| CPC E02F 3/7668 (2013.01) | 4 Claims |
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1. A road drag implement for smoothing gravel roads, comprising:
(a) a frame having a front end and a rear end,
(b) a first right side grading blade that is rotatably mounted to the frame for rotation about a upright axis at a pivot location that is located on the right side of the frame, a first blade actuator connecting between the frame and the right side grading blade that is controllable for rotating the blade between a first retracted transport position wherein the right side grading blade is retracted so that the right side grading blade generally does not extend beyond the right side of the frame and a second extended working position wherein the right end of the right side grading blade extends beyond the right side of the frame and forward of and to the right of the pivot location for the first right side grading blade and wherein the left end of the right side grading blade extends behind and to the left of the pivot location for the right side grading blade,
(c) a second left side grading blade that is rotatably mounted to the frame for rotation about a upright axis at a pivot location that is located on the left side of the frame and spaced behind the pivot location of the first right side grading blade, a second actuator connecting between the frame and the second left side grading blade that is controllable for rotating the second left side grading blade between a first retracted transport position wherein the left side grading blade is retracted so that the left side grading blade generally does not extend beyond the left side of the frame and a second extended working position wherein the left end of the left side grading blade extends beyond the left side of the frame and forward of and to the left of the pivot location for the second left side grading blade and wherein the right end of the second left side grading blade extends behind and to the right of the pivot location for the second left side grading blade and to a location that is behind the left end of the first right side grading blade,
(d) a wheel assembly including ground engaging wheels, the wheel assembly being pivotably mounted to the rear end of the frame, the wheel assembly including an actuator that extends between the frame and the wheel assembly for controllable movement between a first wheel assembly position wherein the frame is elevated for transport and a second wheel assembly position wherein the frame is lowered into a working position suitable for bringing the grading blades in contact with a road surface, and,
(e) a hitch assembly that is mounted to the forward end of the frame and that is adapted to connect with a tractor hitch, the hitch assembly being arranged as a parallelogram structure that is oriented in an upright and longitudinal manner in an upright and longitudinal plane, the hitch assembly including a forward member and a rear member as well as a top member and a bottom member, the top and bottom members being pivotally connected to the forward and rear members respectively for pivoting motion about axes that are normal to the upright longitudinal plane of orientation of the hitch assembly, the hitch assembly further including an actuator that is connected between one of the top and bottom members and one of the forward and rear members at spaced apart locations and that is movable between a retracted position and an extended position such that the rear member is able to be translated between an elevated position for raising the frame for transport of the road drag implement, and a lowered position suitable for bringing the road drag implement blades in contact with a road surface for the grading of the road surface.
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