GB1585897A - Rotary cultivator - Google Patents

Rotary cultivator Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1585897A
GB1585897A GB1696677A GB1696677A GB1585897A GB 1585897 A GB1585897 A GB 1585897A GB 1696677 A GB1696677 A GB 1696677A GB 1696677 A GB1696677 A GB 1696677A GB 1585897 A GB1585897 A GB 1585897A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
rotor
cultivator
rotors
blades
roller
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB1696677A
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LEA W
Original Assignee
LEA W
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by LEA W filed Critical LEA W
Priority to GB1696677A priority Critical patent/GB1585897A/en
Publication of GB1585897A publication Critical patent/GB1585897A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01BSOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
    • A01B33/00Tilling implements with rotary driven tools, e.g. in combination with fertiliser distributors or seeders, with grubbing chains, with sloping axles, with driven discs
    • A01B33/02Tilling implements with rotary driven tools, e.g. in combination with fertiliser distributors or seeders, with grubbing chains, with sloping axles, with driven discs with tools on horizontal shaft transverse to direction of travel
    • A01B33/028Tilling implements with rotary driven tools, e.g. in combination with fertiliser distributors or seeders, with grubbing chains, with sloping axles, with driven discs with tools on horizontal shaft transverse to direction of travel of the walk-behind type

Description

(54) ROTARY CULTIVATOR (71) I, WILLIAM EDMUND LEA, a British Subject, of 2 Oakfield Rise, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, CW4 7DY, formerly of "Cedar Gables", Sproston, Crewe, CW4 7LR, Cheshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention concerns rotary cultivators of the kind (bereinafter called "of the kind referred to") comprising a power unit in the form of a structure adapted by the provision of support means (e.g. in the form of one or more wheels, rollers or skids) for progressing over the ground and carrying a motor which serves to drive a substantially horizontallydisposed rotor shaft extending transversely of the cultivator, the rotor shaft being fitted with rotors for working the ground.
For digging and like operations, the rotors provided on such cultivators generally comprise radial flat strip metal blades, which may be bent to one side or the other at their outer ends. These blades penetrate into the ground, usually to a depth of twelve to fourteen inches, to dig and break up the ground, in operation of the cultivator, which may be held by the user with the support means clear of the ground and the cultivator is primarily supported by the rotors whose rotation also causes progression of the cultivator over the ground.
An object of the present invention is to provide a form of rotor, suitable for a cultivator as aforesaid, which makes the cultivator more versatile than hitherto, in that it will support the cultivator with teeth of the rotor penetrating into the ground to only a limited extent, much shallower than the depth penetrated by the conventional rotors, so that it can be employed for scarifying operations in relation to grass and lawns and can be used with advantage for final preparation of soil seed beds for small seeds, to produce a firm seed bed with a shallow but very fine surface tilth.
With this object in view, the present invention provides, as a first aspect thereof a rotor, for a rotary cultivator of the kind referred to, characterised in that it comprises a roller having a substantially cylindrical outer curve surface from which protrude a plurality of similar tongue-like blades distributed around the roller, each said blade being a wholly-planar flat element of which the plane forms a small angle with a plane at right angles to the roller's rotational axis.
The blades are preferably sharpened on their leading edges.
Each blade is preferably shaped to provide a leading edge which is disposed to be approximately radial to the axis of the roller and a trailing edge which is backed off to provide a clearance, relative to the outermost tip of the blade, immediately behind said tip.
The blades may be arranged in helical rows around the roller.
The roller is conveniently in the form of a cylinder, preferably of metal, having apertured end discs whereby it may be mounted on the shaft of the cultivator.
The invention further provides, of course, a rotary cultivator of the kind referred to characterised by the provision, on the rotor shaft of the power unit thereof of one or more rotors as above discussed.
The cultivator is conveniently such that the said rotor shaft extends laterally to each side of the cultivator from a central structure thereof, in which case preferably two said rotors are provided on the rotor shaft, one to each side of the central structure.
The power unit may then comprise a skid enabling it to be progressed over the ground, this skid being fitted with downwardlyprojecting blades similar to those on the rotors.
The disposition of the skid and its blades is preferably such as to engage the ground in correspondence with the central structure thereby to work that portion of the ground between the two rotors and not worked by the latter.
