Abstract: A plow bottom is configured to be easily reset when striking a rock while plowing. The plow operator may set the force required for the plow bottom to disengage using the adjustment switch. Once the shank strikes an object, the plow bottom will disengage. The plow operator then lifts the plow assembly using the tractor to raise the plow bottoms out of the ground. A spring then forces the disengaged plow bottom to reengage. Once the plow bottom is reengaged, the plow operator lowers the plow assembly and continues plowing the land.

Abstract: A mechanical coupling arrangement for interconnecting a compression spring assembly and certain working tools such as the disks of an agricultural tillage implement includes a hinge having a pivot axis and first and second arms extending from the pivot axis. Linkage arrangements couple the first hinge arm to the spring assembly and the second hinge arm to the working tools. A shear pin extends between the hinge arms remote from the pivot axis for fixing the angular relationship between the arms so long as the spring compression remains less than a predetermined maximum. Shear pin failure allows one hinge arm to pivot relative to the other when the predetermined maximum tension is exceeded uncoupling the spring assembly from the tools.

Abstract: A mechanical coupling arrangement for interconnecting a compression spring assembly and certain working tools such as the disks of an agricultural tillage implement includes a hinge having a pivot axis and first and second arms extending from the pivot axis. Linkage arrangements couple the first hinge arm to the spring assembly and the second hinge arm to the working tools. A shear pin extends between the hinge arms remote from the pivot axis for fixing the angular relationship between the arms so long as the spring compression remains less than a predetermined maximum. Shear pin failure allows one hinge arm to pivot relative to the other when the predetermined maximum tension is exceeded uncoupling the spring assembly from the tools.

Abstract: A field marker for mounting on an agricultural implement includes an elongated arm adapted to project outwardly laterally of the implement when in its operating position and is adapted to carry a field marking device at its outer distal end for making a score mark on the ground. A mount for the arm at an inner proximal end thereof allows pivoting of the arm about first and second transverse axes whereby to allow the arm to swing upwardly and downwardly about the first one of said axes when operating on uneven ground while also allowing the arm to swing around the second one of said axes from its outwardly projecting operating position into another position. The arm includes inner and outer arm sections secured together by a folding joint to permit the inner and outer arm sections to be folded into juxtaposition with one another and brought into the transport position.

Abstract: An agricultural implement that includes a plurality of ground penetrating units for shattering the hard pan in a relatively wide pattern as the implement is drawn across the field while causing minimum disturbance to the top surface of the ground. Each ground penetrating unit includes a depending shank with a three piece plow point assembly releasably and symmetrically connected to a forward projecting lower end of the shank. The plow point assembly includes a shoe with first and second vanes attached to the shank rearwardly of a rear surface of the shoe and diverging outwardly from opposite sides of the shank. The shoe and vanes of each plow point assembly are separately and releasably attached to the shank such that any one component of the plow point assembly can be repaired or replaced independent of the other components.

Abstract: An earth working implement including a frame having at least one earth working tool mounted thereon. A spring biased linkage assembly connects the tool to the frame to allow for vertical "floating" and "tripping" movements of the tool. The linkage assembly includes upper and lower generally parallel links which are pivotally connected to the frame and to a generally vertical standard having the tool connected to the lower end thereof. The upper link is formed from a pair of toggle elements defining a pivotal connection between opposite ends thereof. A spring assembly normally maintains the toggle elements in non-collapsible relation relative to each other and inhibits floating movements of the tool as it is drawn through the soil. The spring mechanism furthermore allows the toggle elements to move to a collapsed position relative to each other thereby allowing the tool to move to a tripped position.

Abstract: A chisel cultivator for post-planting cultivation. The cultivator includes a main frame. A chisel member has one end portion coupled to the frame and a second end portion spaced from the first end portion along a longitudinal axis of the chisel member for cultivating sub-surface soil during operation of the cultivator. A heave limiter is coupled to the frame ahead of the chisel member relative to the direction of operation of the chisel cultivator. The chisel member is adjustable relative to the frame to adjust the distance of the second end portion of the chisel member from the frame. A sweep assembly is coupled to the frame behind the chisel member relative to the direction of operation of the chisel cultivator. The sweep assembly includes wings which extend outwardly of a centerline extending in the direction of operation of the chisel cultivator in a plane substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the chisel member.

Abstract: Seed bed preparation apparatus for the no-till preparation of longitudinal strips of soil for the planting of seeds in longitudinal rows including plurality of laterally spaced apart gang assemblies which are individually mounted on a draft vehicle such as a tractor or the like. Each gang assembly includes a main frame, adapted to the coupled to the draft vehicle, swingably mounting a chassis which follows the contour of the land via rotatable depth wheels which mount a forward, surface soil cutting disk for cutting a slot in the surface soil. A vertical tillage blade is received in the slot cut by the cutting wheel and includes an under surface soil lifting tillage point for lifting and partially breaking up strip of soil as the apparatus forwardly moves. A pair of rotatable soil crumbling disks are mounted on the chassis, parallel to the tillage blade, on opposite side of the blade for containing and further crumbling the portion of the lifted strip of soil between the disks and the blade.

