GB2090714A

GB2090714A - Method and apparatus for re-seeding grassland

Info

Publication number: GB2090714A
Application number: GB8138759A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-01-13
Filing date: 1981-12-23
Publication date: 1982-07-21
Also published as: GB2090714B

Abstract

A two-row implement 100 is provided which, in a single pass, performs the following operations on laterally spaced strips of established pastures. Firstly, a skim 122 and discs 126, 128 remove turf and throw it laterally. Then, a spring tine 132 cultivates the exposed soil and a fertilizer boot 134 deposits fertilizer. A pair of spring tines 142, 144 and associated finger tines 146, 148 break clods and produce a tilth, while seed delivery tubes 154, 156, 158 deliver seed to the prepared soil and a press wheel 172 firms down the planted earth. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and apparatus for seeding This invention relates to a method and apparatus for seeding. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for use in the regeneration of pastures and other grassland.

The method and apparatus has particular application to racecourses and other grassland areas where it is desirable periodically to renew a portion of the grass area in order to maintain, over the years, the quality of the grass. The method and apparatus will also be of interest to dairy farmers for use in the maintenace of the quality of pasture land.

Previous proposals for the regeneration of grassland have in most cases involved eitherthe use of a seed drill to drill new grass seed into the existing pasture, or have involved the labour and expense of several passes with a sequence of different machines, over the area to be reseeded.

The use of seed drills for grassland regeneration has not proved effective since the seeds are usually drilled too deep, they receive too much competition from adjacent vegetation and in some seasons drying out has occurred before germination ofthe seeds has taken place.

Grassland regeneration by use of a sequence of operations is now proving prohibitively expensive and the only other approach to the problem has been by means of specialist implements which up to now have not been sufficiently effective.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for seeding.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of seeding comprising the steps of: providing an implement having apparatus for performing in one pass the sequence of operations set out below; and passing said implement over land to be seeded and causing the apparatus to perform the following sequence of operations: removal of surface vegetation; cultivation of the exposed earth; application of fertilizer; breakage of earth clods and production of a tilth; dispensing of seed; and consolidation of the earth.

Preferably the step of removal of surface vegetation is carried out by means whereby said vegetation is thrown laterally with respect to the direction of operative forward motion of the implement.

The step of cultivation of the exposed earth is preferably effected by means of a power-driven cultivator.

The implement is preferably provided with two or more sets of said apparatus for performing said sequence of operations, said sets of apparatus being arranged at row units with gaps between the row units. The gaps between the row units are preferably wider than the working width of said row units.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided seeding apparatus for use in a method as defined in the preceding paragraphs, the seeding apparatus comprising: means for removal of surface vegetation; a cultivator for the exposed earth; fertilizer application means; tilth production means; a seed dispenser; and means for consolidating the earth.

The means for removal of surface vegetation preferably comprises a disc type cultivator employing a single rotatable disc. The disc may be set so as to skim off vegetation over a5 inch (12.7 cm.) width strip of grassland and at a 1 inch (2.54 cm.) depth.

The cultivator for the exposed earth preferably is in the form of a power cultivator arranged to be driven by the power-take-off drive of a tractor to which the implement is connected. The blades of the power cultivator may be generally J or L-shaped and mounted on a common shaft for rotation about a generally horizontal axis extending at right angles to the direction F of operative forward motion of the implement. Alternative forms of power cultivator may be employed including those of the type in which cultivator blades or elements are rotated or oscillated about generally upwardly extending axes.

Application of fertilizer is preferably by means adapted to broadcast the fertilizer over the full operating width of the seeding apparatus. For example, the fertilizer may be discharged onto a ducks foot for distribution purposes.

The fertilizer hopper is preferably provided at a location on the implement close to the connection to the tractor whereby the overhung weight of the implement is reduced.

The tilth production and clod breakage means preferably is in the form of a rotary crumbler. Such a crumbler may comprise a generally cylindrical rotary element, mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and having end discs connected by axially extending bars, said bars may be inclined with respect to the axis of rotation of the crumbler and may be generally helical in form.

The seed dispensing means may comprise a seed hopper integral with the fertilizer hopper together with a seed dispensing mechanism of any suitable form delivering seed to means for spreading the seed over the operating width of the row unit. Such seed spreading means may simply be in the form of a plate vibrated by the motion of the implement.

