GB2555593A

GB2555593A - An adjuster

Info

Publication number: GB2555593A
Application number: GB1618466.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arthur Brock Philip
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-11-02
Filing date: 2016-11-02
Publication date: 2018-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-02
Also published as: GB201618466D0; GB2555593B

Abstract

An adjuster 1 for limiting the relative travel between two parts of a machine comprises a first component 2 arranged to be attached to one part of the machine and a second component 5 arranged to be attached to other part of the machine. the two components of the adjuster being slidable relative to each other between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein one of the first and second components comprises a plurality of holes 16-19 and the adjuster further comprises a first pin 22 that may be inserted through a selected one of said first plurality holes to limit how far the components extend and one of the first and second components comprises a second plurality of holes 20 and the adjuster further comprises a second pin 23 that may be inserted through a selected one of said second plurality of holes to limit how far the two components may be retracted from each other. The adjuster has particular application to agricultural equipment operated by hydraulic rams

Description

(54) Title ofthe Invention: An adjuster

Abstract Title: An adjuster for limiting travel between two parts of a machine (57) An adjuster 1 for limiting the relative travel between two parts of a machine comprises a first component 2 arranged to be attached to one part of the machine and a second component 5 arranged to be attached to other part of the machine, the two components ofthe adjuster being slidable relative to each other between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein one ofthe first and second components comprises a plurality of holes 16-19 and the adjuster further comprises a first pin 22 that may be inserted through a selected one of said first plurality holes to limit how far the components extend and one of the first and second components comprises a second plurality of holes 20 and the adjuster further comprises a second pin 23 that may be inserted through a selected one of said second plurality of holes to limit how far the two components may be retracted from each other. The adjuster has particular application to agricultural equipment operated by hydraulic rams

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Figure

An Adjuster

The present invention relates to an adjuster tor controlling the relative movement of two parts of a machine. For the purposes of this specification the term “machine” encompasses two or more machines that are joined together, for example a tractor joined to a farm implement.

The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to farm machinery and may be used as a top link for a multipoint linkage, or may be used for restricting movement of one part of a machine relative to another, which movement may be caused by operation of a hydraulic ram.

With some machines, particularly agricultural implements, there is a need for an adjuster which can be set to a specific length to control the position of one part relative to another, which adjuster has to be able to take relatively high compressive or tensile longitudinal forces and which also has to be relatively robust, by which it is meant that it can be left outdoors in wet weather for long periods of time, be subjected to knocks and exposure to mud and water, without the performance of the adjuster being altered to any significant extent.

Such an adjuster, particularly for agricultural applications, often requires to be able to be adjusted to one of a large range of positions. This may be necessary, for example, if the adjuster is to be used to control the height of an item relative to the ground, possibly the height of a cutting machine off the ground, or the depth of tools in the ground, which tools may be used for sowing seed or cultivating the ground.

One type of adjuster commonly used is called the Top Link Screw Adjuster and this is commonly used as the top link on a three point linkage behind a tractor. Here this can be used to control the orientation of an implement behind the tractor. Such a Top Link Screw Adjuster normally comprises two components which are threaded together with an anchor point at each end, whereby threading the components together or unthreading the components adjusts the overall length of the adjuster.

One problem with the above type of Top Link Screw Adjusters is that they cannot be easily adjusted, or easily set to a predetermined length. This is not normally a problem where a single such adjuster is used, for example as the top link of a three point linkage, but may be problematic where a machine comprises several such adjusters. Where an array of adjusters is used on a machine, such as a farm implement, it will often be the case that multiple adjusters perform the same task and therefore it is required that these can quickly be reset and all reset to the same predetermined length so that, for example, each tool or depth wheel they may control, can be set to the same depth and/or height.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved adjuster, particularly suitable for use with agricultural implements.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an adjuster for limiting the relative travel between two parts of a machine, the adjuster comprising a first component arranged to be attached to one part of the machine and a second component arranged to be attached to other part of the machine, the two components of the adjuster being arranged to engage with each other such that they may be slide relative to each other between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein one of the first and second components comprises a plurality of holes and the adjuster further comprises a first pin that may be inserted through a selected one of said first plurality holes to limit how far the two components may extend apart from each other and thus set an extended position for the adjuster and wherein one of the first and second components comprises a second plurality of holes and the adjuster further comprises a second pin that may be inserted through a selected one of said second plurality of holes to limit how far the two components may be retracted relative to each other and thus set a retracted position for the adjuster.

