GB2145611A - Soil cultivating implements - Google Patents

Abstract

A soil cultivating implement 3 in combination with an additional implement 24, such as a seed drill, is lifted clear of the ground to facilitate ready manoeuvering of the combination by a double-acting hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly which interconnects a carrier structure 9, 10 of a freely rotatable ground roller 12 and a coupling member or trestle 18 of the soil cultivating implement, said piston and cylinder assembly being combined with stop means which allows a previous level to be reset. Upon operating the piston and cylinder assembly to displace the roller 12 downwardly relative to a frame portion 1 of the soil cultivating implement, that implement and also the seed drill 24 will be raised so far clear of the ground surface that the tines 5 of soil working members 3 of the soil cultivating implement will be spaced above the ground surface by not less than substantially 10 cms. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Soil cultivating implements This invention relates to soil cultivating implements (or machines) of the kind which comprise a frame portion rotatably supporting at least one soil working member, and also comprising a ground roller whose bodily level is upwardly and downwardly adjustable relative to that of the frame portion to control the maximum depth of penetration of the or each soil working member into the ground that is possible when the implement is in operation. Such known implements are usually heavy in weight, particularly when they are of large working width, and, when used in combination with a speed drill or other implement, machine or tool, the combination cannot readily, if at all, be lifted clear of contact with the ground for manoeuvering purposes, for example, when the combination has to be turned at the edge or head of a field.The present invention seeks to overcome, or very greatly to reduce, this problem and accordingly provides a soil cultivating implement of the kind set forth, wherein adjusting means is provided by which the ground roller can be displaced downwardly relative to said frame portion to a level at which, when it is in contact with the ground surface, the or each soil working member will be fully clear of contact with that surface.

When a seed drill is used in combination with the soil cultivating implement, its seed delivery openings will also be raised clear of contact with the ground when said roller is displaced downwardly and will not become blocked with earth during subsequent manoeuvering.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a soil cultivating implement in accordance with the invention shown in combination with a seed drill, Figure 2 is a side view of the combination of Figure 1 as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow 11 in that Figure, the combination being shown connected to the rear of a n an agricultural tractor, Figure 3 is a part-sectional side view, to an enlarged scale, illustrating adjustment means and stop means of the implement in greater detail, Figure 4 is a section taken on the line IV-IV in Figure 3, Figure 5 is a section taken on the V-V in Figure 4, and Figure 6 is a similar view to that of Figure 3 but illustrates an alternative construction.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings, the soil cultivating implement that is illustrated therein is in the form of a rotary harrow which is primarily, but not exclusively, intended for the preparation of seed beds on previously worked agricultural land. The implement has a hollow elongate frame portion 1 that extends substantially horizontally transverse and usually, as illustrated, substantially horizontally perpendicular, to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement that is indicated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings by and arrow A.A plurality, of which there are twelve in the example that is being described, of substatially vertical, or at least upwardly extending, shafts 2 are rotatably mounted in upper and lower walls of the hollow frame portion 1 so as to extend parallel to one another in a single row with their longitudinal axes spaced apart from one another at regular intervals which advantageously, but not essentially, each have a magnitude of substatially 25cms. Each shaft 2 projects downwardly from beneath the bottom of the hollow frame portion 1 and the downwardly projecting portion thereof has firmly but releasably secured to it a corresponding soil working member 3 (Figure 2). Each soil working member 3 comprises a substantially horizontally disposed support or carrier 4 which has arms that radiate in opposite directions from a central hub thereof that is fastened to the shaft 2 concerned.The outer ends of these arms carry sleeve-like holders in which upper fastening portions of rigid soil working tools in the form of metallic tines 5 are firmly but releasably secured. The tines 5 have downwardly projecting soil working portions that penetrate into the soil to an adjustable extent when the implement is in use.

