Anti wobbling castor support for a wheel

{
  "publication_number": "US10499554B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Anti wobbling castor support for a wheel",
  "abstract": "A castor wheel support for a towed agricultural implement. The castor support has a spindle for supporting a castor mounting structure for pivoting movement. The castor mounting structure includes an annular friction element received over the spindle and a plurality of C-shaped shims removable laterally without disassembly of the mounting structure to allow the pressure on the friction element to be set to minimize wobbling.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A castor support assembly for a wheel, the support assembly comprising: a base; a spindle extending downward from the base; a castor mounting structure having a bore received over the spindle to permit pivoting movement about the spindle, and an axle operably connected to a portion of the castor mounting structure for rotatably mounting a wheel; a thrust bearing positioned on the spindle between the base and the caster mounting structure; a removable disk secured to an end of the spindle; an annular friction element received over the spindle between the castor mounting structure and the removable disk, the annular friction element having an inner circumference larger than an outer diameter of the spindle; and, a plurality of shims, each shim of the plurality of shims of predetermined thickness, each shim having an outer circumference configured to fit within the inner circumference of the annular friction element, each shim having an inner circumference configured to fit around the outer diameter of the spindle; wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned on the spindle via a slot recess in each shim and each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned within the inner diameter of the annular friction element to control compression of the annular friction element and to inhibit oscillation of the castor support assembly.",
    "2. The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is removable laterally at a right angle to an axis of the spindle.",
    "3. The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the removable disk is secured via the plurality of shims with axial fasteners extending from the end of the spindle and each shim of the plurality of shims has apertures for passage of the axial fasteners therethrough.",
    "4. The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is c-shaped with a center of each shim forming the slot recess and each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned in an alternating stacked arrangement relative to each other.",
    "5. The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axial fasteners comprise two axial fasteners.",
    "6. The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the castor mounting structure comprises a sleeve received over the spindle and opposed plates extending laterally from the sleeve and a structural element extending downward, the axle operably secured to the structural element and extending at a right angle thereto for rotatably mounting the wheel.",
    "7. The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the base comprises a pair of plates structurally connected to the spindle and extending to mounting bores for a parallel link mounting assembly.",
    "8. The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the annular friction element is formed from polyurethane.",
    "9. An agricultural implement for towed movement in a forward direction over a field, the implement comprising: a frame extending laterally relative to the direction of movement; a base; an articulated structural interconnection between the base and the frame; a spindle extending downward from the base; a castor mounting structure having a bore received over the spindle to permit pivoting movement about the spindle, and an axle operably connected to at least a portion of the castor mounting structure for rotatably mounting a wheel; the wheel mounted for rotation on the axle; a thrust bearing on the spindle between the base and the castor mounting structure; a removable disk secured to an end of the spindle; an annular friction element received over the spindle between the castor mounting structure and the removable disk; the annular friction element having an inner circumference larger than an outer diameter of the spindle; and, a plurality of shims, each shim of the plurality of shims of predetermined thickness, each shim having an outer circumference configured to fit within the inner circumference of the annular friction element, each shim having an inner circumference configured to fit around the outer diameter of the spindle; wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned on the spindle via a slot recess in each shim and each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned within the inner diameter of the annular friction element to control compression of the annular friction element and to inhibit oscillation of the castor support assembly.",
    "10. The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 9, wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is removable laterally at a right angle to an axis of the spindle.",
    "11. The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the removable disk is secured via the plurality of shims with axial fasteners extending from the castor mounting structure and each shim of the plurality of shims has apertures for passage of the axial fasteners therethrough.",
    "12. The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 11, wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is C-shaped with a center forming the slot recess and each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned in an alternating stacked arrangement relative to each other.",
    "13. The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the axial fasteners comprise two axial fasteners.",
    "14. The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the castor mounting structure comprises a sleeve received over the spindle and opposed plates extending laterally from the sleeve and a structural element extending downward, the axle operably secured to the structural element and extending at a right angle thereto for rotatably mounting the wheel.",
    "15. The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 14, wherein the base comprises a pair of plates structurally connected to the spindle and extending to mounting bores for providing an articulated structural connection.",
    "16. The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the annular friction element is formed from polyurethane.",
    "17. The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the annular friction element is formed from AR400 steel."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nThe present invention relates to agricultural implements, and, more specifically, to castor wheel assemblies used in such implements.\n\n2. Description of the Related Art\n\nOne of the widely used support systems for allowing ground movement at a precise elevation above the ground utilizes trailing wheels and front castor wheels. Towed tillage implements advantageously use this type of support system to more closely follow the ground contours. The trailing wheels (and the front castor wheels) are usually movable up and down so that the height of the implement frame above the ground may be controlled. Along with the trailing wheels, which have a fixed axis of rotation, there are usually a pair of forward castor wheels, widely used, so that the towed direction of the implement is followed by pivoting of the castor wheels. In addition to the field position, the rear wheels and the front castor wheels may be placed in a transport position in which the ground engaging elements of the tillage implement are elevated above the surface level of the soil.\n\nWhile the castor wheels allow a simplified way of following the direction of movement set by a tractor pulling the implement, they do experience, under operating conditions, an oscillation that is considered to be wobbling. A number of factors can contribute to the wobble and they include weight balance, internal friction, towing speed and trailing arm geometry.",
  "cpc": [
    "A01B 76/00",
    "A01B 59/042",
    "A01B 63/16",
    "B60B 33/0002",
    "B60B 33/066"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A01B 59/042",
    "A01B 76/00",
    "B60B 33/00",
    "A01B 63/16",
    "B60B 33/06"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "CNH Industrial America LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Matthew R. Sudbrink",
    "Dean A. Knobloch"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-05-06",
  "publication_date": "2019-12-10",
  "grant_date": "2019-12-10",
  "priority_date": "2016-05-06",
  "application_number": "US-201615148535-A",
  "family_id": "60242336",
  "cited_by_count": 4,
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}