Mount Assembly Including Structure to Effect Substantially Constant Biasing Force

The invention is directed to a mount assembly for connecting a movable member, such as an earthworking tool, wheel, or roller, to a support and exerting a substantially constant biasing force on the movable member during movement thereof. The mount assembly has a first member that is connected to the support and a second member connected to the movable member. Pivot means pivotally connect the first and second members together allowing the second member to move about an axis whereby the movable member can be moved between first and second positions. A biasing means mounted on the first and second members operates to bias the movable member to the first position. The biasing means includes a split ring spring means having end portions mounted on the first and second members. On movement of the second member relative to the first member, the split ring spring means is expanded and the spring torque arm relative to the pivot axis decreases such that the biasing force on the movable member is maintained substantially constant during movement thereof between the first and second positions.

The first member has a base engageable with the support. Ear means associated with the base position the first member on the support. Fastener means, as a U-bolt, hold the first member on the support. The first and second members have pockets that accommodate end sections of the split ring spring means. Split sleeves located over the end sections of the split ring spring means provided arcuate bearing surfaces located in the pockets to minimize the wear and stress points on the first and second members.

The pivot means pivotally connecting the first and second members includes cylindrical means that engage arcuate portions of the first and second members. Cap means associated with the arcuate portions and ends of the cylindrical means function to retain the first and second members in pivotal assembled relation with each other. The first and second members have arcuate outwardly directed ribs that surround portions of the cylindrical means. The cap means includes an annular flange located around the arcuate ribs. A means, such as a clamping bolt, holds separate cap means in engagement with opposite ends of the cylindrical means.

The mount assembly is useable in an agricultural implement, such as a field cultivator and rotary hoe. In a field cultivator, a mount assembly is used with a downwardly and forwardly curved resilient arm secured to an earthworking tool or shovel. The biasing means and resilient arm cooperate to permit the tool to ride up and over an obstruction in the ground. In a rotary hoe, a mount assembly connects a rotary hoe arm to a transverse tool bar. A hoe wheel is rotatably mounted on the lower end of each arm. Each hoe wheel independently moves up and down with the contour of the ground. An upwardly curved bar secured to the lower end of each arm is located adjacent one side of the hoe wheel. The bar serves to strip and remove trash or material that may be picked up by the hoe wheel.

The mount assembly is useable in association with a roller engageable with a belt to maintain substantially constant tension on the belt. The split ring spring means acts on the second member of the mount assembly to bias the wheel in engagement with one run of the belt. The biasing force on the belt remains substantially constant over the range of working loads applied to the belt.

The biasing mount assembly is also useable as a spring suspension for a vehicle. The mount assembly is connected to an arm that is rotatably attached to a wheel supported on the ground. The split ring spring means, in association with the pivoting second member of the mount assembly, provides a relatively constant biasing force on the arm such that the frame of the vehicle is subjected to a substantially constant biasing or yielding force as it moves up and down relative to the wheel.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an end portion of an earthworking implement having the mount assembly of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the mount assembly of FIG. 1 mounted on a tool bar;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the mount assembly and tool bar of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 8--8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is enlarged front elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a section of a rotary hoe equipped with the mount assembly of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the rotary hoe section of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 13--13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of a mount assembly used with a roller as a belt tightener;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line 15--15 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of the mount assembly used as a spring suspension for a wheel of a vehicle; and

