GB1602710A

GB1602710A - Soil working machine

Info

Publication number: GB1602710A
Application number: GB2090578A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: C Van der Lely NV
Current assignee: C Van der Lely NV
Priority date: 1977-09-01
Filing date: 1978-05-19
Publication date: 1981-11-18
Also published as: NL7709622A; BE870083A

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO A SOIL WORKING MACHINE (71) We, C. VAN DER LELY N.V., of 10, Weverskade, Maasland, The Netherlands, a Dutch Limited Liability Company, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a soil working machine.

According to the present invention there is provided a soil working machine comprising a plurality of groups of soil working members that are at least partly surrounded by a screening hood, the screening hood comprising rigid and flexible portions that are disposed alternately side-by-side in a direction extending transversely of the intended direction of operative travel of the machine.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a soil working machine; Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view in the direction of the arrow II in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an elevational view taken on the line III-III in Figure 2; Figure 4 is an enlarged, partial plan view taken in the direction of the arrow IV in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of the part illustrated in Figure 2; Figure 6 is an elevational view taken on the line VI-VI in Figure 5; Figure 7 is an elevational view of a third embodiment of the part shown in Figure 2; and Figure 8 is an elevational view taken on the line VIII-VIII in Figure 7.

The soil working machine shown in the Figures comprises a frame having two parallel frame beams 1 and 2 extending transversely of the intended direction of operative travel, indicated by an arrow A. The frame beams 1 and 2, as shown in Figure 1, are located one behind the other and at different vertical levels, the rearmost frame beam 2 being at the higher level. The frame beams 1 and 2 are arranged between upwardly extending (and preferably vertical) rearwardly extending plates 3. Substantially midway between the front and rear edges of the plates 3 and, with respect to their height, below the centre, is mounted a rotatable, hollow carrier 4 which is arranged between the plates 3 and is supported by stub shafts 5 in bearings (not shown) mounted on the plates 3. The stub shaft 5 on one side of the machine extends beyond its plate 3 into a gear box 6, in which is arranged a driving gear mechanism for the carrier 4. This mechanism will be described later in this description.

The carrier 4 is provided with groups of tines 7 and 8 which are indicated schematically in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Near each end of the carrier 4 is arranged a group of tines 7, and between these groups are arranged further groups of tines 8 at equal intervals from one another, these intervals being equal to the distance between each group of tines 7 and its adjacent group of tines 8. Each group of tines 7 and 8 comprises a plurality of diametrically opposite pairs of cultivating members or tines 9 on the carrier 4. The number of tines 9 of each outermost group 7 is half the number of tines 9 of each intermediate group 8. At the front, substantially beneath the frame beam 1, is a beam 10 (Figures 1 and 3), which is arranged between the plates 3, to which beam is secured the lower edge of a screening hood 11. The screening hood 11 surrounds the carrier 4 and the groups of tines 9 thereon over a circumferential angle of at least 90". At its rear edge it is fastened to an angle-section iron 12 secured between the plates 3. The screening hood 11 consists of flexible portions 13, 13A and rigid portions 14 arranged on the beams 10 and 12 and being alternately located one beside the other. The dispositions of the flexible portions 13 and 13A is such that they are located in the regions of the groups of tines 7 and 8 respectively. Since the groups 7 comprise a smaller number of tines than the groups 8, the width of the flexible portions 1 3A is smaller than that of the flexible portions 13. Each of the flexible portions 13 and 1 3A has a width corresponding substantially with the working width of the respective groups of cultivating members. Each flexible portion 13 and 13A comprises a strip of flexible material, for example, canvas.

