AU2007100684B4

AU2007100684B4 - Plant removal apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2007100684B4
Application number: AU2007100684A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Euan Donald McLean
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-07-25
Filing date: 2007-07-25
Publication date: 2007-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 2015-07-25
Also published as: AU2007100684A4

Description

P/00/012 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: "PLANT REMOVAL APPARATUS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: SPLANT REMOVAL APPARATUS This invention relates to plant removal apparatus which is suitable for Sremoving entire plants inclusive of a rootball and plant crown from the ground. This has reference to plants or weeds such as Lantana which are oo very difficult to remove because of the fact that the rootball is firmly _embedded in the ground due to outwardly extending root growth. In Australia SLantana is considered to be a noxious weed and it is extremely desirable to clear an existing tract of land of Lantana and other undesired weeds or vegetation prior to cultivation.

In this regard it will be appreciated that Lantana is considered one of the harmful weeds in the world as it spreads rapidly and occupies major forestland. It inhibits natural pollination, leaving the native trees unpollinated.

It also fuels forest fires.

Usual methods of clearing Lantana include an initial slashing process to create access to the Lantana plants followed by a manual grubbing process to remove the plants. An example of a mechanical grubbing process is to use a stick rake and blade plough.

Usually, for large, dense infestations, where Lantana makes up a major part of the undergrowth and access is limited, the only possibly form is by fire or by the use of biological control agents or chemical agents. These agents may be applied by foliar spraying using a hose and hand gun or knapsack sprayers. Slashing infestations around forest edges can be appropriate if access is possible.

In cases where infestations are inaccessible or the use of chemical agents is inappropriate, manual methods such as hand grubbing and hand e( a cutting may be carried out which are not only extremely laborious but slow in execution.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide plant removal 00 5 apparatus which can be used for complete removal of Lantana in a speedy

\O

and effective manner.

The invention provides plant removal apparatus which includes S(i) attachment means for attachment to drive means; and (ii) a substantially spiral blade connected or integral with the attachment means and wherein a final turn or flight of the substantially spiral blade located distal to the attachment means is offset relative to a rotational axis of the drive means.

The drive means is preferably a hydraulic motor which is preferably associated with a four wheeled implement which may be used for slashing vegetation or post hole digging. A suitable implement may be a post hole digger known as the DINGO which may be inspected at www.fencinqonline.com.au or www.dinqo.ws. In this regard the post hole digging apparatus associated with the implement may be replaced with the plant removal apparatus described above.

However any suitable wheeled implement may be used which has a first hydraulic cylinder assembly used for elevating the plant removal apparatus wherein the first hydraulic cylinder assembly elevates a single or more preferably a pair of primary link arms which are pivotally attached to a chassis of the wheeled implement. There also may be provided a second hydraulic ram assembly which is used for extending or retracting a single or more preferably a pair of secondary link arms which are pivotally connected a to the primary link arms.

There may be provided the hydraulic motor discussed above which is pivotally attached to a pair of support brackets which are attached to a 00 5 vertical support plate as shown, for example, in the preferred embodiment

IND

herein.

The substantially spiral or helical blade may be provided with an attachment socket or attachment spigot which constitutes examples of suitable attachment means to the drive means. Preferably the attachment means is an attachment socket welded or otherwise attached to an adjacent top end of the spiral blade in use.

The attachment socket may be connected to an adjacent drive shaft by a locking pin or bolt extending through co-aligned apertures of the attachment socket and the drive shaft.

The spiral blade is preferably provided with an offset projection at a top end in use or located proximal to the attachment socket which achieves the desired orientation of the blade relative to the rotational axis of the drive means or alternatively a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft or attachment socket.

Alternatively a top end in use of the spiral blade is provided with an offset flight or turn proximal to the attachment socket that also achieves the desired orientation of the blade.

Reference is made to a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in the attached drawings wherein: FIG 1 is a perspective view of the plant removal apparatus of the invention attached to a suitable wheeled implement adjacent a Lantana bush; SFIG 2 is a similar view to FIG 1 showing the plant removal apparatus being located in the soil adjoining the Lantana bush; 00 oO FIG 3 shows a similar view to FIG 1 showing the Lantana bush being _removed from the ground; 0 FIG 4 is a perspective view of the plant removal apparatus of the invention and its attachment to an adjacent drive shaft of the wheeled implement; and FIG 5 is a plan view of the spiral blade.