The opposite ends of the hollow frame portion 1 are closed by corresponding side plates 6 which extend substantially vertically parallel to one another and to the direction A. The side plates 6 are larger in size than the cross-sectional dimensions of the frame portion 1 itself and a lower leading corner of each side plate 6, together with a bracket spaced inwardly therefrom along the front of the hollow frame portion 1 itself, support a substantially horizontal pivot 7 about which a sleeve bearing.at the leading end of a corresponding arm 8 is turnable. The sleeve bearings lie immediately beyond the relatively remote outer surfaces of the two side plates 6 and the arms 8 which are secured to those sleeve bearings extend generally upwardly and rearwardly therefrom alongside the corresponding plates 6 but in spaced relationship therewith.Each arm 8 is of straight configuration and its rearmost end, which is located just behind the rearmost curved edge of the corresponding frame portion side plate 6, has the leading end of a corresponding downwardly and rearwardly inclined carrying arm 9 fastened thereto at the side thereof which faces inwardly towards the centre of the implement (see Figure 1). The downwardly and rearwardly inclined leading portion of each carrying arm 9 that is secured to the corresponding arm 8 is of straight configuration and its lower rear end, with respect to the direction A, is integrally connected to a further portion of the carrying arm 9 which again is of straight configuration but which projects more or less horizontally rearwards thereform. The junction between the two integrally connected portions of each carrying arm 9 is disposed approximately midway along the total length thereof.The leading downwardly and rearwardly inclined portions of the two carrying arms 9 are perpendicularly and substantially horizontally interconnected by a hollow beam 10 of oblong cross-section, the longitudinal axis of the beam 10 being parallel or substantially parallel to a substantially vertical plane containing the axes of rotation of all twelve of the rotary shafts 2. The carrying arms 9 and the hollow beam 10 together constitute a carrier structure of the implement.

The rearmost portion of each carrying arm 9 has the upper end of a corresponding support plate 11 firmly but releasably bolted or otherwise secured thereto in such a position (see Figure 2) that the support plate 11 extends steeply downwardly and forwardly, with respect to the direction A, from the rear portion of the corresponding carrying arm 9.

The disposition of each support plate 11 is, in fact, such that its own longitudinal axis a is inclined to the longitudinal axis b of the corresponding arm 8 by an acute angle whose imaginary sides diverge downwardly and forwardly with respect to the direction A. said angle advantageously having a magnitude of substantially 45 . Lower leading regions of the two support plates 11 support substanially horizontally aligned bearings by way of corresponding bearing housings in which bearings stub shafts at the opposite ends of a ground roller 12 are received in such a way that said roller 12 is freely rotatable about its own longitudinal axis.In the embodiment which is being described, the ground roller 12 is in the form of a so-called packer roller which comprises a cylinder 13 whose longitudinal axis coincides with the intended axis of rotation of the roller, the outer surface of said cylinder 13 being provided with a plurality of groups or crowns of tine-like teeth 14, the groups or crowns being spaced apart from one another at substantially regular intervals along the length of the roller cylinder 13 in such a way that the general plane of each group or crown is substatially vertically perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder 13. In the embodiment which is being described, each group or crown of teeth 14 comprises eight of those teeth 14.The engagement of the teeth 14 with the soil during the operation of the implement ensures that the roller 12 will rotate in a uniform manner at a speed which is proportional to the speed of travel of the implement in the direction A.

Downwardly and forwardly inclined scrapers 15 of substantially oblong configuration have their leading edges in engagement with, or located very close to, the outer surface of the cylinder 13 between the successive groups or crowns of teeth 14, the scrapers 15 being located generally at the rear of the roller 12 with respect to the direction A and being supported, preferably in groups, at the lower ends of upwardly extending arms 16 whose upper ends are adjustably secured to a carrier 17 interconnecting the rear portions of the two carrying arms 9. Each downwardly and forwardly inclined scraper 15 is preferably adjustable in position relative to a foot plate at the lower end of the corresponding arm 16.

