GB2079572A - Soil working device - Google Patents

Abstract

An agricultural soil working device includes at least one hopper 2 for distributing agricultural medicines or fertilizers, at least one soil cultivator 3, and at least one ridge forming plate pressure roller 4, 5 operatively associated with the at least one hopper and arranged rearwardly of the at least one hopper to form a predetermined soil ridge. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Agricultural soil working device This invention relates to an agricultural soil working device which may or may not include a seeding means.

In general, agricultural soil is composed of top surface soil, core soil below the top surface soil and stratum soil, and agricultural products are grown in such several soils. Fertilizer is scattered overthetop surface soil and the top surface soil is scraped up by an agricultural implement such as a plow, the top soil and the ferti!izer are repeatedly agitated to form a ridge and the seeds or young plants are then planted on them. Due to this fact, it is expected that over a long period of time the active balance of some microbes in the soil would be destroyed so as to cause it to be poor soil and result in generating difficulties in growing agricultural products.Further, since the core soil at the bottom of the surface soil is not agitated by the agricultural implement etc., the core soil is not solidified, the top surface soil is sintered into the core soil and solidified there due to rain falling for a long period of time, resulting in the fact that the core soil may not be softened.

Lime and phosphere are fed to the core soil at a required time to assist the solidified fertilizer and to cause it to be absorbed into the agricultural product.

In this type of core soil improving process, the stratum soil below the core soil is not completely improved and the rich volume of active microbes remaining in it is not utilized.

An object of the present invention is to provide an agricultural soil working machine capable of excavating stratum soil having some rich active microbes in it without destroying their well-balanced condition, reversing it, agitating it, feeding oxygen into the stratum soil, applying active power to the microbes, mixing the soil having the microbes with the surface soil, applying active power to the microbes having a non-balanced condition in the surface soil making a complete soil, permitting rainfall to penetrate the core soil and the stratum soil without accumulation of water in the surface soil, producing a desirable water discharge in the surface soil, applying a suitable nutricious content to the microbes, absorbing some nutricious contets from the stratum soil in desirable weather due to the fact that roots of the agricultural products planted reach down to the stratum soil even if the surface soil is dried, providing good growth of the piant, forming an agricultural soil facilitating growing of rihzome products of large diameter such as radishes, excavating the stratum soil not used, improving the agricultural soil, activating it, using it effectively, and producing a superior agricultural product.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a seeding attachment in which agricultural seeds may be scattered just after the agricultural soil is improved by the agricultural soil improving device in order to produce a superior rihzome agricultural product in comparison to that of a conventional product.

According to the invention there is provided a soil working device comprising: a bogie; at least one hopper mounted on said bogie for storing agricultural medicines, fertilizers and/or seed for scattering same over a surface soil; at least one agitating disc mounted on said bogie for excavating core soil and stratum soil; means for mounting said at least one agitating disc at a rear portion of each of the at least one hopper in such a way that it or they may be moved up and down or rotated to agitate and mix the soils with the agricultural medicines, fertilizers and/or seed; and at least one ridge forming plate pressing roller operatively associated with said at least one agitating disc and arranged rearwardly of the at least one hopper to form a predetermined soil ridge of said mixed soils.

The preferred device of the present invention is characterized in that guide rods are arranged vertically between the agitating discs of the bogie and the pressing rollers in such a way that the seed tapes may be hung down and, moreover, the soil cover plates are attached at the lower ends of the guide rods.

Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:: Figure lisa side elevational view of a device of the present invention; Figure 2 is a back elevational view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an exploded illustration showing the working process and Figures 4 (I), (II) and (III) show in enlarged section views of the worked soil in positions, I-l, 11-Il, and Ill-Ill of Fig. 4 respectively; Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the device of Fig. 1 with a seeding means; Figure 6 is a back elevation view of the device with seeding means as shown in Fig. 5;; Figure 7 is an exploded illustration showing a working process of the device of Figs. 5 and 6 and Figures 7 (i), (II) and (III) shown in enlarged section, the worked soil in positions l-l, ll-ll and Ill-Ill respectively; and Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a seed tape.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, a main body of A of the agricultural soil improving device is installed such that both rotating wheels 8 are pivotally mounted on both sides of a bogie 1 so as to be drawn or pulled by a tractor or trailer B. A connecting mechanism 6 is fitted to the front end of the bogie 1, and connected to a rear end portion of the tractor or trailer B with the main body A being pulled along with the running movement of the tractor or trailer B.

