GB2122061A

GB2122061A - Agricultural soil working implements for ridging soil

Info

Publication number: GB2122061A
Application number: GB08217251A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Duncan Macintyre
Original assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
Current assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
Priority date: 1982-06-15
Filing date: 1982-06-15
Publication date: 1984-01-11
Also published as: GB2122061B

Abstract

An agricultural soil ridging implement 8 (Figure 1) comprises a plurality of soil working bodies 16 spaced apart along a common driven rotary shaft 18. Each soil working body 16 comprises a central disc 30 and two generally helical tine arrays 31, 32. These arrays are of opposite hand to one another and taper away from the disc 30 towards the tapered end of the oppositely handed tine array of the adjacent soil working body 16. The soil working bodies 16 are preceded by soil engaging stator tines 38 acting in line with the discs 30. Depth wheels 40 set the depth of operation of the bodies. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Agricultural soil working implements for ridging soil The present invention relates to agricultural soil working implements for ridging soil.

Soil ridging implements are employed to produce furrows in soil for pianting potatoes, to ridge the soil after planting, and to form ridges in the soil for turnips, sugar beet and other root crops.

In one such implement, multi-start helical soil working blades are spaced apart across the width of the machine in pairs with each blade opposite hand to the other blade of the pair. The blades are mounted for rotation about a number of axle members, one for each pair. Each blade tapers away from the other blade of the pair towards the tapered end of an oppositely handed blade of the adjacent pair of blades. The axle members are rotated by appropriate chain drives the cases for which separate the blades of each pair both physically and operationally.

According to the present invention, an agricultural implement for ridging soil comprises a plurality of soil working bodies spaced apart along a common driven rotary shaft with each body comprising a central disc member and two generally helical tine arrays of opposite hand to one another tapering away from the disc towards the tapered end of an oppositely handed tine array of the adjacent soil working body.

Conveniently, each tine array is of generally helical form.

Conveniently, the tines nearest to the disc are joined to the disc by a generally flat lead-in blade.

Conveniently, at least the longer tines of each array are inter-connected by a generally helically disposed strengthening rib e.g. connected at the mid-points of these tines.

Conveniently, each soil working body is preceded by a respective soil engaging stator tine acting in line with the body disc.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a soil ridging implement according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the same implement; Figure 3 is a side view looking from what will be the left hand side of the implement when viewed as in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the soil working bodies used in the implement of Figures 1 to 3.

Referring to the drawings, an agricultural implement 8 for ridging soil consists of a horizontally extending and generally rectangular frame 10 having a three-point link 12, 13, 14 for connection with the towing tractor (not shown).

The soil working bodies 16, are withdrawably keyed on a single rotary shaft 1 8 driven from the power take off of the tractor via a right angle gearbox 20, transmission shaft 21 and a chain drive (not shown) housed in chain case 22.

Reference numeral 24 indicates the input for the tractor p.t-o and reference numerals 26, 27 indicate the bearings for the rotor shaft and the transmission shaft respectively. The soil working bodies 16, each comprise a central disc 30 and two generally helical tine arrays 31, 32 of opposite hand to one another and tapering away from the disc 30 towards the tapered end of an oppositely handed array 32, 31 of the adjacent soil working body 1 6.

Each tine array 31, 32 is of generally. helical form with the tines disposed about a stepped hub member 33.

A flat lead-in blade 34 (Figures 1 and 4) joins the innermost tine of each array to the adjacent disc 30 and at least the longer tines are interconnected by a generally helically disposed strengthening rib 35 (Figure 4) e.g. connected at the mid-points of these tines.

In operation of the implement, the shaft 1 8 is rotated in the opposite sense to any landwheels present i.e. anti-clockwise as viewed in Figure 4 and the rotating tine arrays of each soil working implement act as an outwardly directed screw member thrusting soil laterally to either side of the discs 30 to produce the desired ridge contour 36 (Figure 1). A suitable land speed for the implement 8 is typically about 2 2 mph with the soil working bodies 16 driven in the region of 80 to 120 rpm, say.

As may be seen from Figures 1 and 3, each soil working body 1 6 is preceded by a flexible stator tine 38 in line with the central disc 30 of the body.

In Figure 1 , one of these stator tines has been omitted, so as more clearly to show the form of the associated body 16, and the outermost disc is masked by one of the two depth adjustable land wheels 40 arranged at either side of the implement to set the operation depth of the bodies.

Reference numerals 42 (Figure 2) indicates the mounting bar on which the land wheels and tractor tines are adjustably mounted to suit row with. The spacing of soil working bodies 1 6 may be similarly adjusted along the shaft 18, e.g. to give a 28 inch row profile or to give the 36 inch row profile illustrated in the drawings or to give intermediate profiles.

In an alternative embodiment, the implement is in the form of a wheeled trailer which though still towed by a tractor has its own power units for driving the bodies 1 6.

In variations of both these embodiments, the tine arrays 31, 32 are of a multi-start helical form e.g. of two-start or three-start form. The number of soil working bodies 1 6 may also be varied.

