Ground working apparatus

Abstract

A ground working apparatus has a plow assembly including a frame formed with an attached runner and a plow tool. A linkage assembly couples the frame to a bridle assembly for movement of the plow assembly between raised and lowered positions relative to the bridle assembly. The runner and the plow tool depend downwardly from the frame to concurrently run over and plow, respectively, ground to be plowed along a plowing path ahead of the bridle assembly and the plow assembly, wherein the runner sets the frame of the plow assembly at a fixed elevated position with respect to the ground to be plow.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A ground working apparatus, comprising:
 a plow assembly, the plow assembly defines a load and comprises a frame, and a runner and a plow tool each coupled to the frame, the plow assembly is mounted to a plow frame for movement of the plow assembly between a raised position and a lowered ground-working position relative to the plow frame, the runner and the plow tool depend downwardly from the frame to concurrently run over and plow, respectively, ground to be plowed along a plowing path ahead of the plow assembly, and the runner to run over the ground to be plowed to set the frame of the plow assembly at a fixed elevated position with respect to the ground to be plowed; and   a bias applied to the plow assembly, in the lowered ground-working position of the plow assembly the bias takes up a portion of the load of the plow assembly, which, while insufficient to alone displace the plow assembly from the lowered ground-working position to the raised position relative to the plow frame, urges the plow assembly toward the raised position away from the lowered ground-working position relative to the plow frame to assist the plow assembly in displacing upwardly into the raised position from the lowered ground-working position relative to the plow frame in response to the runner encountering an obstacle.   
     
     
         22 . A ground working apparatus according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 the plow tool is mounted to the frame for movement between a lowered plowing position and an elevated clearance position; and   means coupled between the frame and the plow tool urging the plow tool in a direction toward the lowered plowing position.   
     
     
         23 . A ground working apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the means comprises a compression spring coupled between the frame and the plow tool. 
     
     
         24 . A ground working apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the runner is positioned between the plow tool and the bridle assembly. 
     
     
         25 . A ground working apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 the plow tool comprises an elongate shank coupled to the frame and which depends downwardly therefrom to an attached tilling head assembly to extend into and plow the ground to be plowed in the lowered plowing position of the plow tool; and   the runner comprises an elongate, rigid support having an upper end rigidly coupled to the frame and which depends downwardly therefrom to an opposed lower end formed with a ground-engaging skid set forwardly of and above the tilling head assembly to support the frame at an elevated position relative to the ground to be plowed by the tilling head assembly.   
     
     
         26 . A ground working apparatus, comprising:
 a plow assembly, the plow assembly defines a load and comprises a frame, and a runner and a plow tool each coupled to the frame, the plow assembly is mounted to a plow frame via a linkage assembly for movement of the plow assembly between a raised position and a lowered ground-working position relative to the plow frame, the runner and the plow tool depend downwardly from the frame to concurrently run over and plow, respectively, ground to be plowed along a plowing path ahead of the plow assembly, and the runner to run over the ground to be plowed to set the frame of the plow assembly at a fixed elevated position with respect to the ground to be plowed; and   a bias applied to the linkage assembly, in the lowered ground-working position of the plow assembly the bias applied to the linkage assembly takes up a portion of the load of the plow assembly, which, while insufficient to alone displace the plow assembly from the lowered ground-working position to the raised position relative to the plow frame, urges the plow assembly toward the raised position away from the lowered ground-working position relative to the plow frame to assist the plow assembly in displacing upwardly into the raised position from the lowered ground-working position relative to the plow frame in response to the runner encountering an obstacle.   
     
     
         27 . A ground working apparatus according to  claim 26 , further comprising:
 the plow tool is mounted to the frame for movement between a lowered plowing position and an elevated clearance position; and   means coupled between the frame and the plow tool urging the plow tool in a direction toward the lowered plowing position.   
     
     
         28 . A ground working apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the means comprises a compression spring coupled between the frame and the plow tool. 
     
     
         29 . A ground working apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the runner is positioned between the plow tool and the bridle assembly. 
     
     
         30 . A ground working apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 the plow tool comprises an elongate shank coupled to the frame and which depends downwardly therefrom to an attached tilling head assembly to extend into and plow the ground to be plowed in the lowered plowing position of the plow tool; and   the runner comprises an elongate, rigid support having an upper end rigidly coupled to the frame and which depends downwardly therefrom to an opposed lower end formed with a ground-engaging skid set forwardly of and above the tilling head assembly to support the frame at an elevated position relative to the ground to be plowed by the tilling head assembly.   
     
     
         31 . A ground working apparatus, comprising:
 a plow assembly, the plow assembly defines a load and is mounted to a plow frame for movement of the plow assembly between a raised position and a lowered ground-working position relative to the plow frame; and   a bias applied to the plow assembly, in the lowered ground-working position of the plow assembly the bias takes up a portion of the load of the plow assembly, which, while insufficient to alone displace the plow assembly from the lowered ground-working position to the raised position relative to the plow frame, urges the plow assembly toward the raised position away from the lowered ground-working position relative to the plow frame to assist the plow assembly in displacing upwardly into the raised position from the lowered ground-working position relative to the plow frame in response to the plow assembly encountering an obstacle.   
     
     
         32 . A ground working apparatus according to  claim 31 , further comprising:
 the plow assembly is mounted to the plow frame for movement between the raised position and the lowered ground-working position via a linkage assembly; and   the bias is applied to the linkage assembly.