AU648305B2 - Tool element - Google Patents

Description

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) FOR OFFICE USE Application Number: Lodged: Class Int. Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: INNOTECH PTY LTD Address of Applicant: of 7 Lewis Way, Merredin, in the State of Western Australia, Commonwealth of Australia.

Actual Inventor: Address for Service:- LAURENCE COLIN PHILLIPS Wray Associates Primary Industry House 239 Adelaide Terrace Perth Western Australia 6000.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "Tool Element" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 1 -2- THIS INVENTION relates to a tool element for such a ground working tool.

The invention has been devised particularly as a tool element for a tool assembly which is the subject of the Applicants Australian Patent Application No. 75859/89.

In one form the invention resides in a ground-engaging tool element comprising a substantially U-shaped loop portion having a pair of arms and a base bridging the arms, and a pair of rigid ground-engaging fingers each extending from the free end of a respective one of the arms of the loop portion, wherein the arms of the loop portion occupy a first common plane, the rigid fingers extend in generally opposing directions to one another to the same side of the first plane and in a second common plane which is transverse to said first plane, and each ground-engaging finger and its respective arm define an angle therebetween which is at most a right angle.

Each finger may exttnd from the free end of its respective arm in a direction which is outward of the free end cf the arm anc also rearwardly thereof in the direction towards the base of the loop portion. This is an arrangement where the angle defined between each finger and its respective arm is less than a right angle.

Preferably, each finger is provided with an abutting portion adjacent the loop portion, the abutting portion being arranged to abut a similar portion of a finger of a further similar tool element in the same group of tool elements.

Each tool element arc conveniently formed from a length of metal which has been bent or otherwise deformed to form the loop portion and the two fingers. The tool elements may, however, be formed in any other suitably way such as by forging.

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3 The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of two embodiments thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of an agricultural implement fitted with two ground working tools each constructed from tool elements according to the first embodiment; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a section of one of the ground working tools shown in Fig. i, the section comprising several tool groups; Fig. 3 is a side view of a section of the tool shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is a side view of a section of the tool shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an end view the section of the tool shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the tool elements according to tlj first embodiment; Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the tool element of Fig. Fig. 7 is a side view of the tool element of Fig. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the tool element of Fig. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the ground working tool supported between support means which form part of a ground working implement; Fig. 10 is an elevational view of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is an elevational view of a section of a ground working tool constructed from tool elements according to a second embodiment; Fig. '2 is an end view of the section of ground working tool shown in Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 with the exception that only the tools in the endmost group p r,7 i 1 1, 7 n'q 4 Fig. 14 is an elevational view of one of the tool elements according to the second embodiment; Fig. 15 is a side view of the tool element of Fig.

11; and Fig. 16 is a plan view of the tool element of Fig.

11.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a ground working implement 11 fitted with two elongated ground working tools 12. The ground working implement 11 includes a mobile frame 13 which is supported on ground wheels 14 and which is adapted to be drawn by a tractor or other towing vehicle (not shown). The mobile frame 13 includes a pair of support beams 15 each of which is inclined to the direction of travel of the implement. At the ends of each beam 15 there are rearwardly extending each of which carries a support means 18. Each ground working tool 12 is supported at its ends by the support means 18 on a respective one of the beams 15 for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the tool.

Each ground working tool 12 comprises a plurality of tool elements 21 according to the first embodiment arranged in a series of groups 23, there being two tool elements in each group in this embodiment. Each group of tool elements inter-engages with the next adjacent group to form flexible connections between the groups that will permit tensioning of the tool in the longitudinal direction when supported for rotation by the frame 13.

Each tool element 21 comprises a loop portion 25 and a pair of fingers 27 when the groups of tool elements are inter-engaged and the tool longitudinally tensioned the fingers 27 define prongs which are spaced about and rr--ect crtitardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of tne tool.

1 i I I I I r- i r I-L_ I ~-ilsp- 5 The loop portion 25 of each tool element is substantially U-shaped having two spaced arms 29 and a base 31 which bridges the arm. The fingers 27 extend one from the free end of each arm 29 of the loop portion. The two arms 29 of each loop portion occupy a common plane and the fingers 27 deviate from that plane to one side thereof. Each finger 27 includes an abutting portion 35 at the inner end thereof. The abutting portion 35 is arranged to butt against a corresponding abuttinq portion of a similar tool in the same group of tools, as will become evident later.

Conveniently, each tool element is formed from a length of metal rods which has been bent or otherwise deformed to form the loop portion and the two fingers. Of course, each tool element may be formed by any other suitable means, such as forging.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the tool elements are connected together in a series of groups, with each group having two tool elements. In this way, each group provides four projecting prongs. The two tool elements of each group are positioned with their abutting portions 35 in contact, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4. This has the effect of locating the fingers 29 in pairs 36, one finger of each pair being from each tool element in the group. Apart from at the tool group at one end of the tool, the loop portion 25 of each tool element 21 receives one pair of fingers from a neigl.bouring tool group, with the fingers being held captive between the arms of the loop and the base. The arrangement is such that the inner ends of the fingers are received in the loop portion, the fingers being inserted into the loop portion through the open end of the U.

6 Tensioning of the ground working tool 12 in the longitudinal direction ensures that the tool elements remain connected together. The tool elements of each group are held in position by virtue of their connection with the two neighbouring groups. More specifically, the finger pairs of the two tools in any group are held in position by the loop portions of tools in one neighbouring tool group and the loop portions of the tools in the first-mentioned tool group are held in position by the fingers of the other neighbouring group.

The tool 12 is constructed from the tool elements 21 merely by connecting the tool elements together in the manner described hereinbefore.

As stated previously, each tool 12 is mounted at its ends on support means 18 for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the tool. Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings, each support means 18 includes a shaft 41 rotatably supported adjacent one end in a bearing (not shown) enclosed within a housing 43. The housing 43 is mounted on the implement frame 13 and the shaft extends from the housing in cantilever fashion. The respective end of the tool 12 is detachably connected to the free end of the shaft by way of a coupling means 45, 46 which includes a universal joint 47. The universal joint accommodates angular misalignment between the longitudinal axis of the tool 12 and the axis of rotation of the shaft 41.

As the tool group at one end of the tool 12 has the loop portions of the two tool elements endmost and the tool group at the other end of the tool has fingers endmost, the coupling means 45 and 46 differ in construction. The c--~"ing means 45 includes a clamping means 49 which 7 clampingly engage the fingers of the tool elements at the respective end of the tool. The clamping means 49 comprises a clamping plate 51 and a pair of U-bolts 53 between which the fingers are clamped. The coupling means 46 inclules a transverse pin 55 supported by a yoke 57.

The pin 55 is located in the loop portions of the tool elements at the respective end of the tool thereby to effect attachment of the loop portions to the coupling means.

Means are provided for selectively varying the spacing between the support means 18 to adjust the tension of the ground working tool when supported in the frame of the ground working implement. In this embodiment such means include a slide mechanism which supports one of the support means 18 for selective movement towards and away from the other support means. In an alternative arrangemant, the spacing between the support means 18 can be varied by variation of the effective length of the support beam.

In use, each ground working tool 12 is mounted on the mobile frame 13 with the tool assembly at ground level.

As the mobile frame traverses the grounds, the too. 12 is dragged in a generally sideways direction over the ground surface and this causes the tool to rotate. The rotating action of the tool causes the prongs to work the ground.

The flexible nature of the interconnection between the respective groups of tool elements allows the tool to work uneven ground and also serves to relieve stresses in the tool.

The ground working tool shown in Figs. 11 to 16 of the drawings is similar to the tool shown in Figs. 1 to with an exception that each tool group consists of three tools instead of two tools. Because of the similarity i: 4 -8between the two embodiments, like reference numerals are used to idertify like parts. Likewise, because of the similarity between the two embodiments, it will not be necessary to describe the second embodiment in full. A distinguishing feature between the tool elements according to the first embodiment and the tool elements according to the second embodiment is the inclination of the abutting portions 35 relative to the plane of the arms of the loop portion of each tool element. It will be appreciated that the abutting portions have to be suitably angled to accommodate a group of three tools rather than a group of two tools. A further distinguishing feature is that each arm 29 of the loop portion has a bent portion 30 adjacent the base 31. The bent portions 30 of the two arms serve to offset the base 31 from the plane of the two arms.

This feature ensures that the respective base portions 31 of the tool elements in each group do not iiterfere with each other which the tool elements are in position in the group.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the scope of the embodiments described.

Claims (6)

1. A ground-engaging tool element comprising a substantially U-shaped loop portion having a pair of arms and a base bridging the arms, and a pair of rigid ground- engaging fingers each extending from the free end of a respective one of the arms of the loop portion, wherein the arms of the loop portion occupy a first common plane, the rigid fingers extend in generally opposing directions to one another to the same side of the first plane and in a second common plane which is transverse -o said first plane, and each ground-engaging finger and its respective arm define an angle therebetween which is at most a right angle.

2. A ground-engaging tool element according to claim 1 wherein each finger extends from the free end of its respective arm of the loop portion in a direction which is outward of the free end of the arm and also rearwardly thereof in the direction towards the base of the loop portion.

3. A ground-engaging tool element according to claim 2 wherein the free end of each finger is rearward of the free end of the arm from which it extends in the direction towards the base of the loop portion.

4. A ground-engaging tool element according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein each finger is provided with an abutting portion adjacent the loop portion, the abutting portion being arranged to abut a similar portion of a finger of a further similar tool element.

A ground-engaging tool element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the rigid f:Lngers extend in generally opposing directions at an obtuse angle to one another. ~L_ 10

6. A ground-engaging tool element substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this tenth day of February 1994 INNOTECH PTY LTD Applicant WRAY ASSOCIATES Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for Applicant