A central region of the hollow frame portion 1 is provided at the top and front thereof, with respect to the direction A, with a coupling member or trestle 18 which coupling member or trestle 18 defines a single upper coupling point afforded by two substantially vertically parallel but spaced apart plates 19, this coupling point being intended for pivotal connection to the free end of the upper adjustable-length lifting link of a three-point lifting device or hitch carried at the rear of an agricultural tractor or other operating and propelling vehicle in the manner which is shown diagramatically in Figure 2 of the drawings. The rigidly interconnected plates 19 of the coupling member or trestle 18 are strengtheningiy connected by steeply downwardly and rearwardly divergent tie rods 20 to widely spaced apart locations at the top and rear of the hollow frame portion 1.The rear of the coupling member or trestle 18 which is of substantially isosceles triangular configuration as seen in front or rear elevation, is provided at both its top and its bottom with rear coupling points that enable a rear coupling member or hitch 23 to be connected thereto in an upwardly and downwardly displaceable manner by horizontally spaced apart lower arms or links 21 and a single upper arm or link 22 that is adjustable in length.The rear coupling member or hitch 23 may, when required, be employed for the connection to the soil cultivating implement or an additional implement, machine or tool, such as a seed drill 24 which is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings purely as an example, the seed drill 24 or other implement, machine or tool being destined for use in combination with the soil cultivating implement to perform a simultaneous cultivating and seed sowing operation.It will be seen from the drawings that the seed drill 24 has its own large tyred ground wheels 25 so that it can match undulations in the surface of the ground over which the combination is travelling independently of the soil cultivation implement.The seed drill 24 has a seed hopper 26 that extends transversely throughout substantially all of its path of travel, the base of the hopper 26 being connected to seed shoes or coulters 28 by a plurality of seed tubes 27A. As shown very diagramatically in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, moving parts of the seed drill 24 are driven, during operation, by the rotation of its ground wheels 25, such moving parts including means by which the seeds are fed from the hopper 26 at a controlled rate to the upper ends of the tubes 27A. This means does not form the subject of the present invention and is therefore not illustrated in detail and will not be described. The rear of the seed drill 24, with respect to the direction A, carries adjustably mounted rows of flexible tines 26A which act to close the seedreceiving grooves opened by the shoes or coulters 28 and generally to smooth the surface of the soil that has been sown with seeds.

The hollow beam 10 of the soil cultivating implement is provided, substantially mid-way along its length, with a pair of obliquely upwardly and forwardly directed lugs 27 which lugs 27 are horizontally spaced apart by a short distance with each of them contained in a corresponding substantially vertical plane that is parallel or substantially parallel to the direction A.The lower rear end of the piston rod 31 (Figure 3) of a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly is turnably mounted between the lugs 27 by a substantially horizontal pivot, the piston of said assembly being located internally of the cylinder 28A thereof and being connected, at the opposite side from its piston rod 31, to an axially coincident extension bar 30 which projects through the upper leading end of the cylinder 28A into a surrounding sleeve 29 whose lower end is fastened to the cylinder 28A in such a way that the sleeve 29 constitutes an upward and forward extension thereof. The upper end of the sleeve 29 is closed by a block 32 which block is formed with an internally screw-threaded bore whose longitudinal axis coincides with that of the piston rod 31 and bar 30.A matchingly externally screw-threaded spindle 33 is entered through the screw-threaded bore of the block 32 and into the upper leading end of the sleeve 29.

The upper end of the spindle 33 is rotatably mounted in a guide 34 (Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings) which guide 34 is fastened to the upper end of a rod 35 that extends parallel to the spindle 33 at a short distance therefrom. The rod 35 is entered displaceablythrough a plain opening at one side of the block 32.The opposite side of the block 32 from the guide 35 carries a horizontally projecting stub shaft 36 that is freely turnable in a surrounding sleeve bearing 37 that rigidly and perpendicularly interconnects two parallel but spaced plates 38, the plates 38 being secured to the plates 19 at the top of the coupling member or trestle 18 by bolts and also being welded or otherwise rigidly secured, at the rear thereof with respect to the direction A, to a transverse mounting plate 39 having relatively downwardly divergent lugs 40 at its opposite ends with each lug 40 formed with a hole 41. The holes 41 serve as anchorages into which the ends of corresponding cables or like members 42 can be hookingly engaged, the cables or like members 42 interconnecting the anchorage holes 41 and corresponding lugs 43 on the upper edges or the lower arms or links 21 of the rear coupling member or trestle 23.The cables or like members 42 prevent the lower edges of the arms 21 from bearing downwardly on the top of the hollow frame portion 1 during inoperative transport of the combination that is shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings and each cable or like member 42 includes, substantially mid-way along its length, a corresponding tension spring 44.