FIG. 17 is an elevational view taken along the line 17--17 of FIG. 16.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a biasing mount assembly of the invention indicated generally at 20 operatively connecting an earthworking tool 21 to a support 22, such as a tool bar. Support 22 is a generally horizontal beam that can be connected with a conventional three-point hitch to a tractor. Support 22 can be part of the frame structure of an earthworking implement. Tool 21 has a downwardly and rearwardly directed resilient arm spring or shank 23. A replaceable tooth 24 is connected to the lower end of arm 23 with a plurality of plow bolts 26. Tooth 24 can be replaced with other earthworking members, such as sweep and spade shovels. One or more rotary wheels or hoes can be connected to arm 23.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, biasing mount assembly 20 has a first member 27 connected to the bottom of support 22 with a U-bolt 36. First member 27 has a flat horizontal base 28 and downwardly extended side walls or flanges 29 and 31. Two pairs of ears 32, 33, and 34 and 35 joined to opposite edges of base 28 extend upwardly therefrom and engage opposite lower corners of support 22 to position member 27 on base 28. U-bolt 36 extends through holes 37 and 38 in base 28. Nuts 39 threaded onto the ends of U-bolt 36 clamp the first member 27 to the bottom of support 22 and hold ears 32, and 33 and 34 and 35 in engagement with support 22. Ears 31, 32, and 34 and 35 function as positioning and stop members for first member 27 which minimize shearing forces on U-bolt 36. Flanges 29 and 31 project in a forward direction and have upwardly directed curved lips 40 and 41. Lips 40 and 41 have recesses or pockets 42 in the upper edges thereof. Pockets 42 are concave curved notches in flanges 29 and 31. The lower portions of lips 40 and 41 have linear bottom edges 43. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, flanges 29 and 31 have arcuate ribs 44 and 46 that project in opposite outward directions. Each rib 44 and 46 has an arcuate length of about 160 degrees. The arcuate length of ribs 44 and 46 can vary to change the trip movement of arm 23.

Returning to FIGS. 2 and 6, a second member indicated generally at 47 is located below and pivotally connected to first member 27. The second member 47 has a base 48 and upwardly directed side walls or flanges 49 and 50. Flanges 49 and 50 project in a forward direction and terminate in downwardly directed lips 51 and 52. The lips 51 and 52 have downwardly open pockets or recesses 53, as shown in FIG. 2. Pockets 53 are concave curved notches in flanges 49 and 50. The upper portions of lips 51 and 52 have linear edges 54 and 55 that engage the linear edges 43 of first member 46 and serve as stops for the second member 47. When edges 54, 55, and 43 are in engagement with each other, as shown in FIG. 2, arm 23 is in its down or earthworking position. Flanges 49 and 50 have outwardly directed arcuate ribs 56 and 57 located about a sleeve or cylindrical member 58. Arcuate ribs 56 and 57 have an arcuate length of about 160 degrees. Arcuate ribs 44, 46, and 56 and 57 have inner arcuate surfaces that engage outer surfaces of the outer ends of sleeve 58, whereby the first member 27 and second member 47 can angularly move relative to each other about the transverse axis of sleeve 58. First and second retaining caps 59 and 64 and a bolt 62 hold the first and second members 27 and 47 in assembled relation with sleeve 58. Cap 59 is a cup-shaped member having a central hole 61 accommodating the body of bolt 62. A circular rim 63 on cap 59 surrounds flanges 44 and 55 and provides with sleeve 58 an arcuate channel for allowing limited arcuate movement of the second member 47 relative to the first member 27. Second cap 64 is a cup-shaped member having a central hole 66 accommodating the nut end of bolt 62. Nut 67 threaded on bolt 62 holds the first and second caps 59 and 64 in clamping engagement with the opposite ends of sleeve 58. Cap 64 has a circular rim 68 surrounding arcuate ribs 46 and 57. Rim 68 is spaced from sleeve 58 to provide an arcuate channel allowing limited arcuate movement of second member 47 about the axis of bolt 62.

As shown in FIG. 2, compression split ring spring 69 functions as a biasing means to yieldably hold second member 47 in a first or earthworking position relative to first member 27. The ring spring 69 is a C-shaped spring having opposite ends 71 and 72. End 71 is located in a split sleeve 73 located in the pockets 42 of the first member 27. A second split sleeve 74 accommodates the end 72. Sleeve 74 is located in the pockets 53 of second member 47. Split sleeves 73 and 74 have outer cyindrical surfaces which conform to the arcuate surfaces of pockets 42 and 53. Sleeves 73 and 74 have limited arcuate movement in pockets 42 and 53 which reduces wear and cutting of lips 40, 41, 51, and 52. Split ring spring 69 is made of spring steel and functions as a pre-loaded compression spring to yieldably hold second member 47 in engagement with the forward section of first member 27, as shown in full lines in FIG. 2. One or more additional C-shaped springs can be attached to ring spring 69 to increase the biasing force of the ring on member 47. The edges 54 and 55 of the second member are held in engagement with the lower edges 43 of the lips 40 and 41 of the first member 27.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a pair of nut and bolt assemblies 76 extend through holes in base 48 and upper end of standard 23 to secure the standard to the second member 47. The upper end of arm 43 is located in the channel of the second member 47. The sides of arm 43 are located in engagement with flanges 49 and 50, as shown in FIG. 4.

