AU2070600A - A shank - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: P H Rural Limited Barry Keith McFarlane BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS MARGARET STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 'A SHANK' Details of Associated Provisional Application No. PP9040 dated 04 Mar 1999 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- File: 27389AUP00 FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a shank and in particular to a shank for a tillage apparatus.

The invention has been developed primarily for row crop cultivation and will be described hereinafter with reference to that application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to that particular field of use and is also suitable to broad acre cultivation and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION V• e 10 There are two types of tillage implement shanks presently available. These are oooo shanks designed for use with dedicated tillage tools and those which selectively accommodate a variety of tillage tools.

With respect to those shanks requiring dedicated tillage tools, a different shank has to be used for each different tillage tool used, such as rip points, chisel points, scarifier points, sweeps, furrowers, Alabama's and so on. Thus, to perform tillage operations "using different tillage tools requires a number of different shanks to be used. In practice, this results in a variety of implements each including a plurality of spaced apart shanks for supporting the desired tillage tools.

In the case of shanks that selectively accommodate a variety of tillage tools, the variety for which they are suitable is very limited. In addition, such shanks generally require one or more adaptors to render them suitable for use with the respective tools.

Furthermore, each adaptor has to be bolted on to the shank. Consequently, each time it is desired to vary the type of tool being used, it also becomes necessary to change the -3adaptor. This is both complicated and time consuming and creates logistical difficulties both to the operator and to providers of spare parts.

A further problem experienced with shanks presently available is that they are difficult to accurately adjust both independently with respect to the tool bar and with respect to each other.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 10 According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a shank for a tillage apparatus, the shank having a leading side and including a locating formation on the leading side for selectively captively receiving a tillage tool selected from: a sub surface tillage tool; and a deep tillage tool.

The term "sub surface tillage" is generally understood to refer to tillage that occurs between just below the soil surface to about 150 mm below the soil surface. The term "deep tillage" is generally understood to refer to tillage that occurs between about 150 mm below the soil surface to about 400 mm below the soil surface.

Preferably, the deep tillage tool is a chisel point and the sub surface tillage tool is selected from a group of tools consisting of a sweep, an Alabama, and a furrower.

In one embodiment, the locating formation is effective for selectively captively receiving a tillage tool in the form of a cultivating tool.

-4- The term "cultivating" is generally understood to refer to tillage that occurs just below or at the soil surface.

Preferably, the locating formation includes a transversely extending flange for engagement with a complementary slot in the tillage tool. The locating formation preferably has an aperture for receiving a bolt therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, the locating formation includes two spaced apart apertures for selectively aligning with at least one respective aperture in the sub surface tillage tool and the deep tillage tool.

Preferably, the shank has, and extends between, an upper end and a lower end, the S upper end, in use, being mounted to a tool bar and the locating formation extending from the lower end.

Preferably, in use, the leading side is substantially vertical and the locating formation includes a front face for abutting with the tillage tool, the face sloping downwardly and forwardly relative to the leading side.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a shank for a tillage apparatus having a tool bar, the shank including: a shaft having, and extending between, a first end and a second end; a tillage tool formation extending from the second end for supporting a tillage tool; a mounting means for mounting the first end to the tool bar so that the shaft is vertically displaceable relative to the tool bar; a plurality of vertically spaced first locating formations on one of the mounting means and the shaft and at least one complementary second locating formation on the other of the mounting means and the shaft for engagement with the first locating formations to locate the shaft with respect to the mounting means in any one of a plurality of discrete vertical positions; and a locking means for retaining the first and second locating formations in engagement with each other.

Preferably, the mounting means defines part of a shaft passage for accommodating the shaft, and includes a mounting means wall, one surface of which defines part of the passage, the mounting means wall including a plurality of the first locating formations, the shaft having an adjacent shaft wall including a plurality of the second locating formations.