An adjuster in accordance with the present invention, comprises two components which can slide relative to each other, permitting the first and second pins to be inserted in desired positions to either set the length of the adjuster, preventing one component sliding relative to the other, (where an extended position of the adjuster is the same as the retracted position of the adjuster), or to insert the pins in appropriate holes to permit the adjuster to be extended or retracted between an extended position and a retracted position, providing a desired range of extension and retraction between two set positions. Thus the present invention permits a predetermined position to be quickly set or permits the adjuster to act as a limiter, permitting part of a machine to move only between two predetermined positions, determined by the adjuster.

Preferably the first and second pluralities of holes are grouped separately to each other, permitting a pin in a selected one of the one group of holes to control the extension and permitting a pin in a selected one of the other group of holes to control retraction of the adjuster.

Preferably the first and second pluralities of holes are both in the same component, but one plurality of holes could be in the first component with the second plurality of holes in the second component. It is particularly advantageous however if all the holes are in the second component, where the second component is in the form of a tube in which the first component may slide.

Advantageously said first plurality of holes are in one of the first or second components and the first pin positioned through one of said first plurality of holes engages a stop on the other component, so that the second component may slide relative to the first component until the stop meets the inserted first pin.

Preferably said stop is a first stop and wherein said second plurality of holes are in one of the first or second components and the second pin positioned through one of said second plurality of holes engages a second stop on the other component so that the second component may slide relative to the first component until the second stop engages the inserted second pin. This permits both the extended and retracted positions to be easily set by the two pins.

The first stop and the second stop may be formed on the first component and the first stop comprise a first face of the first component and the second stop comprise a second face of the first component opposed to said first face. These faces, which may be back to back, may provide a strong reaction force on the respective pins such that if any component is to be damaged by excessive force it is likely to be the disposable pins, which may be replaced by a convenient bolt.

The first component may be in the form of a planar steel plate arranged to slide in a tubular fist component, for such an arrangement may be particularly robust whilst relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The adjuster preferably has a longitudinal direction, where the steel plate has a longitudinal direction extending in a longitudinal direction of the adjuster, the adjuster having a first face, forming the first stop and a second face forming the second stop, wherein the first and second faces face in opposite longitudinal directions and are arranged to engage respectively with the first pin and the second pin to restrict how far the first component may slide in the second component and thus determine the extended position and the retracted position.

The holes of one of said plurality of holes in one component may be arranged in a grid pattern, wherein a pin inserted through any one of the holes is arranged to be engage with a face of a stop of the other component and wherein columns of the grid pattern are at an angle relative to the face of the stop, such that inserting the pin in different selected ones of the holes of a column will cause the extended or retracted position to be altered by a distance less than the width of one of the holes. This provides for very fine adjustment, whilst still using the simple procedure of inserting a pin in a hole to set the adjuster.

The first and second pins may be inserted through selected holes so that the first component may be prevented from sliding relative to the second component if a degree of relative movement is not required.

Preferably the adjuster is elongate, having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the adjuster comprising;

a first component in the form of an elongate steel plate having a first anchor point at a first end forming the first end of the adjuster, which anchor point is arranged to be connected to the first part of the machine;

a second component formed from two longitudinal spaced apart substantially in register steel plates joined at their top and bottom edges to form a tube, in which the first component may slide backwards and forwards in a longitudinal direction, the second component having a first end towards the first end of the adjuster, a second end forming a second end of the adjuster and a second anchor point arranged to be connected to the second part of the machine, the second component having a first plurality of holes in a longitudinal line towards the first end of the second component and a second plurality of holes in a grid pattern towards the second end of the second component, wherein each of the first and second plurality of holes is formed in one of the steel plates of the second component and wherein for each hole there is a corresponding hole formed in register in the other steel plate;

a first pin arranged to be inserted through one of the first plurality of holes; and a second pin arranged to be inserted through one of the second plurality of holes, wherein the first component has a face at a second end arranged to form a stop by engaging with the second pin when inserted in any one of the second plurality of holes to form a stop determining the retracted position of the adjuster and a channel in the form of a slot or cut out, with the end of the channel defining a second end face facing in an opposite direction away from the end face at the second end of the first component, the second end face arranged to form a stop by engaging with the first pin when the first pin is inserted through one of the first plurality of holes and thus determining the extended position of the adjuster.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a machine, which may be an agricultural implement, comprising an adjuster in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. The machine may comprise a first part and a second part moveable relative to the first part and a hydraulic actuator arranged to move the first part relative to the second part, wherein the first component of the adjuster is connected to a first part of the machine and second part of the adjuster is attached to the second part of the machine such that the adjuster may be used to limit the movement of the first part of the machine relative to the second part in both directions.

