GB2053638A - Agricultural drill - Google Patents

Abstract

An agricultural drill comprising a frame 1 on which a retaining device 7 fitted with drill coulters 12 is detachably mounted by means of coupling members 8, said device having a beam 10 which extends transversely of the direction of travel and on which the drill coulters 12 are displaceable in a vertical plane by means of coulter holders 13 and are located in a transverse row as well as being pivotably and detachably connected. The retaining devices may be replaced by others on which drill coulters (12, 21) with gaps between them (Figures 2-5, not shown), are arranged alternately to each other in a plurality of transverse rows (11, 24, 25) located in series; said coulters having holders of the same length. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, a common support (29, 33, 37) should be provided at least for the particular adjacent coulter holders (12, 21) of the second and third transverse row. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An agricultural drill The present invention concerns a n an agricultural drill or drilling machine having a frame on which a retaining device, fitted with drill blade or coulters, is detachably mounted by means of coupling mem bers; said device having a beam extending transversely to the direction of travel, and on which beam the coulters are displaceable in a vertical plane by means of coulter holders and are located in a trans verse row, as well as pivotably and detachably con nected thereto.

German Patent Specification 15 57 925 discloses a drill which is constructed to be attached to a tractor and is characterised in that the retaining device with the drill coulters can be attached to the frame of the machine in various positions for carrying out differ ent agricultural and other treatment operations. For its use as a pure drill, and fitted only with drill coul ters as an operating tool, it is also of advantage that its centre of gravity is disposed with a comparatively small spacing behind the power take-off of the trac tor.

However, it is a disadvantage that perfect drilling work can only be achieved by sowing the seed with a comparatively large spacing between the rows in a clean and well prepared seed bed. If these conditions are not provided, there is the risk that the very small clearance between the individual blades will very soon become choked with comparatively large clods of earth or portions of plants present in the soil, so that drilling has to be interrupted frequently for clearing these intermediate spaces. In many cases the blockages of the intervening spaces between the coulters occur, however, at such short intervals of time that it is no longer possible to achieve perfect sowing of the seed in the soil.

Furthermore, Canadian Patent Specification 881,280 discloses a drill having a retaining device which is provided with coulters disposed alternately in three series of transverse rows and, viewed in the direction of travel, located offset relative to each other - the coulters having the form of hoes. In the case of this drill constructed as a machine to be towed, it is an advantage that such great spacings are present between the individual coulters also for the sowing of the seed with small spacing between the rows, that it is scarecely possible for breakdowns to occur due to blockages of these intermediate spaces, even on soils insufficiently prepared for so ing or soils impregnated with portions of plants.

In addition, due to the fact that the joints of the coulter holders have, viewed in the direction of travel, the same spacing between them as the trans verse rows, for the drill coulters disposed in the indi vidual transverse rows there is the advantage that coulter holders of the same length and type can be used for all the drill coulters. On account of the com plicated construction, this certainly involves the dis advantage that a beam extending transversely to the direction of travel is provided for the linked arrangement of the drill coulters of each transverse row, these beams being rigidly connected to the frame of the drill.

With the application of more recent work saving agricultural techniques in which the soil is no longer ploughed before sowing and not even mechanically loosened, it has proved to be necessary to adapt the shapes of the drill coulters to a greater extent than previously to the particular soil and sowing conditions present; i.e. to frequently exchange the drill coulters of the machine before use for differentiy designed coulters. In orderto comply with this requirement, both with the originally described known blades or coulters and also with the drill according to Canadian Patent Specification 881,280, the drill coulters with their holders must be individually replaced by other drill coulters suitable for the particular conditions and also provided with coulter holders. However, this exchange involves considerable work and much time.

The object of the present invention is therefore to make it possible to adapt a conventional agricultural drill to the particular conditions of the soil and type of use in a simple and convenient manner, as well as in a short time i.e. to provide a readily adaptable drill wherein drill coulters are readily replaceable.

