NZ564352A - A soil preparation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A ground top soil surface layer working apparatus of a width "oversized" for road transporting is adapted for towing by a tractor on a traditional 3-point linkage (3). That apparatus has a main frame (1) with a pivotally attached tow bar (2) which can be positioned to either an operational mode or a transporting mode. The apparatus includes several implements and while it is intended that its main use will involve all implements operating together some of the implement are suitable for use on their own or in conjunction with some only of the other implements. The main frame is articularly supported on a ground contact element (14) (preferably in the form of a seed groove forming roller) which is rotatable over a ground surface (13). At a front of the main frame tines (4, 5) are mounted there preferably being a bank of cultivating tines (4) positioned in front of and laterally off-set to a bank of levelling tines (5). At a rear of the main frame a sub-frame (15) is articularly mounted, the sub frame carrying a resilient ground contacting roller (16). A seeder unit (20/21) is positioned to disperse seeds into grooves formed by the seed groove forming roller (14). A pair of raiseable and lowerable ground wheels (23) are mounted on one side of the main frame. Various hydraulic rams (10, 11,17, 26) and associated couplings and controls are provide to remotely operate the implements of the apparatus from a towing tractor. In operation the downward pressure of the resilient roller can be controlled by pivoting the sub frame to assist controlling the penetration of the tines. Also the banks of tines are pivotally mounted via linkages (8, 9) to enable their pitch to be altered. In that operational mode the tow bar extends forwardly of the main frame. In a transporting mode the tow bar is pivoted to the side of the main frame distal of the ground wheels and thereby "fold" the apparatus to a suitable width for road transportation. In that transporting mode the ground wheels are lowered to provide ground clearance for the soil contacting implements.

Description

564352 P.F. 5 Code 1050 Fee: $250 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 No. 564352 Priority Date: 17 December 2007 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A soil preparation apparatus We, Phillip James HILL and Shannon Phillip HILL, both New Zealand citizens of 121 South Head Road, RD1, Helensville 0874, New Zealand 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: 12608339 ido 9307462 11.doc 564352 2 This invention relates to agricultural apparatus and in particular an apparatus suitable for mounting on a conventional powered-lift rear mounted tractor trailer coupling. More particularly the apparatus is intended for mounting to a tractors 3-point linkage for soil levelling and/or seeding purposes.

Fuel conservation is a significant factor in the economics of the mechanical preparation of soil such as for seeding. To that end an object of this invention is to provide an apparatus that reduces the times a site needs to be traversed by preparation apparatus to achieve a desired result. More particularly the apparatus combines a variety of soil preparation and seeding implements that can be operated in a selected sequence during a single run thereby reducing 10 the running time of the apparatus and supporting prime mover typically a tractor. It is envisaged the apparatus will be particularly suitable for the seeding of large areas, the apparatus being suitable for use with a wide variety of seeds. Further, the apparatus is readily adaptable for towing by a tractor from one site to another including via public roads. Further, objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the field from the 15 following description.

According to a first embodiment of this invention there is provided a ground top soil surface layer working apparatus incorporating a main frame articularly carrying a ground surface contact element rotatable, in an operational mode, across a ground surface with fore and aft movement of the apparatus and a drawbar adapting the apparatus to be towed by a 20 conventional rear mounted tractor powered-lift tow coupling, characterised in that, at or adjacent a front of the main frame soil top layer working tines are mounted and, at or adjacent a rear of the main frame, an articulately mounted sub-frame supporting a resilient ground surface contact roller with the axis of rotation for the sub-frame being disposed horizontally 12608339 ido 9307462 11.doc 564352 3 and mounted rearwardly of the line of articulation of the ground surface contact element, remotely operable raising and lowering means being provided to control the downward pressure exerted by the resilient ground surface contact roller.

According to a second embodiment of this invention there is provided an apparatus as 5 described in the preceding paragraph wherein the tines are articularly mounted and remotely operable pivoting means are provided to enable their angle of pitch to be altered.

