1. A tool bar mounting structure for a field sprayer vehicle having a chassis, front and rear wheels and power means, said tool bar mounting structure comprising:
a chassis mount beam adapted to be mounted on the chassis of a field sprayer vehicle;
at least one main mount beam having a pivot mount end and a tool bar connection end, said pivot mount end of said at least one main mount beam pivotably mounted on said chassis mount beam, said at least one main mount beam extending from said chassis mount beam underneath the field sprayer vehicle;
a main mount beam lifting mechanism connected at the lower end to said at least one main mount beam and adapted for connection at the upper end thereof to the chassis of the field sprayer vehicle for raising and lowering of said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam relative to the field sprayer vehicle;
shock absorber means mounted on said at least one main mount beam and connectable to the field sprayer vehicle for generally controlling and limiting vertical movement of said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam; and
upon said tool bar mounting structure being mounted on a field sprayer vehicle, said tool bar connection end being positioned between the front and rear wheels whereby a tool bar mounted thereon is positioned between the front and rear wheels of the field sprayer vehicle.
2. The tool bar mounting structure of claim 1 further comprising a chassis mount beam mounting plate mounted on the upper end of said chassis mount beam, said chassis mount beam mounting plate contacting the chassis of the field sprayer vehicle adjacent the forward end thereof and being releasably connected thereto.
3. The tool bar mounting structure of claim 1 wherein said at least one main mount beam comprise a pair of main mount beams connected to a pair of main mount beam mounting brackets mounted on a main mount beam mounting arm mounted on said lower end of said chassis mount beam, said pair of main mount beams pivotably mounted on said pair of main mount beam mounting brackets by bolts which extend through the main mount beam mounting brackets and through said pivot mount ends of each of said pair of main mount beams such that said pair of main mount beams are pivotable about said bolts in generally parallel upright planes.
4. The tool bar mounting structure of claim 1 wherein said main mount beam lifting mechanism comprises a pair of hydraulic lifting cylinders which are each pivotably connected to one of a pair of cylinder mounting brackets mountable to the chassis of the field sprayer vehicle, said lower ends of said pair of hydraulic lifting cylinders being pivotably connected to a lifting mechanism support beam which extends between and connects said lower ends of said pair of hydraulic lifting cylinders underneath said at least one main mount beam.
5. The tool bar mounting structure of claim 4 wherein said main mount beam lifting mechanism further comprises a pair of support beam mounting struts extending rearwards towards said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam and connected to said lifting mechanism support beam, said pair of support beam mounting struts pivotably mounted to the underside of said at least one main mount beam whereby upon said at least one main mount beam being pivoted upwards via external forces, said at least one main mount beam would lift off of said lifting mechanism support beam without substantially compressing said at least one hydraulic cylinder, then fall back down onto said lifting mechanism support beam thereby generally preventing damage to said at least one hydraulic lifting cylinders.
6. The tool bar mounting structure of claim 1 wherein said shock absorber means comprises a down pressure shock absorber structure including at least one upright support leg mounted on and extending upwards from said at least one of said main mount beams, a top spring mount beam mounted on top of said at least one upright support leg having a plurality of spring mount holes formed extending generally vertically through said top spring mount beam, spring mount means operatively connected to said at least one main mount beams and at least one down pressure spring extending between one of said plurality of spring mount holes and said spring mount means, said at least one down pressure spring operative to bias said top spring mount beam towards said at least one main mount beam thereby generally controlling and limiting vertical movement of said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam.
7. A tool bar mounting structure for a field sprayer vehicle having a chassis, front and rear wheels and power means, said tool bar mounting structure comprising:
a downwardly depending chassis mount beam having an upper end and a lower end, said chassis mount beam adapted to be mounted on the chassis of a field sprayer vehicle;
at least one main mount beam having a pivot mount end and a tool bar connection end, said pivot mount end of said at least one main mount beam pivotably mounted on said lower end of said chassis mount beam, said at least one main mount beam extending from said chassis mount beam underneath the field sprayer vehicle;
a main mount beam lifting mechanism including at least one hydraulic lifting cylinder connected at the lower end to said at least one main mount beam and adapted for connection of the upper end of said at least one hydraulic lifting cylinder to the chassis of the field sprayer vehicle for raising and lowering of said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam relative to the field sprayer vehicle;
shock absorber means mounted on said at least one main mount beam and connectable to the field sprayer vehicle for generally controlling and limiting vertical movement of said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam; and
upon said tool bar mounting structure being mounted on a field sprayer vehicle, said tool bar connection end being positioned between the front and rear wheels whereby a tool bar mounted thereon is positioned between the front and rear wheels of the field sprayer vehicle.
8. The tool bar mounting structure of claim 7 further comprising a chassis mount beam mounting plate mounted on the upper end of said chassis mount beam, said chassis mount beam mounting plate contacting the chassis of the field sprayer vehicle adjacent the forward end thereof and being releasably connected thereto.
