Abstract: A one-pass primary tillage machine provides a combination of shallow and deep tillage, residue cutting and mixing, and clod size reduction and leveling of the field to prepare the field for the next planting season. A front group of flat coulters slice through the residue to reduce its size, followed by deep shanks that improve the tilth of the soil to a point below the intended planting depth. Following the shanks, a group of concavo-convex conditioning discs mix the residue with the soil, reduce clod size, and level the field.

Abstract: A mechanism for mounting a soil leveling device to the mounting arm of a leveling attachment operates in either a fixed setting or a floating setting. The mechanism includes a rearwardly extending carrier arm which carries the soil leveling device at its distal end. The carrier arm is pivotably connected at its proximal end to the mounting arm of the leveling attachment for upward and downward movement. A connecting link is mounted to the mounting arm and a spring assembly extends between the link and the carrier arm. The connecting link is selectively operable in either a fixed setting or a released, floating setting. When the connecting link is in the fixed setting, the spring assembly biases the carrier arm and the leveling device with a downward force. When the connecting link is in the floating setting, the leveling device can move across a soil surface free of a downward bias from the spring assembly.

Abstract: A tillage tool includes a relatively narrow shank that slices through the soil while a ripper point at its lower end fractures and lifts the subsoil. Minimum surface disturbance adjacent the opposite sides of the shank is assured through the provision of a pair of independently mounted down-pressure wheels on opposite sides of the shank that engage and apply constant downward pressure against soil tending to erupt at the top surface. Each down pressure wheel is mounted to the shank assembly by its own leaf spring so that the two wheels react to ground changes independently of one another and without adversely affecting each other. A guide plate associated with each leaf spring prevents twisting of the spring as it flexes and provides stops for limiting the opposite extremes of up and down flexing of the spring.

Abstract: The implement has a main frame supported at the rear by ground-engaging transport wheels and at the front by ground-engaging gauge wheels. A hitch is pivotally connected to the front end of the main frame so that the hitch and frame can flex relative to one another when the towing tractor experiences different terrain than the main frame. A self-leveling mechanism is normally disengaged when the implement is in its field operating position so that the hitch is free to float relative to the frame during terrain changes. However, when engaged, the self-leveling mechanism operates to maintain the main frame level as the transport wheels are lowered to raise the main frame into its transport position. A latch, remotely actuatable from the tractor seat, determines whether the implement is in its self-leveling mode or floating hitch mode.

Abstract: An improved multi-function loading and recovery apparatus for use with pallets, flat racks, containers and the like having a simple, effective design while enabling efficient operation in a wide variety of recovery operations. This multi-function loading and recovery apparatus utilizes a double pivoting tilt frame and self-locking L-arm, and also includes a unique inside-outside rail option, a collapsible bumper, forward-mounted rollers, an improved rear stabilizer and other features.

Abstract: A tarping apparatus for the open top container of a refuse handling truck has a pair of tarp deployment arms on opposite sides of the container that pull the tarp onto and off of the open top of the container as the arms are hydraulically swung back and forth along the container. One end of the tarp is anchored to a stationary mast at the front end of the truck body while the opposite end of the tarp is wound around a spring-loaded take-up roll that pays out the tarp as the arms are swung rearwardly and then automatically rolls up the slack as the arms are returned toward the front end of the truck. If necessary to accommodate dimensional variances between different size containers which may be carried by the truck, the pivot points for the deployment arms may be adjustably shifted by hydraulic cylinders either forwardly or rearwardly such that the arc of travel of the tarp roll is correspondingly displaced either forwardly or rearwardly.

Abstract: A tillage implement has its residue incorporating gangs of discs hydraulically adjustable on-the-go to vary the extent of residue incorporation. Cylinders connected with the gangs are of matching volumetric capacities and are connected in a series hydraulic arrangement so that all of the cylinders operate in unison and in equal amounts. Each cylinder has a rod that extends through the entire length of the cylinder and projects outwardly from opposite ends thereof. Each cylinder is also provided with a relief spring coiled about its exterior and trapped between a lower shoulder on the cylinder and an upper slip collar that is trunnion-mounted to the attaching bracket of the implement frame, thus permitting the cylinder to slip upwardly through the collar under the resistance of the relief spring when an obstacle is encountered by the incorporating discs.

