Boom Roll Linkage Keeping a Sprayer's Wings Level as the Tractor Rocks

This patent describes a suspension linkage that keeps the long spray booms of an agricultural sprayer level when the vehicle rocks from side to side over rough ground. It comes from Deere & Company, the maker of John Deere agricultural machinery.

The Problem

Crop sprayers carry wide booms that reach far out from the machine so a single pass covers a large area without driving over the crop. To apply chemicals evenly and avoid damage, those booms need to stay a steady height above the plants. The difficulty is that fields are rarely flat: as the vehicle travels over uneven terrain it rolls from side to side, and that roll passes straight into the cantilevered booms, raising one wing and dropping the other. When the gap between a boom and the crop changes, application becomes uneven and the boom tip can even strike the ground or the plants. Growers need a way to isolate the booms from the vehicle’s rocking so they hang level regardless of how the machine tilts.

What This Invention Does

The patent provides a boom suspension system that mitigates boom roll as the vehicle rolls. A horizontal stabilizer bar couples the left boom to the right boom by connecting to each boom’s tilt cylinder. That bar is joined to a central frame, which is fixed to the vehicle’s chassis, through a stabilizer link that lets the bar slide left and right independently of the frame. Because the heavy booms resist sudden movement, their inertia holds the stabilizer bar in a roughly neutral position while the central frame and vehicle roll beneath it, so the booms stay close to level instead of following the tilt. Roll pivots let each boom move up and down relative to the frame as needed. The effect is to decouple the booms from the vehicle’s side-to-side motion, keeping them at a more consistent height above the crop. The filing covers the boom suspension and its linkage.

Key Features

• Linked booms. A stabilizer bar couples the left and right booms through their tilt cylinders.
• Sliding link. A stabilizer link lets the bar move sideways independently of the central frame.
• Inertia-based leveling. The booms’ inertia holds the bar near neutral while the vehicle rolls.
• Roll pivots. Pivot joints let each boom move up and down relative to the frame.
• Steadier height. Decoupling the booms from vehicle roll keeps them at a more consistent height above the crop.

Who Is Behind It

The applicant is Deere & Company, the long-established American manufacturer of agricultural, construction, and forestry machinery known by the John Deere brand. The named inventors are Garry E. Baxter and Bradley J. Hitchler. This filing is a divisional application from an earlier related Australian application.

Why It Matters

Even, accurate application of crop inputs saves money and protects both the crop and the surrounding environment, and boom height is one of the biggest factors in getting it right. A suspension that keeps the booms level over uneven ground improves spray accuracy and reduces the risk of boom damage. Protecting the design in Australia supports the company’s products and commercial activity in the local agricultural market.

Related Concepts

• Sprayer – the agricultural machine the booms belong to.
• Agricultural machinery – the broader category of farm equipment.
• Inertia – the property that keeps the stabilizer bar near neutral during roll.
• Suspension (vehicle)) – the general engineering field this linkage draws on.
• Precision agriculture – the practice of applying inputs accurately that level booms support.

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AU 2026201975 was published in the Australian Official Journal of Patents on 2 April 2026 and is open for public inspection. Patent applications represent inventions that are sought to be protected and do not necessarily reflect commercially available products.