Alternatively, rubber may be used. The canvas strips are secured by bolts 15 to the rigid sheet parts 14. At the lower edge the canvas is folded upwards. The strips 13A on the outer side of the screening hood are fixed at the top to a support 16, which is arranged on the beam 12 (Figures 3 and 4). The rigid portions 14 are inter-connected by three parallel tubes 17 which extend substantially over the whole length of the screening hood 11 and are interconnected at their ends by strips 18. The anglesection iron 12 is connected with the plates 3 by fastening plates 19 at the ends (Figure 1). At the rear edge, the plates 19 extend beyond the plates 3. The angle-section iron 12, extending parallel to the beams 1 and 2, is fitted with spring steel parallel bars 22. These bars are disposed at equal intervals of preferably about 3.5 cms and are connected to the angle section iron by clamping pieces 20 and botls 21. The bars 22 extend from their fastening points for some distance in a downwardly inclined straight line and then curve downwardly. The bars 22 form a grating and their ends are located substantially at the level of the carrier 4. To those parts of the fastening plates 19 which extend beyond the plates 3 is connected a downwardly curved screening hood 25 which is mounted for pivotal movement at each end on a stub shaft 23 and an arm 24. The hood 25 covers the bars 22; the lower edge of the screening hood 25 is also located at the level of the carrier 4. Beneath the screening hood 25 are arranged four V-shaped pairs of sheet material guide members 26. The guide members 26 have a straight shape and join the inner side of the screening hood 25. At the front the guide members 26 are inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the top, where they are in direct proximity of the grating of bars 22 (Figure 1). The lower edges of the guide members 26 extend towards the lower edge of the hood 25. The guide members 26 of adjacent pairs meet one another at the top and are secured to a substantially vertical plate fastened to the inner side of the screening hood 25. Viewed in the direction A, the outermost groups of tines 7 are located directly in front of the outermost pairs of guide members 26, whereas the intermediate groups of tines 8 are located with their centres substantially directly in front of the plate to which are fastened the guide members 26 of adjacent pairs.

In a further embodiment the screening hood 11 comprises flexible portions formed by contigious strips 27 having each a width of preferably about 10 cms; these strips may be made from spring steel (Figures 5 and 6). The strips 27 are movable against spring force along a guide 28. By means of a nut 29 cosperating with a screwthread at the free end of the guide 28 the tension of a spring 30 surrounding the guide can be adjusted. In the embodiment shown in Figure 7 and 8 the respective flexible portions comprise a number of contiguous steel strips 31 having a width of preferably about 5 cms. The strips 31 are fastened at the top to the beam 12 and bear near their lower edges on the rearwardly facing side of the beam 10 (Figure 8). As in the preceding embodiment, the lateral edges of the strips are preferably parallel to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal centre line of the carrier 4.

Near the centre, the frame beams 1 and 2 are provided with a trestle 32 by means of which the machine can be attached to the three-point lift of a tractor. At the side of the machine, between the screening hood 25 and a plate 3 is a tensile spring 33 for drawing the screening hood downwards during operation.

The stub shaft 5 is provided, at a position inside the gear box 6, with a pinion 34 which is drivably in mesh with a larger pinion 35 mounted on a shaft 36 which is journalled in the plates 3. The pinion 35 is drivably in mesh with a pinion 37 having the same diameter as the pinion 34. The pinion 37 is mounted non-rotatably on a shaft 38 arranged in a tube extending substantially parallel to the frame beams 1 and 2 and joining a gear box 39.

Inside the gear box 39 the shaft 38 is linked in a manner not shown through a bevel pinion transmission to a shaft which extends in the direction A and is connected through a changespeed gear 40, on the rear of the gear box, with an adjacent shaft projecting from the front of the gear box which is coupled through an auxiliary shaft 41 with the power take-off of a tractor moving the machine during operation. Some distance from each of the plates 3 there is a support which is arranged between the frame beams 1 and 2 and extends for some distance in front of the frame beam 1. The support is provided with a forwardly extending arm 42 which is provided at the end away from the support with a sleeve 43, the longitudinal centre line of which is substantially vertical. A carrier 44 is slidably mounted in the sleeve 43 and is vertically adjustable. The lower end of the carrier 44 is provided with a ground wheel 45. To provide the adjustment, the carrier has a plurality of holes 46, through any one of which a pin 47 can be passed, which can also be passed through either one of two overlying holes 48 in the sleeve.

