GB2089182A

GB2089182A - A soil cultivation machine

Info

Publication number: GB2089182A
Application number: GB8136897A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: C Van der Lely NV
Current assignee: C Van der Lely NV
Priority date: 1980-12-15
Filing date: 1981-12-08
Publication date: 1982-06-23
Also published as: FR2495885B1; NL188975C; GB2089182B; FR2495885A1; DE3149051A1; NL188975B; NL8006776A; IT8125593A0; IT1140153B; DE3149051C2

Abstract

A soil cultivating machine comprises soil working members (3) and a ground roller (9) for determining the working depth of the machine. Between the members (3) and the roller (9) there is a rotatable distribution member (15) whose function is to break up lumps of earth thrown up by the soil working members (3) and to spread them over the ground and to the roller (9). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Soil cultivating machine This invention relates to a soil cultivating machine.

A known type of cultivating machine comprises a plurality of soil working members, behind which members there is a supporting member which bears on the ground during operation. In operation of such machines, the soil working members throw at least some of the worked earth to the rear and into the path of the supporting member.

According to the present invention there is provided a soil cutlivating machine comprising a plurality of soil working members behind which is arranged a supporting member which bears on the ground during operation, at least one rotatable distribution member being arranged between the soil working members and the supporting member.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the distribution member effects a preliminary distribution of the earth thrown to the rear and, in some circumstances, performs further crumbling of excessively large lumps in the earth before the earth gets into the region of the supporting member.

With the aid of this construction excessively large lumps of the rearwardly ejected earth can be effectively captured by the distribution member and be spread, together with other earth which may be thrown up, over the width of the strip of soil worked by the machine. By means of the distribution member the rearwardly ejected earth can be conducted to the supporting member in more or less dosed quantities.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is a schematic plan view of a soil cultivating machine; and Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line ll-ll in Figure 1.

The machine illustrated in the Figures is a soil cultivating machine comprising a frame part 1 in the form of a housing extending transversely of the intended direction A of operative travel of the machine. Soil working members 3 are regularly spaced along the frame part 1 with a spacing of, for example, 25 cms between adjacent members. The members 3 are provided with tines 4 in the embodiment shown, but they may have other types of soil working elements. The soil working members have upwardly extending, preferably vertical, shafts 2.

At each end the frame part 1 is provided with upwardly directed plates 5, which are wider at the rear than at the front. At the front, each plate 5 is provided with a bolt 6, about which an arm 7 is pivotable. This arm 7 extends along the plate to the rear. The arms 7 can each be fixed in any one of a plurality of positions by a bolt 8 and holes 9A at the rear of the plates 5. Afreely rotatable roller 9 is arranged between the ends of the arms 7. The roller 9 is provided at its circumference with bars which extend generally lengthwise of the roller. Near the ends of the frame part 1 there are freely pivotable plates 10 which are adapted to co-operate with the outermost cultivating members 3 during operation, when they occupy the position shown in Figure 1.

Inside the frame part 1, the shaft 2 of each soil working member 3 is provided with a spur pinion 11, and these pinions 11 mesh with one another. Near the middle of the machine, the shaft 2 of one of the soil working members 3 projects upwardly into a gear box 12. Inside the gear box 12 the extended shaft is drivably connected by a bevel pinion transmission with a shaft which extends in the direction A and is drivably connected through a change-speed gear 12A with another shaft located above the former and also extending in the direction A. This other shaft projects from the front of the gear box 12 and the projecting end can be linked by an auxiliary shaft 13 to the power take-off shaft of a tractor to which the machine is hitched.For hitching the machine to the three-point lifting device of the tractor, a triangular trestle 14 is arranged at the front of the machine near the middle of the frame part 1.

To the rear of the frame part 1 there is a distribution member 15 which is disposed, as viewed on plan, between the row of soil working members 3 and the roller 9. The distribution member 15, in the illustrated embodiment, is in the form of a rotatable intermediate roller provided at its periphery with elongate elements 16 extending lengthwise of the intermediate roller. The elongate elements 16 are at least substantially parallel to the rotary axis of the intermediate roller and comprise bars of circular cross-section. Instead of the elongate elements 16, differently shaped and arranged elements may be provided, but the peferred effect remains that earth thrown to the rear by the soil working members 3 should be crumbled and spread over the ground.

The ends of the distribution member 15 are supported in a freely rotatable manner by carriers 17, each of which is pivotally mounted by means of a pivot 17A on a support 18 secured to the rear of the frame part 1. Each of the carriers 17 can be fixed in any one of a plurality of positions by aligning a hole in the carrier 17 with one of several holes in the support 18 and inserting a bolt 20 through the aligned holes. The ends of the distribution member are, in addition, displaceable and fixabie in various positions in slots 21 in the carriers 17. The distribution member 15 covers the whole effective width of the machine and, as is shown in Figure 1, it is located preferably at or just below the level of the top ends of the soil working members 3.The rotary axis of the distribution member 15 is preferably horizontal and transverse of the direction A and it is preferably located at least substantially at the level of the rotary axis of the roller 9, to which it is preferably parallel.

The distribution member 15 is preferably located substantially midway between the roller 9 and the rear of the paths described by the soil working members in operation (Figure 2). The diameter of the distribution member 15 illustrated is about one quarter of that of the roller 9, and is preferably about 30 cms. In an alternative construction which is not shown, the distribution member 15 may be arranged on the vertically adjustable arms 7 of the roller 9.

With this construction, adjustment of the roller 9 would result in corresponding adjustment of the distribution member 15. The carriers for the distribution member 15 may be arranged on the arms 7 of the roller 9 to allow vertical and fore-and-aft adjustment of the distribution member, for example, as described above.

During operation the machine is hitched by means of the triangular trestle 14 to the three-point lifting device of a tractor. The power take-off shaft of the tractor, via the auxiliary shaft 13 and the transmission system described above, drives the respective soil working members 3 in the directions indicated by arrows in Figure 1.

The working depth of the soil working members 3 is determined by the position occupied by the roller 9 with respect to the frame part 1. During movement of the machine in the direction A the soil working members 3 work overlapping strips of soil, and at least some of the loosened earth is thrown to the rear. This earth contains lumps not yet crumbled or broken up to the desired size. These lumps are usually located at such a height in the rearwardly thrown earth that they strike the freely rotatable distribution member 15. The lumps are further crumbled by the elongate elements 16 and together with the rest of the earth which is thrown up they are uniformly spread owing to the rotatability of the distribution member. The crumbled earth is conducted rearwards towards the roller 9.The roller 9 performs a final crumbling treatment, if necessary, and a further distribution so that the deposited earth will form a flat, homogeneously crumbled seed bed.

The earth pitched against the distribution member 15 causes the distribution member to move so that it either performs a more or less continuous rotation or a reciprocatory movement. The movability of the distribution member 15 enhances crumbling of the coarse lumps of earch and contributes appreciably to the uniform distribution of the crumbled earth in a regular stream to the rear roller 9.

Though not shown, several distribution members may be arranged side by side in place of the single distribution member shown. These distribution members may be disposed so that they are rotatable about axes extending transversely of the direction A.

However, these distribution members may alternatively rotate about differently directed axes, for example, upwardly extending axes or axes extending in the direction A. As a further alternative, one or more of the distribution members may be caused to rotate orto perform a different, appropriate movement with the aid of a driving gear.

Whilst various features of the machine that have been described, and that are illustrated in the drawings, will be set forth in the following claims as inventive features, it is to be noted that the invention is not necessarily limited to these features and that it encompasses all of the features that have been described both individually and in various combinations.

Claims

1. A soil cultivating machine comprising a plurality of soil working members behind which is arranged a supporting member which bears on the ground during operation, at least one rotatable distribution member being arranged between the soil working members and the supporting member.

2. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the distribution member is located substantially at or just below the level of the top of the soil working members.

3. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the distribution member is rotatable about an axis which extends at least substantially horizontally.

4. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the rotary axis of the distribution member extends transversely of the intended direction of operative travel of the machine.

5. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the distribution member extends over at least substantially the whole effective width of the machine.

6. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the distribution member is located at least substantially midway between the rearmost extremities of the paths described by the soil working members and the front of the supporting member.

7. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the distribution member comprises a roller provided at its periphery with elongate elements.

8. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in claim 7, in which the elongate elements extend at least substantially parallel to the axis of the distribution member.

9. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the distribution member is mounted for free rotation.

10. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the distribution member is adjustable into any one of a plurality of positions relative to the rest of the machine.

11. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in claim 10, in which the distribution member is pivotably mounted with respect to the rest of the machine.

12. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in claim 11, in which the distribution member is mounted for pivotal movement about a pivot axis which extends at least substantially parallel to the axis of the distribution member.

13. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, in which the distribution member is upwardly and downwardly displaceable in a direction perpendicular to its axis.

14. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the distribution member is supported adjacent its ends by an adjustable carrier.

15. Asoil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the supporting member comprises a supporting roller, and in which the rotary axis of the distribution member is located at, or approximately at, the level of the rotary axis of the supporting roller.

16. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in claim 15, in which the axis of the distribution member is at least substantially parallel to the axis of the supporting roller.

17. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in claim 15 or 16, in which the distribution member has a diameter equal to about one quarter of the diameter of the supporting roller.

18. Asoil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17, in which the supporting roller is connected by arms with a frame of the machine, and in which the distribution member is mounted on the arms of the supporting roller.

19. Asoil cultivating machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the soil working members are each rotatable about an upwardly directed shaft.

20. A soil cultivating machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the soil working members are disposed side-by-side in a row extending transversely of the intended direction of operative travel of the machine.

21. A soil cultivating machine substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.