower leg. The mounting system allows the disc to deflect vertically, laterally or torsionally when the disc encounters an obstacle. An optional shield can be attached to the leaf spring to prevent soil and debris thrown out by adjacent discs from entering the spring. A disc scraper blade can also be attached to the shield.

Agricultural disc mounting system and method

An auger coupler for a folding grain conveyor is disclosed which operates to connect an upper auger to a lower auger. A drive member adapted to be connected to the lower auger include a pilot shaft designed to help align the drive member with the driven member and an annular thrust bearing surface surrounding the pilot shaft. Spaced outwardly from the thrust bearing surface is an annular row of drive teeth. The drive teeth project axially upwardly from an annular base surface which is parallel to and concentric with the thrust bearing surface. A driven member adapted to be connected to the upper auger includes a receiver sized and shaped to accept the pilot shaft of the drive member. The receiver is also surrounded by an annular thrust bearing surface. Spaced radially outwardly from the thrust bearing surface is an annular row of driven teeth which are structurally identical to the drive teeth. The driven teeth project axially downwardly from a tooth base surface which is parallel to and concentric with the thrust bearing surface. When the coupler members are fully engaged the thrust bearing surfaces of the two members are in contact with each other. This contact between the thrust bearing surfaces holds the drive and driven teeth in spaced relation such that clearance gaps are formed between the extremities of the teeth of each member and the tooth base surface of the opposite member. These clearance gaps allow the coupler to engage despite an accumulation of debris, such as grain, on the coupler.

Auger coupler

A seed drill includes a conventional single or double disc blade soil opener for creating seed trenches for the deposition of seeds by a seeder. A scraper/soil firming assembly is attached to the outside of each disc blade axle. The scraper/soil firming assembly includes a bracket for mounting a scraper/soil firming blade and a locking plate for locking the mounting bracket and blade at a selected angle relative to the disc blade axle. The scraper/soil firming blade is a flat bar extending downward and rearward from the respective disc blade and positioned alongside the disc blade and to act both as a blade scraper and as a soil firmer.

Growing community of inventors

Glen Elder, KS, United States of America

Jeffrey Scott Hughes