AU1838499A - Cultivator sweep assembly - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: Name of Applicant: Gen Manufacturing Ltd.

Actual Inventor(s): Henry John Bergen Address for Service: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: CULTIVATOR SWEEP ASSEMBLY Our Ref 573173 POF Code: 75491/357007 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1- 8662-003 CULTIVATOR SWEEP ASSEMBLY Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cultivator sweep assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cultivator sweep assembly including a cultivator sweep and a sweep holder that may be quickly and easily attached to a cultivator implement without the use of mechanical fasteners such as bolts and nuts and the like.

Background of the Invention A wide variety of cultivating tools have evolved over the years for the tillage of soil. Such tools have been designed for a variety of purposes and soil conditions. Wing sweeps evolved for the purpose of performing the function of cutting off or uprooting weeds as well as for breaking up or mulching the surface of the soil in order to conserve soil moisture.

Wing sweep designs generally include a forwardly pointed body which is attached to a cultivating implement of some sort. Such wing sweeps include a pair of blades or wings which extend rearwardly from opposite sides of the body, or in some cases, a single blade or wing on one side of the body only. The body wings have customarily been provided with cutting edges extending rearwardly from the point of the body and along the outer front edges of the wings, the wings and the body being shaped so that the cutting edges are in the pattern of a with the apex of the being at the point. In many types of such sweeps, the V-pattern edge lies substantially in a plane. In the transverse direction, the wing or blade inclines upwardly and outwardly from the edge.

8662-003 Such sweeps are adapted for use on cultivator implements that are drawn by tractors whereby they are propelled at a high forward velocity through the soil and subjected to substantial mechanical strains.

Examples of wing sweep designs are disclosed in U.S.

Pat. Nos. 5,176,209, 4,787,462 2,351,388, 2,595,353, 2,704,499 and 3,038,424, incorporated herein by reference. As can be seen from these particular prior art patents, the V-shaped wing sweep design as described above is common. The basis for this V-shape design resides in the modern approach to sweep cultivation wherein evaporation of moisture from soil can be reduced if a layer of the surface soil is sliced 'or sheared off from the underlying soil and then replaced with a minimum of soil agitation with the soil surface being left relatively level without furrows and ridges. The sweep designs of the above-referenced patents contribute to this concept of cultivation and mulching in various ways and include wings that diverge 20 rearwardly in a so that the soil flows rearwardly over the body of the sweep and falls by gravity downwardly between the stern and wings and is not thrown or plowed violently toward the sides. The soil is thus replaced on the ground surface between the wings rearwardly of the sweep and avoids the plowing of S* the sweep wing portions. It will be appreciated that in the V-shape designs, the nose or tip of the sweep tends to flatten to a very blunt shape. When this occurs drawing of the sweep through the soil can become.

very difficult since the tip is not sufficiently sharp to cause easy initial separation of the soil and penetration of the sweep through the soil. Another wear characteristic of the existing sweep designs is that such sweeps also tend to wear faster at the distal tip portions of the wings as opposed to the center of -2- 8662-003 the wings. This wearing of the end portions of the wings tends to reduce the width of the sweep during its lifetime, thus narrowing the path which the sweep makes through the soil. Since the purpose of the sweep is to shear as much surface soil as possible at one time, this narrowing of the sweep reduces the effectiveness and efficiency of the cultivating tool carry the sweep or a plurality of such sweeps.

Finally, sweeps have incorporated a cutting edge inclined to the surface of the ground in order to increase the penetration and cutting capability of the sweep. In order to increase the angle of inclination to the ground, the rear portions of the wing members have generally been designed to be uplifted relative to the ground surface as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,352,388 and 2,704,499, incorporated herein by reference. A problem with such uplifting of the rear portion of the sweep is that it will achieve better penetration into the ground, the elevation of the rear portion of the sweep will tend to increase the agitation of the soil.

The cultivator sweeps such as disclosed in U.S.

Pat. No. 4,787,462 include a stem designed to attach the cultivator sweep to a support member of a cultivating implement. The stem attaches over a 25 vertical shank of a standard cultivating implement. A problem with such attachment is that the cultivator sweep is mechanically fastened to the vertical shank and can come loose and fall off the vertical shank.

Furthermore, the mechanical fastener must be either loosened and/or tightened to remove and/or attach the cultivator sweep to the vertical shank thereby increasing downtime of the cultivating implement.

Although the various cultivator sweep assembly designs have.been proven to perform satisfactorily, further improvements on the design of cultivator sweeps 8662-003 is desired. An object of the present invention is to provide a cultivator sweep assembly including a cultivator sweep and sweep holder that is simple to attach and economical to make. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cultivator sweep assembly that is secured to a sweep holder by an interference fit. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cultivator sweep assembly that is secured to a sweep holder and is retained against the sweep holder by the action of the cultivator sweep passing through the soil.