In a preferred embodiment, the mounting means includes a main body and a clamping element rotatably mounted on the main body and rotatable between a clamping Sposition for clamping the shaft thereby to hold a plurality of the second locating formations of the shaft wall in engagement with a plurality of the first locating formations of the mounting means wall, and an unclamped position for releasing the first and second ooo* locating formations. Preferably, the main body and the clamping element have respective clamping element passages which are aligned when the clamping element is in the clamping position, and the locking means includes a removable pin receivable in the clamping element passages for holding the clamping element in the clamping position.

The clamping element preferably includes a plurality of first locking formations and the shaft preferably includes a plurality of complementary second locking formations, the first and second locking formations being interengaged when the clamping element is in the clamping position.

-6- Preferably, the shank includes a plurality of the first locating formations arranged in the form of a rack and a plurality of the second locating formations arranged in the form of a rack.

In a preferred embodiment, the shank includes an upper part and a lower part connected to the upper part, the second end being on the lower part and the mounting means being on the upper part. Preferably, each of the lower and upper parts defines a first connector passage and a second connector passage, the first connector passages of the upper and lower parts being aligned with each other and the second connector passages of S the upper and lower parts being aligned with each other.

The lower part is preferably connected to the upper part by a connecting pin S• •received in the first connector passages and by a shear pin received in the second connector passages. The shear pin is preferably held captive in the second connector passages by a constriction, adjacent one end of the shear pin, in that second connector passage in which the one end is located, and by an obstructing element adjacent the other ooo.

end of the shear pin, the obstructing element extending across that second connector passage in which the other end is located.

Preferably, one of the upper and lower parts includes a pair of spaced plates at that end thereof connected to the other of the upper and lower parts, and a corresponding end of the other part is received between the plates. Preferably, each plate defines a the second connector passage, the second connector passage of one of the plates including the constriction at an outer side of the one plate, and the other plate having an outwardly projecting boss on its outer side, the second connector passage of the other plate opening through the boss, the boss having a boss wall defining a pair of transversely extending -7aligned apertures for receiving the obstructing element. In a preferred embodiment, the spaced plates are included on the upper part.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a shank for a tillage apparatus having a tool bar, the shank including: a shaft having, and extending between, a first end and a second end; a tillage tool formation extending from the second end for supporting a tillage tool; at least one first locating formation on the shaft for engaging at least one complementary second locating formation on the tool bar to locate the shaft with respect to the tool bar in any one of a plurality of discrete vertical positions; and a locking means for retaining the at least one first locating formation in engagement o..o S"with the at least one second locating formation.

In one embodiment, the at least one first locating formation is a single locating 00oo formation for engaging a plurality of vertically spaced second locating formations.

In another embodiment, the at least one first locating formation is a plurality of vertically spaced locating formations for engaging a single second locating formation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shank according to the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the shank of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of a number of replacement tillage tools; and Figure 4 is a schematic section through part of the shank of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, the shank 1 includes a shaft 2, the leading side of which, designated 3, is substantially vertical. Mounting means 4 is provided at the upper end of shaft 2 for mounting the shank to the toolbar of a draft vehicle.

As best shown in Figure 2, shank 1 includes a locating formation, in the form of a transversely extending flange 5, for attachment of a tillage tool having a complementary slot for receiving the flange. Flange 5 has a front face 6 which slopes downwardly and forwardly with respect to the leading side 3 and has a pair of vertically spaced apertures 7 passing through it.

S•In use, a tillage tool such as the tool 8 shown in Figures 1 and 2 can be attached to the shank 1. This is done by sliding the flange 5 into a complementary slot (not shown) in tool 8 so that front face 6 abuts an inner wall of the slot. Tool 8 includes an aperture 9 which moves into alignment with one of the apertures 7 as flange 5 is slipped into the slot.

A bolt (not shown) is then inserted through the aligned apertures 7 and 9 for holding tool 8 in position with respect to shank 1.

It should be understood that flange 5 and the method by which tillage tools are attached to shank 1 facilitates attachment of a wide variety of different tillage tools, such as those shown in Figure 3. In particular, the shank lends itself to attachment of both subsurface tillage tools such as a sweep 10, an Alabama 11, and a furrower 12, and deep tillage tools such as a chisel point 13. An embodiment (not shown) of the shank is also suitable for attachment of a tillage tool in the form of a cultivating tool.

