US2816614A - Stone gathering machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 17, 1957 Filed July 19," 1954 OPERA mva 0 /750710 Fig.

W. HIER STONE GATHERING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O .i TRANSPORT/N6 36 40 DIRECT/0N Melvin W. Hier JNVENTOR.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1954 Wm WM R m m m M, a .n I V mm a M w y 9w m v m mm 2. 1| l Hm 0 Wm o 0 mm o w an .ww r v E \n mm m mm w NM NM .v Ms E E F r/IV m H N l N wm mm mm E wk wk mm mm vm wm W C STONE GATHERING MACHDJE Melvin W. Hier, Shevlin, Minn.

Application July 19, 1954, Serial No. 444,190

2 Claims. (Cl. 171-63) This invention relates to a stone gathering machine and more specifically provides a machine for attachment to a tractor or other towing vehicle having a power take-off for moving the machine in an operating direction and operating the component parts thereof.

An object of this invention is to provide a stone gathering machine which is particularly adapted to traverse a field having stones disposed thereon for arranging the stones in orderly rows for easier loading.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stone gathering machine adapted to traverse a relatively wide span of a field and to gather stones in said span and arrange the stones in a row centrally of the span.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a stone gathering machine which is provided with novel supporting wheels so that the machine may be moved in an operating direction for gathering the stones and also move in a direction at right angles to the operating direction for transporting the machine as desired.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide a stone gathering machine adapted to be towed and driven by a farm vehicle such as a tractor wherein the driving means includes a protector for prevention of damage to the driving means by the rocks that are being gathered.

Still another feature of this invention is to provide a stone gathering machine as set forth in the preceding objects which is simple in structure, easy to use, efficient in operation, well adapted for its intended purposes, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the ac- ;companying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the stone gathering machine of the present invention with portions of the drive means being broken away;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the stone gathering machine showing the relationship of the supporting wheels and the rollers and driving means; and

Figure 3 is a side elevational view looking from the left side of Figure 2 showing the construction of the interconnecting means between the drive shafts and the rollers.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral generally designates the stone gathering machine of the present invention. The stone gathering machine includes a frame having spaced parallel horizontal members or frame elements 12, diverging members 14 interconnecting the ends of the horizontal members 12, a centrally disposed tongue 16 secured to the undersurface of the horizontal members 12 and projecting forwardly therebeyond and a pair of diverging braces 18 secured to the tongue 16 and extending rearwardly in diverging relation to the rearmost horizontal member 12. At the juncture between the forward horizontal member 12 and each of the diverging members 14 is pro- United States Patent 0 vided a depending bracket member 20 having suitable brace members 22 thereon for a purpose described here inafter. The brace members 22 extend between the depending member 20 and the respective horizontal member 12 and diverging member 14 thereby rigidly securing the depending member 20 to the frame. Adjacent the central portion of the tongue 16 and just behind the intersection of the tongue 16 and the forward horizontal member 12 is provided a pair of pivot pins 24 for pivotally supporting a pair of elongated rearwardly extending members 26. The rearmost end of each of the members 26 is curved outwardly as indicated by the numeral 28 and then extends downwardly as indicated by the numeral 30 and as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The downwardly extending portions 30 of the rearwardly extending members 26 are substantially parallel to the depending members 20 and terminate at a point equal distance from the horizontal members 12 and the diverging members 14. Secured centrally of the rearmost horizontal member 12 is a pair of depending brackets 32 having inturned ends 34 for positioning under the rearwardly extending members 26 thereby supporting the members 26 and the depending portions 30 thereof and limiting the downward swinging movement thereof but permitting upward pivotal movement of the depending portions 30 about pivot pins 24 when desired, as described hereinafter.

Secured to each of the diverging members 14 adjacent its connection with the horizontal member 12 is a vertically disposed socket 36 for slidably and pivotally receiving an elongated rod 38 having a ground engaging wheel 40 rotatably supported at its lower end. A setscrew 42 is provided for vertically adjusting the rod 38 in the socket 36 wherein the ground engaging wheel 40 may be adjusted in relation to the frame. Also, a tubular socket 44 is provided on one side of the tongue 16 for slidably receiving and pivotally receiving a rod 46 having a U- shaped lower end 48 for rotatably receiving a ground engaging wheel 50 wherein the rod 46 may be vertically adjustable by manipulation of the setscrews 52 on the collars 54.