9. The tool bar mounting structure of claim 7 wherein said at least one main mount beam comprise a pair of main mount beams connected to a pair of main mount beam mounting brackets mounted on a main mount beam mounting arm mounted on said lower end of said chassis mount beam, said pair of main mount beams pivotably mounted on said pair of main mount beam mounting brackets by bolts which extend through the main mount beam mounting brackets and through said pivot mount ends of each of said pair of main mount beams such that said pair of main mount beams are pivotable about said bolts in generally parallel upright planes.
10. The tool bar mounting structure of claim 7 wherein said main mount beam lifting mechanism comprises a pair of hydraulic lifting cylinders which are each pivotably connected to one of a pair of cylinder mounting brackets mountable to the chassis of the field sprayer vehicle, said lower ends of said pair of hydraulic lifting cylinders being pivotably connected to a lifting mechanism support beam which extends between and connects said lower ends of said pair of hydraulic lifting cylinders underneath said at least one main mount beam.
11. The tool bar mounting structure of claim 10 wherein said main mount beam lifting mechanism further comprises a pair of support beam mounting struts extending rearwards towards said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam and connected to said lifting mechanism support beam, said pair of support beam mounting struts pivotably mounted to the underside of said at least one main mount beam whereby upon said at least one main mount beam being pivoted upwards via external forces, said at least one main mount beam would lift off of said lifting mechanism support beam without substantially compressing said at least one hydraulic cylinder, then fall back down onto said lifting mechanism support beam thereby generally preventing damage to said at least one hydraulic lifting cylinders.
12. The tool bar mounting structure of claim 7 wherein said shock absorber means comprises a down pressure shock absorber structure including at least one upright support leg mounted on and extending upwards from said at least one of said main mount beams, a top spring mount beam mounted on top of said at least one upright support leg having a plurality of spring mount holes formed extending generally vertically through said top spring mount beam, spring mount means operatively connected to said at least one main mount beams and at least one down pressure spring extending between one of said plurality of spring mount holes and said spring mount means, said at least one down pressure spring operative to bias said top spring mount beam towards said at least one main mount beam thereby generally controlling and limiting vertical movement of said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam.
13. In combination:
a self-propelled field sprayer vehicle having a chassis, front and rear wheels, an hydraulic power system and power means for propelling said field sprayer vehicle; and
a tool bar mounting structure including;
a chassis mount beam having an upper end and a lower end, said chassis mount beam adapted to be mounted on said chassis of said field sprayer vehicle;
at least one main mount beam having a pivot mount end and a tool bar connection end, said pivot mount end of said at least one main mount beam pivotably mounted on said lower end of said chassis mount beam, said at least one main mount beam extending from said chassis mount beam underneath said field sprayer vehicle;
a main mount beam lifting mechanism including at least one hydraulic lifting cylinder in operative connection with said hydraulic power system of said field sprayer vehicle and connected at the lower end to said at least one main mount beam and connected at the upper end thereof to said chassis of said field sprayer vehicle for raising and lowering of said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam relative to said field sprayer vehicle;
shock absorber means mounted on said at least one main mount beam and connectable to said field sprayer vehicle for generally controlling and limiting vertical movement of said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam relative to the ground surface over which said field sprayer vehicle is traveling; and
upon said tool bar mounting structure being mounted on said field sprayer vehicle, said tool bar connection end is positioned between said front and rear wheels whereby a tool bar mounted thereon is positioned between said front and rear wheels of said field sprayer vehicle.
14. The combination of claim 13 further comprising a chassis mount beam mounting plate mounted on the upper end of said chassis mount beam, said chassis mount beam mounting plate contacting said chassis of said field sprayer vehicle adjacent the forward end thereof and being releasably connected thereto.
15. The combination of claim 13 wherein said at least one main mount beam comprise a pair of main mount beams connected to a pair of main mount beam mounting brackets mounted on a main mount beam mounting arm mounted on said lower end of said chassis mount beam, said pair of main mount beams pivotably mounted on said pair of main mount beam mounting brackets by bolts which extend through the main mount beam mounting brackets and through said pivot mount ends of each of said pair of main mount beams such that said pair of main mount beams are pivotable about said bolts in generally parallel upright planes.
16. The combination of claim 13 wherein said main mount beam lifting mechanism comprises a pair of hydraulic lifting cylinders which are each pivotably connected to one of a pair of cylinder mounting brackets mountable to the chassis of the field sprayer vehicle, said lower ends of said pair of hydraulic lifting cylinders being pivotably connected to a lifting mechanism support beam which extends between and connects said lower ends of said pair of hydraulic lifting cylinders underneath said at least one main mount beam.
17. The combination of claim 16 wherein said main mount beam lifting mechanism further comprises a pair of support beam mounting struts extending rearwards towards said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam and connected to said lifting mechanism support beam, said pair of support beam mounting struts pivotably mounted to the underside of said at least one main mount beam whereby upon said at least one main mount beam being pivoted upwards via external forces, said at least one main mount beam would lift off of said lifting mechanism support beam without substantially compressing said at least one hydraulic cylinder, then fall back down onto said lifting mechanism support beam thereby generally preventing damage to said at least one hydraulic lifting cylinders.
18. The combination of claim 13 wherein said shock absorber means comprises a down pressure shock absorber structure including at least one upright support leg mounted on and extending upwards from said at least one of said main mount beams, a top spring mount beam mounted on top of said at least one upright support leg having a plurality of spring mount holes formed extending generally vertically through said top spring mount beam, spring mount means operatively connected to said at least one main mount beams and at least one down pressure spring extending between one of said plurality of spring mount holes and said spring mount means, said at least one down pressure spring operative to bias said top spring mount beam towards said at least one main mount beam thereby generally controlling and limiting vertical movement of said tool bar connection end of said at least one main mount beam.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A pivot bearing cartridge for use in a head stack assembly, the pivot bearing cartridge comprising:
a pivot shaft including a shaft body and a shaft distal end;
a cap disposed about the pivot shaft, the cap including a cap annular body and a cap closed end;
a single ball bearing set in mechanical communication with the pivot shaft and the cap annular body; and
a single central pivot element disposed between and in mechanical communication with the shaft distal end and the cap closed end for facilitating rotation of the cap relative to the pivot shaft;
wherein the pivot shaft includes a shaft distal end insert attached to the pivot shaft adjacent the shaft distal end, the shaft distal end insert is formed to move along a longitudinal axis of the pivot shaft and biased against the central pivot element, the pivot shaft includes a damping element in mechanical communication with the shaft body and the shaft distal end insert for damping movement of the shaft distal end insert.
2. The pivot bearing cartridge of claim 1, wherein the damping element is preloaded in compression for biasing the shaft distal end insert against the central pivot element.
3. The pivot bearing cartridge of claim 1, wherein the pivot shaft includes a shaft pivot element seating cup adjacent the shaft distal end, the central pivot element is disposed against the shaft pivot element seating cup.
4. The pivot bearing cartridge of claim 3, wherein the shaft pivot element seating cup is an opening having an opening diameter less than a pivot element diameter of the central pivot element.
5. The pivot bearing cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cap includes a cap pivot element seating cup adjacent the cap closed end, the central pivot element is disposed against the cap pivot element seating cup.
6. The pivot bearing cartridge of claim 5, wherein the cap includes a cap closed end insert attached to the cap adjacent the cap closed end, the cap pivot element seating cup is formed in the cap closed end insert.
7. The pivot bearing cartridge of claim 1, wherein the ball bearing set includes an inner race and an outer race, the inner race is attached about the shaft body and the outer race is attached within the cap annular body.
8. A disk drive comprising:
a disk drive base;
a head stack assembly rotatably coupled to the disk drive base and including:
an actuator body defining a bore;
a pivot bearing cartridge positioned in the bore and coupled to the disk drive base for allowing the head stack assembly to pivot relative to the disk drive base, the pivot bearing cartridge including:
a pivot shaft coupled to the disk drive base and including a shaft body and a shaft distal end;
a cap disposed about the pivot shaft, the cap including a cap annular body and a cap closed end;
a single ball bearing set in mechanical communication with the pivot shaft and the cap annular body; and
a single central pivot element disposed between and in mechanical communication with the shaft distal end and the cap closed end for facilitating rotation of the cap relative to the pivot shaft;
wherein the pivot shaft includes a shaft distal end insert attached to the pivot shaft adjacent the shaft distal end, the shaft distal end insert is formed to move along a longitudinal axis of the pivot shaft and biased against the central pivot element, the pivot shaft includes a damping element in mechanical communication with the shaft body and the shaft distal end insert for damping movement of the shaft distal end insert.
9. The disk drive of claim 8, wherein the damping element is preloaded in compression for biasing the shaft distal end inert against the central pivot element.
10. The disk drive of claim 8, wherein the pivot shaft includes a shaft pivot element seating cup adjacent the shaft distal end, the central pivot element is disposed against the shaft pivot element seating cup.
11. The disk drive of claim 10, wherein the shaft pivot element seating cup is an opening having an opening diameter less than a pivot element diameter of the central pivot element.
12. The disk drive of claim 8, wherein the cap includes a cap pivot element seating cup adjacent the cap closed end, the central pivot element is disposed against the cap pivot element seating cup.
13. The disk drive of claim 12, wherein the cap includes a cap closed end insert attached to the cap adjacent the cap closed end, the cap pivot element seating cup is formed in the cap closed end insert.
14. The disk drive of claim 8, wherein the ball bearing set includes an inner race and an outer race, the inner race is attached about the shaft body and the outer race is attached within the cap annular body.