NZ209703A

NZ209703A - Agricultural implement for levelling and harrowing

Info

Publication number: NZ209703A
Application number: NZ20970384A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: G Davies
Original assignee: Eurotec Precision Ltd
Priority date: 1983-09-28
Filing date: 1984-09-28
Publication date: 1987-08-31
Also published as: GB8325986D0; GB8421883D0; GB2147183A; AU3367784A; AU583254B2

Description

203V 03 Priority Date ■ '^r^-83 «••••#•«•(•■ ....

Complero Spec/.;... . i f iicj: 22>.^?7a^4 Ctess: jO?9 | ftOiftiq.fGO •jYXOffW Publication Cnfe: P.O. Journal. ■■■'•■ NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, i955 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION AGRICULTURAL EQUIB1ENT FOR LTVELLIMG A*D HARRCE7IMG We, EURO TEG PRECISION LIMITED, a British Company, of LI ay Industrial Estate, Llay, Wrexham, Clwyd, North Wales, United Kingdom, 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 perfoimed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:— . z. patent OFFICE JULt987 received V— < 2 0970 3 This invention concerns agricultural equipment for preparation of land for planting crops. land preparation for crop planting is usually carried out "by means of equipment such as land levellers, spike harrows and rotary soil crumblers. These items of equipment are dragged across the land by tractor in turn. Land preparation can, therefore, be an expensive and time consuming operation since three separate items of equipment are needed that have to be mounted on a tractor for use and then replaced after use.

The object of this invention is to provide a piece of equipment that can be used for land preparation without the need for replacement by other pieces of equipment.

According to this invention there is provided apparatus suitable for preparation of land for crop planting comprising a land leveller operable alone or together with a spike harrow. The apparatus may also include a crumbier-roller that is operable i 2 0970 with the spike harrow.

Preferably the apparatus is adapted for mounting on a tractor 3ay by a conventional three point linkage. To that end the apparatus may comprise a generally rectangular frame that has suitable mounting points.

In a preferred embodiment, the frame has transverse angular members which provide the land-leveller part of the apparatus. These angular members may be of L or V-section with the angle pointing rearwards relative to the normal direction of travel of the apparatus. The lower edge of each angular member is preferably below the frame.

For the spike harrow part, the frame preferably carries a series of transverse members through or from each of which extend a row of spikes, the members being pivotahle so as to move the spikes from a non-operative position to an operative depending position. Advantageously, the spike carrying members are positioned so that on pivotting into the operable position there is a row of spikes between each land-leveller member.

The crumbier-roller may be rotatably mounted in a housing at the rear of the frame, which housing can be raised and lowered. Preferably the raising or lowering is coupled to the pivotting of the spike members so that the spike harrow and crumbier-roller are operative together.

Pivotting of the spike carrying members is preferably achieved hydraulically say by a double acting hydraulic ram, that may be mounted on the frame. The ram can have its piston coupled to one spike member to cause pivotting thereof whilst that spike member is coupled to the other spike members to transmit that pivotting movement to them. Hydraulic fluid for the ram may be provided by a hydraulic pump of transportation means, such as a tractor, for the apparatus.

This invention can thus provide a readily transportable ground preparation apparatus which comprises a spike harrow, a crumbier-roller and a land leveller, the latter being usable on its own or in conjunction with the others. Selection of the items to be used can be controlled from a tractor that is transporting the apparatus. Thus the need for three separate items of machinery is eliminated and time in changing from one item to another is saved as well as costs in capital expenditure.

This invention will now be further described, 20970 by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows ground preparation apparatus from above; Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with spike harrow in operative position; Figure 3 is a side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with the spike harrow out of operative position; and Figure 4 shows end and face views of a crumbier-roller of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings agricultural apparatus comprises a frame 10 of side members 12 and a raised forward end cross member 13 which has a three point linkage 16 for tractor mounting. Connected to cross member 13 is a double acting hydraulic ram 17 that has its piston 18 coupled to a cross member 19apivotably connected to the side members 12. The cross member 19a is coupled by a bar 23 to other cross members 19b also pivotably connected to side members 12, all of the members 19 having therethrough a row of spikes 24. The cross members 19 form a spike harrow and the hydraulic ram is arranged so that extension and retraction thereof alternately causes the members 19 203 6 to pivot so as to "bring the spikes 24 out of and into a depending operative position. Hydraulic fluid supply pipes are shown as 26 and 25 • The next to rear member 19 has at each end a short arm 27 that extends rearwardly when the spike harrow is operative thus permitting crumbier-roller 29 also to be in its operative position. The roller 29 is rotatably mounted in a hood-like housing 30 which has at each end forwardly directed arms 32 pivotably connected to the side members 12 at 34 and whose ends remote from the housing rest under arms 27. Thus when the spike harrow members are pivotted out of the operative position the arms 27 force down the ends of arms 32 to raise the roller housing 30 and, of course, the roller 29.

The roller 29 (see Figure 4) actually comprises three aligned circular plates 40, one at each end and one centrally, and a plurality of lengthwise bars 42 spaced about and attached to the periphery of said plates 40. The plates 40 have an axle 44 passing through their centres, which axle has its ends rotatably mounted in the ends of hood 30.

To provide a land leveller part, the frame 10 has a plurality of cross members 52 of L-section 209703 - 7 fixed between the frame side members 12. The angle of the I points rearwardly and the lower edge of the cross members is Just below the lower edge of the side members 12. These fixed cross members 52 also provide stability and strength for the frame 10 and that is further improved by box section members welded to the top of members 52 and diverging from the forward end of the frame.

To use the illustrated apparatus, the frame is mounted on the rear of a tractor by the three point linkage and the hydraulic ram connected up to a hydraulic fluid on the tractor. Extension of the hydraulic ram selects the land leveller alone and retraction of the ram selects the combination of land leveller, spike harrow and crumbier-roller.

Claims

j?&4. V.JA . ■« ' £ 203V03 t i - 8 . What we claim is:

1. Apparatus suitable for preparation of land for crop planting comprising a frame carrying land leveller 5 .means and cross beams carrying spikes of a spike harrow, which spikes are movably mounted relative to said frame between a working and a non-working position by actuating means.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim I further 10 comprising a crumbier-roller.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the crumbier-roller is operable with the spike harrow.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 comprising a generally rectangular frame. 15

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the land leveller comprises transverse members disposed one behind the other.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the transverse members are of L- or V- section with the 20 angle pointing rearwards relative to the normal direction of travel of the apparatus.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein each angular member has a lower edge that is below the frame. 203;03 9 -

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein each of the cross-beams is pivotably mounted on the frame to move the spikes from their non-operative position to their operative depending position. 5

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 when appendent to claim 5, wherein the spike carrying members are positioned, so that on pivotting into the operative position, there is a row of spikes between said transverse members.

10 10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the crumbier-roller is rotatably mounted in a housing at the rear of the apparatus.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the housing is raisable and lowerable. 15

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said raising and lowering is coupled to pivotting of the spike carrying members so that the spike harrow and crumbier-roller are operable together.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein 20 pivotting of the spike carrying members is by hydraulic means.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said hydraulic means is a double acting hydraulic ram.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the ram 25 is mounted on the frame. '" J'oL I9S7 . ••••-. , - 10 205V

16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15 adapted for mounting on a tractor.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 including a three point linkage for mounting the apparatus on a tractor.

18. Apparatus suitable for preparation of land for crop planting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings accompanying the specification. EUROTEC PRECISION LIMITED By its Attorney JAMES M PIPER I CO.