This object is achieved in accordance with the present invention in that the retaining device may be readily replaced by other retaining devices provided with similar coupling members on which drill coulters are provided in known manner in several series of transverse rows and, viewed in the direction of travel, are alternately arranged offset relative to each other i.e. with a gap between and/or provided with differently designed drill coulters.

Thus, according to the present invention there is provided an agricultural drill comprising a frame on which a retaining device fitted with drill blades or coulters is detachably mounted by means of coupling members, said retaining device having a beam which extends transverse to the direction of travel of the drill and on which the drill coulters are displaceable in a vertical plane by means of holders and are located in a transverse row as well as being pivotably and detachably connected, characterised in that the retaining device is exchangeable for other retaining devices provided with identical or similar coupling members, wherein drill coulters are arranged on said retaining devices in a plurality of successive cross or transverse rows which are disposed offset relative to each other and have a spacing between them viewed in the direction of travel and/or are provided with drill coulters of a different design or type.

Due to these features only the complete retaining devices need be exchanged for the particularadapta- tion of the drill. Again, in the case of practical growing purposes, for which a comparatively large space between the rows is provided, retaining devices may be employed, the drill coulters of which are disposed in one or, at the most, in two transverse rows, as in the case of the conventional machine, whereby, for towed drills, the favorable position of the centre of gravity is again just behind the power-talce-off of the tractor.In contrast to this, in the case of narrow widths between the rows of useful vegetation, retaining devices are preferred having drill coulters alternating in three or four transverse rows and offset or staggered to exclude, from the very beginning, blockages of intervening spaces present between the drill coulters.

Independently of the number of transverse rows, in which the drill coulters are disposed, it is readily possible, as a result of the features stated above, to effect rapid common exchange of the drill coulters present on the drill machine for differently designed drill coulters. Thus, the drill, for example for drilling work on very heavy soils or for application of the direct sowing process, will be provided with disc coulters without or with only very slight previous soil treatment, on soils well prepared for sowing, using normal tractor coulters or with sabre coulters, or for sowing the seed in the so-called "band" sowing process will be provided with goosefoot-like hoes.

With regard to easy construction and rational manufacture, the invention also proposes that, in the case of retaining devices having drill coulters disposed in several series of transverse rows, the joints of the coulter holders, viewed in the direction of travel, have the same clearances as the transverse rows relatively to each other for the drill coulters located in individual transverse rows, that each of these retaining devices should also be provided with only one beam extending transversely to the direction of travel and that all the joints of the coulter holders should be connected to this beam.Due to these features it is certainly possible for all the retaining devices to use similar coulter holders in the manner known from Canadian Patent Specification 881,250. In addition, this also gives the advantage of a centre of gravity of the retaining devices located forwardly in the direction of travel. This advantage also then has the favorable effect on the position of the centre of gravity of the entire drill so that, when designed as a machine to be attached to a tractor, it requires much less power requirements to lift it in a position fortransportthan when the coulter holders for the drill coulters located in each transverse row are arranged on individual beams extending trans tersely to the direction of travel and then having to be connected to each other by means of additional parts.

A further simplification with simultaneous increasing of the stability of the retaining devices having drill coulters located in several series of transverse rows is achieved by the feature that the joints of the coulter holders are disposed on supports which are welded at uniform transverse spaced intervals to each other on the beam extending transversely to the direction of travel. If in this case the transverse spaced intervals of the supports for the joints of the coulter holders correspond to the minimal spaces between the rows customary in agricultural practice, the supply lines for the individual drill coulters need only be interrupted in known manner when sowing the seed at larger spaced intervals between the rows.

For a versatile design of the retaining devices, it is also proposed in accordance with the present invention, that the other retaining devices should be provided in known manner with drill coulters alternativing in three series of transverse rows.

Finally, the present invention proposes that, a common support should be provided for the coulter holders of at least the particular adjacent drill coulters of the second and third transverse row. In addition to this, this feature gives the further advantage of sufficient free space for easy dismantling and assembling of the joint bolts provided for the pivotal arrangement of the coulter holders. This assembly work is necessary if, for reasons of normal wear or repairs, individual drill coulters have to be replaced by the coulter holders.

The present invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. lisa side elevation of a drill machine with normal drill blades or coulters arranged in a transverse row on a retaining device, Fig. 2 is a plan view of another retaining device intended for the drill machine of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a retaining device according to the present invention with normal drill blades or coulters; Fig. 4 is also a fragmentary plan view of another retaining device according to the invention with blades inserted; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan of another retaining device according to the present invention.

An agricultural drill machine is illustrated which is to be attached to a tractor and has a frame 1 which carries a storage container2 and is supported by means of two wheels 3 on the soil in the position of use shown in Fig. In addition, the frame 1 is provided on both sides with a beam 5 extending parallel to the direction of travel indicated by the arrow 4, a vertical bolt 6 being welded to the free end of said beam 5.

The retaining device 7 is slipped onto this bolt 6 by means of its two coupling members 8 and is secured on the bolt 6 against axial displacement by two cotters 9.

This retaining device 7 has a beam 10 which extends transversely to the direction of travel 4 and on whose outer ends the shackle-like coupling members 8 are welded. A number of drill shares or coulters in the form of normal drag coulters 12 are arranged in a transverse row 11 and carried by means of holders 13 having joints 14 permitting the holders to pivot in a vertical plane.

In additon, the drill coulters 12 are provided with tubular "running-in" or inlet sockets 15 with which seed conveying tubes 16 communicate. These tubes 16 are connected at their upper ends to metering device 17 which is disposed on the storage container 2 externally of its outlet openings 18 and by means of which the seed is fed in adjustable quantities to the drill coulters 12 and thus deposited in the soil.

The outlet openings 18 may be closed and opened independently of each other by means of slides 19.

In order to remove the retaining device 7 from the drill machine it is only necessary to remove the two cotters 9 from the bolts 6, after which the retaining device may be withdrawn upwardly from the bolts 6 and consequently from the frame 1.

Fig. 2 shows another retaining device 20 wherein similar parts are indicated by the same reference numerals as in the embodiment according to Fig. 1.

The retaining device 20, in similar manner to the retaining device 7, is fitted with the beam 10 which extends transversely to the direction of travel 4 and on whose outer ends, on both sides, the shackle-like coupling members 8 are disposed. This beam 10 is again provided with a plurality of drill coulters, but in the form of single disc coulters 21 which by means of holders 22 and joints 14 are pivotable in a vertical plane, whilst the drill coulters may also have a different shape, for example that of normal drag coulters 12, or of sabre, of double coulter or also of hoe coulter. These drill coulters 21 are also provided with "running-in" or inlet sockets 23 into which the conducting tubes 16 may be inserted.

Differing from the retaining device 7, the drill coulters 21 are disposed alternately and off-set relatively to each other in three series of transverse rows 11,24 and 25 which have a spacing a of 300 mm relative to each other in the direction of travel 4. The same spacing a is provided between the joints 14 ofthe holders 22 forthe drill coulters 21 disposed in the individual transverse rows. In addition, the joints 14 are disposed on supports 26,27 and 28 which are welded on the beam 10 at uniform transverse spaced intervals q relatively to each other. The transverse spaced intervals q correspond to the smallest width between the rows in normal agricultural practice for practical growing.

In order to attach the retaining device 20 to the drill machine, it is only necessary to remove the retaining device 7 from the frame 1 in the above described manner and to slip the retaining device 20 with its coupling members 8 onto the bolts 6 to secure it by the cotter 9. The tubes 16 are then inserted into the inlet socket 23. The entire transformation can be carried out by a person skilled in the art within approx imatelyone minute.

In addition, it is also possible to introduce the seed into the soil with different widths between the rows.

For this purpose it is only necessary to close the outlet openings 18 of the storage container 2 for the drill coulters not required for sowing.

Fig. 3 shows another retaining device comprising a beam 10 which extends transversely to the direction of travel 4 and on which the supports 26 and 29 with joints 14 are disposed. Provided on these joints are the blade holders 13 carrying at their free ends the drill coulters 12 located alternately in the three transverse rows 11,24,25. These transverse rows also have the spacing a from each other in the direction of travel indicated by the arrow 4, whilst there is a spacing q between the individual drill coulters 12 transverse to the direction of travel 4.