According to a third embodiment of this invention there is provided an apparatus as described in either of the two immediately preceding paragraphs wherein two sets of tines are provided, being a set of cultivating tines disposed adjacently forward of a set of levelling tines According to a fourth embodiment of this invention there is provided an apparatus as described in any one of the three immediately preceding paragraphs wherein the ground surface contact element is a seed groove forming device and intermediate of the seed groove forming device and the resilient ground surface contact roller a seed dispersing apparatus is mounted.

According to a fifth embodiment of this invention there is provided an apparatus as described in any one of the four immediately preceding paragraphs wherein retractable ground support wheels are carried by the main frame adjacent one side thereof and the drawbar is pivotally attached to the main frame whereby the drawbar can be set in a working mode extending forwardly of the main frame or a transporting mode disposed transversely to a side of the main frame distal of the ground wheels with, in that transporting mode, the ground wheels being lowerable to raise the main frame and provide ground clearance for the otherwise ground contacting elements carried on the main frame.. 12608339_ido_9307462_ll.doc 4 In further describing the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment wherein; Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus is a working mode, and Fig. 2 is a enlarged side elevation of the tines, and Fig. 2a is a front view of a lower end of a cultivating tine, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus in a transport mode, and Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation of the apparatus in the transport mode, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the tow bar of the apparatus and a typical tractor coupling, and Fig. 6 is a front end perspective of the apparatus with the tines to the front of the apparatus 10 removed for clarity, and Fig. 7 is a partly schematic perspective view toward a rear of the seed roller depicting the seed feed and chain.

A main frame 1, including a drawbar 2, is preferably fabricated from box-section steel or similar elements and is of a generally rectangular shape some, referring to the apparatus in a 15 working mode, two metres long and four metres in width. The significance of this configuration will be apparent from the following description. The drawbar 2 is pivotally attached to and centrally of a rearward section of the main frame 1 enabling either a working mode, see for example Fig 1, or a transport mode, see for example Fig 3. The drawbar 2 is 12608339 ido 9307462 11.doc 564352 attachable to a typical tractors powered-lift towing mechanism 3 or similar three-point linkage and in its operational mode typically the towing mechanism 3 is set to a required height.

Tines 4, 5, preferably two banks thereof comprising a bank of cultivating tines 4 mounted at or adjacent the front of the main frame 1 with a bank of levelling tines 5 mounted immediately 5 therebehind. Preferably both banks of tines 4, 5 extend substantially the full width of the main frame 1, the tines 4, 5 being support on laterally disposed beams 6, 7. Both banks of tines 4, 5 are preferably articularly mounted to the main frame 1 by providing pivotal mountings for their support beams 6, 7 enabling the pitch of their presentation (indicated by arrows 4a, 5a) to a site to be altered, typically between 45-20 degrees to the horizontal. To that end, preferably 10 the beam 6 carrying the levelling tines 5 is fixed by end plates 6a to swinging-arms 8 pivotally attached to the sides of the main frame 1. Remote operational and control means preferably in the form of hydraulic rams 10 are coupled to the swinging-arms 8 enabling (as depicted in Fig 2) their orientation through a vertical plane to be altered in a cam-like manner and thus a corresponding alteration of the pitch (indicated by arrow 5a) of the tines 5. The beam 7 is 15 similarly mounted but additionally the height thereof relative to the main frame 1 is also manually adjustable. This enables the extent of penetration of tines 4 to be set to independently of their pitch. To that end beam 7 is preferably mounted by side pivoting arms 9 and operated by a centrally mounted hydraulic ram 11, the pitch of the tines 4 carried thereby being indicated by arrow 4a. Preferably both the cultivating tines 4 and the levelling 20 tines 5 are of a spring-back structure by providing that their upper sections 12 are of acute arcuate form. Preferably the lower section of the cultivating tines 4 are configured to be forward directed in an arcuate form with preferably arrow-head shaped penetrating ends as depicted in Fig. 2a. Preferably the medial sections of the levelling tines 5 tend to be angled rearwardly with the rearward angularity of their lowermost end sections being lessened. The 12608339_ido_9307462_ll.doc 6 tines 4, 5 of the banks are laterally off-set to one another the arrangement providing that the cultivating tines 4 free-up the soil surface with minimal banking up of soil and the levelling tines 5 level out the so tilled soil. Thus also any fertiliser spread on the soil surface is mixed into the upper zone of the soil. This is one use or function of the apparatus and while the 5 apparatus could be used just for just this purpose typically this function is combined with the other functions thereof as described below.

The main frame 1 is articularly carried on a ground contact element 14 mounted behind the tines 4, 5 as to be rotatable across a soil surface 13 being worked. In the preferred form the ground contact element 14 is in the form of a seed groove forming device as discussed in more 10 detail below. However, if a seeding function is not required for the apparatus the ground contact element 14 may be a heavy roller or merely a pair of ground wheels. The mounting of the ground contact element 14 enables the main frame to pivot, through a vertical plane, thereabout enabling further control of the penetration and pitch of the tines 4, 5. In even further enabling control of the tines 4, 5 a sub-frame 15 is articularly mounted to the rear of 15 the main frame 1. The sub-frame 15 is of similar width to the main frame 1 and is attached thereto by, for example, horizontally disposed stub-axles 22 at the sides of the main frame 1 positioned behind the ground contact element 14.

At or adjacent the rear of the sub-frame 15 a resilient ground impinging roller 16 is mounted. Preferably the impingement roller 16 is comprised of a series of annular rings of resilient 20 material such as typical road vehicle tyres sandwiched together to form a roller and extending the full width of the sub-frame 15. Means, such as remotely controlled hydraulic rams 17 are provided to influence a downward pressure on the impingement roller 16. Preferably this pressure is monitored and is also controllable. It will be seen that by altering the downward 12608339 ido 9307462 11.doc 564352 7 pressure imparted by the roller 16 on the ground 13, the fore and aft inclination of the main frame 1 about its articulate mounting on the ground contact element 14 can be altered. This constant and controllable down pressure together with the gravitational forces of the apparatus provides on going penetrating pressure to the cultivating tines 4 ensuring the tines 4, and to a 5 lesser extent also the tines 5, don't ride-up out of any ground surface soil being worked.

As mentioned above, preferably the ground contact element 14 is in the form of a seed groove, indentation or furrow forming device such as a "Cambridge" roller (having individual discs along the length thereof) preferably with pronounced seed-grove forming rings 19 on each disc 18. The rings 19 impress shallow grooves into soil tilled and levelled by the tines 4, 5 and into 10 which seed can be deposited and covered as described below. Preferably the ground contact element 14 is of substantial weight, for example 4 tonnes, and thus also acts to break up any soil lumps and compact the just worked soil.

A seed container/hopper 20, preferably enclosed, and associated distribution air seeder unit 21 is preferably mounted adjacently behind the "Cambridge" roller 14 to (referring in particular 15 Fig. 6) direct seeds therefrom into the indentions or grooves formed by the roller 14. The seeder unit 21 is preferably of a known structure such as an "Einbock pneumatic 600" (Trade Mark) and is driven by a wheel 25 which is rotated from contact with the roller 14. Preferably the drive wheel 25 can be remotely engaged and disengaged with the roller 14 by a hydraulic ram 26. Preferably the "Cambridge" roller provides substantially more seed 20 indentations or groves than there are nozzles however the geometry of the relationship therebetween provides that a majority of seeds are deposited in the indentations or grooves. Preferably a soil covering drag chain 28 or similar element is provided immediately behind the implanted seeds to enhance distribution and eventual coverage with soil of the seeds. 12608339 ido 9307462 11.doc 564352 8 A pair of ground transporting wheels 23 are mounted on a sub-axle assembly adjacent one side of the main frame 1. The ground wheels 23 are retractable such as by hydraulic controls, being lowerable (indicated by arrow 24) for transportation and retractable in a working mode of the apparatus. As mentioned above, to enable the transport mode the drawbar 2 is pivotally 5 mounted to the main frame 1 whereby the drawbar 2 can be swung from its forward working mode position to provide a transport mode position at a side of the main frame 1 distal of the ground wheels 23. In typical use preferably the tow bar 2 is disconnected from a towing tractor and swung manually between it two modes. Referring to Fig 6, also preferably the drawbar 2 mounting includes an a gating mechanism 2a enabling the forward inclination 10 (indicated by the double-head arrow) of the drawbar 1 to be set at different angles, for example, through a range of some 45 degrees to either side of centre. This enables the apparatus to be angled or off-set to the line of a towing tractor and, for example, aligned with a power harrow (not depicted) also being towed by the tractor.

