57527 JOM:JW P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: HAIDNAY PTY LTD Actual Inventor: SHANE KELLY Address for Service: COLLISON & C0., 117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: AN AGRICULTURAL GROUND ENGAGING CHAIN AND AN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Australian Patent Application No. 2006905212 dated 21 September 2006 The following statement is a full description of this Invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 AN AGRICULTURAL GROUND ENGAGING CHAIN AND AN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT This invention relates generally to agricultural equipment and, more particularly, 6 to an agricultural implement that does not merely clear away material on top of a ground surface but rather is able to furrow the soil, break up the material so it can be incorporated into the ground or decomposed. The agricultural implement also provides for the levelling of the soil and uprooting of weeds. This invention also relates to a ground engaging agricultural chain and to a 10 method, process and/or assemblage of said chain. Farmed laid by its nature undergoes cyclic periods of sowing, growth and harvest. Sowing, growing and harvesting of crops all requires the certain conditioning of the soil if successful returns are going to be obtained from the worked area. 15 Conditions left over a farmed area particularly after harvest does not normally provide the ideal conditions in which further crops can be sowed- When the main crop is harvested the soil often still includes weeds that need to be destroyed as well as stubble and the like from previous crops requiring uprooting and cutting before any seed can be sowed. 20 Still further, not only does stubble require uprooting or cutting, weeds still need to be killed off, but also there is the further requirement of having the soil levelled such that sowing implements responsible for reintroducing a new crop into the field can do so efficiently and expeditiously. Though in the past various agricultural implements have been provided for that 25 attempt tc address certain of the above referenced ground engaging problems associated with uprooting or cutting of stubble, killing of weeds and also 3 levelling, as to date there is yet to be provided one multi purpose simple structural agricultural piece of apparatus that can achieve all these objectives when engaging a ground. The prior art is filled with various simplistic agricultural implements that tend to 5 focus on one aspect of the above listed problems, to an extent that if they are implemented they are likely to lead to an exaggeration of the remaining problems -eferred to above. For example, a Russian patent referred to as SU1 523061 was able to establish that by having a heavy chain pulled along by a tractor or the like, this heavy io chain by virtue of simply being a sequence of inter connected links, was able to pick up any debris, stubble or other material left on the surface and as it worked its way ac-oss was able to drag this material like a rake, and slowly level out the ground left behind. The problem with this construction is that as the chain had no special 15 characteristics other than simply being inter connected links, with no set rotation or the like, the chain simply was like one large heavy broom or rake which would carry the material along in a sweeping action rather than have the material settle in situ as part of the levelling process. The chain in this Russian invention had no capabilities of killing weeds that 20 remained on the surface nor could it effectively uproot or cut stubble and leave such material there in place. As explained above rather than simply uprooting or cutting the stubble left on the surface, the chain would pull and sweep this material away from the location from where it was originally derived from. Hence it had not opportunity to decompose and return to the soil. 2s At best the agricultural implement was adapted to ground engage in SU1 523061 for a raking effect of the ground by virtue of blades or spikes that 4 preceded the chain, and thereafter a flattening or sweeping effect was provided for by the chain. The raking of material on the land being tillaged is undesirable as it removes important nutrient derivable from the stubble and the like and also exposes 5 fresh soil to wind erosion and the like. There have been further examples whereby chains have been used to address some of the problems discussed above, but again each of these agricultural implements, in seeking to solve the problem of one aspect tend to exaggerate problems associated with the other problems. io For example, US document 4893682 provides for an agricultural implement whereby a rotating flexible chain can assist in soil erosion control. Nonetheless, the intended purpose of the invention is simply to slow down erosion by controlling water movement, which is done by the creation of dimples or miniature dams or the like across the ground surface as the chain is passed 15 there along. The creation of these dimple features result from the unique baffles or blades that extend out from longitudinal links. Though the chain is being pulled along by a tractor or the like, it still doesn't have a multi purpose whereby its able to provide ground levelling, weed control and stubble break up substantially insitu. 20 As with the chain provided for in the Russian document referred to above, all this chain simply does is provide a raking effect. So to in Russian documents SU745395 and SU982551 whereby the referred to spikes and chains without further characterisation though potentially being able to provide some ground levelling effect, there is no mechanism for spikes or 25 simple inter linked chains without more, to break up stubble, nor is there the ability to control the weed, by cutting up the weeds with the action of some further structural feature.
