Tillage implement having a mechanism for adjusting disc blade angle

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An agricultural tillage implement comprising a main frame and configured to be pulled in a direction of motion through a field, the tillage implement comprising:
 at least one gang assembly having a plurality of disc blades, the gang assembly including a transverse support bar attached to the main frame, wherein each of the plurality of disc blades is suspended from the support bar with a disc hanger assembly;   a disc adjustment mechanism configured to pivotably attach the disc hanger assembly for each of the plurality of disc blades to the transverse support bar so that a disc angle of the disc blades relative the direction of motion may be adjusted, the disc adjustment mechanism comprising:
 a pivot mount for each of the plurality of disc blades, each pivot mount comprising a pivot connected to the support bar and configured to pivot the pivot mount about a pivot axis, a first arm connected to the disc hanger assembly and extending from the pivot axis, and a crank arm extending from the pivot axis; 
 a shuttle, wherein the crank arms of each of the pivot mounts are attached to the shuttle such that movement of the shuttle causes each pivot mount to pivot and adjust the disc angle of the associated disc blade; and 
 an actuator configured to move the shuttle relative the support bar in order to position the crank arms for each of the disc blades; 
   wherein the disc hanger assembly is configured to position the disc blade such that the pivot axis extends through a lower extent of the disc blade such that furrows created by the plurality of disc blades do not move laterally relative to the tillage implement when the disc angles of the disc blades are adjusted.   
     
     
         2 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 1 , wherein the disc hanger assembly comprises:
 a flex spring having a lower leg on which the disc blade is mounted; and   an upper leg.   
     
     
         3 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 2 , wherein the pivot comprises a pivot pin extending through the support bar and the pivot mount along the pivot axis, the pivot pin enabling the pivot mount to rotate about the pivot axis when an actuation force is applied to the crank arm such that pivoting movement of the pivot mount causes the flex spring and the disc blade mounted thereon to rotate about the pivot axis. 
     
     
         4 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 2 , wherein the first arm of the pivot mount connects to the upper leg of the flex spring. 
     
     
         5 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 2 , wherein the flex spring comprises a C-shaped flex spring. 
     
     
         6 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 1 , wherein the transverse support bar is mounted on the frame at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to a direction of travel of the tillage implement. 
     
     
         7 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 1 , wherein the shuttle is an elongate member substantially parallel to and extending a length of the transverse support bar. 
     
     
         8 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 1 , wherein the first arm and the crank arm are welded together. 
     
     
         9 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 1 , wherein the pivot mount comprises a single cast or stamped component comprising the first arm and the crank arm. 
     
     
         10 . An agricultural tillage implement, comprising:
 a main frame configured to be pulled through a field;   a support bar attached to the main frame;   a plurality of disc blades, each suspended from the support bar by one of a plurality of disc hanger assemblies;   a plurality of pivot mounts each connected to the support bar and each configured to rotate about a pivot axis, each pivot mount comprising:
 a first arm extending from the pivot axis and connected to the disc hanger assembly; and 
 a crank arm extending from the pivot axis; 
   a shuttle attached to the crank arms of each of the pivot mounts such that movement of the shuttle causes each pivot mount to rotate and adjust a disc angle of the associated disc blade; and   an actuator configured to move the shuttle relative the support bar;   wherein each disc hanger assembly is configured to position the associated disc blade such that the pivot axis extends through a lower extent of the associated disc blade such that a point at which each disc contacts the field remains along the pivot axis of the associated pivot mount when the disc angles of the disc blades are adjusted.   
     
     
         11 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 10 , wherein the disc hanger assemblies comprise flex springs, each flex spring having a lower leg on which the associated disc blade is mounted and an upper leg connected to the first arm of the associated pivot mount. 
     
     
         12 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 11 , wherein the pivot mount comprises a pin extending through the support bar and the pivot mount along the pivot axis to enable the pivot mount to rotate about the pivot axis when an actuation force is applied to the crank arm such that rotation of the pivot mount causes the flex spring and the disc blade mounted thereon to rotate with respect to the support bar. 
     
     
         13 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 10 , wherein the support bar is mounted on the frame at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to a direction of travel. 
     
     
         14 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 10 , wherein the shuttle is an elongate member substantially parallel to and extending a length of the support bar. 
     
     
         15 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 10 , wherein each first arm is welded to the associated crank arm. 
     
     
         16 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 10 , wherein each pivot mount comprises a single cast or stamped component comprising the first arm and the crank arm. 
     
     
         17 . The agricultural tillage implement of  claim 11 , wherein the flex spring comprises a C-shaped flex spring.