GB1592961A - Soil cultivating machine - Google Patents

Description

(54) SOIL CULTIVATING MACHINE (71) We, HOWARD MACHINERY LIMITED, a British Company, of Saxham, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a soil cultivating machine and particularly to a soil cultivating machine including a shaft driven about a generally horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel and carrying a plurality of outwardly directed cultivating tools.

Soil cultivating machines have already been proposed in, for example, British Patents 1,378,382 and 1,464,715 which are of the kind having a mobile frame on which is mounted a power-driven horizontal shaft carrying a plurality of discrete radially directed cultivating tools along the shaft.

Such tools are of the form comprising cylindrical rods which extend through the shaft so that each end of each rod constitutes a working portion. The rods are spirally arranged along the shaft and are relatively closely spaced so as to effect the desired working action on the soil. The rods are releasably held on the shaft so that they may be readily replaced after wear has taken place.

Such machines are for cultivating the ground to produce a seedbed in the form of a fine tilth in a single pass of the machine over the ground. Due to the nature of the tools cultivation is achieved using less power and at higher speeds than alternative machines such as bladed rotary cultivators which involve the use of curved or Lshaped blades secured to flanges on a rotor shaft, the flanges being at a right angle to the axis of the shaft. As compared with the bladed rotary cultivator the machine of the present invention has tools which occupy a small width in the direction of the axis of the shaft and this offers problems in locating sufficient tools along the shaft to adequately cover the ground traversed by the machine.

The existing machines referred to in said prior patent specifications provide sufficient tools to cover the ground adequately by attaching the tools directly to the shaft at the necessary spacings but the resulting length of each tool makes them relatively costly. Moreover the tools wear in use and have to be replaced from time to time resulting in further costs.

An object ofthe invention, therefore, is to provide a machine capable of cultivating the soil in the manner of the machines of the kind described but using tools and securing means for the tools which are less costly than those presently used but which are still robust and easy to replace.

Moreover the tools are able to maintain their desirable spiral conformation around the shaft.

According to the invention a soil cultivating machine comprises a mobile frame, a power-driven shaft mounted in the frame, drive transmission means for transmitting drive to the shaft, a plurality of planar flange members secured to the shaft for rotation therewith, the flange members being equally spaced from one another axially of the shaft and the planes of the members each ly-ing at an acute angle to the axis of the shaft, and elongate cultivating tools releasably secured to each flange member so that the tools each lie parallel to the plane of the associated member and are directed outwardly of the member, adjacent flange members being angularly displaced from one another about the axis of the shaft so that the tools lie on generally spiral paths about the shaft, the outer ends of the tools lying on a notional cylinder of rotation having the axis of the shaft as its axis.

Preferably the planes of the flange members are at an angle in the range 65" to 80" to the axis of the shaft.

Conveniently the flange members are in the form of plates of rectangular shape having a central opening through which the shaft extends.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of example only and with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. I is a perspective view of a cultivating machine, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a rotor shaft for use in the machine of Fig. 1, and Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C are sections on the lines A-A, B-B and C-C respectively in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings and firstly to Fig. 1, a cultivating machine includes a frame 10 arranged to extend transversely to the direction of travel A and to be supported and driven by a tractor (not shown). The frame 10 is mounted on the tractor three-point linkage through an Aframe 11 extending upwardly from the frame 10 and through brackets 12. Power is transmitted to a shaft 15 through a gear box 16, arranged to be coupled to the tractor power take-off shaft, a transverse jack shaft 17 and a chain and sprocket drive assembly 18 mounted on one end of the frame 10 and coupled to one end of the shaft 15. The other end of the shaft 15 is journalled in bearings at the other end of the frame 10.

The frame 10 provides a top shield (not shown) located over the shaft and a rear shield 19 is located to the rear of the shaft 15 and is pivoted so as to be raised or lowered, as required.

In the operative position of the machine the position of the frame 10 relative to the ground surface is maintained by depth control wheels 20 which are adjustable in height to vary the depth of operation. Alternatively the machine may have a crumbler roller to the rear of the machine for depth control purposes.