The earth consolidation means preferably comprises a roller. A preferred form of such roller is that of two Cambridge roll rings having the usual ribs to impart a ridge and furrow formation to the earth and mounted on loose bearings whereby a degree of wobble of the roll rings is permitted.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of an implement according to the invention, the implement being mounted on a tractor; and Figure 2 shows, diagrammatically, a side elevation view of the implement of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the drawings an implement 10 for the regeneration of grassland comprises a toolbar 12 having a headstock 14 whereby the toolbar is mounted on the hitch links 16, 18,20 of an agricultural tractor 22.

Mounted at the rear side, with respect to direction F of operative forward motion of the implement, are a series of row units 24,26, 28, 30. These row units are identical in construction and only row unit 24 will therefore be described in detail. The number of row units to be mounted on toolbar 12 is dependent only upon such factors as the power available from tractor 22, the overhung weight of the implement 10, transport considerations and related factors.

Row unit 24 comprises a frame 32 pivotally connected to brackets 34 at the rear side of toolbar 12 for pivotal movement up and down about a hinge axis 36. In the present embodiment, a frame 32 is freely pivotable about axis 36 during use. Adequate ground pressure is achieved by the weight of the row unit and of its seed and fertilizer hopper and the contents thereof alone. In a modification, provision may be made for the use of spring means to exert an additional downward loading on the row unit to increase ground pressure. Fortransport purposes, in the present embodiment simple mechanical means such as a chain is provided to limit downward pivotal movement of the row unit so that the whole implement can be raised by means of the tractor hitch link 16,18 and 20.

Frame 32 comprises side members 38 and 40 and mounted between these members are six sets of apparatus for performing in one pass over a given area of land to be seeded, a sequence of six operations for regeneration of the grassland.

Firstly, there is provided means for the removal of surface vegetation, such means being in the form of a cultivator disc 42 mounted by means of a bearing 44 on a horizontal shaft 46 for rotation about the axis of said shaft. Disc 42 operates to remove surface vegetation from the land traversed over a width of 5 inches (12.7 cm.) and at a working depth of 1 inch (2.54 cm.). Rotation of the discs 42 caused by forward motion of the apparatus 10 causes the disc to throw the vegetation laterally of the apparatus onto the untreated grassland where it rapidly disintegrates under usual weather conditions.

Secondly, there is provided immediately behind disc 42, means for cultivating the earth exposed by disc 42, said means being in the form of a powerdriven cultivator 48 having cultivator blades (not shown) mounted on a driven shaft for rotation about a generally horizontal laterally extending axis. A drive transmission is provided between cultivator 48 and the power take off shaft of tractor 22. This transmission may be of any suitable form and it is not considered necessary to describe or illustrate it in this specification.

Thirdly, immediately behind power cultivator 48 there is provided fertilizer application means 50 which is operative to broadcast fertilizer onto the earth which has been cultivated by power cultivator 48. The fertilizer is contained in a hopper 52 (shown only in dotted lines, for clarity). The hopper is mounted on frame 32 at the forward end thereof to reduce the overhung weight. Any suitable fertilizer dispensing mechanism may be employed to provide a flow of fertilizer from hopper 52 at a controlled rate to the fertilizer application means 50. The fertilizer may be discharged onto a plate (not shown) mounted on frame 32 and vibrated by the motion thereof, so as to uniformly distribute the fertilizer over the operating width of row unit 24.

Fourthly, immediately behind fertilizer application means 50, there is provided tilth production means in the form of a crumbler 54 which also functions to cause breakage of earth clods. The crumbler comprises a cylinder rotatable about a generally horizontal transverse axis and having end plates 56 connected by generally helical crumbler bars 58. Rotation of the crumbler serves to distribute the fertilizer from applicator 50 and serves also to crumble earth clods and produce a fine earth tilth ready to receive grass seed.

Fifthly, seed dispensing means 60 provided to discharge seed onto the prepared seed bed emerging from crumbler 54. The seed dispensing means comprises a seed discharge tube (not shown) from which seed is discharged onto a ducks foot 62 which spreads the seed across the operating width of the row unit. The seed is contained in a rear seed compartment 64 of hopper 52 and any suitable seed dispensing mechanism, driven by a land wheel for example, may be provided to control the rate of seed dispensing from compartment 64 onto ducks foot 62.

Sixthly, and finally, consolidation means for the sown seed bed is provided in the form of a pair of Cambridge roll rings 66, 68 mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal transverse axis between frame side members 38 and 40. Each roll ring has a peripheral rib to form a furrow in the seed bed.

