GB2052934A

GB2052934A - Cultivating tool

Info

Publication number: GB2052934A
Application number: GB8020625A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: ADAMCZYK J; Adamczyk J J
Current assignee: ADAMCZYK J; Adamczyk J J
Priority date: 1979-06-27
Filing date: 1980-06-24
Publication date: 1981-02-04
Also published as: GB2052934B

Abstract

A cultivating tool has a pointed flat fixed blade (6) and a curved defector (11) extending upwardly and forwardly from it. Rotary soil- working blades (9) rotate about a shaft (8) driven by an electric motor (12) mounted on a fixed shaft (2) near the fixed blade. This arrangement provides an easily managed light cultivating tool which efficiently breaks up soil and propels it forwardly of the tool, thus avoiding the need for lifting soil. The combination of the fixed blade and the rotary blades minimise the downward force required. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cultivating tool This invention relates to a cultivating tool.

According to the invention a cultivating tool comprises a fixed soil-penetrating blade having rotatable soil-working blades mounted on the face thereof, and a motor on the tool to rotate the soil-working blades.

Preferably the tool has a curved deflector extending forward from the fixed blade whereby soil propelled upwardly by the soilworking blades is deflected forwards from the fixed blade. The motor is suitably an electric motor supplied with power through a trailing cable, but may also be a petrol engine, for example. The fixed blade is preferably mounted on the end of a fixed shaft and the motor may also be mounted on the fixed shaft, above the deflector. By mounting the motor at the lower end of the shaft, its weight is applied to the blades without the user having to support the weight to the extent necessary when the motor is mounted at the upper end of the shaft. In addition, less vibration is transmitted to the user, making use of the machine less tiring.

The fixed blade is preferably pointed to provide anchorage in the soil, whilst allowing the soil-working blades to extend beyond the fixed blade compacting soil before the soilworking blades can act upon it. The axis of rotation of the soil-working blades should preferably be as close as possible to the tip of the fixed blade to minimise the downward pressure required on the tool.

The cultivating tool enables the soil to be dug with very little effort on the part of the user. The soil is efficiently broken up and propelled forward of the tool, thus performing the normal functions of a digging spade, but without the user having to lift heavy spade loads of soil, as well as the subsequent treatment steps for which a rake may normally be used. Because the soil is propelled clear of the rotary blades, less power is absorbed by the soil being in contact with the rotary shaft carrying the blades.

Reference is made to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a tool according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a side view of the tool shown in Fig. 1.

The tool comprises a moulded plastics handle 2 on a tubular steel shaft 4 which carries a bracket 3 mounting a fixed steel blade 6.

The blade 6 converges to a point 5 on its lower edge. A gearbox 7, containing a worm gear arrangement turning a shaft 8 on which soil-working blades 9 are mounted, is secured to the fixed blade 6 adjacent to the point 5 thereof. As well as normal oil seals the shaft also has felt dust seals beneath caps 10 to avoid grit reaching the gears during digging.

The soil-working blades 9 comprise two pairs of blades, each blade having a "hoeing" edge at one end 9a and a "slashing" edge at the other end 9b for the greatest possible digging efficiency. These types of edge are well-known in soil cultivators, but it is usual to have only one type in use on any one machine. The blades 9 of each pair face outwardly from each other, and are dimensioned and positioned so as to extend beyond the lower edge of the fixed blade 6, but not beyond the lowermost part of the point 5. The blades rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 2.

A curved deflector 11 extends upwardly and forwardly from the upper end of the blade 6 so that soil thrown upwardly by the soilworking blades 9, is deflected forwards by the deflector 11. The deflector 11 is of a slightly greater width than the soil-working blades 9, and is formed of two parts 11 a and 11 b hinged together, the movable part 11 b having on its rear face a sliding adjuster 20 lockable by a wing nut and bolt 21 in a bracket 22 mounted on the motor 12, to permit control of the degree of projection of soil. For example, for inter-row cultivation, the movable part 1 b of the deflector can be swung down close to the soil-working blades 9 to keep soil projection close to the tool.

A foot rest 23, in the form of a bar extending normally to the shaft 4, is provided to permit additional downward pressure to be exerted on the tool by means of a foot.

An electric motor 1 2 of about 0.8 kW power and a speed of about 10,000 r.p.m. is mounted on the tubular steel shaft 4 via a resilient pad 1 3. The drive shaft of the motor 1 2 is enclosed in a tube 14 which passes through the deflector 11 and is coupled to the gearbox 7. The gearbox is arranged to give a speed reduction of about 24:1 from the drive shaft of the motor 1 2. A gearbox giving a ratio as low as 1 7:1 has been found satisfactory.

An electric cable 1 5 leads from the motor 1 2 through the plastics handle 2 to a control switch 1 6 in the hand grip 1 7 of the handle 2. A lock 1 8 may be provided to hold the switch in the "on" position. A supply cable 1 9 leads from the hand grip 1 7 to a suitable electricity supply.

1. A cultivating tool comprising a fixed soil-penetrating blade having rotatable soilworking blades mounted on the face thereof, and a motor on the tool to rotate the soilworking blades.

2. A tool according to Claim 1, wherein the fixed blade is substantially flat.

3. A tool according to Claim 2, wherein the rotatable blades are mounted on a rotatable shaft extending sustantially parallel to the

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Cultivating tool This invention relates to a cultivating tool. According to the invention a cultivating tool comprises a fixed soil-penetrating blade having rotatable soil-working blades mounted on the face thereof, and a motor on the tool to rotate the soil-working blades. Preferably the tool has a curved deflector extending forward from the fixed blade whereby soil propelled upwardly by the soilworking blades is deflected forwards from the fixed blade. The motor is suitably an electric motor supplied with power through a trailing cable, but may also be a petrol engine, for example. The fixed blade is preferably mounted on the end of a fixed shaft and the motor may also be mounted on the fixed shaft, above the deflector. By mounting the motor at the lower end of the shaft, its weight is applied to the blades without the user having to support the weight to the extent necessary when the motor is mounted at the upper end of the shaft. In addition, less vibration is transmitted to the user, making use of the machine less tiring. The fixed blade is preferably pointed to provide anchorage in the soil, whilst allowing the soil-working blades to extend beyond the fixed blade compacting soil before the soilworking blades can act upon it. The axis of rotation of the soil-working blades should preferably be as close as possible to the tip of the fixed blade to minimise the downward pressure required on the tool. The cultivating tool enables the soil to be dug with very little effort on the part of the user. The soil is efficiently broken up and propelled forward of the tool, thus performing the normal functions of a digging spade, but without the user having to lift heavy spade loads of soil, as well as the subsequent treatment steps for which a rake may normally be used. Because the soil is propelled clear of the rotary blades, less power is absorbed by the soil being in contact with the rotary shaft carrying the blades. Reference is made to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a tool according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a side view of the tool shown in Fig. 1. The tool comprises a moulded plastics handle 2 on a tubular steel shaft 4 which carries a bracket 3 mounting a fixed steel blade 6. The blade 6 converges to a point 5 on its lower edge. A gearbox 7, containing a worm gear arrangement turning a shaft 8 on which soil-working blades 9 are mounted, is secured to the fixed blade 6 adjacent to the point 5 thereof. As well as normal oil seals the shaft also has felt dust seals beneath caps 10 to avoid grit reaching the gears during digging. The soil-working blades 9 comprise two pairs of blades, each blade having a "hoeing" edge at one end 9a and a "slashing" edge at the other end 9b for the greatest possible digging efficiency. These types of edge are well-known in soil cultivators, but it is usual to have only one type in use on any one machine. The blades 9 of each pair face outwardly from each other, and are dimensioned and positioned so as to extend beyond the lower edge of the fixed blade 6, but not beyond the lowermost part of the point 5. The blades rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 2. A curved deflector 11 extends upwardly and forwardly from the upper end of the blade 6 so that soil thrown upwardly by the soilworking blades 9, is deflected forwards by the deflector 11. The deflector 11 is of a slightly greater width than the soil-working blades 9, and is formed of two parts 11 a and 11 b hinged together, the movable part 11 b having on its rear face a sliding adjuster 20 lockable by a wing nut and bolt 21 in a bracket 22 mounted on the motor 12, to permit control of the degree of projection of soil. For example, for inter-row cultivation, the movable part 1 b of the deflector can be swung down close to the soil-working blades 9 to keep soil projection close to the tool. A foot rest 23, in the form of a bar extending normally to the shaft 4, is provided to permit additional downward pressure to be exerted on the tool by means of a foot. An electric motor 1 2 of about 0.8 kW power and a speed of about 10,000 r.p.m. is mounted on the tubular steel shaft 4 via a resilient pad 1 3. The drive shaft of the motor 1 2 is enclosed in a tube 14 which passes through the deflector 11 and is coupled to the gearbox 7. The gearbox is arranged to give a speed reduction of about 24:1 from the drive shaft of the motor 1 2. A gearbox giving a ratio as low as 1 7:1 has been found satisfactory. An electric cable 1 5 leads from the motor 1 2 through the plastics handle 2 to a control switch 1 6 in the hand grip 1 7 of the handle 2. A lock 1 8 may be provided to hold the switch in the "on" position. A supply cable 1 9 leads from the hand grip 1 7 to a suitable electricity supply. CLAIMS

2. A tool according to Claim 1, wherein the fixed blade is substantially flat.

3. A tool according to Claim 2, wherein the rotatable blades are mounted on a rotatable shaft extending sustantially parallel to the surface of the fixed blade and such that, in use, the shaft is substantially horizontal.

4. A tool according to Claim 3, wherein the rotatable blades comprise both hoeing elements having a portion extending generally parallel to the rotatable shaft and slashing elements which curve outwardly from the shaft.

5. A tool according to Claim 2, 3 or 4, comprising a curved deflector which, in use, extends upwardly and forwardly of the fixed blade, whereby soil propelled upwardly by the soil-working blades is deflected forwards of the fixed blade.

6. A tool according to Claim 5, wherein the deflector comprises a hinged portion and has securing means whereby the hinged portion may be secured in a selected hinged position relative to the deflector.

7. A tool according to any of Claims 2 to 6, wherein the lower edge of the fixed blade, in use, tapers inwardly to a central point.

8. A tool according to any preceding claim, comprising a fixed shaft having a handle at one end and being fixed to the fixed blade at the other end thereof.

9. A tool according to Claim 8, wherein the motor is mounted on the fixed shaft adjacent to the fixed blade.

10. A cultivating tool, substantially as described with reference to or as shown in the drawings.