-9- To replace a tillage tool, the bolt is simply unscrewed from the aligned apertures 7 and 9, the tool slid off flange 5, and a replacement tool slid onto the flange and bolted in place.

Turning now to mounting means 4, this includes a pair of L-shaped clamp plates 14 and 15 which together define a passage 16 of rectangular cross-section, through which the toolbar of the draft vehicle extends when the clamp plates 14 and 15 are clamped onto the toolbar. Each clamp plate 14 and 15 has an upward extending lip 17 and 18, respectively, which has apertures 19 therein. To clamp the clamp plates 14 and 15 onto the toolbar, apertures 19 of one of the clamp plates are aligned with apertures 19 of the other clamp plate to permit clamping of the clamp plates to the toolbar by means of bolts (not shown) oo which pass through the apertures.

S .Mounting means 4 further includes a pair of spaced flanges 20 and 21. Flanges and 21 together with the rear wall 22 of the clamp plate 15 define part of a passage 53 for *.oo.

receiving shaft 2. Each flange 20 and 21 is provided with webs 23 to provide lateral strengthening.

Mounting means 4 includes a lever-like clamping element 24. The clamping element 24 has a hole 25 at its upper end which is aligned with an aperture 26 in each of flanges 20 and 21, and another hole 27 at its lower end which is aligned with further apertures 28 in each of the flanges. Element 24 has a rearward projecting tab 29. A pin 30 extends through upper hole 25 and into upper apertures 26, and serves as a hinge about which element 24 rotates. Locking means, in the form of a removable locking pin 31, extends through hole 27 and into apertures 28 to prevent element 24 from rotating about pin 30. The function of element 24 will be described in more detail below.

Shaft 2 includes two sections 32 and 33, being an adjustor section and a main shaft section respectively. Adjustor section 32 has a socket 34 at its lower end in which the upper end of section 33 is received. Socket 34 includes a pair of opposed plate-like side walls 35. The upper end of main shaft section 33 has a pair of holes therein. One of the holes, designated 36, is a leading hole and the other, designated 37, is a trailing hole.

Hole 36 is aligned with a complementary leading aperture 38 in each of side walls Similarly, hole 37 is aligned with a complementary trailing aperture 39 in each of the side walls.

S One wall 35 has an outward projecting boss 40 through which its respective :°oooo aperture 38 opens, as best shown in Figure 4. Wall 41 of the boss has a pair of boss apertures 42 extending through it, one of the boss apertures being vertically above, and aligned with, the other.

.o Aperture 38 in the opposite wall 35 has a partial constriction 43 on the outer side of V the side wall, as shown in Figure 4.

Main shaft section 33 is connected to adjustor section 32 by means of a pin 44 passing through hole 37 and into apertures 39 and by means of a shear pin 45 which extends through hole 36 and into apertures 38. Pin 45 is held captive between constriction 43 and a split pin (not shown) which extends vertically through apertures 42.

Pin 45 has a pair of shear grooves 46 each of which is in alignment with a side face of main shaft section 33.

Adjustor section 32 has a front edge wall 47 and a rear edge wall 48 each of which is in the form of a rack, defining a number of locating formations in the form of teeth 49 and 50 respectively. Likewise, wall 22 of plate 15 includes a rack defining a number of -11 teeth 52 which project into the passage 53. Teeth 52 are complementary with respect to teeth 50. Element 24, in turn, includes a rack defining a number of teeth 54 which are complementary with respect to teeth 49. Teeth 54 are disposed on a rear edge of element 24, towards the lower end thereof.

In use, adjustor section 32 is held captive in passage 53, between wall 22 of plate flanges 20 and 21, and element 24. Consequently, the two pairs of complementary teeth 50 and 52, and 49 and 54 respectively, are maintained in locking engagement, thus preventing upward or downward movement of shaft 2 relative to mounting means 4.