The common supporting arrangement 29 provided for the particular two adjacent drill coulters 12 of the transverse rows 24 and 25 comprises a part 30 extending in the direction of travel 4 and a laterally extending part 31 approximately in the middle of the part 30, whilst a joint 14 is mounted on the free ends of each of these parts.

Due to the arrangement of the drill coulters 12 on the supports 29, the required narrow spacing q between the rows is obtained and the beam 10 is provided at the same time with the intermediate space Z which is utilised for the mounting of supporting means 32 for a track marker (not shown).

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, each common support 33 for each of the sowing blades or coulters formed as disc coulters 21 located on the transverse rows 24 and 25 comprise a part 34 extending in the direction of travel 4 and a part 35 welded thereto and extending laterally on both sides and on one end cf which part 35 a joint 14 is directly mounted whilst a second joint 14 is mounted on the other end thereof by means of a strut 36. The same spacing a between the joints 14 is provided in the direction of travel 4 as there is between the transverse rows 11, 24, 25, so that all the coulter holders 22 are constructed the same.

The retaining device shown in Fig. 5 is provided with beam 10 which extends transversely to the direction of travel 4 and has support 37 mounted thereon and extending at an incline to the direction of travel 4 with joints 14 connected thereto being provided for coulter holders 22. Otherwise, the arrangement of the drill coulters 21 corresponds exactly to the embodiment shown in Fig. 4.

The invention is also intended to propose that the various supports 26, 29,33 and 37 should be able to be provided with any kind of drill shares or coulters and the supports 26,29,33,37 mounted combined with each other on a drill.

Claims (11)

1. An agricultural drill comprising a frame on which a retaining device fitted with drill blades or coulters is detachably mounted by means of coupling members, said retaining device having a beam which extends transverse to the direction of travel of the drill and on which the drill coulters are displaceable in a vertical plane by means of holders and are located in a transverse row as well as being pivotably and detachably connected, characterised in that the retaining device is exchangeable for other retaining devices provided with identical or similar coupling members, wherein drill coulters are arranged on said retaining devices in a plurality of successive cross or transverse rows which are disposed offset relative to each other and have a spacing between them viewed in the direction of travel and/or are provided with drill coulters of a different design or type.

2. A drill as claimed in claim 1, in which, with the retaining devices having coulters located in a series of several transverse rows (11, 24, 25), the joints of the holders for the drill coulters located in the individual transverse rows are provided in the direction of travel with the same spaced intervals (a) relatively to each other as the transverse rows; in which each of these retaining devices also provided with only one beam extending transversely to the direction of travel; and in which all the joints of the blade holders are connected to this beam.

3. A drill as claimed in claims 1 and 2, in which the joints of the coulter holders are disposed on supports which are welded with uniform transverse spacing (q) relatively to each other on the beam extending transversely to the direction of travel.

4. A drill as claimed in claim 3, in which the transverse spacings (q) of the supports for the joints of the coulter holders correspond to the minimal spacing between the rows normal in agricultural practice.

5. A drill as claimed in claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the other retaining devices are fitted in known manner with drill coulters disposed alternately in three series of transverse rows.

6. A drill as claimed in claim 1, in which a common supporting arrangement is provided for the coulter holders at least of the particular adjacent coulters of the second and third transverse row.

7. A drill as claimed in claim 6, in which each common supporting arrangement of two adjacent drill coulters has a straight portion extending in the direction of travel and at least one laterally extending portion.

8. A drill as claimed in claims 6 and 7, in which the portion extending in the direction of travel is disposed at least approximately in the centre between the joints of two adjacent coulter holders.

9. A drill as claimed in claim 6, in which at least each two coulter holders are provided on a supporting arrangement extending inclinedly to the direction of travel.

10. An agricultural drill substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A retaining device for coulters of an agricultural drill substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.