Each shaft 2 is provided, inside the hollow frame portion 1, with a corresponding straight- or spurtoothed pinion 45, each of the twelve, in this embodiment, pinions 45 having its teeth in mesh with the or each immediately neighbouring pinion 45 in the single row of twelve such pinions. One of the centre pair of shafts 2 in the single row of twelve shafts has and upward extension through the top of the hollow frame portion 1 into a gear box 46 that is fastened in position on top of the hollow frame portion 1. Shafts and bevel pinions within the gear box 46 place the upward extension of the shaft 2 that has just been mentioned in driven connection with a rotary input shaft 48 of the gear box 46 that projects substantially horizontally forwards from the front of that gear box in substantially the direction A.The rear of the gear box 46, with respect to the direction A, is provided with a change-speed gear 47 (Figures 1 and 2). The change-speed gear 47 is not the subject of the present invention and it suffices to say that two splined shaft ends project into the change-speed gear 47 where they are drivingly interconnected by a pair of straight- or spur-toothed pinions of different sizes whose hubs are internally splined to match the external splines of the shaft ends. The transmission ratio between the two shafts can be altered by interchanging the two pinions on the shaft ends or, alternatively, by removing them and substituting an alternative pair of pinions of different sizes. This is readily allowed merely by temporarily removing a cover of the change-speed gear 47.The change-speed gear 47 allows the rotary soil working members 3 to be revolved at a faster or slower speed without having to change the substatially standard speed of rotation that is applied to the leading end of the rotary input shaft 48 of the gear box 46 by drive derived from the rear power take-off shaft of an n an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle through the intermediary of a telescopic transmission shaft 49 of known construction having universal joints at its opposite ends. The forwardly projecting rotary input shaft 48 of the gear box 46 is splined or otherwise keyed for co-operation with the universal joint at the rear end of the transmission shaft 49 (Figure 2).

In the use of the soil cultivating implement or machine that has been described, its coupling member or trestle 18 is connected to the three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle in the manner which can be seen somewhat diagramatically in Figure 2 of the drawings, using aligned holes in the plates 19 for the connection thereto of the upper adjustable-length lifting line and slotted plates which project substantially vertically forwards from lower regions of the coupling member or trestle 18 in horizontally spaced apart relationship for connection to the free ends of the lower lifting links.

In this particular case, as can be seen best in Figure 1 of the drawings, a substantially horizontally disposed rod interconnects the slots in the substantially vertically disposed forwardly projecting plates that have just been mentioned.

The known telescopic transmission shaft 49 is arranged drivingly between the rear power take-off shaft of the same tractor or other vehicle and the forwardly projecting end of the rotary input shaft 48 of the gear box 46. Adjustments which may, if necessary, be made before work commences include increasing, or decreasing, the speed of rotation of the soil working members 3 by an appropriate adjustment of the change-speed gear 47 and raising or lowering the bodily level of the ground roller 12 relative to that of the frame portion 1 and soil working members 3 to govern the maximum depth of penetration of the tines 5 of the latter into the ground which is possible.This may be accomplished by operating the controls of the hydraulic system of the tractor or other vehicle to which the implement is connected to move the piston of the double-acting piston and cylinder assembly that con be seen best in Figure 3 of the drawings either upwardly or downwardly, as required, in its surrounding cylinder 28A. This will turn the arms 8 and the parts which they carry (including the roller 12) bodily either upwards or downwards about the sunstantially horizontal axis defined by the aligned pivots 7. Once the required bodily level of the roller 12 relative to that of the soil working members 3 has been attained, the screwthreaded spindle 33 is manually rotated by using a crank handle at its upper end until the lower end thereof comes into end-to-end contacting relationship with the extension bar 30 of the piston rod 31 that lies inside the sleeve 29.This infinitely variable stop means then positively prevents the roller 12 from being moved bodily upwards beyond that position of adjustment. It is noted that the crank handle at the upper end of the spindle 33 will usually be accessible to the driver of the operating vehicie, when that vehicle is an agricultural tractor, without said driver having to leave his/her driving seat. A scale 50 (Figure 4) is marked on the external surface of the sleeve 29 alongside the rod 35 and it will be apparent that, as the spindle 33 is moved inwardly or outwardly relative to the sleeve 29, the lower end of the rod 35 will move along the scale 50 in the manner of a pointer.This arrangement gives a clear visual indication of the position of the roller at any level of bodily adjustment and, in particular, enables substantially exactly the same level of bodily adjustment to be regained, after a change, without the driver having to leave his/her driving seat. The adjustments that may be made before work commences are usually effected primarily with regard to the nature and condition of the soil that is to be cultivated by the implement and the particular purpose for which that soil is required after its cultivation.