To adjust the vertical position of shaft 2 relative to mounting means 4, pin 31 of :°oooo 10 element 24 is removed and the element rotated about pin 30. This disengages teeth 54 from teeth 49 and permits adjustor section 32 to be moved forwards to disengage teeth from teeth 52. Thus, shaft 2 is able to be moved upward or downward to a desired position. To lock shaft 2 in position again, the shaft is moved rearwards to re-engage teeth 50 and 52 whereafter element 24 is rotated again so as to engage teeth 54 with teeth 49. To lock element 24 in place, pin 31 is reinserted.

It will be appreciated that tab 29 facilitates rotation of element 24.

It is to be understood that that part of adjustor section 32 on which teeth 49 and are disposed is symmetrical about a plane bisecting it between its front and rear edges.

Thus, shaft 2 is attachable to mounting means 4 either in the configuration as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or with the shaft rotated through 1800 about a vertical axis. Plates 14 and are attachable to the toolbar of the draft vehicle in a reversed orientation to that shown in Figures 1 and 2, and shaft 2 can be rotated through 1800 relative to the clamp plates so that the tillage tool remains directed forward as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Thus, in those -12embodiments where it is desirable to do so, a number of shanks 1 according to the invention are used on the same draft vehicle in a staggered relationship, so that some of the shafts are mounted on the front edge of the toolbar and some on the rear edge of the toolbar. This is particularly important in row crop tillage where a staggered arrangement provides a desired tilling effect.

With regard to shear pin 45, should the tillage tool attached to shaft 2 encounter an obstacle in use which causes a rearward force to be exerted on the tillage tool as the draft vehicle is moving in a forward direction, the middle section of the shear pin, between grooves 46, is sheared off as main shaft section 33 is forced to rotate about pin 44. The :0oo0o 10 remaining parts of shear pin 45 are then manually ejected by using a narrow object and o..o inserting it through constriction 43 and through boss 40 into apertures 38 so as to force out the respective remaining parts of the shear pin. To insert a new shear pin 45, the split pin (not shown) extending through apertures 42 is first removed and the new shear pin So inserted through boss 40 so that it extends through hole 36 and projects into apertures 38, C.g.

960 whereafter the split pin is replaced to retain the shear pin in position.

fees It will be understood that in other embodiments, instead of main shaft section 33 being attached to mounting means 4 via adjustor section 32 as shown, the adjustor section is eliminated and the main shaft section attached directly to the mounting means. To do so, mounting means 4 is attached to the toolbar of the draft vehicle in an orientation in which flanges 20 and 21 extend downward. Main shaft section 33 is then attached to flanges 20 and 21 by inserting it between the flanges so that holes 36 and 37 in the upper end of the main shaft section align with apertures 55 in each of the flanges, which are complementary with respect to the holes, and locating the main shaft section by means of -13locating pins which are inserted into the aligned apertures and holes. Clearly, in this configuration, the shaft is not height adjustable relative to the mounting means.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples it will be appreciate by those skilled in the art that it may be embodied in many other forms.

.e .e o*

Claims (26)

1. A shank for a tillage apparatus, the shank having a leading side and including a locating formation on the leading side for selectively captively receiving a tillage tool selected from: a sub surface tillage tool; and a deep tillage tool.

2. A shank according to claim 1 wherein said deep tillage tool is a chisel point and said Ssub surface tillage tool is selected from a group of tools consisting of a sweep, an Alabama, and a furrower.

3. A shank according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the locating formation is effective for selectively captively receiving a tillage tool in the form of a cultivating tool.

4. A shank according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the locating formation includes a transversely extending flange for engagement with a complementary slot in said tillage tool.

5. A shank according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said locating formation has an aperture for receiving a bolt therethrough.

6. A shank according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the locating formation includes two spaced apart apertures for selectively aligning with at least one respective aperture in the sub surface tillage tool and the deep tillage tool.

7. A shank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having, and extending between, an upper end and a lower end, the upper end, in use, being mounted to a tool bar and the locating formation extending from the lower end.

8. A shank according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein, in use, the leading side is substantially vertical and the locating formation includes a front face for abutting with the tillage tool, the face sloping downwardly and forwardly relative to the leading side.

