AU608407B2

AU608407B2 - Cultivator with reciprocating tines

Info

Publication number: AU608407B2
Application number: AU28928/89A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Allan Thomas Burke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-02-02
Filing date: 1989-01-27
Publication date: 1991-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 2009-01-27
Also published as: AU2892889A

Description

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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATIO

6 0 U *S 4 0 7 (original) FOR OFFICE USE Application Number: P16497 Lodged: 02/02/88 Class Int. Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority; Related Art: .This document contains the I n d e l mId u n d e r SectiOn 49 and is correC4 f Or printing. so 0 a r a a S. S

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r I TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLYCANTS Name of Applicant: ALLAN THOMAS BURKU Address of Applicant: Lot 25000, Evansdale Road, Merredin, in the State of Western Australia, Commonwealth of Australia Actual Inventor: All.an Thomas Burke Address for Service:- Wray Associates Primary Industry House 239 Adelaide Terrace Perth Western Australia 6000.

Complete Speci.fication for the invention entitled: "CULTIVATOR WITH RECIPROCATING TINES" The following statevient is a full description of this invention, includ'ng the best method of performing it known to us 0

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SeeS *005 S S *r S *5 2 THIS INVENTION relates to agricultural cultivating implements which utilise an array of cultivating tines.

The difficulty with such cultivators in the past has arisen from the tendency of trash to accumulate between and around the tines. In addition in the case of cultivating tools such as scarifiers, harrows and the like the ground cultivated by the tines of such implements is limited by the transverse extent of the portion of the point of the tine in engagement with the soil.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cultivating implement which reduces the tendency for the collection of trash between the tines and also increases the transverse zone of soil cultivated by the tine.

In one form the invention resides in an agricultural cultivating implement comprising a support frame which supports an array of cultivating tines, each of said tines being pivotally supported from the support frame to be capable of reciprocation about an axis substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the cultivating implement wherein said tines comprise at least two sets of tines the reciprocations of which are out of phase with each other.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the drive for said tines comprises a pair of transverse shaft members supported on the frame and being driven to be capable of reciprocation along an axis transverse to the direction of travel of the implement wherein one shaft member is associated with one set of tines and the other shaft member is associated with the other set of tines to cause reciprocation of the tines.

i- 3 According to a further preferred feature of the invention said drive means further comprises a shaft rotatably supported upon said frame and adapted to be driven from a power source said shaft being connected to said transverse shaft members through a crank mechanism to effect reciprocation of the transverse shaft members.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to one embodiment. The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:- Figure 1 is a schematic part plan of a cultivator according to the embodiment; a Figure 2 is a schematic part plan of a tine assembly sh aof the embodiment; and 0 00 Figure 3 is a schematic part side elevation of the tine assembly along line AA at Figure 2.

o The embodiment is directed to a harrow which comprises a oo, substantially rectangular support frame 10 having the Slonger axis thereof substantially transverse to the direction of travel of the implement wherein one side is provided with a drawbar assembly for connection to a tractor vehicle (not shown). The frame 10 supports a pair e* of intermediate parallel struts 11 which extend between the ends of the frame and are spaced from each othlir.

The frame 10 supports a rotating shaft 12 through suitable bearing assemblies which extends laterally across the frame and parallel struts 11 and is associated at the end adjacent the drawbar with a coupling for connection with the power take off a tractor vehicle. If desired, however the support frame may support a drive motor which is drivingly coupled to the rotating shaft 12. The rotating shaft 12 supports a pair of first gears of pulleys 13 each of which is coupled with a second gear or pulley supported C 4F .i i rr L 4 with a second gear or pulley supported on the support frame by a chain belt or the like. The second gears or pulleys 14 are supported on a separate idler shaft which supports a crank 16. Each crank 16 is coupled to a transverse shaft 17 which extend across the frame between the ends thereof transverse to the direction of tines whereby rotation of the crank 16 causes reciprocation of the transverse shaft 17 along an axis substantially transverse to the direction of travel of the cultivator.