As the implement moves forwardly in the direction A, the inter-meshing relationship of the pinions 45 causes each assembly of one pinion 45, one shaft 2 and one soil working member 3 to revolve in the opposite direction B (Figure 1 of the drawings) to the or each immediately neighbouring similar assembly. Each soil working member 3 cultivates an individual strip of ground that extends in the direction A but, since the effective distance between the soil working portions of the tines 5 of each member 3 is the same as, or a little greater than, the distances between the longitudinal axes of immediately neighbouring shafts 2, the strips worked by the individual members 3 overlap, or at least adjoin, one another so that a single broad strip of worked soil is produced.When the preferred dimensions that are referred to above are used, this broad strip of worked soil will have a width of substantially, but not necessarily exactly, 3 metres.

It will be realised that a broader or narrower strip could be produced by increasing or decreasing the number of rotary soil working members 3 in the single row thereof.

The soil cultivating implement is shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings as being employed in combination with the seed drill 24 which latter is located immediately behind the soil cultivating implememt with respect to the direction A and with its path of travel in register with that of the soil cultivation implement. To this end, the rear coupling member or trestle 23 is upwardly and downwardly displaceable relative to the frame portion 1 and leading coupling member or trestle 18 by way of the single upper arm or link 22 and the two lower arms or links 21. The seed drill 24 is positioned substantially as can be seen best in Figure 2 of the drawings relative to the soil cultivating implement and enables seeds from the hopper 26 to be sown directly into the soil cultivated by the implement by way of the seed tubes 27A and the shoes or coulters 28.When the implement combination reaches the edge or head of the field that is being cultivated and sown with seed, it has to be turned to enable it to return across the field along a strip of ground adjoining the one that has just been dealt with. To enable this to be readily brought about, oil or other hydraulic pressure medium is fed to the cylinder 28A of the double-acting piston and cylinder assembly to move the piston rod 31 downwardly towards the lower end of the cylinder 28A. This moves the roller 12 bodily downwards relative to the frame portion 1 and soil working members 3 from approximately the position thereof that is shown in full lines in Figure 2 of the drawings to approximately the position thereof that is shown in broken lines in the same Figure.In this broken line position, the lower surface of the roller cylinger 13 that contacts the ground is spaced by not less than substantially 1 Ocms. below the lower ends of the soil working member tines 5 so that said soil working members 3 will be entirely clear of contact with the ground as will also be the parts 25, 26A and 28 of the seed drill 24. The tractor or other operating vehicle and the implement conbination can easily be turned, said combination being supported from the ground under the circumstances only by the tractor or other vehicle itself and by the ground roller 12.As soon as the turning maneouvre has been completed, the hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly is activated to allow the piston thereof to move upwardly in the cylinder 28A until its extension bar 30 meets the lower end of the spindle 33 inside the sleeve 29 that constitutes an upward extension of the cylinder 28A. Thus, the previous "working" bodily level of the roller 12 is quickly and easily restored in a semi-automatic manner. The hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly serves as an, adjusting means which will bodily displace the roller 12 and subsequently allow it to return exactly to a pre-set position, said piston and cylinder assembly incorporating the infinitely variable stop means that is afforded by the screw-threaded spindle 33 and the parts which are associated therewith.