The machine described above, having a working width of about 3 metres, can be effectively used in earthing up potato plants in rows. The groups of tines 7 and 8 work the strips of soil between the rows of potato plants and they are driven in the direction B by the carrier 4 to move across the soil in the direction of movement A. During operation the tines 9 of the respective groups conduct upwards along the screening hood 11 a quantity of earth depending upon the working depth of the tines, as adjusted by means of the ground wheels 45.

The earth is thrown over the carrier 4 towards the rear, whilst coarse objects in the earth such as root remnants, weeds and the like together with the coarse lumps of earth are conducted along the bars 22 into the furrows made by the tines. The rest of earth, perhaps crumbled up further, is passed between the bars 22 onto the guide members 26 of the respective pairs so that this earth is deposited through the recessed lower edges of the parts 14 in ridges on the rows of potatoes. During the movement of the earth thrown up by the tines along the flexible parts 13A and 13 of the screening hood 11, the flexibility prevents the earth from sticking to the screening hood, whereas otherwise the drive of the groups of tines would require an increase in power and the machine would finally become inoperative. The use of rubber has the advantage that the inner surface is smoother than that of canvas. The use of the strips prevents by the elasticity of the contigious strips an undesirable tacking of earth.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A soil working machine comprising a plurality of groups of soil working members that are at least partly surrounded by a screening hood, the screening hood comprising rigid and flexible portions that are disposed alternately side-by-side in a direction extending transversely of the intended direction of operative travel of the machine.

2. A soil working machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the flexible portions extend over substantially the whole width of the screening hood.

3. A soil working machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the flexible portions are generally rectangular.

4. A soil working machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the flexible portions are made from deformable material secured to the longitudinally extending edges of the screening hood.

5. A soil working machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the flexible portions are made from deformable material secured, at locations between the longitudinally extending edges of the screening hood, to the rigid portions.

6. A soil working machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the flexible portions are made from canvas.

7. A soil working machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the flexible portions are made from rubber.

8. A soil working machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which each flexible portion comprises a plurality of elastically movable elements arranged side-by-side.

9. A soil working machine as claimed in claim 8, in which the element are contiguous.

10. A soil working machine as claimed in claim 8 or 9, in which the elements are resiliently supported at least at one longitudinally extending edge region of the screening hood.

11. A soil working machine as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, in which the elements at one edge region of the screening hood are movable against spring action along a guide.

12. A soil working machine as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, in which the elements are made from spring steel.

13. A soil working machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the flexible portions of the screening hood are disposed in the regions of the respective groups of soil working members.

14. A soil working machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the or each soil working member is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis extending transversely of the intended direction of operative travel of the machine.

15. A soil working machine as claimed in claim 14, in which the working members are drivable in operation in a direction such that they move across the soil in the intended direction of operative travel of the machine and in which the screening hood is positioned such that it is adjacent to the portion of the path of the working members over which the working members move upwards.

16. A soil working machine substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. guide members 26 of the respective pairs so that this earth is deposited through the recessed lower edges of the parts 14 in ridges on the rows of potatoes. During the movement of the earth thrown up by the tines along the flexible parts 13A and 13 of the screening hood 11, the flexibility prevents the earth from sticking to the screening hood, whereas otherwise the drive of the groups of tines would require an increase in power and the machine would finally become inoperative. The use of rubber has the advantage that the inner surface is smoother than that of canvas. The use of the strips prevents by the elasticity of the contigious strips an undesirable tacking of earth. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A soil working machine comprising a plurality of groups of soil working members that are at least partly surrounded by a screening hood, the screening hood comprising rigid and flexible portions that are disposed alternately side-by-side in a direction extending transversely of the intended direction of operative travel of the machine.