Summary of the Invention Briefly, there is provided a cultivator sweep assembly including a cultivator sweep that is secured to a sweep holder that is attached to a cultivator implement for shearing surface soil. The cultivator sweep includes a body member having a front nose portion, a rear portion and a pair of laterally outwardly extending wing members. The rear portion includes a slot. The sweep holder includes an insertion member and at least two flanges. The insertion member is received within the slot and the at least two flanges extend outwardly from the insertion 25 member and define grooves to receive the body member.

An interference fit is created between the body member of the cultivator sweep and the at least two flanges of the sweep holder to securely retain the cultivator sweep with respect to the sweep holder.

Description of the Drawings Further features and other objects and advantages of this invention will become clear from the following detailed description made with reference to the drawings in which: -4- 8662-003 Fig-ure 1 is a partial perspective view of a sweep holder and a cultivator sweep; Figure 2 is a partial exploded view of a cultivator implement, sweep holder and cultivator sweep; and Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Detailed DescriptLion of the Iavention In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts. Also in the following description', it is to be understood that such terms as "forwardly", "rearwardly" and the like, are words of convenience.

15 Referring to the figures, there is shown a cultivator sweep assembly 8 including a cultivator sweep 10 and a sweep holder 30. The cultivator sweep 10 includes a body member 12 which is elongated and forwardly pointed and terminates in a front nose portion 14. A pair of wing members 16 extend laterally outwardly from the body member 12 and diverge rearwardly to a longitudinal axis 18 of the body member. The longitudinal axis 18 defines the line of travel for the cultivator sweep 10, and each wing member 16 is preferably a mirror image of the wing on the opposite side of the axis. The wing members 16 join each other along the axis 18 to form the front nose portion 14 at the forward, innermost ends thereof.

The outermost or distal ends of the wing members 16 terminate along flat edge surfaces 20. The edge surfaces 20 are preferably aligned substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis 18. A forward edge 8662-003 22 of each wing member 16 may include a cutting surface of a type well known in the art. The forward edge 22 of each wing member 16 is substantially steeper than the plane of the ground surface and the more rearwardly disposed portions of each wing member.

Disposed along the longitudinal axis 18 of the body member. 12 and extending from a rear portion 24 of the body member is a slot 26. Although the slot 26 is shown as a rectangular shaped slot, the slot may be of most any suitable shape and size to receive an insertion member 28 as more fully described herein.

For example, the slot 26 may be triangular, semicircular or semi-oval shaped and the like.

The cultivator sweep 10 is adapted to be secured 15 to a sweep holder 30 which in turn is secured to a cultivator implement (not shown) of a type well known in the art. It will be appreciated that the sweep holder 30 may be formed integral with the cultivator implement or mechanically fastened zo the cultivator implement as well known in the art. The cultivator sweep 10 and/or the sweep holder 30 may be formed of most any suitable material, such as high grade steel materials and the like, using metallurgy techniques well known in the art.

The sweep holder 30 includes an insertion member 28 and at least two flanges 32. The insertion member 28 is of a size and shape to fit within the corresponding slot 26 of the cultivator sweep 10. The flanges 32 extend outwardly from the insertion member 28 and define grooves 34 adapted to receive the body member 12 of the cultivator sweep -6- 8662-003 It will be appreciated that the sweep holder may include one or more grooves 34 to provide for multiple possible attachment positions of the cultivator sweep with respect to the sweep holder. For example, one or more of the grooves 34 may be inclined or skewed thereby allowing the cultivator sweep 10 to also be inclined or skewed and form an angle with the soil surface as opposed to being parallel with the soil surface as previously described.

The cultivator sweep 10 is attached to the sweep holder 30 by sliding the insertion member 28 within the slot 26 and the body member 12 of the cultivator sweep within the grooves 34 formed by the flanges 32. An interference fit is created between the body member 12 of the cultivator sweep 10 and the flanges 32 of the sweep holder 30 to securely retain the cultivator sweep with respect to the sweep holder. As used herein the term interference fit refers to a frictional locking fit between the members.

20 As shown in Figure 3, an area of the body member 12 proximate the slot 26 is contoured to provide an interference fit with the sweep holder 30 and lock the cultivator sweep 10 to the sweep holder. It will be appreciated that the flanges 32 may also be contoured either in place of, or in addition to, the cultivator sweep to provide an interference fit.

In a preferred embodiment, the longitudinal length of the flanges 32 and the grooves 34 are formed such that during operation of the cultivator sweep 10, the cultivator sweep is pushed rearward against the sweep holder 30 by the action of the cultivator sweep through the soil. In a most preferred embodiment, the 8662-003 longitudinal length of the flanges 32 and the grooves 34 are formed substantially parallel to a top plane formed by the soil surface. It will be appreciated that because the cultivator sweep 10 moves forward against the soil and substantially parallel to the horizontal soil surface during operation, the cultivator sweep 10 is pushed against the sweep holder and will not dislodge from the sweep holder as may occur with vertically tapered, wedge mounted cultivator sweeps.

