GB2059733A - Agricultural implements - Google Patents

Abstract

An agricultural drill comprising single-disc coulters (2) which are arranged alternately with lateral spacings (A) from each other in at least two successive transverse rows in series on an equal number of cross beams (5) and at equally spaced intervals (Z) and arranged to pivot in a vertical plane by means of supports (4) and set at an acute angle ( alpha ) in the direction of travel (6). For mounting the single-disc coulters (2) on the supports (4, 7, 8), see also Figure 1 (not shown), and the supports on the cross-beams (5) wide or two bearings (15, 16) arranged with a spacing from each other are provided, the single-disc coulters (2) being readily detachably connected to the supports (4). Furthermore, single-disc coulters (2) are arranged opposed at an angle to the direction of travel as the pressure rollers arranged in alignment behind said single-disc coulters. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An agricultural drill having single disc coulters The present invention concerns an agricultural drill for sowing and planting and having single disc blades or coulters which are arranged in at least two successive transverse rows on the same number of cross beams with lateral spacing between the coulters relative to each other and with the cross beams being one behind the other at the same spacing, said coulters also being arranged to pivot in a vertical plane by means of supports and arranged at an acute angle relative to the direction of travel.

United States Patent Specification No. 3705560 discloses a drill wherein coulter supports have at least two super-imposed members extending at least approximately parallei with each other. It is a primary advantage of such drill that, even on fields without weeds, seed can be sown in rows with comparatively short spacing between them, having regard to the large spaces which exist between the single disc coulters arranged on the cross beams of other machines, that blockage of these spaces due to portions of vegetation is prevented - even when heavily treated. In addition it is a special advantage that the same supports can be used for all single disc coulters.The parallelogram type construction of the supports also has a favourable effect for producing perfect sowing, since the angles of incidence of the blades are maintained to the same extent thereby independently of their depth of penetration.

However, it is a disadvantage of this drill that the single disc coulters are arranged to rotate by means of narrow bearings on the supports. This results in comparatively rapid wearofthe bearings so that they have to be replaced frequently during the comparatively long period of use of the drill. The replacement itself involves a good deal of work and time since these bearings are engaged on both sides by securing members of the supporting arrangement. In addition, undesirable interruptions in the sowing operation of the drill occur if defects occur in the bearings during use.

This disadvantage has a very serious effect in cases in which the drill is employed for the direct sowing method; i.e. on fields not prepared conventionally for sowing with soil treating and cultivating machines afterthe previous harvest. If the soil of these fields is not in a firm condition so considerable lateral forces may act on the single disc coulter arranged inclined to the direction of travel and thus on the bearings thereof. Even if there is only slight wear on the bearings the single disc coulters can no longer produce the wide furrows required for sowing, but produce only narrow slots in which the seed can no longer drop and lies uncovered on the surface of the soil. A further difficulty is that such defective work by the single disc coulters can only be noted so late that considerable harvest failures are unavoidable.

Disadvantages are also attributable to the narrow bearings of the supports on the cross beams. In addition, wear on these bearings has the result that the guiding of the single disc coulters in the soil is dependent on the often different lateral pressures acting on the coulters so that straight furrows can no longer be produced.

The object of the invention is therefore to improve the arrangement of the single disc blades or coulters and their supports on cross beams, so that improved sowing is achieved by the drill when used in the direct sowing method over long periods of use.

According to the present invention there is provided an agricultural drill comprising single-disc blades or coulters which are arranged with lateral spacings from each other alternately in at least two successive transverse rows on the same number of cross beams disposed one behind the other with the same spaced intervals between them, and also arranged to pivot in a vertical plane by means of supports and located at an acute angle relative to the direction of travel, characterised in that wide bearings (or two spaced bearings) are provided for mounting the single disc coulters on the supports and said supports on the cross beams and by means of which bearings the single disc coulters are connected unilaterally to and readily disengageable from the supports and the supports are disengageably connected to bearing brackets or means provided on the cross beams.

As a result of these features the wear on the bearings is reduced both for the single disc coulters on the supports and for the supports on the cross beams so that a long life can be ensured for them. In addition to this, the removal and fitting of the single disc coulters becomes simple as also of the supports should a defect occur, since these parts need only be removed laterally for this purpose and new parts again slipped-on from the side to the corresponding supporting members.

A very durable and wear-resistant mounting of the single disc coulters is achieved if the bearings of said coulters are each provided with two roller bearings arranged with lateral clearances from each other.

In a drill according to the present invention, in which the supports for the single disc coulters have at least two super-imposed and at least approximately parallely extending members, it is also proposed that the bearings at least for the lower members on the cross beams should have a width which is approximately as great as the lateral spacing between the single disc coulters arranged on a cross beam. This feature results in a very strong and stable mounting ofthe advantageous parallelogram-iike supports. This gives, without any unfavourable effect on stability, a simple and durable construction due to the fact that the bearings contain bearing members of synthetic material - at least for the lower members of the supports.

If the lower members of the supports are made resistant to torsional effect, the transverse forces exerted on the single disc coulters by the resistance of the soil just above the coulters are received in a The drawing originally filed was informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

favourable manner so that any torque is contained within limits, which in turn has a favourable effect on the bearings of the members on the cross beams. In addition, as a result of this feature, the upper members of the support can be made considerably lighter, since pressure and traction forces extending then only in the direction of travel can be transmitted.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the members are pivoted in the lower portion on upright supports fitted in the lower portion with supporting members extending in the direction of travel, whilstthe bearings forthe single disc coulters are disposed on the front supporting members and a lateral spacing is provided between the bearings and the lower members. These features result in a simple and stable construction of the supports, particuiarly in view of the adjustment of the depth of penetration ofthe single disc coulters in the soil and for raising them into the positionfortransport or for lowering them into the working position. Thus the single disc coulters with their bearings can be moved past the members.Particular stability of this construction is achieved by the feature that the upwardly extending coulter holders or carriers are arranged unilaterally on the members by means of wide bearings.

Finally the invention proposes in this construction that, on the rear supporting members of the upright carriers with the single disc coulters disposed on the front supporting members, flush pressure rollers should be mounted to rotate. Such rollers have an acute angle of incidence directed oppositely to the particular angle of incidence of the single disc coulters in the direction of travel. As a result of these features the lateral forces exerted by the resistance of the soil on the single disc coulters is compensated to a very large extent by the lateral forces exerted on the pressure rollers, so that considerably greater stresses occur to the bearings provided for the supports.

The present invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of an agricultural drill according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the arrangement ofthe single disc coulters ofthe machine of Fig. 1.

An agricultural drill has a frame 1 on which a plurality of single disc blades or coulters 2 are arranged having the same lateral spacings S from each other and offset or staggered in two successive transverse rows 3. The coulters 2 are carried by two cross beams 5 and are pivotable in vertical planes by means of supports 4. The same spacings Z exists in this case between the lateral beams 5 viewed in the direction of travel indicated by the arrow 6 as between the two transverse rows 3.

Each support 4 has two superimposed links 7 and 8, the rear ends of which are mounted to pivot on an upwardly extending holder or carrier 9. The front ends of the upper links 7 are mounted to pivot on a setting mechanism 10 whilst the front ends of the lower links 8 pivot on the frame 1 in a vertical plane.

In addition the carriers 9 are provided in their lower portion with front supporting members 11 extending in the direction of travel 6 and on which the singledisc coulters 2 forming an acute angle of incidence a in the direction of travel 6 are mounted to rotate freely by means ofthe unilaterally arranged wide bearings 12. Behind the single-disc coulters 2 pressure rollers 14 are arranged to rotate on supporting members 13 extending rearwardly from the carriers 9. The rollers 14 form an angle of incidence to the direction of travel 6 which is opposed to the angle of incidence a of the single-disc coulters.

In this embodiment the bearings 12 ofthe coulters 2 are each provided with two roller bearings 15 arranged with a comparatively large lateral spacing L from each other. The same bearings 12 are provided in a likewise uniform arrangementformounting the pressure rollers 14 on the rear supporting members 13.

In contrast to this, the bearings 16 of the torsion resisting lower links 8 are fitted with the synthetic bearing bodies 17 and have a width B which is less only by the width of the bearing brackets 18 than the lateral spacing A between the single-disc coulters 2 on transverse support beam 5.

In addition, the upwardly extending carriers 9 are arranged to pivot at one end on the links 7 and 8 by means of the wide bearings 19 which are also provided with plastics material bearing bodies 17. This arrangement is effected in such manner that a lateral clearance D is disposed between the bearings 12 of the single-disc coulters 2 and the lower links 8.

The setting mechanism 10 has levers 22 connected together by transverse tubes 20 and 21 for each transverse row 3 of the coulters 2; the levers 22 of the rear transverse row3 being connected by the struts 23 to those of the front row. The levers 22 can thus be pivoted backwards and forwards in the direction of travel 6 by means ofthe adjusting spindle 24.

This changes the inclination of the upright carriers 9 and thus, in conjunction with the pressure rollers 14, an adjustable setting of the depth of penetration T of the coulters in the soil is achieved.

During the operation,the seed in the storage container 25 is fed via the dispensing mechanism 26 and attached seed conducting tubes 27 to the single-disc coulter 2 from where it drops into furrows 28 produced by the coulters.

Claims (9)

1. An agricultural drill comprising single-disc blades or coulters which are arranged with lateral spacings from each other alternately in at least two successive transverse rows on the same number of cross beams disposed one behind the other with the same spaced intervals between them and also arranged to pivot in a vertical plane by means of supports and located at an acute angle relative to the direction of travel, characterised in that wide bearings (or two spaced bearings) are provided for mounting the single disc coulters on the supports and said supports on the cross beams and by means of which bearings the single disc coulters are connected unilaterally to and readily disengageable from the supports and the supports are disengageably connected to bearing brackets or means provided on the cross beams.

2. A drill as claimed in claim 1, in which the bear ings of the single disc coulters are each provided with two roller bearings arranged with a lateral spacing (L) from each other.

3. A drill as claimed in claim 1, in which the single disc coulters have at least two members disposed one above the other and extending at least approximately parallel to each other, in which the bearings of at least the lower members on the cross beams have a width (B) which is approximately as large as the lateral spacing (A) between the single disc coulters arranged on a cross beam.

4. A drill as claimed in claim 3, in which the bearings at least for the lower members of the support contain bearing bodies of synthetic material.

5. A drill machine as claimed in claim 3 or4, in which the lower members of the supports are designed resistant to torsion.

6. A drill as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5, in which the members are pivoted on upright supports provided in the lower region with supporting members extending in the direction of travel, in which the bearings for the single disc coulters are disposed on the front supporting members and in which a lateral clearance (S) between the bearings and the lower members is provided.

7. A drill as claimed in claim 6, in which the upright supports are arranged unilaterally on the members by means of wide bearings.

8. A drill as claimed in claim 6 or 7, in which pressure rollers are mounted to rotate freely on the rear supporting members of the upright supports and in alignment with the single disc coulters disposed on the front supporting members; said rollers having, in the direction of travel an acute angle of incidence (p) opposite to the particular angle of incidence (a).

9. An agricultural drill substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.