By virtue of the above-described positional relationship between the arms 8 and support plates 11 that con be seen best in Figure 2 of the drawings, the roller 12 is displaced substantially, although not exactly, perpendicularly upwards and downwards by operation of the hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly and this has the advantage that no additional space extending in the direction A has to be provided for significant movements of the roller 12 in a horizontal direction.When the implement combination and its operating tractor or other vehicle are maneouvered at the edge or head of a field in the manner described above which is such that the implement bears againstthe ground only by way of the roller 12, the considerable practical advantage is gained that soil does not penetrate into, and block, trhe outlets of the sewing shoes or coulters 28 of the seed drill 24 whch can, and often does, happen should such a seed drill be moved rearwardly with its shoes or coulters 28 still in contact with the ground. Thus, in addition to the easy maneouvreability of the vehicle and implement combination which is produced, tiresome unblocking of the seed outlets is avoided and the uniformity of seed sewing is enhanced.

As an alternative to the construction of Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings in which the infinitely variable stop that is afforded by the spindle 33 is combined with the positioning adjustment mechanism that is afforded by the piston and cylinder assembly, the construction illustrated in Figure 6 may be used in which Figure parts that are similar, or identical, to parts which have already been described above are indicated by the same references as are used in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive and will not be described in detail again. In the embodiment of Figure 6 of the drawings, rear regions, with respect to the direction A, of the substantially vertically parallel plates 19 at the top of the coupling member or trestle 18 have bolted to them obliquely upwardly and rearwardly extending strips 51.The upper rear ends of the two strips 51 have the upper end of the cylinder of a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 52 turnably mounted between them by way of a substantially horizontal pivot. The free end of the piston rod of this double-acting assembly 52 is turnably arranged, by way of a relatively parallel pivot, between two lugs 53 which project upwardly and forwardly from a central region of the beam 10 that is of substantially oblong cross-section. In this case, the lugs 27 which are also mounted on the beam 10 quite close to the lugs 53 have one end of a stop means that is generally indicated by the reference 54 turnably mounted between them, said stop means 54 comprising a tubular guide sleeve 55 containing, internally, a stop 58.A screw-threaded spindle 56 having a manually operable crank handle at its upper end is entered through a matchingly screw-threaded bore in a block 57 pivotally mounted; between the two strips 51 and the shank of the spindle 56 extends into the upper leading end of the guide sleeve 55 and downwardly and rearwardly towards the stop 58.

When the double-acting piston and cylinder assembly 52 is operated from the hydraulic system of the operating tractor or other vehicle to bring the ground roller 12 to a desired bodily level relative to that of the frame portion 1 and soil working members 3, the crank handle at the upper end of the spindle 56, which handle is usually accessible from the driving seat of the operating vehicle when that vehicle is an agricultural tractor; is rotated until the end of the spindle 56 inside the sleeve 55 comes into contact with the stop 58.As in the first embodiment, the desired bodily position of the ground roller 12 can readily be re-attained, after a turning or other manoeuvre of the implement combination and the tractor or other vehicle which operates it merely by operating the piston and cylinder assembly 52 until the end of the spindle 56 regains contact with the stop 58. At a scale whose position can be seen in Figure 6 of the drawings is marked along the external surface of an upper region of the guide sleeve 55 and a pointer 59 whose upper end is secured to the block 57 co-operates with that scale.

The pointer 59 and co-operateng scale are visible from the driving seat of a tractor used to move and operate the implement combination and, as in the first embodiment, operation of the crank handle at the upper end of the spindle 56 will move the pointer 59 relative to the scale and enable a predetermined bodily level of the roller 12 quickly and easily to be reached without "hit and miss" experimentation. The embodiment of Figure 6 of the drawings enables a simpler form of the piston and cylinder assembly to be used whilst, once again, the infinitely variable stop means can be employed quickly and easily to arrive at a required bodily position of the roller 12 by preventing that roller from moving upwardly beyond a level which is governed by the contact of the lower rear end of the spindle 56 with the stop 58 located internally of the tubular guide sleeve 55.

