Agricultural implements with hinged and floating wings

Abstract

A towable soil pulverizer having a longitudinal center section, and foldable wings mounted by hinges on opposite sides of the center section to fold about substantially longitudinal hinge axes. The wings and center section have ground working rollers. Each hinge has a spaced ball joint and guide roller in roller slot. A wing float axis for each wing extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal hinge axis in a transverse direction, each wing also being pivotal about the float axis. The hinge design with the float axis prevents weight transfer between the center section and wing sections when the pulverizer operates over uneven soil, to provide uniform soil conditioning over the width of the pulverizer. The center section rollers are positioned ahead of (or behind or co-linear with) the wing rollers. Components of the ball joint and roller guide in slot are fixedly and non-rotationally attached to the center section.

1 . A towable agricultural implement for working the soil, comprising in combination a longitudinally extending center section and foldable wings mounted on opposite sides of the center section; the foldable wings being hinged at their inner ends to opposite sides of the center section and pivotable about a longitudinal hinge axis to fold upwardly over the center section for transport or to unfold downwardly from the folded position for field operation; the center section and wings having ground-working elements such as rollers for working the soil; each wing being connected to the center section by a hinge having a spaced ball joint and guide roller in roller slot; the ball joint having one of a ball and socket attached to the center section, and the other of the ball and socket attached to the wing; the guide roller in roller slot having one of the guide roller and roller slot attached to the center section, and the other of the guide roller and roller slot attached to the wing; a wing float axis passing through the ball joint and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal hinge axis in a transverse direction, the wing being pivotal about the float axis and the extent of the pivoting being determined by the ambit of the floating motion of the roller in the roller slot; the hinge preventing substantial weight transfer between the center section and wing section when the implement operates over uneven soil and the guide roller in the roller slot is positioned between the ends of the slot. 
     
     
         2 . The towable agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein the center section rollers are positioned forwardly, in the direction of towing, of the wing rollers. 
     
     
         3 . The towable agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein the roller slot and the ball of the ball joint are non-rotationally and fixedly attached to the center section. 
     
     
         4 . The towable agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein the center section rollers are positioned rearwardly, in the direction of towing, of the wing rollers. 
     
     
         5 . The towable agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein the ball of the ball joint is mounted to and toward the front of the center section, the socket of the ball joint is mounted to the wing section, the guide roller slot is mounted to and toward the rear of the center section, and the guide roller is mounted to the wing section. 
     
     
         6 . A towable agricultural implement for working the soil, comprising in combination a longitudinally extending center section and foldable wings mounted on opposite sides of the center section; the foldable wings being hinged at their inner ends to opposite sides of the center section and pivotable about a longitudinal hinge axis to fold upwardly over the center section for transport or to unfold downwardly from the folded position for field operation; the center section and wings having ground-working elements for working the soil; each wing being connected to the center section by a hinge having first and second spaced assemblies, both assemblies having components attached to the wing and components non-rotationally and fixedly attached to the center section; a wing float axis passing through the first assembly and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal hinge axis in a transverse direction, the wing being pivotal about the float axis and the extent of pivoting being determined by the ambit of floating motion of the second assembly's wing-attached and center section-attached components; the hinge preventing substantial weight transfer between the center section and wing section when the implement operates over uneven soil.