GB2117212A - Agricultural implement - Google Patents

Abstract

An agricultural or horticultural implement comprising a ground engaging roller 8, a second roller 9 adjacent to the ground engaging roller to form a nip between the rollers and which is driven in rotation in the opposite sense to that of the ground engaging roller whereby clods are forced between the nip of the rollers and are thereby reduced. The rollers 8, 9 may be slatted, the first roller 8 being driven by its engagement with the ground, the second roller 9 being driven from the roller 8 by inter- engagement of the slats. The frame 1 may pivot apart about a pin 5 upon breaking of a shear-pin 16 to allow a rock to pass through the nip between the rollers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Agricultural implement The invention relates to agricultural implements, more particularly to tillage equipment of the kind known as crumblers or clod crushers.

Such crumblers or clod crushers often take the form of ground engaging slatted rollers which are trailed behind other tillage equipment such as harrows and chisel ploughs and which break down the clods left by such equipment to produce a fine seed bed.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple and efficient crumbler or clod crusher capable of operation under adverse conditions.

According to the invention a crumbler or clod crusher comprises a slatted ground engaging roller, a second slatted roller adjacent to the first said slatted roller and which is driven in rotation in the opposite sense to that of the first said slatted roller whereby clods are forced between the nip of the rollers and are thereby reduced.

The second slatted roller is preferably positioned in use so that it is out of contact with the ground and preferably the second slatted roller is driven in rotation by inter-engagement between the respective slats of the first and second rollers in the manner of the teeth of gear wheels. The first slatted roller is preferably driven in rotation by contact with the ground.

Preferably the first and second slatted rollers are mounted on frames which are hinged one to the other so that the rollers can move apart when a hard object such as a rock passes between the rollers.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clod crusher, and Figure 2 is a side view of the clod crusher of Figure 1.

In the drawings a crumbler or clod crusher comprises a main frame 1 provided with attachment points 2 for the three point linkage of a tractor. The main frame 1 carries journals 3 which support the axle 12 of a roller 8 which in conventional manner is formed about its periphery with radial crumbling or clod breaking slats 10.

The rear end of the main frame 1 is formed with a vertical leg 3 having a rearward extension 4 which carries a vertical leg 7 of a subsidiary frame 6, the main frame and subsidiary frame being hinged together by means of pins 5. The subsidiary frame carries journals 1 3 which support the axle 14 of a roller 9 formed with radial crumbling or clod breaking slats 21. It will be noted that the axis of the axle 14 is disposed above that of axle 12 so that the roller 8 is in operation more firmly in contact with the soil than roller 9.The slatted roller 9 may be identical in construction to the slatted roller 8, but preferably the roller 9 has a greater number of slats than the roller 8, e.g. eighteen slats on roller 9 compared with sixteen slats on the roller 8 since it has been found that this improves meshing engagement between the slats of the respective roller for the purpose described below. The main and subsidiary frames 1 and 6 respectively are formed with abutments 1 5 which limit hinging movement of the two frames in the sense to limit the nip between the rollers 8 and 9 but if desired the abutments may be omitted and the frame parts arranged to meet face to face. The frames 1 and 6 are free to move in a sense to move the roller 8 and 9 apart subject to the weight of the frame parts and to a shear pin 16 which connects respective flanges 17 on the frames 1 and 6.

It will be seen that the slats of the respective rollers inter-engage so that rotation of one of the rollers will cause rotation of the other of the rollers in the opposite sense. As previously mentioned the rollers preferably have different numbers of slats to improve meshing between the slats and to obviate or mitigate against the slats of the rollers meeting edge to edge.

The subsidiary frame 6 also carries a slatted crumbler roller 18 mounted on arms 19 which are pivoted for vertical movement on the frame 6 on pins 20.

In operation the implement is connected to a tractor by means of its three point linkage. The roller 8 is driven in rotation by contact with the ground on movement of the tractor and its rotation causes counter-rotation of the roller 9 in the manner described above. Clods in the soil are first encountered by the roller 8 and are subjected to a preliminary treatment thereby to break down the clods, after which the slats on the pair of rollers carry any remaining clods between the nips of the rollers so that the clods are broken down between the slats into smaller particles.

When a hard object such as a rock is encountered by the slats of the pair of rollers the two rollers can move apart due to hinging of the subsidiary frame 6 about the pivot pins 5. The shear pin 16 will be broken by this movement, but can easily be replaced. When the hard object has passed between the nip of the rollers, they move back into contact, as far as is permitted by the abutments 1 5 under the influence of gravity. The soil is finally broken down into a fine tilth by the slatted crumbler roller 18.

The advantages of the crumbler or clod crusher described above compared with conventional equipment are that (1) the implement is capable of breaking down clods which would be unaffected by conventional apparatus but is capable of withstanding rocks and other hard objects without damage (2) the passage of clods and trash through the nip of the rollers leaves the trash on the surface and (3) the implement can easily be made heavy enough to consolidate the fine tilth left by the crumbler or clod breaker to form a good seed bed.

1. An agricultural or horticultural implement comprising a ground engaging roller, a second roller

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

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Agricultural implement The invention relates to agricultural implements, more particularly to tillage equipment of the kind known as crumblers or clod crushers. Such crumblers or clod crushers often take the form of ground engaging slatted rollers which are trailed behind other tillage equipment such as harrows and chisel ploughs and which break down the clods left by such equipment to produce a fine seed bed. It is an object of the invention to provide a simple and efficient crumbler or clod crusher capable of operation under adverse conditions. According to the invention a crumbler or clod crusher comprises a slatted ground engaging roller, a second slatted roller adjacent to the first said slatted roller and which is driven in rotation in the opposite sense to that of the first said slatted roller whereby clods are forced between the nip of the rollers and are thereby reduced. The second slatted roller is preferably positioned in use so that it is out of contact with the ground and preferably the second slatted roller is driven in rotation by inter-engagement between the respective slats of the first and second rollers in the manner of the teeth of gear wheels. The first slatted roller is preferably driven in rotation by contact with the ground. Preferably the first and second slatted rollers are mounted on frames which are hinged one to the other so that the rollers can move apart when a hard object such as a rock passes between the rollers. The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clod crusher, and Figure 2 is a side view of the clod crusher of Figure 1. In the drawings a crumbler or clod crusher comprises a main frame 1 provided with attachment points 2 for the three point linkage of a tractor. The main frame 1 carries journals 3 which support the axle 12 of a roller 8 which in conventional manner is formed about its periphery with radial crumbling or clod breaking slats 10. The rear end of the main frame 1 is formed with a vertical leg 3 having a rearward extension 4 which carries a vertical leg 7 of a subsidiary frame 6, the main frame and subsidiary frame being hinged together by means of pins 5. The subsidiary frame carries journals 1 3 which support the axle 14 of a roller 9 formed with radial crumbling or clod breaking slats 21. It will be noted that the axis of the axle 14 is disposed above that of axle 12 so that the roller 8 is in operation more firmly in contact with the soil than roller 9.The slatted roller 9 may be identical in construction to the slatted roller 8, but preferably the roller 9 has a greater number of slats than the roller 8, e.g. eighteen slats on roller 9 compared with sixteen slats on the roller 8 since it has been found that this improves meshing engagement between the slats of the respective roller for the purpose described below. The main and subsidiary frames 1 and 6 respectively are formed with abutments 1 5 which limit hinging movement of the two frames in the sense to limit the nip between the rollers 8 and 9 but if desired the abutments may be omitted and the frame parts arranged to meet face to face. The frames 1 and 6 are free to move in a sense to move the roller 8 and 9 apart subject to the weight of the frame parts and to a shear pin 16 which connects respective flanges 17 on the frames 1 and 6. It will be seen that the slats of the respective rollers inter-engage so that rotation of one of the rollers will cause rotation of the other of the rollers in the opposite sense. As previously mentioned the rollers preferably have different numbers of slats to improve meshing between the slats and to obviate or mitigate against the slats of the rollers meeting edge to edge. The subsidiary frame 6 also carries a slatted crumbler roller 18 mounted on arms 19 which are pivoted for vertical movement on the frame 6 on pins 20. In operation the implement is connected to a tractor by means of its three point linkage. The roller 8 is driven in rotation by contact with the ground on movement of the tractor and its rotation causes counter-rotation of the roller 9 in the manner described above. Clods in the soil are first encountered by the roller 8 and are subjected to a preliminary treatment thereby to break down the clods, after which the slats on the pair of rollers carry any remaining clods between the nips of the rollers so that the clods are broken down between the slats into smaller particles. When a hard object such as a rock is encountered by the slats of the pair of rollers the two rollers can move apart due to hinging of the subsidiary frame 6 about the pivot pins 5. The shear pin 16 will be broken by this movement, but can easily be replaced. When the hard object has passed between the nip of the rollers, they move back into contact, as far as is permitted by the abutments 1 5 under the influence of gravity. The soil is finally broken down into a fine tilth by the slatted crumbler roller 18. The advantages of the crumbler or clod crusher described above compared with conventional equipment are that (1) the implement is capable of breaking down clods which would be unaffected by conventional apparatus but is capable of withstanding rocks and other hard objects without damage (2) the passage of clods and trash through the nip of the rollers leaves the trash on the surface and (3) the implement can easily be made heavy enough to consolidate the fine tilth left by the crumbler or clod breaker to form a good seed bed. CLAIMS

1. An agricultural or horticultural implement comprising a ground engaging roller, a second roller adjacent to the ground engaging roller to form a nip between the rollers and which is driven in rotation in the opposite sense to that of the ground engaging roller whereby clods are forced between the nip of the rollers and are thereby reduced.

2. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the rollers are slatted.

3. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second roller is positioned in use so that its lower extremity is above that of the ground engaging roller.

4. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to claim 2, wherein the second slatted roller is driven in rotation by inter-engagement between the respective slats of the first and second rollers in the manner of the teeth of gear wheels.

5. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to any preceding claim, wherein the first roller is driven in rotation by contact with the ground.

6. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second rollers are mounted on frames which are hinged one to the other so that the rollers can move apart.

6. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second rollers are mounted on frames which are hinged one to the other so that the rollers can move apart.

7. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to claim 6, wherein the rollers are biased to close the nip under the action of gravity.

8. An agricultural or horticultural implement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

New claims of amendments to claims filed on 11May1983.

Superseded claims 1-6.

New or amended claims:

1. An agricultural or horticultural implement comprising a ground engaging roller, a second roller positioned adjacent to the ground engaging roller to form a nip between the rollers and positioned adjacent to the ground and which is arranged to be driven in rotation in the opposite sense to that of the ground engaging roller whereby clods are lifted by the second rollers and forced between the nip of the rollers and are thereby reduced.

2. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to claim 1 , wherein the rollers are slatted.

3. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second roller is positioned in use behind the ground engaging roller.

4. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to claim 2, wherein the second slatted roller is driven in rotation by inter-engagement between the respective slats of the first and second rollers in the manner of the teeth of gear wheels.

5. An agricultural or horticultural implement according to any preceding claim, wherein the first roller is driven in rotation by contact with the ground.