Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
  • A01B1/00—Hand tools
  • A01B1/06—Hoes; Hand cultivators
  • A01B1/065—Hoes; Hand cultivators powered

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a portable manually held device for working soil, comprising a rod provided on one end with a device that can be rotatably driven by means of a driving axis located in the rod, which is connected to a motor being located on the rod.
• Such devices can be provided with various types of auxiliary parts for performing different agricultural or horticultural tasks.
• auxiliary parts for performing different agricultural or horticultural tasks. Examples include a lawn mower, consisting in a round vertical axis as a rotary cutting member consisting of a cord or cutting knives or blades, etc.
• the aim of the present invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned type, allowing for weeding to be performed in a simple and efficient way.
• the device consists in cylindrical brush having, during normal use of the device, its axis horizontally oriented. It has been found that such a brush had such an action on plants and vegetation that those were so to speak cut and reduced to powder and this to a level nearly coinciding with the soil surface. When used at the right places, nearly all the weeds can thereby be eliminated without any residues. A subsequent weed raking is thereby even superfluous.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of a device according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the brush according to the invention.
• the device as illustrated in the drawing, is of a type as further detailed in the U.S. patents 2002/0004988, 2002/0004989 and 2002/0032965 and as far as the device according to the invention is identical to it, it should be referred to those publications. But it is obvious that other basic devices of the same type can also be used according to the invention.
• the device comprises a rod 1, at one end of which an auxiliary or working part 2 can be provided such that it can be driven by means of a driving axis moving inside the rod and which is in addition connected with a motor 3.
• the driving axis and the auxiliary part 2 are provided with appropriate coupling and connecting means which are generally known to the man of the art.
• Handles 4 are further provided on the rod 1 for operating the device.
• the auxiliary part 2 comprises a cylindrical brush 5, which is connected, through a perpendicular coupling means 6, with a driving axis through which it can be rotatably driven.
• the perpendicular coupling means 6 has an outlet axis, from which a hollow cylindrical brush 5 can be slid and can be attached by means known per se.
• the cylindrical cavity in the brush 5 has additionally a slidable fit relative to the outlet axis of the perpendicular coupling means 6 and attaching can be made with a bolt. Replacing a brush is thereby very easy.
• the perpendicular coupling means 6 may have two outlet axis ends, one on each side with respect to the rod 1, which are located preferably in line with each other. Moreover, a cylindrical brush may be arranged on each axis end, as illustrated hereinabove.
• a cylindrical protective plate 7 is arranged round the cylindrical brush 5 and essentially co-axially, extending over a part of the periphery of the brush 5 and preventing sand and weed residues to swirl. It appears that in addition, because of such a protective plate 7, a grinding effect occurs between the brush 5 and the plate 7 as long as the distance between both parts is sufficiently small. In order to optimize such a grinding effect and to have a satisfactory protection, the protective plate should extend over at least 90° of the periphery of the brush, preferably over more than 150°.
• the brush construction is so critical that a material should be selected for the brush hairs which has a satisfactory robustness and wear resistance.
• metals and plastics could be considered, preferably metal, and more preferably stainless steel.
• the brush hairs should have a sufficient free length so as to show a sufficient flexibility when the device is being operated. In practice, it is found that a free length of brush hairs ranging from 40 to 80 mm gives good results and minimizes brush jamming in the ground to a minimum without adversely affecting the hoeing action. This can be further improved in inserting the brush hairs according to given patterns in the core, for example spirally running round the periphery of the core.
• the brush hairs are preferably inserted in a number of rows so that the brush hairs form helically shaped surfaces.
• the insertion can be continuous in each row or arranged by points in each row.
• the axial length of the brush is not directly subjected to limitations, the length should preferably be selected so that, on the one hand, the handiness of the device should be maintained satisfactory and on the other hand, so as to have the opportunity to selectively remove weeds between the other plants.
• the experience has learned that axial brush lengths ranging from 120 to 200 mm are most satisfactory, more preferably ranging from 120 to 160 mm.
• a high speed is a particular advantage of this type of applications.
• devices of this type operate with reasonably high speeds and good results are already achieved with speeds of 3,000 rpm, but there is no objection against higher speeds up to for example 12,000 rpm.
• speeds of 3,000 rpm speeds a satisfactory operation is already noticed, but preferably higher speeds should be used, since this has a positive influence on hoeing and reducing to powder and swirling does not increase, rather the contrary, preferably by using speeds higher than 6,000 rpm and more preferably higher than 10,000 rpm.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Soil Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Soil Working Implements (AREA)
• Harvester Elements (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=31185866

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Citations (8)

• 2002
  • 2002-07-29 NL NL1021175A patent/NL1021175C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2003
  • 2003-07-24 AU AU2003248161A patent/AU2003248161A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-07-24 WO PCT/NL2003/000539 patent/WO2004010766A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (8)

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