Abstract: A trip assembly for a ground-working implement includes a rigid toggle member and a spring toggle member that are pinned, respectively, at a first point to a ground-engaging tool and at a second point to a frame. The rigid toggle member and the spring toggle member are pinned together at a third point that is a small distance vertically below a line extending between the first two points. A fulcrum from the rigid toggle member is in contact with the top of the spring toggle member at a central position. An obstruction force transmitted to the ground-engaging tool is transmitted to flex the spring toggle member vertically upwardly at the central position. As the spring toggle member flexes vertically upwardly, the third point moves upwardly through the small distance. Once the third point crosses the line between the first two points, the trip assembly trips and moves the ground-engaging tool to a vertically upwardly removed tripped position.

Abstract: A tillage implement is provided which is of the type that has a plurality of working components that perform a multiple number of different soil treatment operations during a single trip across an agricultural field. One of these working components is a deep tillage component having a high draft requirement. The depth of operation of this deep tillage component is controlled independently of the depth of the other working components which are not significantly disrupted when the depth of operation of the deep tillage component is modified, which modification can be easily and quickly made.

Abstract: Method of excavating overburden from a mineral or coal deposit seam using a low wall winch component, a high wall which component and a hoe. The hoe is attached to the low wall winch component by one or more draglines and the hoe is attached to the high wall winch component by a tail line.The method includes the steps of:(i) moving the hoe by tensioning of the draglines by the low wall winch component through overburden created by preliminary drilling and blasting to move said overburden away from the mineral or coal deposit seams in one or more traverses wherein overburden is loaded onto the hoe and subsequently dumped onto a spoil bank; and(ii) moving the hoe at the end of the or each traverse back to the starting point of the traverse by untensioning of the draglines by the low wall winch component and tensioning of the tail line by the high wall winch component.There is also included dragline apparatus including the aforementioned low wall winch component, high wall winch component, and the hoe.

Abstract: A trip shank mechanism including a tool bar, an upper support member fixedly attached to the upper side of the tool bar, a lower support member fixedly attached to the lower side of the tool bar and a bracket pivotally connected to the lower support member. A toggle link mechanism is supported between the upper support member and the bracket member and includes an upper and a lower link member pivotally connected at respective first portions thereof by a first pivotal connection. A second pivotal connection pivotally mounts a second portion of the upper link member to the upper support member and a third pivotal connection pivotally mounts a second portion of the lower link member to the bracket member. The first pivot connection is located at an intermediate position between the second and third pivot connections. A biasing mechanism mounted on the upper support member with one end thereof pivotally attached to an intermediate portion of the upper link member.

Abstract: A ground working assembly has an inclined arm swingable up and down on a tool bar of an agricultural implement, the assembly being yieldably biased downwardly by a cushioning spring associated with a bracket which mounts the assembly on the tool bar. A tool-supporting shank depending from the arm at its lower, rear end is swingable rearwardly and upwardly relative to the arm, but held against tripping by linkage which is normally locked by the spring. During encounters by the ground-working tool with usual types of ground conditions tending to cause the tool to rise against the action of the spring, the assembly merely swings upwardly relative to the bracket. But tool damage is alleviated by unlocking of the linkage and tripping of the shank when more extreme conditions, such as large rocks, are encountered by the tool.

Abstract: A plow that has a plurality of equally spaced right hand plows and left hand plows that are mounted one above the other on a beam of the plow support structure. Each right hand plow has trip linkage that is offset from the trip linkage of the left hand plow of the set. The plow structure is mounted on a frame for 180.degree. rotation on an axis offset from the longitudinal center line of the frame so that the foremost right hand plow in the working position is the same distance from the longitudinal center line of the frame as the left hand plow in the working position.

Abstract: A trip mechanism for a ground working tool connected to a frame. The frame is connected to a carriage using a three point connection. A pivotal member is provided in the frame and a tension member is connected between one arm of the pivotal member and the carriage. Compression springs are provided to act between a second arm and the frame. An obstruction exerting a predetermined amount of force on the ground working tool of the implement will allow the trip mechanism to be activated thus preventing damage to the tool. An adjustable stop is provided on the frame engaging the first arm when the apparatus is in its untripped position to adjust the untripped position of the second arm relative to the frame to vary the initial force required to trip the mechanism.

