Tool bar hitching clamp

2,805,877

Sept. 10, 1957

C. W. ASHLEY

TOOL BAR HITCHING CLAMP

Filed June 12, 1953

FIG. I

<img file="US2805877A_D0001.tif" />

2,805,877

Patented Sept. 10, 1957

United States Patent Office

Reciprocably mounted between the members 1 and 2 with a sliding fit with said members is the clamping block 4, which is provided on its opposite side edges with grooves 4α which are arranged for a sliding fit on the 5 guide keys 5 and 6 which are secured on the inner sides of the members 1 and 2, respectively, and form guides for the member 4 in its reciprocal movement. This block 4 is provided in its one side with a substantially Vshaped portion arranged to fit the comer portion of a 10 square in cross section tractor tool bar shown by dash line in Fig. 1 of the drawing and designated TB. This V-shaped portion of the clamping block 4 is provided with grooved portions Ab, at its opposite sides which are adapted to engage the two sides of the tractor tool bar 13 TB and form serrated teeth for engaging the surfaces thereof. It is obvious however, that a round tractor tool bar could be used and engaged by these teeth Ab. It is also obvious that the square bar may be positioned with one of its flat sides positioned facing the clamping block 20 4, in which case its corners would enter these notches Ab at two of its corners and prevent the clamp from turning relatively to the tractor tool bar when clamped in position. This member 4 is provided on the side opposite from the V-portion with a circular boss 4c and this 25 boss 4c is provided with a central hole Ad which extends to the apex of the V-portion of said clamping block 4. Interposed between the upright portion 3 and the clamping block 4 with its small end encircling the boss 4c is a tapered coil compression spring 7, with its larger end 30 resting against the upright member 3. It being noted this spring is so constructed and arranged that it will compress into a very small space, substantially the thickness of the wire of which the spring is made. This upright member 3 is screw threaded at 3α, arranged to re35 ceive the threads of the clamp bolt 8 which is screw threaded therein and on its inner end is provided with an extended reduced central portion 8α which is adapted to enter the hole Ad for holding the end of the bolt in certain relation with the boss 4c on the member 4 while 40 the bolt 8 is being tightened for clamping the clamp block 4 against the tractor tool bar, which tractor tool bar engages the tool shank T, thus rigidly clamping the members T and TB together and preventing their shifting, either longitudinally relatively with the clamp or tor45 sionally therewith, thus providing secured adjustment between the tool and the tractor tool bar.

On the inner sides of the members 1 and 2 are provided stop members 9 which prevent the block 4 from being pressed out too far or coming out too far when 50 there is no tool shank or tractor tool bar positioned in the clamp.

The operation of my tool bar hitching clamp is substantially as follows: The members of the tool bar hitching clamp are in their assembled relation substantially 55 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings except that the bolt 8 is further withdrawn, so that the compression spring 7 is further compressed. When used the clamp U-member formed by the members 1, 2 and 3 is placed over the tractor tool bar at its open side and pressed into the ₆q V-portion of the clamping block 4 compressing the spring 7 sufficiently to permit the tool shank T to be positioned in the holes in the members 1 and 2 and the compression of the spring holds them in fixed relation with each other . so that the shank member T may be easily adjusted up, ₆₅ wardly and downwardly with relation to the clamp and the clamp shifted horizontally on the tractor tool bar TB to the desired position for operation after which the bolt 8 is tightened forcing the members T and TB rig, idly together at the same time forcing the teeth 2c into ; 7θ rigid engagement with the member T and the teeth Ab into rigid engagement with the member TB thus providing a rigid adjusted relation of the tool with the trac-

2,805,877

TOOL BAR HITCHING CLAMP Cecil W. Ashley, El Centro, Calif.

Application June 12, 1953, Serial No. 361,284

Claims. (CI. 287—54) ]

My invention relates to tool bar hitching clamps, more particularly to a clamp for quickly and adjustably clamping a tool shank, such as a disc, plow, side knife, planter shoe and so forth with the various conventional tractor tool bars of various types, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a clamp of this class in which the clamp is yieldably held in position to facilitate the adjustment of various tool shanks with the tractor tool bar.

Second, to provide a clamp of this class which is applicable to various types of tractor tool bars and tool shanks.

Third, to provide a clamp of this class which provides for quick, easy and rigid connection of the tool with the tractor tool bar.

Fourth, to provide a clamp of this class in which all of the parts are fastened together and only require adjustment for rigid connection, and

Fifth, to provide a clamp of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, easy to position and adjust, efficient, durable and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a side, elevational view showing portions broken away to facilitate the illustration and shown by dash line, a tool shank portion and a tractor tool bar portion, and showing them in clamped relation as a tool clamp. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2—2 of Fig. 1 showing portions fragmentarily to facilitate the illustration, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3—3 of Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The upper main supporting clamp member 1, the lower main supporting clamp member 2, upright main supporting clamp member 3, clamping block 4, guide keys 5 and 6, tapered, coil compression spring 7, and clamp bolt 8, constitute the principal parts of my tool bar hitching clamp.

The upper member 1, lower member 2 and upright member 3, form a U-shaped clamp supporting frame.

These members 1 and 2 are both provided with circular holes 2a near their extended ends, which holes are provided with notched portions 2b and 2c which are adapted to engage the round surface of a round bar or shank T shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings of a tool shank, this hole 2α is also extended at its forward side with a partial rectangular slotted portion 2d which is adapted to receive the forward portion of a rectangular tool shank shown by dash lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, designated R.

2,805,877 tor tool bar so that there is no shifting or turning of the member T with the members TB in their relation to each other.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and 5 portion, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination, and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination, and arrangement, substantially as set forth in the appended claims. io