Pivoting gauge wheel

摘要

Embodiments of the invention provide an innovative arrangement to control the height of ground engaging tools located on agricultural implements via gauge wheel assemblies, particularly for supporting and adjusting the height of winged extensions of the implement frame. The gauge wheel assemblies may provide an adjustment assembly in the form of a screw jack, which can be coupled to a support bracket that is attached to the implement frame and also coupled to a support tube that is coupled to a gauge wheel via pivot assembly and a bracket. The bracket and support tube may be coupled at discrete positions according to the height adjustment of the screw jack via pins and holes in the bracket and tube. When coupled, the pins and holes of the support bracket and tube may reduce the load of the winged extensions on the screw jack mechanism.

主权项

1. A wheel assembly for an agricultural implement comprising:
a support bracket configured to be coupled to an implement frame; a ground engaging wheel rotatably supported by a pivot assembly to permit rotating ground engagement of the ground engaging wheel, the pivot assembly coupled to a portion of a wheel bearing assembly carried next to an axle of the ground engaging wheel, the pivot assembly positioned beside an inside surface of the ground engaging wheel to permit pivoting of the ground engaging wheel about a non-horizontal axis; a support tube having a first end and a second end, the first end having a pivot bracket, wherein the pivot bracket includes a mount positioned laterally outward from the support tube, the mount is configured to support the pivot assembly, the pivot assembly is configured to enable the ground engaging wheel to rotate about the non-horizontal axis relative to the support tube, the support tube includes a length extending between the first end and the second end, a substantial portion of the length is positioned next to the inside surface of the ground engaging wheel, and the support tube is configured to be selectively coupled to the support bracket at a plurality of positions along the length of the support tube to define a height adjustment of the ground engaging wheel; and the support tube and bracket both include holes configured to receive a pin for coupling the support tube and bracket to one another in the plurality of positions; and an extendable adjustment assembly having a first portion coupled adjacent to the first end of the support tube and next to the inside surface of the ground engaging wheel, and a second portion coupled to the support bracket to enable adjustment of wheel height prior to coupling of the support tube to the support bracket at one of the plurality of positions; wherein the ground engaging wheel is configured to independently rotate about the wheel bearing assembly and about the non-horizontal axis during operation.