As shown in the figures, the slot 26, grooves 34 and insertion member 28 cooperatively stabilize and lock the cultivator sweep 10 with respect to the cultivator implement. Furthermore, because of the slide-on attachment design of the cultivator sweep the sweep holder 30 may be formed with a substantially lower profile than heretofore known sweep holders thereby disturbing the soil less as the cultivator sweep is pulled through the soil. For example, the 20 sweep holder may be as narrow as about X of an inch in diameter and still provide sufficient strength.

Moreover, the slide-on attachment design facilitates ease of replacement of the cultivator sweep without the use of mechanical fasteners.

The documents, patents and patent applications referred to herein are hereby incorporated by reference.

Having described presently preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

-8-

Claims (11)

1. 8662-003 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1 1. A cultivator sweep assembly that is capable of 2 being attached to a cultivator impletneflt for shearing 3 surfa.ce soil,- comprising: 4 a cultivator sweep including a body member having a front nose portion, a rear portion and a pair of 6 laterally outwardly extend ifg wing members, said rear 7 portion having a slot; and 8 a sweep holder includinlg at least one groove 9 adapted to receive said body member of said cultivator sweep, each groove having an insertion member and at 11i least two flanges, said insertion member received *12 within said slot and said at least two flanges 13 etending outwardly from said insertion member, wherein 14 an interference fit is created between said body member of said cultivator sweep and said at least two flanges *16 of said sweep holder to securely retain said cultivator *17 sweep with respect to said sweep holder. 1
2. 2. The combination of Claim 1 wherein an area of said 2 body member proximate said slot is contoured to provide 3 an interference fit with said sweep holder.
3. 3. The combination of Claim I wherein said at least 2 two flanges are contoured to provide an interference 3 fit with said body member. 1
4. 4. The combination of Claim I wherein said grooves 2 are formed substantially parallel to a plane of the 3 soil surface. 1
5. 5. The combination of Claim I wherein said body 2 member includes a longitudinal axis and said slot is 3 disposed along said longitudinal axis 8662-003 1
6. 6. The combination of Claim 5 wherein said slot is a 2 rectangular shaped slot. 1
7. 7. The combination of Claim 1 wherein each said wing 2 member is a mirror image of a wing member disposed on 3 an opposite side of said longitudinal axis. 1
8. 8. The combination of Claim 1 wherein said wing 2 members include a forward edge having a cutting 3 surface. 1
9. 9. The combination of Claim 1 wherein said insertion 2 member is of a size and shape to match an opening 3 within said slot of said cultivator sweep. 1
10. 10. The combination of Claim 1 wherein said flanges 2 extend outwardly from the insertion member and define 3 grooves adapted to receive said body member of said 4 cultivator sweep. 1 11. A cultivator sweep secured to a sweep holder that 2 is attached to a cultivator implement for shearing 3 surface soil, the cultivator sweep comprising: S4 a body member including a longitudinal axis, a 5 front nose portion, a rear portion and a laterally 6 outwardly extending wing member disposed on each side 7 of said longitudinal axis, said rear portion having a 8 slot disposed along said longitudinal axis for 9 receiving the sweep holder. 1 12. The cultivator sweep of Claim 11 wherein said slot 2 is a rectangular shaped slot. 8662-003 71 13. A cultivator sweep assem'bly capable of being 2 attached tc a cultivator implemnent for shearinlg surf ace 3 soil comprising: 4 a cultivator sweep including a body member -having a front nose portionr a rear portion and a pair of 6 laterally outwardly extending wing members, said rear 7 porti on having a slot; and 8 a sweep holder includinlg at least one insertion 9 member and at least two flanges, at least one insertion member capable of being received within said slot and 11 said at least two flanges extending outwardly from said so&12 insertion member and defining grooves positioned 9 13 substantially parallel to a plane of the surface soil '14 to receive said body member, wherein an interference o o 15 fit is created between said body member of said 16 cultivator sweep and said at least two flanges of said 17 sweep holder to securely retain said cultivator sweep 18 with respect to said sweep holder. 71 14. The combination of Claim 13 wherein an area of 2 adbdy member proximate said slot is contoured to 3 provide an interference fit with said sweep holder. 15 h obntion of Claim 13 wherein said at least 96. 1 59h ob n 2 two flanges are contoured to provide an interference 3 fit with said body member. 1 16. The combination of Claim 13 wherein said body 2 member includes a longitudinal axis and said slot is 3 disposed along said longitudinal axis 1 17. The combination of Claim 13 wherein said slot is a 2 rectangular shaped slot.
11. 11 8662-003 1 18. The combination of Claim 16 wherein each said wing 2 member is a mirror image of a wing member disposed onl 3 an opposite side of said longitudinal axis. 1 19. The combination of Claim 13 wherein said wing 2 members include a forward edge having a cutting 3 surface. DATED: 24th February, 1999 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: GEN MANUFACTURING LTD. 0*il 12-