Throughout this specification several references have been made to remote control of various 15 operating means such as rams and associated units. "Remote" in this context means as typically controllable from the towing tractor, this arrangement being well known. Ram associated hydraulic lines to and from the tractor enabling this remote control have been omitted from the drawings to assist clarity. 12608339 ido 9307462 11.doc 564352 9

Claims (3)

1. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1 A ground top soil surface layer working apparatus incorporating a main frame articularly carrying a ground surface contact element rotatable, in an operational mode, across a ground surface with fore and aft movement of the apparatus and a drawbar adapting the 5 apparatus to be towed by a conventional rear mounted tractor powered-lift tow coupling, characterised in that, at or adjacent a front of the main frame soil top layer working tines are mounted and, at or adjacent a rear of the main frame, an articulately mounted sub-frame supporting a resilient ground surface contact roller with the axis of rotation for the sub-frame being disposed horizontally and mounted rearwardly of the line of articulation of the ground 10 surface contact element, remotely operable raising and lowering means being provided to control the downward pressure exerted by the resilient ground surface contact roller.
2. 2 An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tines are articularly mounted and remotely operable pivoting means are provided to enable their angle of pitch to be altered.
3. 3 An apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein two sets of tines are 15 provided, being a set of cultivating tines disposed adjacently forward of a set of levelling tines 4 An apparatus as claimed in any one of the three immediately preceding claims wherein the ground surface contact element is a seed groove forming device and intermediate of the seed groove forming device and the resilient ground surface contact roller a seed dispersing apparatus is mounted. 20 5 An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the sub-frame is raiseable to provide ground clearance for the resilient roller. Mi-20-fmaiCAP 564352 10 6 An apparatus as claimed in any one of the five immediately preceding claims wherein retractable ground support wheels are carried by the main frame adjacent one side thereof and the drawbar is pivotally attached to the main frame whereby the drawbar can be set in a working mode extending forwardly of the main frame or a transporting mode disposed 5 transversely to a side of the main frame distal of the ground wheels with, in that transporting mode, the ground wheels being lowerable to raise the main frame and provide ground clearance for the otherwise ground contacting elements. 7 An apparatus as claimed in any one claims 3-6 inclusive wherein the tines include an upper springback section and each set of tines is carried on a transversely disposed beam with 10 the levelling tines being laterally off-set to the cultivating tines. 8 An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the/all the ground contact elements extend for substantially the full width of the main frame and the ground contact .element is of substantial weight. 9 An apparatus as claimed in any one of the claims 6-8 inclusive wherein a gating 15 mechanism is provide on the mounting of the drawbar to the main frame enabling the forward inclination of the drawbar to be altered. 10 A ground top soil surface layer working apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. PHILL ES HILL and SHANNON PHILLIP HILL 20 By their attorneys NEWNHAM & CO INTELj-ECmrpR5PERTY? OFFICE OF N 2 tHTY' 2 7 JAN 2009 RECEIV Fn