Deere & Company

Michael D Snyder

Daniel M Foley

John D Long

Marvin L Bigbee

Marvis L Ridgely

A tri-fold row marker comprises three arm segments, a winglet pivotally coupled to the toolbar, an inner arm pivotally coupled to the winglet, and an outer arm pivotally coupled to the inner arm. A marker disc is mounted to the distal end of the outer arm for marking the ground surface when said row marker is its extended working position. The winglet is provided with a first bell crank extending upwardly from the winglet and a second bell crank extending downwardly from the winglet. The inner arm is provided with a third bell crank extending downwardly therefrom. A double acting hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to the agricultural implement and the first bell crank for retracting and extending the row marker. An inner control arm is pivotally coupled to the agricultural implement and the third bell crank for pivoting the inner arm relative to the winglet when the hydraulic cylinder is extended or retracted. An outer control arm is pivotally coupled to the second bell crank. The outer control arm is also coupled to the inner and outer arms by two pivot links that are pivotally coupled to the outer control arm and the inner and outer arms. The outer control arm pivots the outer arm relative to the inner arm when the hydraulic cylinder is extended or retracted. Retracting the hydraulic cylinder from its extended position folds the marker arm into its retracted transport position, and extending the hydraulic cylinder from its retracted position unfolds the marker arm into its extended working position.

Tri-fold row marker

A pair of grain drills are positional for side by side operation in the field and connected to a towing tractor by weight transfer hitch having a rear end portion connected to the grain drills and a forward tongue portion having its front end connectable to the tractor drawbar and its rearward end totally connected to the forward end of the rear hitch portion for swinging about a transverse horizontal pivot. A hydraulic cylinder has its ends respectively connected to the tongue and the rear hitch portion and pressure to the cylinder is controlled by an adjustable pressure control valve that delivers pressurized fluid from the tractor hydraulic system to the cylinder at a pre-selected pressure below the tractor system pressure, whereby the force exerted by the cylinder on the tongue transfers a portion of the weight of the machine to the tractor drawbar.

Weight transfer system for an agricultural machine

Hitch structure for connecting first and second implements for operation side-by-side in the field, and one directly behind the other for transport. A freely rockable swing hitch has a forward end connected to one side of the first implement frame for pivoting less than 180.degree. about an upright axis located inwardly from the side. A latch on the swing hitch mates with a frame-mounted rear bracket to secure the hitch in the transport position. The same latch secures the swing hitch to a bracket on the forward towing hitch when the swing hitch and towing hitch are in the field-working position. A sliding tubular member and two-position latch selectively secure the towing hitch in either a central transport position or an offset field-working position. Both latches have release levers for changing from one position to the other, and the latches automatically lock in the new position when the desired position is attained. A steering mechanism located on the caster wheel assembly of the trailing implement and operable from the tractor cab guides the second implement as the swing hitch pivots during conversions.

Multiple implement hitch and steerable wheel assembly therefor

A hitch assembly for joining two implements together for side-by-side field operations. Half of the hitch assembly is carried by each implement drawbar and consists of a collapsable linkages pivotally mounted to the drawbar in a cantilvered fashion. Springs floatingly suspend each linkage for ease for movement between its collapsed stored configuration and an unfolded, extended configuration assembled with the other linkage. Equalizer linkages extend between the assembled hitch assembly and the two implements to maintain fore-and-aft alignment of the two implements and bumper-cable means control the side-to-side spacing of the two implements.

Dual implement hitch assembly

A single disk opener blade is supported for rotation about a horizontal axis offset approximately seven degrees from the transverse direction. A seed tube extends closely adjacent the disk blade forwardly of the rotational axis generally in the shadow of the leading edge of the blade. The tube is angled around the disk blade hub to provide a narrow profile and to reduce the vertical velocity of the material deposited in the furrow. A furrow-firming and blade-scraping extension is connected to the lower end of the tube and extends rearwardly to a location behind the axis. The side of the firming extension is located transversely beyond the shadow of the disk blade to help form one side of the seed trench and to permit the seed to settle in the trench. Depth control structure includes a wheel support arm fixed to one end of the disk blade spindle and a quadrant fixed to the opposite end of the spindle for selectively adjusting the arm. A depth control wheel is mounted on the arm about an axis offset from the axis of the disk blade for rotation against the leading side of the blade to clean the blade, hold down trash and dirt, and provide positive depth control.

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Bettendorf, IA, United States of America

Michael D Snyder