In use, implement 10 is drawn by tractor 22 over grassland to be regenerated and the power take off of the tractor drives power cultivator units 48 during use. Cultivator discs 42 skim off the grass over a 5 inch (12.7 cm.) width and to a 1 inch (2.54 cm.) depth.

Power cultivator units 48 cultivate, break up and loosen the earth, transforming it rapidly from a compacted state to a state approaching that required for a seed bed. Fertilizer is spread onto the earth by the fertilizer application means 50 and then crumbler 54 breaks down clods and produces a fine tilth while spreading the'fertilizer evenly across the operating width. Then seed is deposited onto the seed bed from ducks foot 62 and finally the Cambridge roll rings 66 consolidate the seed bed and firm the grass seed into it, causing the moisture in the soil to be raised for seed germination purposes.

It can now be readily seen that implement 10 and the method which it performs enable simple and economical regeneration of grassland to be achieved in a single pass. The expense of spraying with a weed killer (and the consequential need to evacuate cattle and other livestock) is avoided.

Moreover, the shallow cultivation employed minimises the raising of stones in the soil.

The spacing between the row units may, of course, be varied considerably. Indeed, it would be possible to provide an implement having a single row unit or having several row units arranged to operate on contiguous strips of grassland.

Of course, many variations can be adopted in the form of the individual items of equipment provided in the above embodiment to carry out each of the six consecutive stages in the sequence of operations according to the invention. Among such variations is the use of a non power-driven cultivator in place of rotary cultivator 48. For example, a fixed tyne cultivator could be used.

Among the advantages provided by the embodiment of the invention described above is the fact that the implement 10 provides for the seed sown thereby, much more nearly optimum growing conditions than do previously proposed systems and implements such as sod-seeders which provide the newly sown seed with no fertilizer, no seed bed and considerable competition from surrounding vegetation.

Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention incorporating modified means for performing several of the operations carried out in the method of the invention.

As shown in Figure 3, an implement 100 for use in a method of seeding according to the invention comprises a generally rectangular frame 102 having a headstock 104 for attachment to the hitch links of a tractor.

Implement 100 is provided with apparatus constituting two row units 106, 108, each capable of performing the sequence of operations in the method of the invention, simultaneously, in laterally spaced positions, as the implement is advanced by a tractor.

Each of the row units 106, 108 is substantially identical to the other and therefore only one will be described.

The means 120 for removal of surface vegetation, such as turf, comprises a skim 122 mounted on frame 102 by an arm 124 and positioned rearwardly of a pair of slit-cutting discs 126,128 so as to skim off the vegetation in the zone defined by the discs and to throw the vegetation laterally. Discs 126, 128 are mounted on an arm 130 for rotation.

The cultivator for the exposed earth, of implement 100, comprises a spring tine 132 ofgenerallyS- shaped form and mounted on frame 102 so as to operate at a depth of approximately 2 inches in the soil. Afertilizer boot 134 is mounted on tine 132 to receivefertilizerthrough a delivery tube 136 from a fertilizer hopper 138. Boot 134 mounted on spring tine 132 constitutes the fertilizer application means ofthis embodiment.

Mounted directly behind the fertilizer application means, in the direction of forward travel of implement 100, is the tilth production means 140 which comprises a pair of generally S-shaped spring tines 142, 144 and a pair of spring-mounted finger tines 146, 148. Spring tines 142, 144 are generally similar in form to tine 132 but are of lighter duty construction and mounted for operation at a depth of approximately 2.5 cms (1 inch). The finger tines 146, 148 are arranged generally vertically, and are spring mounted by means of coils 150, 152 formed integrally with the tine fingers at their upper ends. The finger tines serve to "tickle" the soil and provide it with a final stage of agitation to produce the desired fine tilth.

The seed dispensing means in this embodiment comprises a series of three seed delivery tubes 154, 156, 158 positioned between the S-shaped tines 142, 144 and the finger tines 146,148 to deliver seed into the soil after the basic tilth production operation performed by tines 142,144. The finger tines 146, 148 serve also to disperse the seed in the soil. The seed delivery tubes receive seed from hoppers 160, 162 and 164.