Abstract: A trip mechanism 41 for a plow standard 11 includes a pair of toggle links 46, 61 having their remote ends pivotally connected, respectively, to a plow frame 15 and the standard 11. Link 61 includes a leaf spring 63 with a rolled end 86 pivotally connected to the link 46 by a pin 88 normally disposed in an overcenter position; however, when excessive working forces are encountered, the leaf spring 63 deflects somewhat in the manner of a cantilevered beam causing the pin 88 to move from its overcenter position to a tripped position thus allowing the plow standard 11 to swing upwardly about its pivot axis 16.

Abstract: An implement shank is pivotally attached to the frame of the implement and normally is maintained in the soil by a heavy duty coil spring reacting between the shank and a support extending from the frame. The spring mount and shank holder are connected together so that if the shank trips due to striking an obstruction, the connection moves towards an over center line and if the obstruction is maintained, the connection moves over the over center line. When it passes over center, it engages a leaf spring extending from the frame which returns the connection back over center when the obstruction is passed whereupon the coil spring returns the implement into the ground. The coil spring is attached to a resilient member extending from the frame so that the shock load is absorbed as the implement returns to the ground engaging position, particularly when this return is somewhat rapid due to the heavy duty nature of the coil spring.

Abstract: A moldboard plow bottom unit having a frame mount on a beam. A standard attached to a moldboard plow bottom is pivotally connected to the frame to provide movement of the moldboard plow bottom from a normal earthworking position to an elevated trip position. A trip and reset mechanism having a toggle link assembly connected to the standard operates to allow the standard and plow bottom to move up to a trip position and to bias the standard and plow bottom to the earthworking position. The trip and reset mechanism includes a control member pivotally mounted on the frame and connected to the toggle link assembly. The control member has first and second members which selectively engage opposite sides of one link of the toggle link assembly to control the movement of the toggle link assembly between its extended over-center position to its folded position.

Abstract: A plow mounting bracket for variable width plows including a mounting post having a free end that extends upwardly from a hub portion and is pivotally received by the plow main frame. The plow bracket can be used for plows that are secured at selected widths or plows in which the width can be varied during the operation of the plow.

Abstract: An earthworking tool suspension system composed of a pair of vertically disposed and fore-and-aft extending four bar linkages in which the coupler link of the front linkage is the base link of the rear linkage, the tool standard has an upper part that is pivotally connected to the lower link of the front linkage and the coupler link of the second linkage, and the part serves as the lower link of the rear four bar linkage. A biasing means is provided and is connected to both four bar linkages. The front four bar linkage permits the tool to float vertically with little change in attitude. The two four bar linkages in series permit the tool to rotate and rise relative to the main frame of the implement, when the tool strikes an obstruction requiring such action.

Abstract: A safety trip mechanism for a ground working tool utilizes a roller pin engageable with a notched and spring biased latch to resist collapse of a toggle linkage and rotation of the tool supporting standard as obstacles are encountered by the tool. The roller pin is rigidly connected to one toggle link and spaced from the frame which supports the standard to reduce the breakout force acting on the pin. Flattening of the roller pin surface and wear between the pin and its latch are accordingly reduced to improve reliability of the trip mechanism and decrease maintenance.

Abstract: A cultivator section comprises an articulated frame supported by castor wheels and having both hinge connections and universal ball joint connections so that the frame can articulate when transversing uneven ground, gullies, etc. and maintaining the cultivating implements at a substantially even depth below ground surface. In other words the frame articulates so that it remains substantially parallel to the surface regardless of the uneveness of the surface. A hitch frame is connected to the cultivator frame at a plurality of the points and an even pull is thereby obtained. The cultivator section is easily adapted to transport position. A plurality of cultivator sections can be used in side by side relationship by adjusting the hitch frame so that a single section or a multiple section cultivator can be formed depending on the size of land to be cultivated and the amount of power available in the tractor or other towing means.

Abstract: A linkage assembly supports a moldboard plow. A cam member having a seat engaging a roller is pivotally connected to the linkage assembly. A spring assembly is pivotally connected between the cam member and the linkage assembly to urge the plow in a normal plowing position. When the plow bottom encounters an object the cam seat disengages the roller and the plow rises quickly. After the obstruction is passed, the plow resets. During reset, the roller rides on a cam surface which controls the force of the spring urging the plow to reset. The locus of the plow tip when it initially strikes an object is more rearward than upward to give the unit better ability to respond at higher ground speeds. The tip of the plow is inclined downwardly during reset to facilitate rapid re-entry to proper plowing depth.

Abstract: A spring bias safety trip mechanism for holding a ground working tool in a fixed position with respect to a support frame is disclosed herein. The spring bias safety trip mechanism consists of a plurality of links that are interconnected in such a manner that the links act as a rigid bar between the frame and standard and collapse when excessive forces are encountered by the standard. The spring biased linkage system is designed to eliminate the need for large springs that must produce sufficient forces equal to the normal forces encountered during the normal earthworking operation.