The adjuster may be advantageously used to determine the depth to which a tool is inserted into the ground and the height a tool is raised above the ground.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings of which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an adjuster in accordance with the present invention shown in a retracted position;

Figure 2 is perspective cross section through the adjuster of Figure 1;

Figure 3 corresponds to Figure 1 but with the adjuster in an extended position;

Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 2 but with the adjuster in an extended position;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of part of an agricultural implement showing the adjusters of Figures 1 to 4 controlling the raising of a depth control wheel of the implement;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the part of the implement illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure 7 corresponds to Figure 5 but showing the adjustor controlling the lowering of the depth control wheel;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the part of the implement illustrated in Figure

7; and

Figure 9 illustrates a modified adjuster to that illustrated in Figures 1 to 8.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, these show an adjuster, indicated generally as 1, in accordance with the present invention,. This comprises a first component 2 having an anchor point 3 at a first end 4 of the adjuster 1 and a second component 5 having a second anchor point 6 at a second end 7 of the adjuster.

The first component 2 is in the form of a longitudinal flat steel plate with the anchor point 3 formed at one end. At the other end, the first component has an end face 8. The top edge of the first component is partly cut away to form a recess (or channel) 9 to define a vertical face 10 at the end of the recess 9.

The second component of the adjuster 1 is formed from two in register steel plates 11 and 12 to which top and bottom capping portions 13 and 14 are welded, such that the steel plates 11 and 12 and capping portions 13 and 14 define a narrow rectangular tube in which the first component 2 may slide backwards and forwards in a longitudinal direction of the adjuster 1.

The steel plates 11 and 12 of the second component 5 of the adjuster 1 have a number of, in register, holes extending through them. These are grouped into a first plurality of holes 15 to 19 arranged in a row along a top edge of the adjuster 1, with hole 15 being positioned separately to the more closely spaced holes 16 to 19. A second plurality of holes, indicated generally as 20, are in the form of a grid towards the end of the second component 5, that forms the second end 7 of the adjuster 1.

Through selected ones of the first plurality of holes 15 to 19 and the second plurality of holes 20 are inserted pins 21, 22 and 23. These are shown in the Figures to be in the form of nuts and bolts but, depending on how quickly or how often it is desired to reset the adjuster, these could instead be in the form of pins which are retained in place by either R- clips or lynch pins, in a standard manner, or similar.

As will be appreciated most clearly from Figure 2 the pin 23 controls the maximum retracted position of the adjuster, where the first component 2 is retracted into the second component 5 against the pin 23. The “cheese grater” arrangement of the second plurality of holes 20, permits the pin 23 to be positioned so that it engages with the end face 8 of the first component 1 in a number of positions and that the difference in these positions is significantly less than the width of just one hole, permitting fine adjustment of the retracted position.

The pin 22, positioned in the hole 16 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, determines the maximum extended position of the adjuster, which is shown in Figures 3 and 4. The position of the pins 22 and 23, in the holes indicated, permit the adjuster 1 to be extended and retracted between the positions shown in Figures 1,2 and Figures 3, 4.

The pin 22 may be moved to any one of the first plurality of holes 17, 18 or 19 to “shorten” the extended position. If desired, the pins 22 and 23 may be positioned so as to trap and hold captive the first component 2 in the second component 5, to prevent any relative displacement between the two components 2 and 5.

It will also be appreciated from Figures 2 and 4 that the pin 22 may be removed, permitting the adjuster 1 to be extended to a maximum extended position determined by the pin 21, the purpose of which will become apparent from the following description of Figures 5 to 8.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 these show respectively a perspective view and a side elevation of a portion of an implement in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, employing multiple adjusters in accordance with a first aspect of the invention. In Figures 5 and 6 a single adjuster 1 is shown connected in parallel with a hydraulic ram 24 to a mounting 25 for a depth control wheel 26. Although for clarity only a single adjuster 1, hydraulic ram 24, mounting 25 and depth control wheel 26 have been illustrated, it will be appreciated that multiple such groups of components are mounted on the frame 27 of the agricultural implement indicated generally as 28.