The struts 11 support between them two sets of tine support assemblies 18 whereby one set of tine support assemblies extend between the forwardmost strut 11 and the central strut 11 while the other set of tine assemblies extend between the rearmost strut 11 and the central strut 11. Each tine support assembly comprises a support shaft 19 which is supported in bearing assemblies provided on the respective struts 11. The support shaft 19 is provided at an intermediate portion with an upstanding pair of radial arms 23 which are adapted to extend to each side of the transverse shaft 17 to be pivotally supported C therefrom by a pin 24 which extends between the radial arms 23 and through an aperture provided in the transverse shaft 17. The ends of the support shaft 19 each support a tine 21 and 21a the upper portion of which is received in an aperture in the end of the support shaft and is retained therein by a locking nut 22 threadably engaged on the end of the shaft thereupon the upper portion of the tine. The tine may take the form of a longitudinal pointed tine as in the case of a harrow or alternatively 30 may comprise a tine of the form utilised with a scarifier.

The crank connection between the cranks 16 and the respective transverse shaft 17 are substantially 1800 out of phase with each other in order that reciprocation of the respective transverse shafts 17 are substantially 1800 out of phase with each other.

i- I i; i -r I-I In use the rotation of the rotating shaft 12 which is effected from the power take off of the tractor or drive motor results in rotation of the cranks 16 'and corresponding reciprocation of the transverse shaft 17.

Such reciprocation is then transmitted to the tines 21 and 21a such that they reciprocate along an axis substantially transverse to the direction of travel of the implement.

When in use the tines cultivate a swathe of ground corresponding to the extent of reciprocation of the tines such reciprocation not only increases the extent of contact of the tine with the soil to increase the cultivation capacity of the implement but also serves to reduce the tendency of trash to collect between the tines.

The controlling of the reciprocation of the tines such that one set of tines reciprocate substantially 1800 out 0 of phase with the other set of tines ensures that substantially no reciprocatory motion transmitted to the implement frame on passage of the implement over the soil.

It should be appreciated that more than two sets of tines SAO may be caused to reciprocate and that the set of tines need not be restricted to an even number provided the tines are out of phase with each other to result in a minimal net reciprocatory moment being applied to the support frame as a result of the reciprocation of the tines.

S It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention need not be restricted to the particular scope of the embodiment described above.

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Claims

1. An agricultural cultivating implement comprising a support frame which supports an array of cultivating tines, each of said tines being pivotally supported from the support frame to be capable of reciprocation about an axis substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the cultivating implement wherein said tines comprise at least two sets of tines the reciprocation of which are out of phase with each other.

2. A cultivating implement as claimed at claim 1 wherein S* the drive for said tines comprises a pair of transverse shaft members supported on the frame and being driven to be capable of reciprocation along an axis transverse to S: the direction of travel of the implement wherein one shaft member is associated with one set of tines and the other shaft member is associated with the other set of tines to cause reciprocation of the tines.

3. A cultivating implement as claimed at claim 2 wherein said drive means further comprises a shaft rotatably supported upon said frame and adapted to be driven from a

4. power source said shaft being connected to said transverse ease&: shaft members through a crank mechanism to effect reciprocation of the transverse shaft members. 4. A cultivating implement as claimed at claim 1, 2 or 3 comprising two sets of tines wherein one set of tines reciprocate 180' out of phase with the other set of tines.

A cultivating implement as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the support frame is supported by wheels. -7

6. A cultivating implement as claimed at anyone of the preceding claims wherein the implement is a harrow.

7. A cultivating implement substantially as described. herein 0O 4* 4 to 0S S 06 *6 US S* 0g S S 4 I 56 55 0 6g 5 4.5 *s 50 0 S. 5 0 0m OOSSS* 4 a. S. *~S 5* 6 S 0S DATED this TWENTY-SEVENTH day of JANUARY, 1989. ALLAN THOMAS BURKE Applicant Wray Associates Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant I