AU751038B2 - Removable point assembly for agricultural and earthmoving tines - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: 9 9.99 9. 9* COALFIELDS ENGINEERING PTY LTD Marshall Street Collie, Western Australia 6225 Australia Geoffrey William GLENN Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Griffith Hack, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, 6th Floor, 256 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

Standard Complete Specification for the invention entitled: REMOVABLE POINT ASSEMBLY FOR AGRICULTURAL AND EARTHMOVING TINES Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Australian Provisional Application No. PP5033 dated 4 August 1998 The following is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -2- REMOVABLE POINT ASSEMBLY FOR AGRICULTURAL AND EARTHMOVING TINES FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a quick release removable point assembly for a tine used on agricultural and earthmoving machinery and relates particularly, though not exclusively, to a removable knife point used for no-till seeding.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION No-till seeding involves cultivating with minimum controlled soil disturbance using a knife edge point tine to cut a groove through the soil from between 10 to 180mm deep to break up the ground only where planting is to be done. With conventional seeding the points are designed to turn the soil over and cause significant disturbance to the surface of the ground. By contrast, the points of a no-till cultivator cut deeper and narrower furrows and do not turn the soil over. No-till or minimum tillage seeding has been found to result in less soil 15 erosion, improved moisture retention and maintains the earthworm population density.

The points on cultivator tines are subject to high wear, particularly for higher break-out tines employed in hard, abrasive and more rocky soils. This is particularly true for points on no-till cultivators. The points get damaged or worn and regularly require replacement if they are to perform according to specification. Therefore, there is a need to be able to readily remove and replace damaged or worn points. Two types of removable points are known in the prior art, a so-called knock-on shear point and a bolt-on point.

The knock-on shear point is a point having a sleeve which is knocked-onto a support stem attached to the tine using a hammer or mallet. A knock-on shear point is relatively easy to attach and replace, although there are problems with this type of point. One of the problems encountered is that the point tends to fly off the support stem on the rebound of the tine during break-out. The bolt- .3 on type points are integrally formed with or may have a mounting plate welded to the point and use one or more bolts to fix the point to the tine. The problem with bolt-on points is that they are awkward to attach due to poor accessibility under the cultivator for tightening and loosening of bolts and nuts. Also, the bolts and nuts tend to get covered in dirt and corrosion in use which further exacerbates the difficulties with tightening and loosening of fasteners during replacement.

Similar problems to that noted above are encountered with tines employed on earthmoving machinery.

SUNMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention was developed with a view to providing a removable point assembly which enables a point to be quickly and easily removed and replaced on an agricultural or earthmoving tine.

Throughout this specification the term "comprising" is used inclusively, in the sense that there may be other features and/or steps included in thle invention not expressly defined or comprehended in the features or steps specifically defined or described. What such other features and/or steps may include will be apparent from the specification read as a whole.

According to the present invention there is provided a quick release removable point assembly for a tine, the assembly comprising: a support member for supporting a point element having a tip for cutting through soil at a prescribed angle; a support bracket fixable to the tine and having a retaining means for retaining said support member in the support bracket when received therein; the point element being removably attachable to the support bracket by bringing the support member upwardly into engagement with the support bracket, the retaining means comprising a first retaining means arranged to bear a substantially upwardly and/or a substantially laterally directed load from the support member during use, and a second retaining means spaced from the first retaining means and arranged to bear a substantially upwardly and/or a substantially laterally directed load from the support member during use; and \Jnelaon\keep\retype\RMVABLB POINT ASSEMBLY FOR AGRICULTURAL AND EBATMOVING TINES P35131 .doc -4said point assembly further comprising locking means for preventing downwards movement of the support member relative to the support bracket and thereby preventing disengagement of the support member from the support bracket; the arrangement being such that during use a substantially upwardly and/or a substantially laterally directed load provided by the support member as a result of a cultivating operation is transferred to both the first and second retaining means and no load is borne by the locking means.

Preferably said locking means comprises a locking pin which is removably received in a hole provided in the support member, said locking pin preventing the support member from sliding out of the support bracket in its assembled condition.

Advantageously said support bracket is made from a piece of metal having a base portion for fastening to the tine, and an upright portion providing said first retaining means. In a preferred embodiment said upright portion is formed with an aperture therein for slidably receiving a free end of said support member therein. Preferably said hole is provided adjacent a free end of the support member which protrudes through said aperture, wherein said locking pin engages said upright portion to prevent the support member from sliding out in the assembled condition.