1. An agricultural implement for ridging soil comprising a plurality of soil working implements spaced apart along a common driven rotary shaft with each body comprising a central disc member and two generally helical tine arrays of opposite hand to one another tapering away from the disc towards the tapered end of an oppositely handed

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Agricultural soil working implements for ridging soil The present invention relates to agricultural soil working implements for ridging soil. Soil ridging implements are employed to produce furrows in soil for pianting potatoes, to ridge the soil after planting, and to form ridges in the soil for turnips, sugar beet and other root crops. In one such implement, multi-start helical soil working blades are spaced apart across the width of the machine in pairs with each blade opposite hand to the other blade of the pair. The blades are mounted for rotation about a number of axle members, one for each pair. Each blade tapers away from the other blade of the pair towards the tapered end of an oppositely handed blade of the adjacent pair of blades. The axle members are rotated by appropriate chain drives the cases for which separate the blades of each pair both physically and operationally. According to the present invention, an agricultural implement for ridging soil comprises a plurality of soil working bodies spaced apart along a common driven rotary shaft with each body comprising a central disc member and two generally helical tine arrays of opposite hand to one another tapering away from the disc towards the tapered end of an oppositely handed tine array of the adjacent soil working body. Conveniently, each tine array is of generally helical form. Conveniently, the tines nearest to the disc are joined to the disc by a generally flat lead-in blade. Conveniently, at least the longer tines of each array are inter-connected by a generally helically disposed strengthening rib e.g. connected at the mid-points of these tines. Conveniently, each soil working body is preceded by a respective soil engaging stator tine acting in line with the body disc. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a soil ridging implement according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the same implement; Figure 3 is a side view looking from what will be the left hand side of the implement when viewed as in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the soil working bodies used in the implement of Figures 1 to 3. Referring to the drawings, an agricultural implement 8 for ridging soil consists of a horizontally extending and generally rectangular frame 10 having a three-point link 12, 13, 14 for connection with the towing tractor (not shown). The soil working bodies 16, are withdrawably keyed on a single rotary shaft 1 8 driven from the power take off of the tractor via a right angle gearbox 20, transmission shaft 21 and a chain drive (not shown) housed in chain case 22. Reference numeral 24 indicates the input for the tractor p.t-o and reference numerals 26, 27 indicate the bearings for the rotor shaft and the transmission shaft respectively. The soil working bodies 16, each comprise a central disc 30 and two generally helical tine arrays 31, 32 of opposite hand to one another and tapering away from the disc 30 towards the tapered end of an oppositely handed array 32, 31 of the adjacent soil working body 1 6. Each tine array 31, 32 is of generally. helical form with the tines disposed about a stepped hub member 33. A flat lead-in blade 34 (Figures 1 and 4) joins the innermost tine of each array to the adjacent disc 30 and at least the longer tines are interconnected by a generally helically disposed strengthening rib 35 (Figure 4) e.g. connected at the mid-points of these tines. In operation of the implement, the shaft 1 8 is rotated in the opposite sense to any landwheels present i.e. anti-clockwise as viewed in Figure 4 and the rotating tine arrays of each soil working implement act as an outwardly directed screw member thrusting soil laterally to either side of the discs 30 to produce the desired ridge contour 36 (Figure 1). A suitable land speed for the implement 8 is typically about 2 2 mph with the soil working bodies 16 driven in the region of 80 to 120 rpm, say. As may be seen from Figures 1 and 3, each soil working body 1 6 is preceded by a flexible stator tine 38 in line with the central disc 30 of the body. In Figure 1 , one of these stator tines has been omitted, so as more clearly to show the form of the associated body 16, and the outermost disc is masked by one of the two depth adjustable land wheels 40 arranged at either side of the implement to set the operation depth of the bodies. Reference numerals 42 (Figure 2) indicates the mounting bar on which the land wheels and tractor tines are adjustably mounted to suit row with. The spacing of soil working bodies 1 6 may be similarly adjusted along the shaft 18, e.g. to give a 28 inch row profile or to give the 36 inch row profile illustrated in the drawings or to give intermediate profiles. In an alternative embodiment, the implement is in the form of a wheeled trailer which though still towed by a tractor has its own power units for driving the bodies 1 6. In variations of both these embodiments, the tine arrays 31, 32 are of a multi-start helical form e.g. of two-start or three-start form. The number of soil working bodies 1 6 may also be varied. CLAIMS

1. An agricultural implement for ridging soil comprising a plurality of soil working implements spaced apart along a common driven rotary shaft with each body comprising a central disc member and two generally helical tine arrays of opposite hand to one another tapering away from the disc towards the tapered end of an oppositely handed tine array of the adjacent soil working body.

2. An implement as claimed in Claim 1 in which each tine array is of generally helical form.

3. An implement as claimed in Claim 2 in which the tines nearest to the disc are joined to the disc by a generally flat lead-in blade.

4. An implement as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which at least the longer tines of each array are interconnected by a generally helically disposed strengthening rib.

5. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim in which each soil working body is preceded by a respective soil engaging stator tine acting in line with the body disc.

6. An agricultural soil working implement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. -