As seen in Figure l, a suitable hitching member 56 is pivotally secured to the forward end of the tongue 16 by a pivot bolt 58 and a power take-off shaft 60 may be secured to the power take-off of a towing tractor (not shown) and the power shaft 16 is connected to a shaft 62 through a universal connection 64. A bearing block 66 is positioned on the upper surface of the forward horizontal member 12 for supporting the shaft 62 in correct relation to the horizontal members 12. A gear transfer box 68 is supported on the upper surface of the rear portion of the tongue 16 and a bevel gear 70 is positioned on the inner end of the shaft 62 and an elongated transverse shaft 72 passes through the gear box 68 and includes a bevel gear 74 secured thereon in meshing engagement with the bevel gear 70 wherein the shaft 72 will be driven by the shafts 60 and 62. The transverse shaft 72 is journaled in bearing blocks 76 mounted on the diverging braces 18. A pair of diverging shafts 78 are provided with one end of each shaft 78 being connected to the transverse shaft 72 by a suitable universal connection 80. A hearing block 82 is attached to a portion of the upper surface of the member 18 for supporting the shaft 78 at one end thereof and a bearing block 84 is positioned adjacent the outer end thereof and formed as an upward extension from the junction of the diverging members 14 and the transverse horizontal member 12 wherein the shafts 78 are supported in diverging relation and each of the shafts 78 is provided with a double V-belt pulley 86 on the outer end thereof.

Referring now specifically to Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the lower end of each of the depending portions of the rearwardly extending members 26 terrnihate in a bearing lug 88 and the lower end of the depending member 20 is also provided with a bearing aperture for receiving a projecting rod 90 on each end of a square roller 92. A double V-belt pulley 94 is positioned on the outer end of each of the rollers 92 in alignment with the V-belt pulleys 86 and suitable V-belts 96 encircle the pulleys 86 and 94 for driving the rollers 92 through the shafts 60, 62, gear box 68, shaft 72 and shafts 78.

Referring specifically to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the rod 38 mounting the wheel 40 on one end of the frame is provided with a bracket 98 having a connecting link 100 pivotally secured thereto and pivotally attached to a tongue 102 which is secured on the upstanding member 20 by pivot lug 104. The tongue 102 is provided for transporting the machine and retains the wheel 40 in correct relation for such movement. A shield plate 106 is provided at each end of the forward transverse member 12 adjacent the lower end thereof for shielding and protecting the V-belts 96 and the V-belt pulley 94 from damage from the rocks 108 thereby providing a relatively long life for the device.

In operation, the machine 10 is transported by lowering all of the wheels 40 and 50 in an obvious manner wherein all of the rollers 92 will be spaced vertically above the supporting surface. When the machine is moved to the field from which disbursed stones are desired to be gathered into rows for easier loading, the tractor or towing vehicle is hooked to the hitch 56 and the power takeoff connected to the power shaft 60 in an obvious manner and the wheels 40 and 50 are adjusted to bring the rollers 92 to a position just above the surface of the field.

As the machine 10 is pulled in its operating direction by use of the hitch 56 and tongue 16, the rollers 92 rotate in the opposite direction from the wheels 40 and 50 wherein rocks 108 will be engaged and urged forwardly and partially lifted by the square rollers 92 wherein the divergent position of the rollers 92 and the spacing of the adjacent ends will position the rocks 108 in a neat row substantially as illustrated in Figure 1. Due to the pivotal mounting of the rearwardly extending members 26, the rollers 92 may move upwardly over the contour of the ground when it becomes necessary. Further, the V-belts 96 permit some slippage of the rollers 92 wherein the rollers 92 may be utilized on uneven ground surfaces. Obviously, the device may be constructed of readily obtainable materials thereby enhancing the economic feasibility of the same.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A machine for gathering stones comprising a transversely elongated frame, support wheels mounted on said frame, means mounted on said frame for attaching to a towing vehicle, said frame including a frame element disposed transversely of the line of draft, a pair of forwardly diverging, elongated gathering elements rotatably mounted on said frame and being disposed closely adjacent the ground surface for engaging stones lying on the ground surface, the inner ends of said elements being disposed in spaced relation thereby forming a discharge area for the gathered stones, drive means on said frame and connected with said gathering elements for rotating said elements whereby stones engaged by the elements will be urged inwardly towards the discharge area, a depending rigid bracket on each end of said frame element rotatably supporting the outer ends of the gathering elements, a pair of rearwardly and downwardly extending members pivotally mounted adjacent the mid-point of the transverse frame for swinging movement in a vertical plane, the inner ends of said gathering elements being rotatably supported on the rearmost ends of the rearwardly extending members, the pivotal connection supporting the forward ends of the rearwardly extending members from the frame being disposed in a vertical plane generally parallel with the connection between the depending brackets and the outer ends of the gathering elements and generally parallel with the transverse frame element whereby the inner ends of the rollers will move arcuately about a transverse axis parallel to the transverse frame element.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support wheels are vertically adjustably mounted on said frame for elevating the frame, and limit means on said frame and extending in underlying relation to the rearwardly extending members for limiting the downward swinging movement thereof whereby elevation of the frame will raise the gathering elements away from the ground surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,380,936 Steffan June 7, 1921 2,481,995 Godley Sept. 13, 1949 2,530,668 Tallman Nov. 21, 1950 2,618,111 Egstad Nov. 18, 1952 2,662,362 Beasley Dec. 15, 1953 2,681,543 Richey June 22, 1954

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