9. A shank for a tillage apparatus having a tool bar, the shank including: a shaft having, and extending between, a first end and a second end; a tillage tool formation extending from said second end for supporting a tillage tool; o*. a mounting means for mounting the first end to the tool bar so that said shaft is vertically displaceable relative to said tool bar; a plurality of vertically spaced first locating formations on one of said mounting means and said shaft and at least one complementary second locating formation on the other of said mounting means and said shaft for engagement with said first locating formations to locate said shaft with respect to said mounting means in any one of a plurality of discrete vertical positions; and "a locking means for retaining said first and second locating formations in engagement with each other.

A shank according to claim 9 wherein said mounting means defines part of a shaft passage for accommodating said shaft, and includes a mounting means wall, one surface of which defines part of said passage, said mounting means wall including a plurality of the first locating formations, said shaft having an adjacent shaft wall including a plurality of the second locating formations.

11. A shank according to claim 10 wherein said mounting means includes a main body and a clamping element rotatably mounted on said main body and rotatable between a clamping position for clamping said shaft thereby to hold a plurality of the second -16- locating formations of the shaft wall in engagement with a plurality of the first locating formations of the mounting means wall, and an unclamped position for releasing said first and second locating formations.

12. A shank according to claim 11 wherein said main body and said clamping element have respective clamping element passages which are aligned when said clamping element is in said clamping position, and said locking means includes a removable pin "receivable in said clamping element passages for holding said clamping element in said clamping position.

13. A shank according to claim 11 or claim 12 wherein said clamping element includes a plurality of first locking formations and said shaft includes a plurality of complementary •go• second locking formations, the first and second locking formations being interengaged 0o" when the clamping element is in said clamping position.

14. A shank according to any one of claims 9 to 13 including a plurality of said first "locating formations arranged in the form of a rack and a plurality of said second locating formations arranged in the form of a rack.

A shank according to any one of claims 9 to 14, including an upper part and a lower part connected to the upper part, said second end being on said lower part and said mounting means being on said upper part.

16. A shank according to claim 15 wherein each of said lower and upper parts defines a first connector passage and a second connector passage, the first connector passages of said upper and lower parts being aligned with each other and the second connector passages of said upper and lower parts being aligned with each other. -17-

17. A shank according to claim 16 wherein said lower part is connected to said upper part by a connecting pin received in said first connector passages and by a shear pin received in said second connector passages.

18. A shank according to claim 17 wherein said shear pin is held captive in said second connector passages by a constriction, adjacent one end of said shear pin, in that second connector passage in which said one end is located, and by an obstructing element adjacent the other end of said shear pin, said obstructing element extending across that second connector passage in which said other end is located. *ee.

19. A shank according to claim 18 wherein one of said upper and lower parts includes a pair of spaced plates at that end thereof connected to the other of the upper and lower parts, and a corresponding end of said other part is received between said plates.

A shank according to claim 18 wherein each plate defines a said second connector ooeo passage, the second connector passage of one of said plates including said constriction at •an outer side of said one plate, and the other plate having an outwardly projecting boss on its outer side, the second connector passage of said other plate opening through said boss, said boss having a boss wall defining a pair of transversely extending aligned apertures for receiving said obstructing element.

21. A shank according to claim 19 or claim 20 wherein said spaced plates are included on said upper part.

22. A shank for a tillage apparatus having a tool bar, the shank including: a shaft having, and extending between, a first end and a second end; a tillage tool formation extending from said second end for supporting a tillage tool; -18- at least one first locating formation on said shaft for engaging at least one complementary second locating formation on the tool bar to locate said shaft with respect to said tool bar in any one of a plurality of discrete vertical positions; and a locking means for retaining said at least one first locating formation in engagement with said at least one second locating formation.

23. A shank according to claim 22 wherein said at least one first locating formation is a single locating formation for engaging a plurality of vertically spaced second locating formations. e.

24. A shank according to claim 22 wherein said at least one first locating formation is a plurality of vertically spaced locating formations for engaging a single second locating formation.

25. A shank for a tillage apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to *o any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.

26. A shank for a tillage apparatus having a tool bar substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples. DATED this 6th day of March 2000 P H RURAL LIMITED Attorney: JOHN B. REDFERN Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS