Abstract: A mounting structure for mounting a pivot arm to an implement has a cylindrical member, an adjusting sleeve, and a mounting bolt extending through the cylindrical member and adjusting sleeve to fix the cylindrical member and adjusting sleeve together. The cylindrical member extends through a bore of a bearing housing for rotation within the bearing housing. The adjusting sleeve has a threaded external surface. A disc spring is positioned on the adjusting sleeve. An adjusting nut is threaded onto the threaded external surface of the adjusting sleeve. The adjusting nut can be tightened to compress the disc spring to create a lateral bearing force against the bearing housing. The bearing housing can be integral with a pivot arm for mounting a gauge wheel assembly on a planter row unit, or the bearing housing can be a fixed part for mounting a pivot arm for a closing/press wheel on a drill.

Abstract: A mounting structure for mounting a pivot arm to an implement has a cylindrical member, an adjusting sleeve, and a mounting bolt extending through the cylindrical member and adjusting sleeve to fix the cylindrical member and adjusting sleeve together. The cylindrical member extends through a bore of a bearing housing for rotation within the bearing housing. The adjusting sleeve has a threaded external surface. A disc spring is positioned on the adjusting sleeve. An adjusting nut is threaded onto the threaded external surface of the adjusting sleeve. The adjusting nut can be tightened to compress the disc spring to create a lateral bearing force against the bearing housing. The bearing housing can be integral with a pivot arm for mounting a gauge wheel assembly on a planter row unit, or the bearing housing can be a fixed part for mounting a pivot arm for a closing/press wheel on a drill.

Abstract: A mounting structure for mounting a pivot arm to an implement has a cylindrical member, an adjusting sleeve, and a mounting bolt extending through the cylindrical member and adjusting sleeve to fix the cylindrical member and adjusting sleeve together. The cylindrical member extends through a bore of a bearing housing for rotation within the bearing housing. The adjusting sleeve has a threaded external surface. A disc spring is positioned on the adjusting sleeve. An adjusting nut is threaded onto the threaded external surface of the adjusting sleeve. The adjusting nut can be tightened to compress the disc spring to create a lateral bearing force against the bearing housing. The bearing housing can be integral with a pivot arm for mounting a gauge wheel assembly on a planter row unit, or the bearing housing can be a fixed part for mounting a pivot arm for a closing/press wheel on a drill.

Abstract: A mounting structure for mounting a pivot arm to an implement has a cylindrical member, an adjusting sleeve, and a mounting bolt extending through the cylindrical member and adjusting sleeve to fix the cylindrical member and adjusting sleeve together. The cylindrical member extends through a bore of a bearing housing for rotation within the bearing housing. The adjusting sleeve has a threaded external surface. A disc spring is positioned on the adjusting sleeve. An adjusting nut is threaded onto the threaded external surface of the adjusting sleeve. The adjusting nut can be tightened to compress the disc spring to create a lateral bearing force against the bearing housing. The bearing housing can be integral with a pivot arm for mounting a gauge wheel assembly on a planter row unit, or the bearing housing can be a fixed part for mounting a pivot arm for a closing/press wheel on a drill.

Abstract: A scraper assembly for removing mud and moist soil from the gauge wheels of an agricultural planter includes a support rod attached to a hub of a gauge wheel arm, a clamp structure attached to an end portion of the support rod, and a scraper blade attached to the clamp structure. An axis of the end portion of the support rod is approximately perpendicular to and intersects with an axis of rotation of the gauge wheel. The scraper blade is mounted approximately perpendicular to the outer surface of the gauge wheel and is angled approximately 45 degrees from the sides of the gauge wheel. The scraper blade has a curved profile along its length that substantially matches an outer profile of the outer surface of the gauge wheel when the scraper blade is properly adjusted.

Abstract: A scraper assembly for removing mud and moist soil from the gauge wheels of an agricultural planter includes a support rod attached to a hub of a gauge wheel arm, a clamp structure attached to an end portion of the support rod, and a scraper blade attached to the clamp structure. An axis of the end portion of the support rod is approximately perpendicular to and intersects with an axis of rotation of the gauge wheel. The scraper blade is mounted approximately perpendicular to the outer surface of the gauge wheel and is angled approximately 45 degrees from the sides of the gauge wheel. The scraper blade has a curved profile along its length that substantially matches an outer profile of the outer surface of the gauge wheel when the scraper blade is properly adjusted.

Abstract: An adjustable scraper assembly for clearing mud and trash from the gauge wheel tires of an agricultural planter includes a support rod connected to the planter, a clamp assembly attached to the support rod, and a scraper blade attached to the clamp assembly. The clamp assembly has first and second clamping blocks that function together to allow pivotal adjustment of the scraper blade relative to the support rod about three nonparallel axes of rotation and sliding adjustment along at least one linear direction relative to the support rod. The support rod is attached to the planter using a third clamping block clamped to the hub of a gauge wheel arm. The third clamping block can be used to provide an additional adjustment of the support rod relative to the gauge wheel arm.

Abstract: A pivot assembly is provided for attaching a closing wheel frame to a planter. The closing wheel frame has a pair of closing wheels attached at a rear end and a pair of mounting openings formed at a front end. The pivot assembly includes ball bearings having outer races fit loosely within each of the mounting openings of the closing wheel frame. The inner races of the ball bearings are secured to the planter frame using threaded nut and bolt assemblies. The closing wheel frame is pivotal relative to the planter frame during normal operation by relative movement between the inner and outer races of the bearing. Variations of the mounting openings in the closing wheel frame are disclosed, including a tubular part, heavy washer or other annular structure welded to an outside surface of the closing wheel frame, or a bearing housing formed integral with the closing wheel frame.

Abstract: A seed tube guard assembly for agricultural planters has floating wear plates to improve the wear life of the seed tube guard. The assembly includes a support bracket having an upper end attached to a planter shank assembly and a lower end positioned between a pair of opener disks. A seed tube guide extends rearwardly from the support bracket for receiving a lower end of a seed tube. A pair of dowels are pressed into openings in the support bracket and protrude from the sides thereof. A metal ball is press fit into an opening in the support bracket between the dowels with opposite sides of the metal ball protruding from the respective sides of the support bracket. The floating wear plates are supported by the dowels on the respective sides of the support bracket with the metal ball engaging the wear plates at respective fulcrum points between the dowels.

Abstract: A pivot assembly is provided for attaching a closing wheel frame to a planter. The closing wheel frame has a pair of closing wheels attached at a rear end and a pair of mounting openings formed at a front end. The pivot assembly includes ball bearings having outer races fit loosely within each of the mounting openings of the closing wheel frame. The inner races of the ball bearings are secured to the planter frame using threaded nut and bolt assemblies. The closing wheel frame is pivotal relative to the planter frame during normal operation by relative movement between the inner and outer races of the bearing. Variations of the mounting openings in the closing wheel frame are disclosed, including a tubular part, heavy washer or other annular structure welded to an outside surface of the closing wheel frame, or a bearing housing formed integral with the closing wheel frame.

Abstract: A pivot assembly is provided for attaching a closing wheel frame to a planter. The closing wheel frame has a pair of closing wheels attached at a rear end and a pair of mounting openings formed at a front end. The pivot assembly includes ball bearings having outer races fit loosely within each of the mounting openings of the closing wheel frame. The inner races of the ball bearings are secured to the planter frame using threaded nut and bolt assemblies. The closing wheel frame is pivotal relative to the planter frame during normal operation by relative movement between the inner and outer races of the bearing. Variations of the mounting openings in the closing wheel frame are disclosed, including a tubular part, heavy washer or other annular structure welded to an outside surface of the closing wheel frame, or a bearing housing formed integral with the closing wheel frame.

Abstract: An improved planter gauge wheel arm hub assembly which reduces the effects of wear on gauge wheel hubs and shafts and the resulting looseness between the gauge wheels and furrow disks. A preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes a threaded attaching stud and a threaded adjustment stud to carry a disc spring which applies a continuous force on the wheel arm hub.

Abstract: The rear mounted straw chopper of a combine harvester receives the straw discharge from the straw walkers of the combine and discharges chopped straw rearwardly. The chopper is slidably supported on a pair of spaced apart, longitudinally oriented guide rails so that the chopper can be adjusted from a rearward, operating position to a forward, inoperative or windrow position in which straw bypasses the chopper. Movement of the chopper on its guide rails is facilitated by attachment to the straw chopper casing of a transverse shaft and sprocket assembly, the teeth of a pair of sprockets engaging longitudinally spaced openings in the guide rails so that, upon rotation of the shaft, the sprockets and guide rails cooperate in rack and pinion fashion to propel the chopper assembly along the rails while maintaining it in square alignment. The shaft and sprocket assembly may be rotated conveniently by means of a wrench engaging flats on an end of the shaft.