In use, when tooth 24 strikes an obstruction, such as a rock, arm 23 will flex rearwardly and move upwardly in the direction of the arrow 77 thereby allowing tooth 24 to ride over the obstruction. Arm 23 can move to a second or raised position, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. When the flanges 49 and 50 of second member 47 engage flanges 29 and 31 of the second member 27, the second member is in its full raised position. Arm 23 pivots about the axis of bolt 62, since arcuate ribs 56 and 57 of the second member 49 are concentric with the axis of bolt 62. The pocket 53 of the second member 49 moves about the axis of bolt 62 and expands or opens the mouth of the split ring spring 69, as shown in broken lines. The torque arm 78, shown as distance in FIG. 2, of the second member 49 relative to the end 72 of spring 69 decreases in length as the second member 49 pivots in an upward direction. As the split ring 69 is expanded, the ring end 72 in sleeve 74 moves along an arc centered on bolt 62. The torque arm 78 is reduced in length until the end 72 is in the broken line position, as shown in FIG. 2. The split ring spring 69 has spring or deflection characteristics such that as the deflection of the ring spring increases, the biasing force of the ring increases. In other words, the force required to expand the split ring spring 69 increases in relation to the amount of expansion or deflection of the ring spring 69. The torque arm varies or changes in length in inverse proportion to the spring force to effect a substantially constant biasing force on the arm 23. The decreasing torque arm compensates for the increase in the amount of force required to expand ring spring 69 so that the resultant force required to raise arm 23 remains substantially the same from the ground working or first position, as shown in full lines in FIG. 2, to the up or trip position, as shown in broken lines. The biasing force on arm 23 is substantially the same when it is in the ground working position and trip position and all positions between the ground working position and trip position. When the tooth 24 clears the obstruction, split ring spring 69 will automatically bias second member 49 and earthworking tool 21 back to its first or normal ground working position.

Referring to FIGS. 10, 11, and 12, there is shown an end portion of an earthworking implement indicated generally at 100, known as a rotary hoe. Examples of rotary hoes mounted on a three-point hitch of a tractor are shown by Zaun in U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,201 and Siekmeier U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,685. Implement 100 has a transverse horizontal tool bar or support 101 carrying a plurality of earthworking tools 102, 103, and 104. Biasing mount assemblies indicated generally at 106, 107, and 108 mount the tools 102, 103, and 104 on tool bar 101 for individual and independent movement. The number of earthworking tools and biasing mount assemblies attached to tool bar 101 can vary. Also, the spacing between adjacent earthworking tools can be adjusted.

The biasing assemblies 106, 107, and 108 are identical in structure and fucntion. They are the same as biasing mount assembly 20, shown in FIGS. 2-8. The parts of biasing mount assembly 106 correspond to the parts of biasing mount assembly 20 having the same reference numeral with the suffix A.

Earthworking tool 102 has an elongated linear arm or standard 109 extended from biasing mount assembly 106 to an earthworking wheel indicated generally at 113. As shown in FIG. 13, the lower end of arm 109 has an enlarged section or boss 112 having an end located adjacent wheel 113. Wheel 113 has a central bearing assembly 114 attached to a plurality of circumferentially arranged teeth or spokes 116. The outer end of each tooth has a spoon bill or lip 117. A first pair of rings 118 and 119 clamp to opposite sides of the teeth 116 with nut and bolt assemblies 121. The second rings 122 and 123 are attached to the bearing assembly 114 with nut and bolt assemblies 124 to retain the inner ends of the rings in operative association with bearing assembly 114. Bearing assembly 115 is held into engagement with the boss 112 by a bolt 126. Bolt 126 extends through a transverse bore 127 in boss 112. A nut 128 located in a recess or cavity 129 in boss 112 is threaded on bolt 126. Cavity 129 has a noncircular shape which cooperates with he nut 128 to prevent the nut from turning during the attachment of the bolt 126 to nut 128. Preferably, the shape of cavity 129 is the same as the shape of nut 128.