This central structure may comprise a vertical gearbox enclosing an upright worm shaft which is driven from the motor and serves to drive the rotor shaft by way of a worm wheel on the latter. Alternatively, it may comprise a narrow pillar constructed as a chain-case enclosing a chain which transmits drive from the motor to the rotor shaft.
If desired, the cultivator may further comprise limiting means effective to define a predetermined depth of penetration of the blades of the rotor or rotors; said limiting means may comprise a respective skid or jockey wheel which may be mounted adjacent the central structure, where present.
The cultivator of the invention maybe provided, as accessories, with rotors in the form of non-bladed rollers, so that the cultivator, with these accessory rollers fitted, may be employed as a powered roller.
In order that the invention may be fully understood, it will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating a cultivator fitted with two rotors according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a front view of the cultivator of Fig. 1.
It will be understood that the following description is illustrative, and not limitative, of the scope of the invention.
As shown in the drawing, a pair of rotors 10, 11, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention are fabricated of metal.
Each comprises a roller body 12, for example about seven or eight inches in diameter, although it may be, for example, as small as four inches and as large as twelve inches.
From this body a plurality of tongue-like flat blades 13 project substantially radially outwards.
Each roller body 12 is in the form of a robust metal cylinder having, in each end thereof, respective end discs 14 having central apertures 15 to enable the rotor 10, 11 to be mounted on a cultivator's rotor shaft 16 (as will be described later).
Each blade 13 is in the form of a whollyplanar flat element of metal, approximately quadrilaterial in outline, providing a curved base edge 17 by which it is secured to the cylindrical body 12, and a leading edge 18 which extends approximately radially of the body 12 of the roller. Connecting between the outermost tip 19 of the leading edge 18 are two edge sections 20 and 21 which together constitute a trailing edge of the blade 13, comprising outer trailing edge section 20 which converges slightly towards the outer curved surface of the roller body 12 and provides a backing-off or clearance for the tip 19 of the blade 13 and inner trailing edge section 21 which connects the outer trailing edge section 20 with the roller body 12 and converges abruptly towards the latter. The leading edge 18 of each blade 13 is preferably sharpened as shown. In the illustrated case, the dispositions on each roller, of the respective blades 13, is such that the plane of each blade forms a small angle with a plane at right angles to the roller's rotational axis.
As can be seen from Fig. 2, the blades 13 are effectively in rows along the body, each row being of helical configuration. It will be seen, also, that the blade angles on the one rotor 10 are in the opposite sense to those of the other rotor 11. This is to ensure that they impart traction as will later be described.
If desired blades 13 may be arranged in groups, with the blades of each group substantially equi-angularly distributed around the body in a respective plane. Thus, there may be four blades in each group, spaced apart by 90 , or there may be three blades per group at 1200 spacings, five blades per group at 72" spacing or six blades per group at 60 spacing and so on. Other arrangements and angular spacings are of course possible, within practical limitations.
As shown in the drawings, the rotors 10, 11 are for use on a rotary cultivator 22 of the kind referred to at the introduction of this specification and comprising a power unit including a frame-like or chassis-like structure 23 adapted to be supported on and progressed over the ground, by support means in the form of an upright post 24 having, on its bottom end, a flat shoe-like skid 25. Downwardly projecting blades 26 and 27 are fitted to the underside of the skid 25, for penetration of the ground. Handles 28 are provided at one end of the structure 23 which supports a motor 29, to permit the cultivator to be steadied and guided by the user. At the end of the structure 23 remote from the handle, a vertical gearbox 30 projects downwards therefrom, this enclosing an upright worm shaft 31 which is driven from the motor 29 and which serves to drive the rotor shaft 16 which extends transversely of the gearbox 30, being journalled in bearings 32 in the lower end of the gearbox 30. A worm wheel 33 on the rotor shaft 16 is engaged by a worm 34 on the worm shaft 33. The rotor shaft 16 extends approximately equally at each side of the gearbox 30.
Each extending end of the shaft 16 has the respective bladed rotor 10, 11 fixed thereon.
The structure of the gearbox 30 may, if desired, also be fitted with a respective skid (not shown) which projects downwards and is adjustable relative to the rotors 10, 11 to determine the depth by which the blades 13 thereof will penetrate the ground.