000.* In the preferred embodiment a front edge of the support bracket is provided with a recess therein in which a section of said support member is slidably received in the assembled condition. Preferably said section of the support member is provided with a portion adapted to engage with said front edge of the support bracket to retain the support member 0000 in its assembled condition. Typically said portion is claw-shaped.

BRIEF DESCRIPTON OF THE DRAWINGS 0:90 In order to facilitate a more detailed understanding of the nature of the invention a 0: 0 0:30 preferred embodiment of the removable point assembly will now be POINT ASSEMBLY FOR AGRICULTURAL AND RMDOVINO TINES P3131 .doc described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the removable point assembly of the present invention in a disassembled condition; Figure 2 illustrates in plan view a support bracket for the point assembly of Figure 1; and, Figure 3 illustrates the removable point assembly of Figure 1 in an assembled condition in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT :9 .o 10 As illustrated in Figure 1, a preferred embodiment of the removable point assembly 10 in accordance with the present invention comprises an elongate point element 12 and a support bracket 14. The point element 12 of this embodiment is a knife-point having a tungsten tip 16 provided at one end for 99° cutting through the soil, and has a support member 18 provided at the other end for supporting the point at a prescribed angle in the soil. The point element 12 is of generally rectangular cross-section with a thickness of between 10mm to depending on the width of the groove it is desired to cut through the soil.

In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated) the point element may be removably attached to the support member 18.

The support bracket 14 is adapted to be fixed to an agricultural tine and has a first retaining means 20 and a second retaining means 22. The first and second retaining means 20, 22 are designed to retain the support member 18 of the point element 12 in the bracket 14 when received therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the support bracket 14 is made from a first piece of plate metal having a base portion 24, illustrated most clearly in Figure 2, for fastening the bracket to the tine, and having an upright portion 26 which forms part of said first retaining means 20. The second retaining means 22 comprises first and -6second side walls 28 of plate metal welded to the first piece of plate metal, and between which the support member 18 is slidably received in use. The support -bracket may also be formed from a single piece of metal by forging or casting.

In this embodiment the upright portion 26 extends at substantially right angles to the base portion 24 and is formed with a rectangular aperture 30 therein for slidably receiving a free end 32 of the support member 18 therein.

In the described embodiment, the side walls 28 extend over a front edge 40 of the base portion 24 and form a recess 34 therebetween of reduced width as can be seen most clearly in Figures 1 and 2. The support member 18 is provided with a section 36 located approximately mid-way of the point element 12 which is slidably received in the recess 34 in the assembled condition of the point assembly 10. As shown in Figure 1, the section 36 of the support member 18 is provided with a claw-shaped portion 38 which is designed to engage with the front edge 40 of the base portion 24 within the recess 34.

15 With the above arrangement, it will be apparent that the point element 12 can be removably attached to the support bracket 14 by sliding the support member 18 into engagement with the first and second retaining means 20, 22. In particular, the free end 32 of the support member 18 is slidably received within the recess 30 so as to engage with the upright portion 26 of the support bracket, and the section 36 midway of the support member is slidably received within recess 34 so that the claw-shaped portion 38 engages with the edge 40 of the second angled portion 28 of the support bracket.

Preferably the point assembly 10 also includes a locking means for locking the point element 12 in the support bracket 14 in the assembled condition. In the described embodiment, the locking means comprises a locking pin 42 which is removably received in a hole 44 provided in the free end 32 of the support member. In its assembled condition, the free end 32 of the support member protrudes through the aperture 30 in portion 26 of the support bracket. Hence, by inserting the locking pin 42 in the hole 44, the locking pin 42 engages with -7the upright portion 26 to prevent the support member 18 from sliding out of the support bracket 14. A split pin 45 prevents the locking pin 42 from sliding out of the hole 44. Alternatively one of a number of other quick release locking mechanisms could be used to prevent the support member 18 from sliding out of the support bracket 14 in use.

