GB2063794A - Crop protection devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A crop-protection device (19) comprises a deflector (23) adapted to be mounted immediately in front of the wheels (13) of a tractor to part crop and reduce the crushing produced by passage of the tractor through the crop. The deflector is a wedge-shaped member of metal mounted in a horizontal place with the tapered end of the wedge forward. The deflector is supported by a frame (33) secured to a fixed or rigid part of the tractor such as the front king pins or the general accessory point, the connection between the deflector and the frame allows vertical adjustment of the position of the deflector. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Crop protection devices The present invention relates to devices for protecting crops against damage by vehicles, such as crop-spraying tractors, which have to pass through a field of mature or maturing crops.

Heretofor a tractor used for spraying crops has caused considerable damage to the crop through which it passes because the wheels, even when fitted with narrow tread tyres, crush strips of crop which normally never recover sufficiently for harvesting. In a field of wheat expected to yield three tonne/acre it is estimated that perhaps 4 tonne could be lost by the damage caused by the wheels. In the case of root crops, spraying is generally carried out only in the direction of lines of set, but even so, considerable damage can be caused by crushing of foliage, thereby stunting full development of the root crop.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for preventing or reducing such damage to crops.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for mounting on a vehicle comprising a deflector and a frame which, in use, supports the deflector in a position immediately before a wheel of the vehicle, the deflector being adapted to part crop through which the wheel passes so as to reduce the amount of crop damaged by the wheel.

Preferably the deflector is a wedge-shape member with the tapered-end of the wedge pointing in the direction of travel of the wheel. The frame advantageously provides for vertical adjustment of the position of the deflector.

It will be appreciated that while the deflector is normally mounted so as to protect crop while the vehicle is running forwards, it could be so arranged as to protect the crop against damage caused by the wheel when the vehicle is reversing.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a general view of a tractor carrying a crop-spraying attachment and fitted with crop-protection devices embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the devices fitted to a front wheel of the tractor, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the devices fitted to a rear wheel of the tractor.

In the drawings, the tractor 11, which is of conventional design and will not therefore be described in detail, has front wheels 1 3 and rear wheels 1 5. It is fitted with a crop spraying device 1 7. Associated with each front wheel 1 3 is a crop-protection device 1 9 and associated with each rear wheel is crop-protection device 21.

Referring firstly to the devices 19, Fig. 2 shows the device 1 9 which comprises a wedge-shaped steel deflector member 23 of having a forwardly projecting tang 25 and side members 27. An upright mounting rod 29, extending from a rear position of the tang 25, is slideably received within a tube 31 of a frame 33 of the deflector. The rod 29 is secured in the tube 31 by means of bolts 35.

The tube 31 is secured to one end of an Lshaped steel section piece 37 the other end of which carries a bracket 39 which easily secures the frame 33 to the king pin bracket 40 using the existing top king pin bolt 42 of the front wheel 1 3.

The device 21 shown in Fig. 3 is mounted in association with the rear-wheel 1 5 and comprises a metal wedge-shaped deflector 41 mounted in a horizontal plane with the tapered-end of the wedge forward in a position immediately in front of the rear-wheel 1 5. A vertical rod 43 fixed to the deflector 41 is slideably received in a tube 45 and secured therein by block not shown. The tube 45 is secured to a metal arm 47 which is secured at its other end to a flat mounting plate to enable the device to be easily mounted to the general accessory point of the tractor.

The devices 1 9 and 21 are constructed from steel sections, some tubular, some flat and some angled, and the various sections are welded together. In alternative forms of the invention the frames and deflectors can be produced by casting, drop-forging, or pressing and some parts even by die-casting, or of moulded plastics material. The tube 31 and 45 and the rods 29 and 43 could be replaced by curved or flat metal, press, cast, or dropforced members, with vertical slots sliding over damping bolts and guide pins.

In the embodiment described above the devices are mounted to the king pins and accessory mounting points. It will be appreciated that they could be mounted on the fixed stub axle, or other rigid or fixed parts of the tractor.

It will also be appreciated that the cropprotection devices can be mounted on other vehicles apart from tractors. For example, towed implements or trailers.

With crop-protection devices as described above fitted to all four wheels, the damage to a crop is substantially reduced or even eliminated. The forward projecting tangs 25 and the shape of the deflector ensures that the crop is parted immediately in front of the wheels, so that the crop either clearing the wheels completely, or if some contact does occur, the crushing is outward, away from the direction of travel of the wheels, so that although the height of the crop may be reduced, it will remain sufficiently upright (protected by the surrounding stalks) to ensure almost total harvesting at a later date.

Claims (6)

1. A device for mounting on a vehicle comprising a deflector and a frame which, in use, supports the deflector in a position immediately before a wheel of the vehicle, the deflector being adapted to part crop through which the wheel passes so as to reduce the amount of crop damaged by the wheel.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the deflector is a wedge-shaped member with the tapered-end of the wedge pointing in the direction of travel of the wheel.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the vertical position of the deflector is adjustable.

4. A device according to any of the preceding claims including means for detachably securing the frame to the body of the vehicle.

5. A crop-protection device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

6. A tractor having operatively associated with each wheel a crop-protection device according to any of the preceding claims.