The apparatus in FIG 1 includes a wheeled agricultural implement having a frame or body 11 supported by opposed ground supporting wheels 12 and 13. The operator 14 stands on a platform 15 which is a rear extension of frame or body 11. The frame 11 includes a rear support frame 16 as well as a pair of rear articulated link arms 17 and 18 wherein link arms 17 and 18 are pivotally attached to rear support frame 16 at 19 and are pivotally attached to adjacent front link arms 19 and 20 at 21. Located between each of link arms 19 and 20 is a hydraulic ram assembly 24 including cylinder or barrel 22, piston rod 23 and hoses 25 for passage of hydraulic fluid operated by operator 14 on a control panel (not shown). There is also provided support plate 26, rear support brackets 27 attached to an adjacent link arm 19 and 20 at 28, front brackets 34 welded to support plate 26, hydraulic motor 30 and associated hoses 31 and driveshaft 32.

There is also provided plant removal apparatus 29 releasably Sattached by a bolt (not shown) to drive shaft 32 which has a flange 33. There is also provided rotatable shaft 34, offset projection 35 and spiral blade 36.

SAlso shown in FIG 1 is rear hydraulic ram assembly 37 having cylinder or barrel 38 and piston rod 39 which actuates upper movement of link arms 00oO 17 and 18, base chassis 40, drive motor 41 and pump 42. There is also _included chassis blocks 43, bracket 44 and hydraulic hoses 45 which are Sconnected to a reservoir (not shown) and which are connected to hydraulic ram assemblies 24 and 37. It will be noted that hydraulic ram assemblies 24 are used for moving plant removal apparatus 29 from a retracted non operational position to an extended operational position due to movement of articulated link arms 17 and 18 and 19 and It will also be noted that plant removal apparatus 29 is located adjacent Lantana bush 46.

In FIG 2 it will be noted that wheeled implement 10 has now moved into Lantana bush 46 so that plant removal apparatus 29 has spiral blade 36 partially extending into ground 47 and spiral blade 36 is substantially clear of surrounding Lantana bush 46 due to offset projection In FIG 3 it will be noted that upon actuation of hydraulic ram assemblies 37 plant removal apparatus 29 is lifted clear of ground 47 leaving a hole 48. It will also be noted that spiral blade 36 not only extends into rootball 49 as shown but also partially surrounds rootball 49 and Lantana bush 46.

In FIG 4 there is shown the method of connection of plant removal apparatus 29 to drive shaft 32 of hydraulic motor 30. Plant removal V apparatus 29 is provided with an upper socket 50 having aligned apertures 52 and 53 for insertion of bolt 54 having head 55 which abuts with outer Sannular surface 56 of aperture 52. Bolt 54 is also provided with an aperture 57 at an end remote from head 55 into which a spring clip 58 may be 00 oo inserted to retain socket 50 in engagement with drive shaft 32. In this arrangement bolt 54 not only extends through opposed apertures 52 and 53 Sof socket 50 but also through opposed apertures 59 of drive shaft 32. Flange 33 includes mating parts 61 and 62 interconnected by fastener assemblies 63.

In FIG 5 a plan view of spiral blade 36 is shown showing how offset projection or turn 35 of blade 36 results in blade 36 being offset or eccentric to shaft 34.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the plant removal apparatus of the invention is very effective in use as the offset orientation of the spiral blade enables the rotation of the blade to encircle the stems or plant crown or that part of the bush extending above the ground and clamp the bush to shaft 34 while enabling penetration of the rootball under the plant crown by spiral blade 36. This results in efficient removal of the bush 46 from the ground.

If the plant is such a size that a clear lift is not possible then leverage may be imparted to the plant 46 by operation of wheel motors associated with wheels 12 or 13 or by operation of hydraulic ram assembly 23 to shake the plant 46 free of the soil.

Thus downward thrust of the spiral blade 36 substantially loosens the 7 8 soil and the rotational clamping of the plant above the ground against shaft 34 enables plants with tap roots to be taken in some cases.

00

IND

0. 0O

Claims

3. Plant removal apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a top end of the spiral blade located proximal to the attachment means is provided with an offset flight or turn which achieves the orientation of the final flight or turn of the substantially spiral blade.
4. Plant removal apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the attachment means is an attachment socket which is releasably attached to a drive shaft of the drive means. Plant removal apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the attachment socket is connected to the drive shaft by a transversely oriented locking pin.