In the bogie 1 of the main body A of the present device, a suitable number ofthe inverted pyramid hoppers 2 are arranged and properly spaced apart laterally of a frame 7 to form a row at a front part of the bogie so as to enable scattering of the agricultural medicines, fertilizers and/or seed over the surface soils. Guide wheels 9 are arranged at both right and left front end portions of the bogie, to be moved up or down to cause the main body A of the device to be moved in a straight direction, and bogie fixing columns 10, for use in stabilizing and fixing the bogie 1, are vertically arranged at the front end portion thereof. At the rear end of the bogie 1 is installed a driving motor 11 for rotating the agitating discs 3.

Hydraulic cylinders 13 for supporting the bogie 1 at both rear upper ends and bearing the axles 12 of the running wheels 8 are arranged vertically. At the lower ends of the hydraulic cylinders 13, the axles 12 are pivotally installed. The supporting pieces 14 are rearwardly projected at a rear side of the bogie 1, and the connection shafts 16 which cooperate with the agitating shaft 15 of the agitating disc 3 for deeply excavating the soil and agitating the same, are pivotally installed. Covers 17 surrounding the agitating discs 3 are supported on the vertical rods 18 suspended downwardly from the rear end of the bogie 1. Adjustment members 19 which are capable of adjusting the vertical height of the agitating discs 3 are attached to the connecting shaft 16. The agitating or scraping blades 20 may excavate up to the stratum C.

Arm levers 21 project from the rear upper ends of the covers 17. Pressing rollers 5 are movably attached at the arm levers 21 so as to press the agitated or excavated soil, and the ridge forming plates 4 are attached at the rear lower ends of the covers 17 so as to cause the excavated or agitated soil to be formed as a ridge.

The hoppers 2 arranged on the bogie 1 are in the form of an inverted pyramid, of which the top end is opened to receive the agricultural medicines, fertilizers and/or loose seed. The lower ends of the hoppers are provided with scattering vane valves 22 which may pivot on valve driving shaft 23. A chain 24 is applied around the driving wheel axle 12 and valve operating shaft 23. Valve operating shaft 23 is rotated by the chain 24 as the wheel 12 is rotated to run and a suitable volume of the agricultural medicines, fertilizers and/or seed in the hoppers 2 may thereby be scattered continuously over the soil.

The agitating disc 3 pivotally mounted on the supporting pieces 14 of the bogie 1 are formed as discs having such a diameter as to be able to excavate the core soil b up to the lower stratum c and be reversably rotated to agitate or mix the excavated soils.

The circumference of the disc has a plurality of agitating blades 20 projecting therefrom such that the agitating blades 20 project radially and curve alternatively from the disc. The sharp ends of the blades 20 are slightly bent in a forwards direction, and the agitating discs 3 are fixed to the agitating shaft 15. The agitating discs 3 are rotated by a chain 25 applied around driving motor 11 and a connecting shaft 16 pivotally mounted on support pieces 14 and by a chin 26 mounted around connecting shaft 16 and agitating shafts 15.Agitating blades 20 excavate the surface soil a, the core soil b and the stratum soil c in sequence, all the soils are reversed, agitated and mixed so as to be piled up on a surface soil a in a heap, the soil of the surface soil a then being piled up again to form a mountain-shape and the upper surface of the piled surface soil being pressed by the pressing roller 5 to make a flat surface. If seed is not scattered from the hoppers 2, then seed or seed tapes having a plurality of seeds are scattered or applied overthe upper surface of the surface soil a formed so as to be mountain-shaped by the ridge forming plates 4. It is optional to press the seeds or seed tapes by pressing rollers 5 and to plant some young plants or scatter the seeds after the surface soil a is pressed by the pressing roller.