5 US document 1897820 and others like it, in US2825983, RU2068226 and SU973045 while employing chains as the main ground engaging implement still suffer in that each effect of dragging across the ground surface to clear away the debris on the surface rather than any reworking. 5 It would be advantageous to have a chain adapted such that it does not function to clear away material on the ground which it is working, but is able to furrow the soil and break up the material there in situ so it can be incorporated into the ground or decompose therein rather than being cleared away. At the same time this reworking by the chain can also provide for a levelling of the overall surface and 10 the uprooting and killing of any weeds to which may have infiltrated that area of land being worked. It would be further advantageous to provide an agricultural implement for breaking up the ground, furrowing it, and depositing the broken up material back into the ground. 15 It would be preferable to provide an agricultural implement, as aforesaid, that levels the ground maintaining its flexible chain harrows in tension. It would also be preferable to provide an agricultural implement, as aforesaid, that includes multiple chain harrows in diagonal configurations for breaking up soil and other material. 20 It would also be advantageous to provide an agricultural implement, as aforesaid, in which its plurality of concave discs and chain links enable material to pass through rather than being dragged along. It would be preferable to provide an agricultural implement, as aforesaid, having chain and disc links 25 that are rotatable about the longitudinal direction of the chain so as to effect multi-purpose actioning of the soil by being able to level the surface rather than dragging material while also breaking up or uprooting weeds or stubble. It would also be preferable to provide an agricultural implement, as aforesaid, in which the main 30 framework includes left and right folding members that may be folded both upwardly and inwardly for transport and storage. Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and 35 example, embodiments of this invention.
6 According to an aspect of the invention there is provided an agricultural implement for towing behind a tractor, including: a frame; a plurality of outer harrow members operatively coupled to the frame, each outer harrow 5 member arranged at an angle to the direction of travel of the tractor and including a plurality of discs coupled to a chain having a plurality of links; and wherein, each outer harrow member has a chain end coupled to a tensioning assembly which maintains tension in the chain of each outer harrow member. 10 In another form of the invention, there is provided a ground engaging chain made up of a plurality of inter connected links adapted when passed over an area of land, to effect a digging action providing a mechanism to break up said ground surface and objects thereon or therein, without substantially dragging said material further along the point of contact with the chain, said chain including: communications between the inter connected links such that one link is able to move relative 15 to the other, and wherein at least every second consecutive link includes a concave disc, 7 said chain with concave discs is characterised in being able to rotate along the ground and cut in to said ground thereby enabling to cut through weed, break up stubble and provide a ground levelling effect. An advantage of such an arrangement is that by having each link being able to 5 move relative one with the other, with the combination of having a concave disc present on at least every second consecutive link, means that rather than simply dragging the chain across an area of land which would result in literally sweeping or raking up of the surface, this chain is adapted to furrow the soil, and thereby break up the material, such as the stubble on the surface to allow it 10 to incorporate into the ground or decompose therein rather than be cleared away. Advantageously, the rotating discs are able to cut in or uproot weeds that remain held to the soil, and still further the overall sweeping and pulling action of the chan as it moves across the soil is able to settle and level the soil rather 15 than simply rake or drag the top soil. In preference, the concave disc is secured to each link within the alignment so as to have its circular periphery defines a plane, so that the plane will be transversed to a central axis passing along a direction of elongation of the respective link. 20 In preference, the plurality of links has each link which is a very heavy link integrally shaped to follow a closed path and inter connect in a traditional manner with other links. In a further form of the invention, there is provided for a method of making a ground engaging chain as referred to above, whereby the concave discs are 25 formed by pressing a circular sheet or plane of resilient material, the pressed disc is then symmetrically cut and then fastened around consecutive links.