As thus far described the machine is of generally known form.

Referring now to Fig. 2 and Figs. 3A, B and C, the shaft 15 is tubular and cylindrical and is secured to a drive shaft 22 at one end and a stub shaft 23 at the other end, each of which connections include a sleeve member 24 and 25 respectively into which the shaft 15 is fitted and welded, and a rectangular end flange 27 at a right angle to the shaft axis.

At equally spaced locations along the shaft are secured flange plates 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d, 26e and 26f. Each plate 26 is of generally square shape, and at each corner of each plate is formed a bolt hole 28 for securing cultivating tools 30. The plates are formed with a central opening 31 for locating the plates about the shaft 15 by welding.

The flange plates 26a to 26f are arranged on the shaft to lie in planes, reference P denoting lines drawn diagonally from corner to corner and in the plane of the flanges, which planes each lie at an acute ange a to the axis of the shaft. The angle a will be different for different size shafts and- will generally be smaller for machineshaving a large diameter working circle. The angle a is in the range 600 to 870, preferably 650 to 800. Adjacent plates are located with the plates displaced angularly from one another an angle p about the axis of the shaft 15, the angular displacement A in this case being about 22 but this will vary according to the size and length of the machine and the number of flanges employed.

The cultivating tools 30 are bolted to each plate 26, four to each plate on alternate sides of the plate and parallel with the associated edges of the plate, as shown in Figs. 3A, B and C, using two bolts for each tool, each bolt being common to two tools, so that the tools are in two pairs at right angles to one another and the tools in each pair extending in opposite directions.

The tools 30 lie parallel to the plane P of the associated flanges and the arrangement is such that each tool extends outwardly of the shaft an equal amount so that the outer ends lie on a common cylinder having the axis of the shaft 15 as its centre. The tools on each flange also extend tangentially to a circle about the shaft.

The flanges 27 may also carry tools (not shown) similar to the tool 30, each flange 27 having two tools along opposite edges of the flange but the flanges 27 may be omitted.

Although as shown the flanges are provided with two fixing holes for each tool, the flanges and/or the tools may have more than two holes so that in the event of wear to the ends of the tools, the tools, can be repositioned outwardly to compensate for the wear by changing the location of the bolts. In another arrangement each tool is held in place by two bolts which only secure that tool, eight holes per flange being provided.

The tools are each formed as elongate, rectangular flat metal strips of which the leading edges may be bevelled and one end is a shank portion, the opposite end being a working portion. Preferably the direction of rotation of the shaft is as shown by arrow X.

The spacing of the flanges along the shaft is selected so that for a given angle a, working diameter and other dimensional characteristics, the outer ends of the tools are at an axial spacing of about 12 to 2 inches. This is found to give the desired cultivating effect with some compensation for the fact that the outer ends of the tools are more closely spaced than the tool shanks due to the angle a.

The effect of the described tool and tool holder construction is to make it possible to use relatively short tools, each of narrow width to give the desired cultivating action, and each readily replaceable, without having to provide individual closely-spaced tool holders for each tool. This is achieved by deploying several tools on a single tool flange and angling the flange so that the tools extend to each. side of the position at which the flange is secured to the shaft.

In the illustrated embodiment the shaft 15 has a length of about 0.9 metres and a working diameter of about 0.35 metres with a spacing between flanges 26 of about 40 centimetres, but it will be appreciated that other dimensions will be used with machines for different purposes.

In British Patent 1,337,124 there is described a cultivating machine which appears to have common characteristics to the present invention but it is of a fundamentally different kind because the cultivating tools are not driven but merely roll over the ground as the machine is advanced.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A soil cultivating machine comprising a mobile frame, a power-driven shaft mounted in the frame, drive transmission means for transmitting drive to the shaft, a plurality of planar flange members secured to the shaft for rotation therewith, the flange members being equally spaced from one another axially of the shaft and the planes of the members each lying at an acute angle to the axis of the shaft, and elongate cultivating tools releasably secured to each flange member so that the tools each lie parallel to the plane of the associated member and are directed outwardly of the member, adjacent flange members being angularly displaced from one another about the axis of the shaft so that the tools lie on generally spiral paths about the shaft, the outer ends of the tools lying on a notional cylinder of rotation having the axis of the shaft as its axis.