Abstract: A towable, furrow opening assembly has an intermediate opener and delivery tubes for deposit of materials such as seed into the opened furrow, together with a trailing press wheel and an aligned, leading wheel such that furrow depth is controlled by the wheels whose corresponding, articulated frames are looped over the opener. Buckling of the frames at the will of the operator varies the depth of the furrow.

Abstract: An agricultural tilling implement is described which is adapted to be connected to the rear of a tractor having a three-point hitch. The implement comprises an elongated tool bar which preferably has two attachments thereon, spaced from each other, for connection to the three-point hitch of the tractor. A plurality of tilling units are carried by the tool bar. Each tilling unit comprises a downwardly depending ripper member and two rotatable wheels adjacent the ripper member. The wheels are vertically adjustable and, preferably, are also adjustable inwardly and outwardly as well as forwardly and rearwardly. The wheels are adaptable to hold the soil firmly in the rows so that the ripper member does not disturb or injure the roots of growing row crops. Preferably the tilling units are also adapted to tow a secondary tiller unit.

Abstract: In a drill, there is provided the combination of a pair of foldable pivot frames to each of which is attached a wheeled wing frame for up and down swinging movement, together with a tongue assembly for effecting the folding action, as well as a subframe for each wing made up of a T-frame and a hoe frame especially adapted for opening seed-receiving furrows and pressing the soil in each seeded furrow.

Abstract: Wings of multiple section farm implements are folded by hydraulic cylinders each having a knee joint between the piston rod and a single arm which swings against a lug on the wing as the rod is actuated to lift the wing. A trunnion-notch arrangement operating in conjunction with a lost motion connection and an anti-jackknife device maintains a rod-arm interlock during a portion of each cycle of swinging of the wing to and from its folded position.

Abstract: For use with farm implements having tillage discs, there is provided a disc scraping assembly in which the swingable arm for supporting the scraper blade is provided with a hat section mount together with a compression spring to yieldably hold the blade against the disc. Alternate connections are provided between the arm and the tension means such as to selectively permit use of the assembly in connection with either of a pair of discs depending upon which direction the concave surface of the disc is facing in the implement. The blade is rotatably mounted on the arm through use of a dirt clearance slot which, in turn, releasably receives a pair of yokes freely rotatable on the arm and releasably interlocked with the blade. Removable cross pins in the arm cooperate with the yokes in preventing displacement of the scraper blade axially of the arm.

Abstract: A farm implement has a mobile frame from which is suspended a number of chisel plow shanks and a row of rolling coulters ahead of the plows for cutting crop residue to prevent trash buildup and plugging at the plows. A transverse rock shaft on the frame is provided with swingable wheel arms and cranks to which hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies are connected for raising and lowering the frame, and therefore, the plows and the coulters in unison. The coulters are swingably mounted on the frame for up and down movement relative to the frame as well as fore and aft movement toward and away from the plows. Turnbuckles pivotally interconnecting the coulter supports and the wheel arms impart swinging movement to the coulters during up and down movement of the frame. Accordingly, adequate slicing heights for the cutters are automatically maintained even at shallow plowing depths.

Abstract: A farm implement has a number of normally horizontal sections for supporting ground-engaging tools, hingedly interconnected such that the outer sections may be folded upwardly and inwardly to a reduced width for transport and storage. A folding assembly separate from the hinges includes a hydraulic piston and cylinder power unit coupled with a lift link that is pivotally connected to a force-transmitting lever which, in turn, acts against a fulcrum during the folding operation. The fulcrum has the second function of serving as one of a pair of limiting stops in a lost motion arrangement for the lever which permits the foldable section to rise and fall in response to uneven terrain. The lever is supported through a trunnion by a carriage which, during folding, is first tilted by the lever to align the trunnion with slotted trunnion guide tracks and then shifted within a slide box by the power unit acting through the trunnion as the last phase of the folding operation takes place.