8 Preferably, symmetrically cut discs are welded onto consecutive links. In still a further form of the invention there is provided a ground engaging chain adapted to be rotatable about the direction of elongation of the chain to thereby effect a turning, cutting, and levelling effect over a ground surface as it is pulled 5 along such surface; said chain including a plurality of links, each of the links being able to move relative one with the other, wherein each link includes a concave disc characterised in one side of the disc there is a hook which is adapted to link with a socket or loop located on an opposing side of the concave disc to the 10 hook on an adjacent link. Preferably the hook, loop and concave disc are all integral such that the chain can be assembled simply by hooking the hook of one link into the loop of an adjacent o- preceding link. In a further form of the invention there is provided an agricultural implement 15 according to the present invention that includes a frame having a front end, a rear end, a left side, a right side, and a plurality of tires. Further, the implement includes a plurality of harrow members, each harrow member having plurality of discs and a chain with a plurality of links. The discs are coupled to the links and extend generally outwardly therefrom. 20 A first harrow is operatively coupled to the frame generally adjacent to the front end and said left side, wherein the first harrow member extends in a first diagonal d rection. A second harrow member is operatively coupled to the frame generally adjacent the front end and right side, wherein the second harrow member extends in a second diagonal direction. 25 A third har-ow member is operatively coupled to the frame generally adjacent the left side and the rear end, wherein the third harrow member also extends in 9 the second diagonal direction. A fourth harrow member is operatively coupled to the frame generally adjacent the right side and the rear end, wherein the fourth harrow member extends in the first diagonal direction. Additional harrow members nay be positioned to the interior of the harrows disclosed above and 5 may be situated at opposing diagonal configurations. Each chain has a front end and a rear end with each chain front end being relatively forward of the chain rear end- Further, each disc has a concave side facing a respective chain front end and a convex side facing a respective chain rear end. The first, second, third, and fourth harrows are outer harrow members. 10 Each outer harrow member chain has an end coupled to a tensioning assembly such that tMe harrow member remains flexible to conform to a ground surface but with tension not to either bottom out in low areas or to glide over high areas without digging in. It is important that the concave portions of the discs generally face forward. This 15 facilitates a greater ability to engage the soil and to furrow the soil. In essence, this orientation may actually contribute to a sharpening of the leading edge of the disc so as to allow it to more effectively cut and uproot weeds and improves the effect of mulching the stubble. In addition, the forward orientation of the concave portions more effectively turns the soil for creating a greater ability to 20 level uneven fields. The greater movement of soil is also beneficial when using the harrow to incorporate beneficial seeds, manures, and fertilizers into the soil. The agricultural implement also includes a pair of offset rear wheels that inhibit the harrow members from becoming high centered when one portion of the implement is situated over a low area, e.g. a water furrow, while another portion 25 is over a 'igh area. More particularly, the offset wheels assist in keeping the entire implement properly positioned over a ground surface while being dragged over uneven portions of a field.
10 For a better understanding of this invention it will now be described in relation to drawings wherein; Figure 1 is a perspective view of the link in one preferred embodiment of the invention looking at the hook side; 5 Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the link of the chain in one preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the individual link shown in figures 1 and 2, in a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 3a shows the inter linking of the individual links shown in figures 1 to 2 in 10 order to assemble a length of chain of which is then adapted to be pulled along by a tractor or the like in order to ground engage as shown in figure 3b; Figure 4a shows a cross sectional view of a further embodiment of the invention whereby the loop and hook form an assemblage of the overall link as again shown perspectively in figure 4b; 15 Figures 5a and 5b show a further way in which the chain can be assembled; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an agricultural implement according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention: Fig. 7 is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from a portion of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a, isolated view on an enlarged scale of the offset wheels as shown in 20 Fig. 6; Fig. 9a is a top view of a chain harrow member removed from the agricultural implement as in Fig. 6; 11 Fig. 9b is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from a portion of the harrow member of Fig. 9a; Fig. 1 Oa is a perspective view of the agricultural implement on a reduced scale as in Fig. 6 with the side members in an unfolded configuration; 5 Fig. 1Ob is a perspective view of the agricultural implement as in Fig. 11 a with the side members in an upwardly folded configuration; Fig. 1 Oc is a perspective view of the agricultural implement as in Fig. 11 a with the side members in an upwardly and inwardly folded configuration; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a disc removed from a harrow member wherein 10 the link is an open link; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a disc removed from a harrow member, wherein the link is a closed link; Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view of the disc; Fig. 14 is a side view of a portion of a harrow member; 15 Fig. 15 is a cross sectional view of the disc showing the disc and link with a separated construction; Fig. 16 is an exploded view of the disc; and Fig. 17 is another perspective view of a chain harrow member. Referring to the drawings now in greater detail where figure 1 a shows a 20 perspective view of a link 10 whereby a hook member 12 is adapted to inter connect with a loop member 14 of an adjacent link 10.