The cultivator, with the rotors mounted thereon as described and illustrated, is particularly suitable for use in scarifying grass or lawns, e.g. for tearing out dead grass and/or moss therefrom, and at the same time penetrating the top surface of the ground for aerating purposes. If desired, it may also be used for breaking down the top surface of soil (e.g. dug-over soil), being operative to convert it to very fine tilth, e.g.
for planting out of plants, vegetables or the like. During operation, the cultivator is supported by the bodies 12 of the rotors with the blades 13 penetrating the ground only to a relatively shallow depth, for example, oneand-a-half or two inches, and certainly to a depth which is much shallower than the depths at which cultivators normally work.
The angled disposition of the blades 13 ensures that traction is imparted to the cultivator by rotation of the rotors.
Naturally the invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing example and variations may be made thereto. Thus, for instance the rotors may be of material and construction differing from what has been described. Each said rotor could, for example, comprise a cylindrical body of tough plastics material with metal blades detachably fastened thereto. The cultivator may, of course, be of different configuration providing, for example, for the fitting of only a single rotor instead of the two in the described case. It will be understood that the structure of the cultivator, when provided with wheels 50 as shown, will generally have these mounted on one or more axles 51 disposed at the same end of the structure as the handles 28. The arrangement may be such that the skid 25 or the wheels 50 are exchangeable with one or more non-bladed rollers. Furthermore, nonbladed rollers may be provided for use in the place of the bladed rotors 10, 11 so that the cultivator can be used as a powered roller.
WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A rotor, for a rotary cultivator of the kind referred to, characterised in that it comprises a roller having a substantially cylindrical outer curved surface from which protrude a plurality of similar tongue-like blades distributed around the roller, each said blade being a wholly-planar flat element the plane of which forms a small angle with said plane at right angles to the roller's rotational axis.
2. A rotor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the leading edges of the blades are sharpened.
3. A rotor as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein each blade is shaped to provide a leading edge which is disposed to be approximately radial to the axis of the roller and a trailing edge which is backed off to provide a clearance, relative to the outermost tip of the blade, immediately behind said tip.
4. A rotor as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the blades are arranged in helical rows around the roller.
5. A rotor as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the roller is in the form of a cylinder having apertured end discs whereby it may be mounted on the shaft of the cultivator.
6. A rotor as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
7. A rotary cultivator of the kind referred to characterised by the provision, on the rotor shaft of the power unit thereof, of one or more rotors as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5.
8. A rotary cultivator as claimed in claim 7 wherein the rotor shaft extends laterally to each side of the cultivator from a central structure thereof, two said rotors being provided on the rotor shaft, one to each side of the central structure.
9. A rotary cultivator as claimed in claim claim 8 wherein the blade angles on the one rotor are in the opposite sense to the blade angles of the other rotor.
10. A rotary cultivator as claimed in claim 8 or 9 wherein the power unit comprises a skid enabling it to be progressed over the ground, this skid being fitted with downwardly-projecting blades similar to those on the rotors.
11. A rotary cultivator as claimed in claim 10 wherein the disposition of the skid and its blades is such as to engage the ground in correspondence with the central structure thereby to work that portion of the ground between the two rotors and not worked by the latter.
12. A rotary cultivator as claimed in any claims 8 to 11 wherein the central structure comprises a vertical gearbox enclosing an upright worm shaft which is driven from the motor and serves to drive the rotor shaft by way of a worm wheel on the latter.
13. A rotary cultivator as claimed in any of claims 7 to 12, further including limiting means effective to define a predetermined depth of penetration of the blades of the rotor or rotors.
14. A rotary cultivator as claimed in claim 13 wherein the limiting means comprises a respective skid or jockey wheel.
15. A rotary cultivator as claimed in any of claims 7 to 14 further including, as accessories, rotors in the form of non-bladed rotors, so that the cultivator, with these accessory rollers fitted in the place of the bladed rotors, may be employed as a powered roller.