2. A machine according to Claim 1 wherein the planes of the flange members are at an angle in the range 650 to 800 to the axis of the shaft.

3. A cultivating machine according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the outer ends of the tools are axially spaced from one another along said cylinder of rotation.

4. A cultivating machine according to Claim 13 wherein the tools each extend tangentially to a circle having the axis of the shaft at its centre.

5. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the flange members are in the form of plates of rectangular shape having a central opening through which the shaft extends.

6. A machine according to Claim 5 wherein the tools are attached towards the outer edges of the associated plates.

7. A machine according to Claim 5 or 6 wherein the plates include means for fixing four tools to each plate and the tools are in two pairs, the tools in each pair extending parallel to one another in opposite directions and one pair of tools being attached to the opposite side of the flange member to the other pair of tools.

8. A machine according to Claim 6 or 7 wherein the attachment means include holes towards each of the corners of the plates and bolts to engage in the holes and in corresponding holes in the tools.

9. A machine according to Claim 8 wherein each bolt and each hole is common to two tools.

10. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tools are each a flat, elongate metal strip of which one portion constitutes a shank and is attachable to the flange members and the other portion is a working portion for acting on the soil and extends outwardly of the flange members.

11. A soil cultivating machine substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (11)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. holder construction is to make it possible to use relatively short tools, each of narrow width to give the desired cultivating action, and each readily replaceable, without having to provide individual closely-spaced tool holders for each tool. This is achieved by deploying several tools on a single tool flange and angling the flange so that the tools extend to each. side of the position at which the flange is secured to the shaft. In the illustrated embodiment the shaft 15 has a length of about 0.9 metres and a working diameter of about 0.35 metres with a spacing between flanges 26 of about 40 centimetres, but it will be appreciated that other dimensions will be used with machines for different purposes. In British Patent 1,337,124 there is described a cultivating machine which appears to have common characteristics to the present invention but it is of a fundamentally different kind because the cultivating tools are not driven but merely roll over the ground as the machine is advanced. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A soil cultivating machine comprising a mobile frame, a power-driven shaft mounted in the frame, drive transmission means for transmitting drive to the shaft, a plurality of planar flange members secured to the shaft for rotation therewith, the flange members being equally spaced from one another axially of the shaft and the planes of the members each lying at an acute angle to the axis of the shaft, and elongate cultivating tools releasably secured to each flange member so that the tools each lie parallel to the plane of the associated member and are directed outwardly of the member, adjacent flange members being angularly displaced from one another about the axis of the shaft so that the tools lie on generally spiral paths about the shaft, the outer ends of the tools lying on a notional cylinder of rotation having the axis of the shaft as its axis.

2. A machine according to Claim 1 wherein the planes of the flange members are at an angle in the range 650 to 800 to the axis of the shaft.

3. A cultivating machine according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the outer ends of the tools are axially spaced from one another along said cylinder of rotation.

4. A cultivating machine according to Claim 13 wherein the tools each extend tangentially to a circle having the axis of the shaft at its centre.

5. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the flange members are in the form of plates of rectangular shape having a central opening through which the shaft extends.

6. A machine according to Claim 5 wherein the tools are attached towards the outer edges of the associated plates.

7. A machine according to Claim 5 or 6 wherein the plates include means for fixing four tools to each plate and the tools are in two pairs, the tools in each pair extending parallel to one another in opposite directions and one pair of tools being attached to the opposite side of the flange member to the other pair of tools.

8. A machine according to Claim 6 or 7 wherein the attachment means include holes towards each of the corners of the plates and bolts to engage in the holes and in corresponding holes in the tools.

9. A machine according to Claim 8 wherein each bolt and each hole is common to two tools.

10. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tools are each a flat, elongate metal strip of which one portion constitutes a shank and is attachable to the flange members and the other portion is a working portion for acting on the soil and extends outwardly of the flange members.

11. A soil cultivating machine substantially as described with reference to the drawings.