12 Each link includes a concave disc 16 such that when the links 10 are inter connected through the hook 12 and loop 14, the chain 18 as shown in figures 3a and 3b can be assembled, such that when a ground engaging vehicle, such as a tractor 20 shown in figure 3b pulls the chain 18 along a farming field, the 5 individual links 10 are adapted so as to be rotatable about the direction of elongation of the chain, such that the concave disc as arranged in figure 3b are able to effect multi purpose actioning of the soil by being able to level the surface through the resettling of the top soil, rather than the dragging thereof, penetrate the soil such as to dislodge and cut off any weeds and also at the 1n same time if required break up or uproot any stubble that may be on the top surface. Nonetheless, advantageously and most importantly by virtue of the concave disc arrangement of the links, the action is carried out such that material is allowed to pass through the working chain rather than being dragged along as is one would expect from conventional pulling of a chain across a surface or running a series of spikes perpendicular to the area of land being worked. In figures 4a and 4b an alternative embodiment of the individual links which are assembled to form the chain are provided for. In this embodiment rather than having the loop 14 and hook 12 of the disc 10 integrally assembled, the 20 embodiment shown in figures 4a and 4b show that the hook member 22 as well as the loop member 24 is detachable by way of a fastening member 26 to the concave disc 28. An advantage of such an arrangement is that should the concave disc 28 become damaged or deteriorate in condition, it can be conveniently replaced 25 with another thereby avoiding the need to simply have to remachine or dispose of the original link that was responsible for forming part of the chain assemblage.
13 Figure Sa shows a further form of the linkages of which can be used to assemble the chain which is described with this invention. The chain 30 is made up of individual links 32 of which each consecutive link includes a circular concave disc 34 which is welded onto the link 32. 5 Figure 5b shows a schematic representation of the preparation of such a chain which includes obtaining a sheet of metal 36 and pressing the metal into a concave disc shape 38 where it is cut symmetrically into two halves 40a, 40b where thereinafter the two halves 40a, 40b are then welded onto links 32. An agricultural implement 100 (also referred to herein as a "harrow device") 10 according 10 the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to Figs 6 through 17 of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, an agricultural implement 100 according to the current invention includes a frame 110 and a plurality of harrow members 120. The frame 110 has a front end 11 2a, a rear end 11 2b, a left side 11 2c, and a 15 right side 112d. A first folding member 113 rMay define the left side 112c, and a second folding member 114 may define the right side 112d. The folding members 113, 114 may selectively fold upwardly relative to a remainder 111 of the frame 110 and inwardly relative to the remainder 111 of the frame 110. Similarly, a folding member 115 may define the rear end 11 2b, and the folding 20 member 115 may selectively fold upwardly relative to the remainder 111 of the frame 110. The folding described above may allow the frame 110 to travel on a roadway or in other areas having restricted widths and/or lengths. The frame 110 may further include a plurality of tires 116. Two of the tires 116 may be coupled to the frame 110 in a generally central location 11 6a and may 25 be generally coaxial, and two of the tires 116 may be coupled to the frame 110 in a generally rearward location 11 6b and have offset axes. The offset axes of 14 the tires 116 at the rearward location 11 6b may help keep the frame 110 from high-centering (or "bottoming out") when passing over a water furrow in a field or other similar obstacles, as one of the wheels 116 may remain on a higher side of the furrow even when the other does not. 5 Each harrow member 120 may include a plurality of discs 122 and a chain 124 with a plurality of links 125. As shown in Figs. 4a, 4b, and 6 through 12, the discs 122 may be coupled to the links 125 and extend generally outwardly therefrom. Each chain 124 may have a front end 124a and a rear end 124b, each disc 122 may have a concave side 122b 5 facing a respective chain front 10 end 124a, and each disc 122 may have a convex side 122a facing a respective chain rear end 124b. The links 125 are preferably movable relative to one another and may be closed links 125a, such as links typically used in chains, or the links 125 may be open links 125b with hook and loop portions 126a, 126b. The discs 122 may be 15 coupled to every link 125, to approximately every second link 125, or otherwise as appropriate 1f open links 125b are used, the hook portions 126a may be configured to receive a -espective loop portion 126b of another link 125, and the loop portions 126b may be configured to receive a respective hook portion 126a of another 20 link 125. In addition, the hook and loop portions 126a, 126b may be selectively separable. In other words, the hook and loop portions 126a, 126b may be screwed together or otherwise fastened to form loops 125. A first harrow member 120 may be operatively coupled to the frame 110 generally adjacent the front end 112a and the left side 112c so that the first 25 harrow member 120a extends in a first diagonal direction. A second harrow member 120 may be operatively coupled to the frame 110 generally adjacent the front end 11 2a and the right side 11 2d so that the second harrow member 15 120b extends in a second diagonal direction generally opposite to the diagonal direction of the first harrow member 120a. A third harrow member 120 may be operatively coupled to the frame I 10 generally adjacent to the left 5 side I 12c and the rear end 112b so that the third harrow member 120c extends in generally the same diagonal direction as the second harrow member 120b. A fourth harrow member 120 may be operatively coupled to the frame I 10 generally adjacent the right side 11 2d 5 and the rear end I I2b so that the fourth harrow member 120d extends in generally the 10 same diagonal direction as the first harrow member 120a. The first and second harrow members 120a, 120b may be spaced apart adjacent the front end I 12a, and the third and fourth harrow members 120c, 120d may be spaced apart adjacent the rear end I 12b. To ensure that all ground surfaces passing underneath the frame 110 contact at least two harrow 15 members 120 extending in opposite diagonal directions, first and sixth harrow members 120 may be included. The fifth harrow member 120e may be operatively coupled to the frame 110 so that it extends in a diagonal direction over a space having a width that is as large as the space between the first and second harrow members 120a, 120b at the front end 11 2a and as large as the space between the third and fourth harrow members 120c, 120d at the rear end 11 2b. 20 Similarly, the sixth harrow member 120f may be operatively coupled to the frame 110 so that is extends in a diagonal direction over a space having a width that is as large as the space between the first and second harrow members 120a, 120b at the front end I 12a and as large as the space between the third and fourth harrow members 120c, 120d at the rear end 1 12b. The diagonal direction of the 25 sixth harrow member 120f may be opposite the diagonal direction of the fifth harrow member 120e. Throughout the specification, harrow members described as extending in a diagonal direction may also be described as being arranged at an angle to the direction of travel of a tractor or similar device that is towing the agricultural implement.
16 For each harrow member chain 124, the front end 124a may be relatively forward of the rear end 124b so that the sides 122a of the discs 122 face forward. The chain 124 of each outer harrow member 120 (i.e., the first, second, third, and fourth harrow members 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d) may have an end 5 124a, 124b coupled to a tensioning assembly 130. Each tensioning assembly 130 may have a generally vertical shaft 132 passing through the frame 110. The shaft 132 may have upper and lower arms 134a, 134b that extend outwardly. The upper arm 134a may be coupled to the frame 110 by a spring 135, and tie lower arm 134b may be coupled to a respective chain end 124a, 10 124b. A bearing 136 may couple each lower arm 134b to the respective chain end 124a, 124b to allow the chain ends 124a, 124b to rotate relative to the lower arms 134b. In use, the frame 110 may be pulled across a ground surface (e.g., a field used for farming) by a tractor or another appropriate pulling device- The harrow 15 members 120 may act to level the ground surface and additionally break up the ground surface without dragging and removing all of the top soil, More particularly, the links 125 of the chains 124 may rotate as they interact with the ground surface, causing the discs 122 to rotate and cut through the ground surface. 20 The arrangement of the concave discs 122 may allow parts of the ground surface to pass through the chains 124 rather than simply being dragged along, as typically results when conventional chains are pulled across a ground surface. By positioning the harrow members 120 as described above, two separate harrow members 120 may pass in opposite directions over every part 25 of the ground surface under the frame 110, aiding the levelling and cutting effect of the har-ow members 120. The bearings 136 may allow the chains 124 to rotate relative to the frame 110, and the tensioning assemblies 130 may keep the chains 124 in relative tension 17 so that the chains 124 do not get forced too high over high spots of the ground surface or too low in low spots of the ground surface. In other words, the tensioning assemblies 130 may ensure that the harrow members 120 dig into the 5 ground surface only when appropriate. To allow the agricultural implement 100 to travel on a roadway or in other areas having restricted widths and/or lengths, the folding members 113,1 14,115 may be folded as described above. Some or all of the harrow 5 members 120 may or may not have to be removed from the frame 110 for the folding members 113, 114, 115 to be folded. 10 It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that various modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be understood to include all such modifications in its scope. 15 The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. 20 It will be understood that the term "comprise" and any of its derivatives (eg. comprises, comprising) as used in this specification is to be taken to be inclusive of features to which it refers, and is not meant to exclude the presence of any additional features unless otherwise stated or implied.