Figure 3 illustrates the removable point assembly 10 in its assembled condition attached to a tine 46 of a cultivator. The support bracket 14 is fixed to the tine 46 by suitable fasteners 48 and typically remains permanently attached to the tine 46. The point element 12 is slidably received in the support bracket with the free end 32 of the support member engaging with the upright portion 26 of the support bracket, and with the claw-shaped portion 38 engaging with the front edge 40 of the support bracket. In use, the point element 12 is subject to :...horizontal and vertically upwards acting forces creating a lever action about a fulcrum provided by the edge 40 of the base portion 24 of the support bracket as the tip 16 engages with the soil. A reaction force provided by the upright portion 26 of the bracket is applied to the free end 32 of the support member 18 to counteract this lever action. Hence, it will be apparent that the locking pin 42 does not carry any load in use, all of the load being borne by the upright portion 26 and the front edge 40 of the support bracket 14. The side walls 28 provide additional support to prevent sideways movement of the point element 12 due to lateral forces.

Now that a preferred embodiment of the removable point assembly 10 has been described in detail, it will be apparent that it provides a number of advantages over the prior art points, including the following: It is easy to attach to the tine, involving a simple "slip and clip" action; (ii) No tightening or loosening of fasteners is required; -8- (iii) The point element is easily removed for replacement. The locking pin 42 is simply withdrawn and the point element 12 can then be slid out from the support bracket 14; (iv) It is of robust design, all of the load being borne by the support bracket; and, It can be adapted to other types of points.

Numerous variations and modifications will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the engineering arts, in addition to those already described, without 00' departing from the basic inventive concepts. For example, the front edge 40 of 10 the support bracket may be extended in length and formed with an aperture similar to the first angled portion 26, through which the support member 18 of the point element 12 is received to act as the second retaining means of the support bracket. Alternatively, the retaining means of the support bracket may take the form of a round or rectangular section tube extending substantially the *0 15 full length of the support bracket. The support member 18 of the point element may be modified to receive a knock-on shear point thereon if desired.

Furthermore, the support member 18 may be modified to receive a bolt-on point or other soil-working implement thereon, thus providing for the possibility of a variety of soil-working implements to be employed on the same machine. All such variations and modifications are to be considered within the scope of the present invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description and the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. A quick release removable point assembly for a tine, the assembly comprising: a support member for supporting a point element having a tip for cutting through soil at a prescribed angle; a support bracket fixable to the tine and having a retaining means for retaining said support member in the support bracket when received therein; the point element being removably attachable to the support bracket by bringing the support member upwardly into engagement with the support bracket, the retaining means comprising a first retaining means, arranged to bear a substantially upwardly and/or a substantially laterally directed load from the support member during use, and a second retaining means spaced from the first retaining means and arranged to bear a substantially upwardly and/or a substantially laterally directed load from the support member during use; and said point assembly further comprising locking means for preventing downwards movement of the support member relative to the support bracket and thereby preventing disengagement of the support member from the support bracket; the arrangement being such that during use a substantially upwardly and/or a substantially laterally directed load provided by the support member as a result of a 20 cultivating operation is transferred to both the first and second retaining means and no load is borne by the locking means.

2. A removable point assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said point element is provided integral to the support member.

3. A removable point assembly as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said locking means comprises a locking pin which is removably received in a hole provided in *the support member, said locking pin preventing the support member from sliding out of the support bracket in its assembled condition.

4. A removable point assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said support bracket is made from a piece of metal having a base portion for fastening to the tine, and an upright portion providing said first retaining means.

Hi\Jne1son\keeP\retype\RBOVABLH POINT ABSU4DLY FOR AGRICULTURAL AND EARTHNOVINO TINES P35131.doc 10 A removable point assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said upright portion is formed with an aperture therein for slidably receiving a free end of said support member therein.

6. A removable point assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein said hole is provided adjacent a free end of the support member which protrudes through said aperture, wherein said locking pin engages said upright portion to prevent the support member from sliding out in the assembled condition.

7. A removable point assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein a front edge of the support bracket is provided with a recess therein in which a section of said support member is slidably received in the assembled condition, said recess providing said second retaining means.

8. A removable point assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said section of the support member is provided with a portion adapted to engage with said front edge of the support bracket to retain the support member in its assembled condition.

9. A removable point assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein said portion is claw- shaped. A quick release point assembly for a tine used on agricultural machinery, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 14' day of June 2002 COALFIELDS ENGINEERING PTY LTD By Its Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia. k~n@150n\kee\retyV\R4OVABLS POINT ASSH14BLY 1CR AGRICULTURAL AND RARTID4OVING TINES 135131. doC