Each of the seed hoppers 160,162 and 164, together with the fertilizer hopper 138 are provided with their own dispensing mechanism for dispensing seed or fertilizer at a controlled rate. The drive to the dispensing mechanisms is taken from a ground wheel 166 mounted on frame 102 and serving also to control the operating depth of implement 100. The drive train 168 from ground wheel 166 to the dispensing mechanisms comprises chains or belts, suitably guarded. The dispensing mechanisms are adjustable in the conventional manner to vary the rate of dispensing seed and fertilizer according to the operating requirements.

The last operation in the method of the invention, namely the consolidation of the earth, is performed in this embodiment by a press wheel 172 positioned directly behind finger tines 146, 148 and pivotally mounted on arms 174 and spring-loaded downwards by springs 176. The loading provided by springs 176 is adjustable by means of apertured rods and associated spring clips.

In this embodiment details of the mounting of skim 122, discs 126, 128, spring tines 132 and 142, 144, finger tines 146, 148 and press wheel 172 are all shown in Figure 3. However, these constructional details could all be modified if need be, and further description of these details is deemed unnecessary.

The position of depth wheel 166 is adjustable upwards and downwards by means of a depth control handle 178 operating a screw threaded adjuster mechanism (not shown). Each row unit 106, 108 may be provided with its own depth wheel and associated drive to its seed and fertilizer dispensing mechanisms.

Among modifications which could be made in the above embodiment are the provision of alternative means for removal of surface vegetation, alternative cultivator means for the exposed earth, alternative fertilizer application means, alternative tilth production means, alternative seed dispensing means and alternative means for consolidating the earth. In the above embodiment, the provision of three seed hoppers enables a variety of grass types to be simultaneously dispensed to the individual row units in selected quantities and proportions. Of course, provision may be made for more or less varieties of grass to be so dispensed. Moreover, it is to be understood that in certain circumstances it may not be necessary to apply fertilizer to the soil and in such cases the fertilizer application means need not be provided, and the claims of this application are to be interpreted accordingly.

Claims

1. A method of seeding comprising the steps of: providing an implement having apparatus for performing in one pass the sequence of operations set out below; and passing said implement over land to be seeded and causing the apparatus to perform the following sequence of operations; removal of surface vegetation; cultivation of the exposed earth; application of fertilizer; breakage of earth clods and production of a tilth; dispensing of seed; and consolidation of the earth.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of removal of surface vegetation is carried out by means whereby said vegetation is thrown laterally with respect to the direction of operative forward motion of the implement.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said step of cultivation of the exposed earth is effected by one or more spring tines.

4. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said step of cultivation of the exposed earth is effected by means of a power-driven cultivator.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said implement is provided with two or more sets of apparatus for performing said sequence of operations, said sets of apparatus being arranged as laterally spaced row units with gaps between the row units.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said gaps between said row units are wider than the working width of said row units.

7. Seeding apparatus comprising: means for removal of surface vegetation; a cultivator for the exposed earth; fertilizer application means; tilth production means; a seed dispenser; and means for consolidating the earth.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said means for removal of surface vegetation comprises a skim.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the operating width of said skim is defined by a pair of laterally spaced discs.

10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the cultivator for the exposed earth comprises at least one spring tine.

11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein said cultivator for the exposed earth comprises a power cultivator arranged to be driven by the power-take-off drive of a tractor to which the implement is connected.

12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 11 wherein said fertilizer application means comprises a boot mounted on a spring tine.

13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 12 wherein said fertilizer application means is adapted to broadcast fertilizer over the full operating width of the seeding apparatus.

14. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 13 wherein said tilth production and clod breakage means comprises at least one spring tine.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said tilth production means comprises two laterally spaced spring tines.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said spring tines are generally S-shaped.

17. Apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 16 wherein said tilth production means further comprises one or more spring-mounted finger tines.

18. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 13 wherein said tilth production and clod breakage means comprises a rotary crumbler of generally cylindrical form and mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal laterally-extending axis.

19. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 18 wherein said seed dispenser comprises a seed hopper and an associated seed dispensing mechanism.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said fertilizer application means comprises a fertilizer hopper and an associated fertilizer dispensing mechanism.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20 comprising a ground-engageable wheel and an associated drive train to transmit drive from said ground-engageable wheel to said seed and fertilizer dispensing mechanisms.

22. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 21 wherein said means for consolidating the earth comprises a press wheel or roller.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said press wheel or roller is spring-loaded downwards.

24. A method of seeding substantially as described herein.

25. Seeding apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings or Figures 1 and 2 as modified by Figure 3 thereof.