To operate the agricultural implement 28 it will be necessary that the plurality of depth control wheels 26 (only one of which is shown) all be operated in the same manner, in order to raise and lower the frame 27 uniformly and thus control the depth of tools 29. This can be achieved by setting corresponding sets of pins 21 to 23 in each of several adjusters 1 (only one of which is shown), associated with each of the depth control wheels 26, in corresponding holes 15 to 19 and 20.

In Figures 5 and 6 the pins 21,22 and 23 are set to the position shown in Figures 1 to 4 and the adjuster 1 is shown in the retracted state, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, where the end face 8 of the first component 2 is in contact with the pin 23 preventing further contraction of the hydraulic ram 24 of Figure 5. The positon of the pin 23 thus determines the position to which the frame 27 is lowered relative to the depth control wheels 26 and thus controls the depth of the tools 29 when in work in the ground. A very fine adjustment of this depth is possible by selecting an appropriate one of the 16 holes comprising the second plurality of holes 20, in which to pin 23 may be inserted.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, these show the hydraulic ram 24 set to an extended position where further movement is restricted by the adjuster 1 adopting the position shown in Figures 3 and 4, where the vertical face 10 abuts pin 22 (as shown in Figure 4) preventing further extension of the adjuster 1. Thus the pin 22 limits the raising of the frame 27 by the hydraulic ram 24 to the position shown most clearly in Figure 8, where the tools 29 are supported by the depth control wheels 26 just clear of the ground. This setting, determined by pin 22, may be used to control the raising of the tools 29 when performing a headland turn, so that the tools 29 are just sufficiently clear of the ground to permit the turn to be accomplished. However, depending on soil conditions or the task being performed the pin 22 may instead be inserted in any one of the holes 17, 18 or 19, each of which will reduce further the amount by which the tools 29 are raised.

An advantage of the above is that pin 22 can be inserted in a selected one of the holes 16 to 19 to ensure that the tools 29 are only raised sufficiently to permit a turn to be completed. This enables an operator, on completion, of the turn to operate the hydraulic ram 24 to lower the tools, which as they are then already almost in contact with the ground, will cause them to immediately engage the ground. This avoids the operator having to pause prior to commencing a run in order to allow the tools time to be lowered from an unnecessarily raised position.

It will be appreciated that for transportation purposes over uneven ground, or on the road, it will be desirable to raise the frame 27 and thus the tools 29 to a height above that shown in Figures 7 and 8. This is achieved by simply removing the pins 22 from the adjusters 1, which will permit the various hydraulic rams 24 to extend until the vertical faces 10 of the first components 2 of the adjusters 1 come into contact with respective pins 21.

Although the adjuster 1 has been shown in Figures 5 and 6 being used for controlling the maximum extension and retraction of a hydraulic ram, the adjuster of the invention need not be used only in conjunction with a hydraulic ram. For example, as illustrated in Figure 9, a modified adjuster 30 may be used to control the maximum raising and lowering of a wheel 31 or may be used to set the wheel 31 in one precise position relative to a frame 32. Additionally, the adjuster 1 may have many other applications other than controlling depth control wheels and may be used for controlling relative movement between any two moving parts of a machine or for setting those parts at a set distance from each other whilst permitting the setting to be easily adjusted.

The illustrated embodiments have this been provided by way of example only and many variations and modifications will be apparent which are within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An adjuster for limiting the relative travel between two parts of a machine, the adjuster comprising a first component arranged to be attached to one part of the machine and a second component arranged to be attached to another part of the machine, the two components of the adjuster being arranged to engage with each other such that they may slide relative to each other between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein:

one of the first and second components comprises a plurality of holes and the adjuster further comprises a first pin that may be inserted through a selected one of said first plurality holes to limit how far the two components may extend apart from each other and thus set an extended position for the adjuster; and one of the first and second components comprises a second plurality of holes and the adjuster further comprises a second pin that may be inserted through a selected one of said second plurality of holes to limit how far the two components may be retracted relative to each other and thus set a retracted position for the adjuster.