16. A rotary cultivator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (16)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the blades 13 penetrating the ground only to a relatively shallow depth, for example, oneand-a-half or two inches, and certainly to a depth which is much shallower than the depths at which cultivators normally work. The angled disposition of the blades 13 ensures that traction is imparted to the cultivator by rotation of the rotors. Naturally the invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing example and variations may be made thereto. Thus, for instance the rotors may be of material and construction differing from what has been described. Each said rotor could, for example, comprise a cylindrical body of tough plastics material with metal blades detachably fastened thereto. The cultivator may, of course, be of different configuration providing, for example, for the fitting of only a single rotor instead of the two in the described case. It will be understood that the structure of the cultivator, when provided with wheels 50 as shown, will generally have these mounted on one or more axles 51 disposed at the same end of the structure as the handles 28. The arrangement may be such that the skid 25 or the wheels 50 are exchangeable with one or more non-bladed rollers. Furthermore, nonbladed rollers may be provided for use in the place of the bladed rotors 10, 11 so that the cultivator can be used as a powered roller. WHAT I CLAIM IS:
1. A rotor, for a rotary cultivator of the kind referred to, characterised in that it comprises a roller having a substantially cylindrical outer curved surface from which protrude a plurality of similar tongue-like blades distributed around the roller, each said blade being a wholly-planar flat element the plane of which forms a small angle with said plane at right angles to the roller's rotational axis.
2. A rotor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the leading edges of the blades are sharpened.
3. A rotor as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein each blade is shaped to provide a leading edge which is disposed to be approximately radial to the axis of the roller and a trailing edge which is backed off to provide a clearance, relative to the outermost tip of the blade, immediately behind said tip.
4. A rotor as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the blades are arranged in helical rows around the roller.
5. A rotor as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the roller is in the form of a cylinder having apertured end discs whereby it may be mounted on the shaft of the cultivator.
6. A rotor as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
7. A rotary cultivator of the kind referred to characterised by the provision, on the rotor shaft of the power unit thereof, of one or more rotors as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5.
8. A rotary cultivator as claimed in claim 7 wherein the rotor shaft extends laterally to each side of the cultivator from a central structure thereof, two said rotors being provided on the rotor shaft, one to each side of the central structure.
9. A rotary cultivator as claimed in claim claim 8 wherein the blade angles on the one rotor are in the opposite sense to the blade angles of the other rotor.
10. A rotary cultivator as claimed in claim 8 or 9 wherein the power unit comprises a skid enabling it to be progressed over the ground, this skid being fitted with downwardly-projecting blades similar to those on the rotors.
11. A rotary cultivator as claimed in claim 10 wherein the disposition of the skid and its blades is such as to engage the ground in correspondence with the central structure thereby to work that portion of the ground between the two rotors and not worked by the latter.
12. A rotary cultivator as claimed in any claims 8 to 11 wherein the central structure comprises a vertical gearbox enclosing an upright worm shaft which is driven from the motor and serves to drive the rotor shaft by way of a worm wheel on the latter.
13. A rotary cultivator as claimed in any of claims 7 to 12, further including limiting means effective to define a predetermined depth of penetration of the blades of the rotor or rotors.
14. A rotary cultivator as claimed in claim 13 wherein the limiting means comprises a respective skid or jockey wheel.
15. A rotary cultivator as claimed in any of claims 7 to 14 further including, as accessories, rotors in the form of non-bladed rotors, so that the cultivator, with these accessory rollers fitted in the place of the bladed rotors, may be employed as a powered roller.
16. A rotary cultivator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
GB1696677A 1978-04-13 1978-04-13 Rotary cultivator Expired GB1585897A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1696677A GB1585897A (en) 1978-04-13 1978-04-13 Rotary cultivator

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1696677A GB1585897A (en) 1978-04-13 1978-04-13 Rotary cultivator

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2125662A (en) * 1982-07-30 1984-03-14 Lely Nv C Van Der Soil cultivating implements
GB2148082A (en) * 1983-10-19 1985-05-30 Turveteollisuusliitto R Y Means for milling peat
EP0551139A2 (en) * 1992-01-09 1993-07-14 Josef Oberholzer Device for levelling soil

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2125662A (en) * 1982-07-30 1984-03-14 Lely Nv C Van Der Soil cultivating implements
GB2148082A (en) * 1983-10-19 1985-05-30 Turveteollisuusliitto R Y Means for milling peat
EP0551139A2 (en) * 1992-01-09 1993-07-14 Josef Oberholzer Device for levelling soil
EP0551139A3 (en) * 1992-01-09 1993-10-20 Josef Oberholzer Device for levelling soil

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee