CA1170041A - Twin row plough - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A twin row plough assembly in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes a pair of laterally spaced ploughs each having an outwardly facing major panel disposed at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the assembly for displacing material (e.g. slash and debris) outwardly from a central region upon forward movement of the plough assembly. A transversely disposed frame member extends between the spaced ploughs and is fixed thereto to rigidly secure the ploughs together in their laterally spaced relationship. Suitable means are associated with each plough for supporting them as they move over the ground surface to prevent substantial digging of the ploughs into the earth. The assembly also includes suitable connector means for attaching the spaced ploughs to the pusher frame of a prime mover such as a bulldozer.

Description

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TWIN ROW PI,OUGH
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus useful in the planting of seedlings, particularly seedling trees and 5 in particular relates to a twin row plough arrangement for clearing brush and other debris from a pair of spaced planting rows being prepared for a twin row seedling planter.
Copending Canadian application Serial No.
filed F'eb, 2,1982,describes a dual dibble, two row seedling 10 planter capable of being towed behind a prime mover, such'as a crawler tractor. The planter there described is of the intermittent furrow type and is able to plant bare root seedlings as well as containerized seedlings. The planter includes two planting beams or dibbles which are spaced 15 apart in the transverse direction and are operated independently by two operators who are s ate~ in the planter ' facing the rear of same. The dibbles include mechanical ejection devices which serve to eject the seedlings when the appropriate planting depth has been reached.
The seedling plantex described in the above patent application is of a relatively lightweight construction especially adapted for use under moderate conditions.
Planting sites of this nature include reclaimed agricultural lands, cut-o~er regions with chopped light slash with the 25 terrain including relatively flat or long rolling surfaces.

Moderate soil conditions include glacial till including small stones and gravel, sandy soils and moderately heavy clay loams.
Although the prior art has provided a variety 5 of types of plough arrangements both for agricultural use and also for other uses such as clearing of snow etc., none of them are particularly well suited for use with a twin row seedling planter of the nature described above and for use in the relatively moderate conditions referred 10 to previously.
SIJMMARY OF THE INVENTION

. __ It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved twin row plough arrangement adapted to be mounted to the front of a prime mover ~e.g. a bulldozer) 15 thereby to clear slash and debris from a spaced apart pair of planting rows thereby to enable the seedlings to be planted at a relatively high level of planting efficiency by means of a twin row seedling planter which is towed behind the prime mover thus providing for efficient single-20 pass treatment.
A twin row plough assembly in accordance withone aspect of the invention includes a pair of laterally spaced ploughs each having an outwardly facing major panel disposed at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of 25 symmetry of the assembly for displacing material (e~g. slash and debris) outwarclly from a central region upon forward ',. . .

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movement of the plough assembly. A transversely disposed frame member extends between the spaced ploughs and is fixed thereto to rigidly secure the ploughs together in their laterally spaced relationship. Suitable means ~re 5 associated with each plough for supporting them as they move over the ground surface to prevent substantial digging of the ploughs into the earth. The assembly also includes suitable connector means for attaching the spaced ploughs to the pusher frame of a prime mover such as a bulldozer.
In the preferred form of the invention ~ach said plough has a ripper tooth adjacent a respective leading edge portion of same for dislodging roots and the like from the earth. The ripper tooth also helps to hold ~he plough on the ground even when obstacles are encountered.
The above-noted means Eor supporting each of said ploughs comprises rollers respectively connected to each said plough. This enables the plough assembly to effectively "float" over the soil sur~ace without "digging in" and creating problems.
In the preferred form of the invention each o~
the above-noted ploughs is of a box like construction. Thus, each plough, in addition to said major panel,includes a top panel, rear wall,and inner and outer side wall panels rigidly secured to one another as by welding to provide 25 à box-like construction with the necessary structural strength and rigidity. The box-like construction also presents a ~7~

minimum of crevices and notches wherein slash and debris can hang up; thus, this particular structure tends to present fewer problems from this point of view than structures which include more open types of supporting framework.
As a further feature, each of the above~noted rollers is journalled within its associated box-like plough construction adjacent a bottom edge portion of same. As a still further feature the above-noted connector means may include means for adjusting the angle of tilt of the ploughs 10 thereby to vary the elevation of leading edge portions of the ploughs relative to the ground surface.
The twin row plough clears away only the two relatively narrow rows which need to be cleared in order to effect planting of seedlings thus saving power and reducing 15 the amount of slash which is piled up on opposing sides of the planting rows. A further significant advantage is that the twin row plough enables one to plant seedlings on both ::
; sides of a previously cut row of treas without having to bulldoze away the row o-f stumps. This can become very 20 important as more and more areas are reforested shortly after cutting.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a review of the following description of a preferred embodiment of same, reference 25 being had to the drawings appended hereto.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the twin row plough showing a portion of a bulldozer in phantom;
Fig. 2 is a further perspective view of said 5 plough looking from a different angle;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the twin row plough with portions of a bulldozer and a seedling planter being shown in phantom;
Fig~ 4 is a side ele~ation ~iew of the twin row 10 plough per se; and FigO 5 is a plan view of one of the symmetrical halves of the plough assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRRED EMBODIMENT
Referring firstly to Fig. 3 it will be seen that 15 the twin row plough assembly 10 is mounted to the front of a bulldozer 12, only the front and rear portions of the latter being shown in phantom. In operation, the bulldozer tows a twin row tree planter 14, front and rear portions of which are shown in phantom,such tree planter being described 20 in detaiI in applicants' above-referred to patent application. As noted previously this planter is of the intermittent furrow type and is capable of planting bare root seedlings and, with a suitable attachment, containerized seedlings. The planter includes a pair of swingable 25 planting beams 16 having planting dibbles attached to the outer ends of same and located approximately five feet apaxt. These planting beams are swung upwardly and downwardly by hydraulic cylinders (not shown) operated independently by the two operators positioned on the machine. As described in the above-noted patent application, the planting width 5 may be changed from the five foot planting width noted above to a maximum planting width of about six feet. Under normal operating conditions the seedlings are thus planted in spaced, parallel rows Rl and R2 with the distance between successive seedlings measured along the rows being in the order of six 10 feet.
It will thus be apparent from the above that the objective of the twin row plough 10 is to clear slash and debris, including small pieces oE rubble and clods of earth etcO away from the planting rows Rl and R2 thereby to avoid 15 any substantial interference Wit]l the planting beams and their associated dibbles during the planting process and to provide sufficient open space around the seedlings when planted as to assist in ensuring good growth conditions.
With continued reference to the drawings it will be 20seen that the twin row plough assembly includes a pair of laterally spaced apart ploughs 20 each having a respective outwardly facing vertically disposed major panel 22 disposed at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the plough assembly. By virtue of the disposition of these 25outwardly facing major panels 22, the plough is capable of displacing material outwardly from a central region between , ., , ` ' . - ~ . .
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ploughs 22 upon forward movement of the plough assembly.
Each of the ploughs 20 is of a rigid box-like construction. Each plough comprises, in addition to its major panel 22, a top panel 24, a rear wall panel 26, and 5 inner and outer side wall panels 28 and 30,all secured to one another by welding,with the individual panels being of plate steel to provide the box-like construction with the necessary structural strength and rigidityO To further reinforce the box-like construction, suitable bracing 10 members are provided internally of the box like configuration as illustrated in phantom in Figures 4 and 5.
Each plough 20 is provided with a ripper tooth 32 adjacent a respective leading edge portion of same for dislodging roots and the like from the earth. ~s best seen 15 in Fig. 4, such ripper tooth has a conca~ely contoured leading edge portion with the tip of such ripper tooth being adapted to penetrate a short d:istance into the soil thereby to pick up and dislodge roots and the like which might otherwise interfere with the operation of the planting 20 dibbles.-The ripper tooth 32 is preferably adjustable in depthand because of its contoured shape helps to hold the plough on the ground and minimize the tendency for the plough to jump away from the ground when ob~tacles are encountered.
25 The depth adjustability of the ripper tooth makes it adaptable for parting varying thicknesses of root mat which occur on dif~erent sites.

Each plough 20 is also provided with a relatively large roller 34 which is journalled within its associated box-like construction adjacent the lower edge of same. As best seen in Figs. 4 and 5, such drum 34 is provided with a sturdy support axle 36 which is journalled at its opposing ends within bearings 38 secured to respective opposing inner and outer side wall panels 28 and 30 of the box-lik~
construction referred to above. These relatively large rollers 34 in effect allow the ploughs 20 to "float" along the surface of the ground without digging in and becoming hung up on irregularities in or on the terrain.

The ploughs 20 are rigidly secured together in a spaced apart relationship by means of a transversely disposed frame member 40, the latter comprising a hollow beam of rectangular cross-section and provided at its opposing ends with welded and securely braced flan~e portions 42 which, in turn, are securely bolted to the box like plough constructions.
The frame member 40 is also preferably made adjustable to permit the center line distance between the ploughs to be varied to match the center line distance between the planting beams of the seedling planter~
As a further feature of the respective ploughs .~, ~7~
g 20, it will be noted that each of them is provided with a forwardly projecting stub shaft 44 positioned closely along side the vertical ieading edge of the plough and adjacent the upper extremity of same. These components assist in preventing slash and limbs from riding up the front leading edge of the respective ploughs and over the top of same;
by preventing this, the ploughs are more readily capable of pushing such malterials outwardly to positions alongside the rows which are being cleared. As a still further feature each plough 20 is provided with a replaceable blade 46 ~hich extends generally along the lower edge of the previously referred to major panel 22. This blade 46 is bolted to its associated panel 22 thereby to facilitate replacement of same when it become5 badly worn.
The twin row plough as.sembly 10 also includes means ~or attaching the same to the pusher frame (designated by reference 13) of the bulldozer 12. Such means include a pin and yoke assembly 50 connected to the mid-portion of beam 40 and extending rearwardly therefrom and adapted to mate with a suitable connector welded to the mid-point of the pusher frame. The connector means furthermore includes a laterally spaced pair of clamp assemblies 52, one for each plough 22, which clamp assemblies are firmly clamped to the bulldozer pusher frame by means of suitable bolts 54.

- 10 - ' ' The clamp assemblies 52 are proviaed with suitable brackets to which are pivotally connected upper and lower link members 56 and 58 respectively. The upper link member 56 is connected to its associated plough 22 via a bracket 60 provided with apertures, a pin being passed therethrough and through a selected one of several apertures provided in upper link 56. The lower link 58 is connected in a similar fashion, each plough being provided with a suitable lower bracket 62 with apertures -therein through which connec.ting pins are passed thereby effectively securing the respective ploughs 20 to their associated clamp assemblies 52 via the upper and lower link members 56 and 58. Since each of the upper and lower link members is provided with a series of apertures through which the connecting pins can be passed, : i~r there is provided a convenient means for adjusting the angle of tiIt of the ploughs thus enabling the elevation of the :lower leading edge portions of the ploughs to be varied somewhat relative to the ground surface.
The manner of operation of the above-described twin plough assembly will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from ~he foregoing description and it is believed that a further and more detailed description of the plough operation is unnecessary at this point.

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Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes of illustration, those skilled in this art will realize that numerous modifications and changes in the aetails of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set out in the claims appended hereto~

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Claims (9)

CLAIMS:

1. A twin row plough assembly for clearing brush and debris from spaced planting rows being prepared for a twin row seedling planter, comprising:
(a) a pair of ploughs which are laterally spaced from one another, each plough having an associated leading edge, with the lateral spacing also existing between the leading edges of the ploughs, each plough having an outwardly facing major panel disposed at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the plough assembly to enable said ploughs to clear material away from a laterally spaced pair of planting rows which flank a central region, such central region remaining un-ploughed during forward movement of such plough assembly;
(b) a transversally disposed frame means extending between said spaced ploughs and fixed thereto to rigidly secure said ploughs together in their laterally spaced relationship;
(c) means attached to each plough and supporting each of said ploughs as they move over the ground surface to prevent substantial digging of said ploughs into the earth;
(d) connector means for attaching said spaced ploughs to the pusher frame of a prime mover such as a bulldozer.

2. The twin row plough of claim 1 wherein each said plough has a ripper tooth adjacent the respective leading edge portion of same for dislodging roots and the like from the earth.

3. The twin row plough of claim 1 wherein said means supporting each of said ploughs comprises roller means respectively connected to each said plough.

4. The twin row plough of claim 1 or 2 or 3 wherein each of said ploughs is of box-like construction, each comprising, in addition to said major panel, a top panel, rear wall and inner and outer side wall panels secured to one another to provide said box-like construction with the necessary structural strength and rigidity.

5. The twin row plough of claim 1 wherein each said plough has a ripper tooth adjacent the respective leading edge portion of same for dislodging roots and the like from the earth, and said means supporting each of said ploughs comprises roller means respectively connected to each said plough.

6. The twin row plough of claim 5 wherein each of said ploughs is of box-like construction, each comprising, in addition to said major panel, a top panel, rear wall and inner and outer side wall panels secured to one another to provide said box-like construction with the necessary structural strength and rigidity, and wherein each said roller means is journalled within its associated box-like plough construction adjacent a bottom edge portion of same.

7. The twin row plough of claim 1, or 2 or 3 wherein said connector means includes means for adjusting the angle of tilt of said ploughs whereby to vary the elevation of leading edge portions of said ploughs relative to the ground surface.

8. The twin row plough of claim 2 wherein said ripper tooth has a contoured leading edge to help hold the plough to the ground during operation.

9. The twin row plough of claim 8 wherein said ripper tooth is adjustable in depth to accommodate differing root mat thicknesses encountered at different work sites.