2. An adjuster as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second pluralities of holes are grouped separately to each other.

3. An adjuster as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first plurality of holes and the second plurality of holes are both in the same components.

4. An adjuster as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the second component is in the form of a tube in which the first component may slide.

5. An adjuster as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said first plurality of holes are in one of the first or second components and the first pin positioned through one of said first plurality of holes engages a stop on the other components so that the second component may slide relative to the first component until the stop meets the inserted first pin.

6. An adjuster as claimed in claim 5 wherein said stop is a first stop and wherein said second plurality of holes are in one of the first or second components and the second pin positioned through one of said second plurality of holes engages a second stop on the other component so that the second component may slide relative to the first component until the second stop engages the inserted second pin.

7. An adjuster as claimed in claims 5 or 6 wherein the first stop and the second stop are formed on the first component and the first stop comprises a first face of the first component and the second stop comprises a second face of the first component opposed to said first face.

8. An adjuster as claimed in claims 5, 6 or 7 wherein the second component is in the form of a tube which is square or rectangular in cross-section.

9. An adjuster as claimed in claim 8 wherein the first plurality of holes and the second plurality of holes are both in the tube and extend through both sides of the tube.

10. An adjuster as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9 wherein the first component is in the form of a planar steel plate.

11. An adjuster as claimed in claim 10 wherein the adjuster has a longitudinal direction and the steel plate has a longitudinal direction extending in a longitudinal direction of the adjuster, the adjuster having a first face, forming the first stop and a second face forming the second stop, wherein the first and second faces face in opposite longitudinal directions and are arranged to engage respectively with the first pin and the second pin to restrict how far the first component may slide in the second component and thus determine the extended position and the retracted position.

12. An adjuster as claimed in claim 11 wherein the first component is arranged to be attached to the machine at a first end protruding from the second component, the first component having an end face at a second end opposite the first end, the end face forming the first face and thus the first stop.

13. An adjuster as claimed in claims 11 or 12 wherein the first component has a channel along its length, an end of which defines the second face and thus the second stop, wherein the channel is in the form of a longitudinal slot in the first component or is in the form of a cut away portion extending partway along an edge of the first component.

14. An adjuster as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 13 wherein the holes of one of said plurality of holes in one component are arranged in a grid pattern and wherein a pin is inserted through any one of the holes is arranged to be engaged by a face of a stop of the other component, wherein columns of the grid pattern are at an angle relative to the stop face, such that inserting the pin in different selected ones of the holes of a column will cause the extended or retracted position to be altered by a distance less than the width of the holes.

15. An adjuster as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first and second pins may be inserted through selected holes so that the first component may be prevented from sliding relative to the second component.

16. An adjuster as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the adjuster is elongate, having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the adjuster comprising;

17. An adjuster as claimed in claim 16 wherein the first plurality of holes comprises at least one hole adjacent to the first end of the second component and a line of closely spaced holes towards a mid-section of the second component.

18. A machine comprising an adjuster as claimed in any preceding claim.

19. A machine as claimed in claim 18 comprising a first part and a second part moveable relative to the first part and a hydraulic actuator arranged to move the first part relative to the second part, wherein the first component of the adjuster is connected to a first part of the machine and second part of the adjuster is attached to the second part of the machine such that the adjuster may be used to limit the movement of the first part of the machine relative to the second part in both directions.

20. A machine as claimed in claims 18 or 19 in the form of an agricultural implement wherein the adjuster determines the depth to which a tool is inserted into the ground and the height a tool is raised above the ground.

21. A machine as claimed in claim 20 comprising a frame, wherein the adjuster controls the height to which a tool may be raised or lowered within the frame.

22. A machine as claimed in claim 20 comprising a frame and one or more depth control wheels, wherein the adjuster controls the height to which one or more depth control wheels may be set.

23. A machine as claimed in claim 21 or 22 comprising a plurality of identical adjusters which in use are all adjusted by inserting corresponding pins in corresponding holes.

24. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23 comprising an adjuster as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the first plurality of holes determines how high a tool is raised clear of the ground and the second plurality of holes determines how low a tool is set in the ground when in an in work configuration.

25. A top link of a three point linkage compressing an adjuster as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1618466.5 Examiner: Bryony Barcelo