Thus, in operation of the present invention, as shown in Figure 4, when it is desired to have a complete improvement of the agricultural soil down to the stratum soil or when a rihzome such as a radish having a large diameter is to be planted, initially the bogie 1 of the main body A of the device is connected to a tractor or trailer B via a connecting member 6 and pulled by the tractor. When the tractor or trailer B starts running, the main body A of the device is also pulled and runs. Then, the agricultural medicines and the fertilizers stored in the hoppers 2 of the main body A are continuously scattered in band form over the surface soil a by pivotal movement of the scattering vane vaives 22 as the bogie is removed.

The agricultural medicines and the fertilizers are agitated and mixed in the surface soil a by rotation of the agitating discs 3. The core soil b and the stratum soil c are also excavated by the agitating blades 20 of the agitating discs 3, the soils are scrapedd up, agitated and reversed upside down. The soils are mixed with the surface soil a, the agricultural medicines and the fertilizers and at the same time oxygen is applied to the core soil t and the stratum soil c to activate some of the microbes. The soils piled up on the surface soil a after their reversing agitating and mixing are arranged again by the ridge forming plates 4 and are lastly acted upon by the pressing rollers 5, resulting in formation of a ridge of a complete soil having a well balanced ratio of several microbes and some effective ingredients.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the device of Figs. 1 and 2 when provided with a seeding means wherein the above mentioned body A' is provided with seed tapes 100, guide rods 102 and soil cover plates 104.

The guide rods 102 are suspended vertically at a - central part of the arm levers 21, and a hanger shaft 106 for storing the seed tape 100 projects from the top end ofthe guide rod to hang the wound seed tape 100 in such a way that the tape is rotatably mounted. The soil cover plates 104 for covering the top surface of thhe seed tape 100 scattered on the ridge with the soil of the surface soil a are attached rearwardly at the lower ends of the guide rods 102 in such fashion to extend in a horizontal direction as well as a vertical one with respect to the guide rods 102.

Seed tape 100 is formed such that seeds 101 are properly spaced apart on a rope or a tape and wrapped thereon, wound onto a core pipe. The wound seed tape 100 is installed in the hanger shaft 106, one end of the wound seed tape is suspended down along the guide rod 102, guided on the upper surface ofthe ridge and passed blow the soil cover plate 104.

The soil is covered on the upper surface of the seed tape by the soil cover plate 104. The soil cover plate 104 is formed such that its right and left rear portions are slightly bent downwardly so as to cause the operation piece 108 to be resiliently attached to make stable contact of the seed tape 100 with the upper surface of the ridge at its front part, annd at the same time to sufficiently cover the soil over the seed tape 100 contacting with the upper surface of the ridge.

The device A' as described above mixes the soils of the core soil b and the stratum soil c with the surface soil a agitates and mixes the soils with the agricultural medicines and fertilizers, and at the same time supplies oxygen to the core soil b and the stratum soil c to activate some microbes. Along with the operation steps described above, the seed tape 100 pressed by the pressing roller 5 starts to rotate, guided by the guide rod 102 and contacts with the upper surface of the ridge. The soils are covered on the upper surface of the seed tape 100 arranged over and contacted with the upper surface of the ridge by the soil cover plates 104. The operational steps are illustrated in Figure 7.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

Claims (4)

1. A soil working device comprising: a bogie; at least one hopper mounted on said bogie for storing agricultural medicines, fertilizers and/or seed for scattering same over a surface soil; at least one agitating disc mounted on said bogie for excavating core soil and stratum soil; means for mounting said at least one agitating disc at a rear portion of each of the at least one hopper in such a way that it or they may be moved up and down or rotated to agitate and mix the soils with the agricultural medicines, fertilizers and/or seed; and at least one ridge forming plate pressing roller operatively associated with said at least one agitating disc and arranged rearwardly of the at least one hopper to form a predetermined soil ridge of said mixed soils.

2. A device as set forth in Claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of agitating discs, a corresponding plurality of pressure rollers and a corresponding plurality of hoppers.

3. A device as set forth in Claim 2 further comprising: a seeding means comprising at least one seed tape; at least one guide rod arranged vertically such that said at least one seed tape is suspended, in side view, between the plurality of agitating discs of the bogie and the plurality of pressing rollers; and a soil covering plate positioned at a lower end portion of each of said at least one guide rods.

4. A soil working device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 or Figs. 5 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.