A trash cleaning or stripper bar 131 is connected on the lower end of arm 109 with a plurality of nut and bolt assemblies 133. Bar 131 projects in a rearward direction from boss 112 and has an upwardly curved terminal end section 132. End section 132 projects beyond the outer ends of teeth 116. Bar 131 is a curved leaf spring having an edge located close to one side of wheel 113. In use, when the implement is moved in the forward direction, wheel 116 will rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as shown by the arrow 134. Trash, as weeds, corn stalks, and the like, which may collect on teeth 116, will be moved upwardly into engagement with the curved end 132 of bar 131. The end 132 forces or strips the trash from teeth 116.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, earthworking tool 103 has an arm 135 extended downwardly and rearwardly from the biasing mount assembly 107 to an earthworking wheel 136. Arm 135 has a length shorter than arm 109 whereby wheel 136 is longitudinally offset from wheel 113. This arrangement locates adjacent wheels in a staggered relationship along the transverse length of the implement.

Earthworking tool 104 has an arm 137 identical to the arm 109 attaching biasing mount assembly 108 to the earthworking wheel 138. Earthworking tool 104 is identical to earthworking tool 102.

In use, compression split ring spring 69A of each biasing mount assembly functions to independently and individually bias the arms 109, 135, and 137 in a downward or earthworking position. The arms 109, 135, and 137 are free to separately move up and down to follow the contour of the ground and move over trash and obstructions. Trash that is picked up by teeth 116 will be removed or stripped off by the curved trash cleaning bar 131.

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, there is shown a belt tightener indicated generally at 139 mounted on a support 141 for tightening an upper run of a belt 142. Belt 142 is trained around pulleys 143 and 144 and is moved thereby to transmit power between these pulleys. A biasing mount assembly indicated generally at 146 is connected with a U-bolt 147 to support 141. A downwardly extended arm 148 is secured to biasing mount assembly 146. A roller or wheel 149 riding on belt 142 is rotatably mounted on the lower end of arm 148. The biasing mount assembly 146 is identical to the biasing mount assembly 20, as shown in FIGS. 2-8. The parts of biasing mount assembly 146 that correspond to the parts of biasing mount assembly 20 are identified with the same reference numeral having a suffix B. The biasing mount assembly 146 functions to bias wheel 149 in a downward direction to apply tension to belt 142. As the power transmitted by the belt increases, the biasing mount assembly 146 functions to maintain a substantially constant force on belt 142, since split ring 69B, as it moves relative to the axis of the bolt 62B, applied substantially the same force on wheel 149 whereby the tension on the belt remains substantially constant over the range of power transmitted by the belt. Roller 149 moves up and down to maintain a substantially constant force on the top run of belt 142.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, there is shown a vehicle wheel suspension assembly indicated generally at 151 connecting a wheel 152 to a frame or support 153. The wheel suspension assembly is useable with trailers, motor vehicles, manually moved vehicles, implements, and like vehicles and machines.

A biasing mount assembly indicated generally at 154 is connected with a U-bolt 156 to support 153. Wheel 152 is connected to the biasing mount assembly with an arm 157. The lower end of arm 157 carries the transverse axle 158. Wheel 152 has a hub assembly 159 rotatably mounted on axle 158.

Biasing mount assembly 154 is identical to the biasing mount assembly 20, shown in FIGS. 2-8. The parts of biasing mount assembly 154 that are identical to the parts of biasing mount assembly 20 have the same reference numeral with the suffix C.

The split ring 69C yieldably holds frame 153 in an elevated or raised position when wheel 152 is on the ground 160. Wheel 152 can ride up and down over to follow the contour of ground 160 providing a substantially constant spring or yielding force for supporting frame 153. As the split ring 69C expands or opens, the torque arm of the lower end of the spring relative to the axis of bolt 62C decreases whereby the resultant biasing force of ring spring 69C on arm 156 remains substantially constant.

While there has been shown and described the preferred embodiments and uses of the biasing mount assembly of the invention, it is understood that changes in the structure and use may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. The invention is defined in the following claims.