Reversible moldboard plow

{
  "publication_number": "US5024281A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Reversible moldboard plow",
  "abstract": "A reversible moldboard plow has a plow carrying beam swingably mounted at the rear crossbar of a frame which carries trunnion mounted cylinders connected to the beam for moving the beam, the front of the frame carrying hitch pins for connection to a tractor hitch, the hitch pins being vertically movable in alternate relation in order to tilt the frame and the beam with the moldboards supported thereon. The hitch pins may be moved by independent cylinders and pistons or, alternately, by the movement of a transverse hitch bar on which they are mounted.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A reversible moldboard plow, comprising a generally planar frame having front and rear cross members, first and second lower hitch means carried by the front cross member, a longitudinal beam, means pivotally mounting said beam approximately centrally of said rear cross member for swinging movement in substantially the plane of the frame, moldboards mounted transversely of said beam in longitudinal spaced relation and depending beneath it for plowing the ground, and first and second hydraulic cylinder and piston means mounted on said rear cross member on opposite sides of said longitudinal beam and substantially in the plane thereof, said cylinder and piston means mounted for swinging movement in spaced relation from said beam, each of said cylinder and piston means pivotally connected to said beam forwardly of said rear cross member, means for extending one of the cylinder and piston means simultaneously with the retraction of the other, whereby operation of the cylinder and piston means causes the beam to swing from side to side in order to change the angle of said moldboards with respect to the direction of travel, and first and second spaced bracket means depending from said front cross member, first and second cylinder and piston means mounted on said first and second bracket means, said first and second lower hitch means carried by said first and second cylinder and piston means, whereby operation of said first and second cylinder and piston means controls the angle of tilt of aid frame.",
    "2. The invention of claim 1, in which the cylinder and piston means for the first and second hydraulic cylinders and for the first and second lower hitch means are connected and parallel to common lines for connection to the hydraulic lines of a tractor, whereby application of pressure through said parallel lines will result in operation of either the first and second hydraulic cylinders or the first and second lower hitch means until the one operated has reached the extent of its travel after which the other will be operated following which the lines may be closed to prevent any movement of the first and second hydraulic cylinder and piston means or the first and second lower hitch means.",
    "3. The invention of claim 1, said bracket means having means for guiding said first and second lower hitch means as they are raised and lowered.",
    "4. The invention of claim 3, and replaceable wear plate means mounted on said bracket means for engaging said lower hitch means as it is raised and lowered.",
    "5. The invention of claim 1, said front cross member having plate means engaging and supporting the forward end of said beam for swinging movement.",
    "6. The invention of claim 1, and means supporting the rearward end portion of said beam in spaced relation above the ground.",
    "7. A reversible moldboard plow, comprising a generally planar frame having front and rear cross members, first and second lower hitch means carried by the front cross member, a longitudinal beam, means pivotally mounting said beam approximately centrally of said rear cross member for swinging movement in substantially the plane of the frame, means supporting the rearward end portion of said beam in spaced relation above the ground, the front cross member having plate means engaging and supporting the forward end portion of said beam for such swinging movement, moldboards mounted transversely of said beam in longitudinal spaced relation and depending beneath it for plowing the ground, and first and second hydraulic cylinder and piston means mounted on said rear cross member on opposite sides of said longitudinal beam and substantially in the plane thereof, said cylinder and piston means mounted for swinging movement in spaced relation from said beam, each of said cylinder and piston means pivotally connected to said beam forwardly of said rear cross member, means for extending one of the cylinder and piston means simultaneously with the retraction of the other, whereby operation of the cylinder and piston means causes the beam to swing from side to side in order to change the angle of said moldboards with respect to the direction of travel, in which the first second lower hitch means are connected to a cylinder and piston means, said cylinder and piston means carried by the front cross member, and bracket means depending from said front cross member, said bracket means having means for guiding said first and second lower hitch means as they are raised and lowered, and replaceable wear plate means mounted on at least one of said bracket means for engaging said lower hitch means as it is raised and lowered.",
    "8. A reversible moldboard plow, comprising a generally planar frame having front and rear cross members, first and second lower hitch means carried by the front cross member, a longitudinal beam, means pivotally mounting said beam approximately centrally of said rear cross member for swinging movement in substantially the plane of the frame, moldboards mounted transversely of said beam in longitudinal spaced relation and depending beneath it for plowing the ground, and hydraulic cylinder and piston means mounted on said rear cross member beside said longitudinal beam and substantially in the plane thereof, said cylinder and piston means mounted for swinging movement in spaced relation from said beam, said cylinder and piston means pivotally connected to said beam forwardly of said rear cross member, whereby operation of the cylinder and piston means causes the beam to swing from side to side in order to change the angle of said moldboards with respect to the direction of travel, and first and second spaced bracket means depending from said front cross member, first and second cylinder and piston means mounted on said first and second bracket means, said first and second lower hitch means carried by said first and second cylinder and piston means, whereby operation of said first and second cylinder and piston means controls the angle of tilt of said frame.",
    "9. The invention of claim 8, said bracket means having means for guiding said first and second lower hitch means as they are raised and lowered.",
    "10. The invention of claim 9, and replaceable wear plate means mounted on said bracket means for engaging said lower hitch means as it is raised and lowered.",
    "11. The invention of claim 8, said front cross member having plate means engaging and supporting the forward end of said beam for swinging movement.",
    "12. The invention of claim 8, and means supporting the rearward end portion of said beam in spaced relation above the ground."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates to plows for tilling the earth and more particularly to a moldboard type plow which is reversible for an improved result.\n\nReversible moldboard and disc type plows have been used for some time. They require an implement support which is shiftable to change the angle at which the implement is pulled through the earth as it proceeds back and forth so that the angle for one direction is the same as that for the following opposite direction.\n\nA reversible plow throws the dirt in the same direction when travelling in opposite directions in a longitudinal path. The need for such a plow arises from the necessity to create equal furrows without leaving free spaces and to provide an even, levelled surface.\n\nIn the past, reversible disks or an extra set of moldboards have been used so that right and left side plowing can be done, but at the cost of additional weight, equipment and power.\n\nReversible plows with disks fixed to a tool bar or with only one set of moldboards have also been used as in the U.S. Pat. Nos. to Gomez 4,800,963, Fowler 2,764,075, and Johnson et al. 3,305,025. Other patents of related nature are Brown 1,149,720, Dukes 2,597,079, Barrett 2,672,801, Jennings 2,724,313, Heckathorn et al. 3,042,120, Jennings 3,101,789, Watvedt 4,646,849, Korf 4,869,327, British patent 1,497,259 of Jan. 5, 1978, and U.S.S.R. patents 640,688 of January 1979 and 812,199 of March 1981.\n\nThe U.S. Pat. Nos. to Watvedt 4,603,745 and 4,825,955 disclose double plowshares mounted on a plow frame which is rotatable in a vertical plane about a shaft by the action of a pair of hydraulic cylinders and pistons.",
  "cpc": [
    "A01B 15/14",
    "A01B 3/462"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A01B 15/14",
    "A01B 3/46"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "LONG Manufacturing N C Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Thomas D. Furlough"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1990-08-02",
  "publication_date": "1991-06-18",
  "grant_date": "1991-06-18",
  "priority_date": "1990-08-02",
  "application_number": "US-56202690-A",
  "family_id": "24244496",
  "cited_by_count": 13,
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}