Trailing arm device and assembly with parallel linkage

Abstract

In one embodiment of an agriculture planter, the planter may include a planter frame, a seed hopper, and a trailing arm assembly. The planter frame may include a hitch tongue extending forwardly from the planter frame. The trailing arm assembly may be coupled to a rear portion of the planter frame via a parallel linkage and extend rearward from the planter frame, and include separate but adjustable trailing arm assemblies for the opening implements and the closing implements.

We claim: 
     
         1 . Trailing arm assembly comprising:
 a frame bracket attachable to a planter towing frame;   a first frame;   a parallel linkage connecting the frame bracket and the first frame with a first pivot and a second pivot on the frame bracket and a first pivot and a second pivot on the first frame; and   an adjustable biasing member extending from the parallel linkage to the frame bracket.   
     
     
         2 . The trailing arm assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the parallel linkage is connected between the first frame and the frame bracket such that the parallel linkage maintains a parallel orientation of the first frame, which is orthogonal to the resultant downward force F 1  exerted by the adjustable biasing member on the parallel linkage, wherein the parallel linkage is a four bar parallel linkage having an upper set of links and a lower set of links. 
     
     
         3 . The trailing arm assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable biasing member is adjustably connected to a portion of the parallel linkage and adjustably engages a plurality of detents formed in the portion of the parallel linkage, wherein the adjustable biasing member is attached to the first frame below at least one pivot of the parallel linkage. 
     
     
         4 . The trailing arm assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the upper set of links in the four bar parallel linkage are cross-braced with one or more plates forming a continuous frame between a first side and a second side of the upper link, wherein the lower set of links in the four bar parallel linkage are cross-braced with one or more plates forming a continuous frame between a first side and a second side of the lower link, wherein the first frame includes an adjustment mechanism operable to change the position of the gauge wheels relative to the first frame. 
     
     
         5 . The trailing arm assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second frame that includes a closer assembly frame having one or more closing wheels, wherein the first frame and the second frame are connected to one another such that they operatively move independently with respect to each other in the vertical direction and the second frame is connected to the first frame via a second parallel linkage. 
     
     
         6 . The trailing arm assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the second parallel linkage is a four bar parallel linkage having a pair of upper links and a pair of lower links. 
     
     
         7 . The trailing arm assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the upper set of links in the four bar parallel linkage are fixedly connected to one another by a plate. 
     
     
         8 . The trailing arm assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the second parallel linkage includes a second biasing member that is adjustable, wherein the second parallel linkage further comprises an adjustment lever connected to a first end of the biasing member with the second end of the biasing member connected to the first frame, wherein movement of the adjustment handle in a first direction causes the force from the biasing member to increase and movement of the adjustment handle in the opposite direction causes the force from the biasing member to decrease. 
     
     
         9 . The trailing arm assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the upper set of links in the four bar parallel linkage are connected via a plate having an aperture defined therein with the aperture forming a plurality of separate detents which hold the adjustment lever movably in place, while allowing that the adjustment lever to be adjustable between the separate detents. 
     
     
         10 . The trailing arm assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more gauge wheels adjustably connected to the first frame and connected to an adjustment handle such that movement of the adjustment handle changes the vertical relationship between the one or more gauge wheels and the first frame. 
     
     
         11 . wherein the second frame is pivotally connected to a walking arm assembly having a first closing wheel and a second closing wheel on opposite ends of the walking arm such that as the first closing wheel lifts, the second closing wheel drops. 
     
     
         12 . A wheel comprising
 a hub which rotates about an axis;   a rim extending generally radially from the axis, the rim having a center plane defined as a plane perpendicular to the axis and generally bisecting the rim and defining the center of the wheel;   a plurality of tread portions extending away from the center plane, wherein the plurality of tread portions have voids between adjacent tread portions on the same side of the rim, which in response to the wheel rotating operably places consecutive adjacent tread portions proximal to the ground, wherein the rim and/or the tread portions contact the ground.   
     
     
         13 . The wheel of  claim 12 , wherein each of the tread portions are formed from a tine extending proximal to the radial surface of the rim in a direction that includes a component in a radial direction, a component in an axial direction, and/or a component in the tangential direction. 
     
     
         14 . The wheel of  claim 13 , wherein each tine has a connection end and a termination end. 
     
     
         15 . The wheel of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of tines positioned on the same side of the rim are structurally related to one another only by their attachment to the rim. 
     
     
         16 . The wheel of  claim 12 , wherein the connection end of a first tine is in axial alignment with the termination end on an adjacent tine. 
     
     
         17 . The wheel of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of tines include opposing tines that are formed symmetrically on opposite sides of the rims. 
     
     
         18 . The wheel of  claim 12 , wherein each of the opposing tines reside in individual planes. 
     
     
         19 . The wheel of  claim 12 , wherein the distance from the axis to any point along a length of any of the tines is equal to or less than the distance from the axis to an exterior edge of the rim. 
     
     
         20 . The wheel of  claim 12 , wherein the wheel is positioned on a trailing arm assembly of a planter unit as at least one of a press wheel or a closer wheel.