It is noted that the soil cultivating implement which has been described comprises a row of soil working members 3 that are rotatable about corresponding substantially vertical, or at least upwardly extending, axes. This is not, however, essential and the present invention is equally applicable to a soil cultivating implement which has one or more soil working members the or each of which is rotatable about a horizontal or substantially horizontal axis.

Although certain features of the soil cultivating implement embodiments that have been described and/or that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings will be set forth in the following claims as inventive features, it is emphasised that the invention is not necessarily limited to those features and that it includes within its scope each of the parts of each embodiment of the soil cultivating implement that has been described, and/or that is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, both individually and in various combinations.

Claims (20)

1. A soil cultivation implemement of the kind set forth, wherein adjusting means is provided by which the ground roller can be displaced downwardly relative to said frame portion to a level at which, when it is in contact with the ground surface, the or each soil working member will be fully clear of contact with that surface.

2. An implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the implement is standing upon level ground with said roller in its downwardly displaced position, the lowermost part of the or each soil working member that is intended to make cultivating engagement with the groumd is spaced above said ground surface by not less than substantially 10 cms.

3. An implement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said adjustment means comprises a position-setting fluid pressure operated piston and cylinder assemby.

4. An implement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said assembly interconnects a carrier structure of the ground roller and a coupling member or trestle of the implement that is intended for connection to an operating tractor or other vehicle.

5. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein stop means is provided by which the highest bodily level which the ground roller can attain relative to said frame portion can be adjustably defined, said stop means co-operating with said adjusting means in such a way that any bodily position of the ground roller defined by the stop means can readily be regained after a departure therefrom.

6. An implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein said stop means comprises a displaceable stop.

7. An implement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stop is displaceable relative to a guide.

8. An implement as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the stop is infintely variable in position between limits.

9. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein a scale is provided so as visually to indicate a corresponding position of the stop.

10. An implement as claimed in claim 9 when read as appendant to claim 7, wherein said scale is carried by said guide.

11. An implement as claimed in claim 6 or in any one of claims 7 to 10 when read as appendant to claim 3 and to claim 6, wherein said stop is located internally of the cylinder of said fluid pressure operated piston and cylinder assembly.

12. An implement as claimed in claim 6 or in any one of claims 7 to 11 when read as appendant to claim 6, wherein said stop is afforded by a screwthreaded spindle which is so-positioned that it can be rotated from the driving seat of an agricultural tractor when the latter is used to move and operate the implement.

13. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim when employed in combination with a further implement, machine or tool that is attached thereto, said further implement, machine or tool being so connected to the soil cultivating implement as to be displaced upwardly with the frame portion of the latter when said ground roller is moved downwardly relative to that frame portion and is in contact with the ground surface.

14. An implement as claimed in claim 13, wherein said ground roller is located between the soil cultivating implement and the further implement, machine or tool having regard to the intended direction of operative travel of the soil cultivating implement.

15. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said ground roller is rotatably mounted between supports and said supports are pivotally connected to said frame portion by arms, and wherein the longitudinal axis of each support and that of the corresponding arm are inclined towards one another at an acute angle which opens downwardly towards the ground surface.

16. An implement as claimed in claim 14, wherein said acute angle'has a magnitude of substantially 45ops

17. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the implement comprises a plurality of soil working members which are power-drivable to rotate about corresponding upwardly extending axes, said ground roller being located behind the soil working members with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement.

18. An implement as claimed in claim 13 or 14 or in any one of claims 15to 17 when read appendent to either claim 13 or claim 14, wherein said further implement is a seed drill which comprises its own ground wheels by which it is supported from the ground surface when the combination is in use, the connection between the seed drill and the soil cultivating implement being such that, during operation of the combination, the seed drill can move upwardly and downwardly relative to the soil cultivating implement, but only to a limited extent in a downward direction.

19. A soil cultivation implement of the kind set forth substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings or with reference to Figures 1 to 5 as modified by Figure 6 of those drawings.

20. A combination of a soil cultivating implement and a seed drill substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings or with reference to Figures 1 to 5 as modified by Figure 6 those drawings.