GB2146212A - Agricultural implements - Google Patents

Abstract

An agricultural implement, such as a soil cultivating implement which comprises a row of rotary soil working members 3 that extends substantially horizontally perpendicular to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, has a coupling frame 6 defining an upper coupling point 8 and two horizontally spaced apart lower coupling points 7 arranged for co-operation with a three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle. The upper coupling point 8 comprises two parallel and spaced plates 12 mounted mid-way along the top of an elongate hollow carrier or main frame beam 9 of the coupling frame 6 which carrier 9 is of square cross-section. Two substantially vertically descending supporting frame parts 11 at the front and sides of the coupling frame 6 and separate supporting frame parts 28 at the rear thereof interconnect opposite ends regions of the carrier 9 and the top of a hollow frame portion 1 of the implement, the supporting frame parts 11 and the separate supporting frame parts 28 all being wholly or principally formed from folded plates and the releasable connections therebetween being afforded by bolts 16. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Agricultural implements This invention relates to agricultural implements (or machines) of the kind which comprise a coupling frame defining coupling points constructed and arranged for connection to a three-point lifting device or hitch carried by a tractor or other vehicle.

Such agricultural implements, and particularly soil cultivating implements, are often used in combination with other implements, machines or tools, such, for example, as seed drills or artificial fertilizer spreaders, and therefore need to be provided with means for the attachment thereto of the additional implement, machine or tool. Known coupling frames which exhibit such means tend to be unreliable, complicated and/or expensive in construction and it is an object of the present invention to remedy, or at least very significantly to reduce, these disadvantages.Accordingly, the present invention provides an agricultural implement of the kind set forth, wherein an upper one of said coupling points is mounted on an elongate hollow carrier, opposite end regions of which carrier are connected to lower coupling points by substantially vertically descending supporting frame parts that are wholly or principally of plate formation.

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 pian view of an agricultural implement in accordance with the invention in the form of a soil cultivating implement, the implement being shown arranged in combination with an additional implement in the form of a seed drill and the combination being shown connected to the rear of an agricultural tractor, Figure 2 is a side elevation as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow II in Fig. 1, Figure 3 is a section, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line 111-Ill in Fig. 1, Figure 4 is a front view as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow IV in Fig. 3, and Figure 5 is a section taken on the line V-V in Fig. 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the agricultural implement which is illustrated as a good example of one to which the present invention can advantageously be applied is a soil cultivating implement that is primarily, but not exclusively, intended for the preparation of seed bed 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 Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings by an arrow A.

A plurality, of which there are twelve in the example that is being described, of substantially 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 substantially 25 cms. Each shaft 2 projects downwardly from beneath the bottom of the hollow frame portion 1 and the downardly projecting portion thereof has firmly but releasably secured to it a corresponding soil working member 3 (Figs. 2 and 3). Each soil working member 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 (see Fig. 2) to an adjustable extent when the implement is in use.

A central region of the top of the hollow frame portion 1 is provided with a coupling frame 6 which defines two horizontally spaced apart lower coupling points 7 and a single upper coupling point 8 which are so disposed as to enable them to co-operate readily with the three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural tractor or other vehicle which both moves and operates the implement when the latter is in use. Reference may be made to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings where this arrangement is somewhat diagramatically illustrated.An upper region of the coupling frame 6 includes a substantially horizontally disposed elongate main frame beam or carrier 9 that is formed so as to be highly resistant to torsional deformation, the beam 9 extending transverse, and usually substantially horizontally perpendicular, to the direction A, being of hollow formation and advantageously having a quadrilateral or other angular crosssection which, as illustrated, is preferably a square one measuring, in cross-section, 1 O0mms by 1 O0mms. The opposite ends of the main frame beam 9 are closed by corresponding plates 10 (Fig. 4) which are substantially vertically parallel to one another and to the direction A.

The substantially horizontally disposed longitudinal axis of the main frame beam 9 is parallel to a substantially vertical plane containing the axes of rotation of all twelve of the rotary soil working members 3 and it will be evident from the drawings that the mid-point of the beam 9 is contained in a substantially vertical plane which is perpendicular to the one that has just been mentioned and that also contains, or is very closely adjacent to, the mid-point of the hollow frame portion 1.

The axial length of the main frame beam 9 is, as can be seen in Figs. 1 and 4 cf the drawings, substantially equal to the perpendicular distance between the two lower coupling points 7 of the coupling frame 6. The main beam 9 of the coupling frame 6 is connected to the top of the hollow frame portion 1 by two frame parts or supports 11 which extend substantially vertically downwards between locations towards the opposite ends of the beam 9 and locations on the top of the frame portion 1 which latter locations extend throughout substantially the fore and aft width of the frame portion 1 measured in the direction A. Each supporting frame part 11 is in the form of a folded plate.The top of the main beam 9 of the coupling frame 6 is provided, centrally along its length, with two plates 1 2 having relatively spaced portions that are substantially vertically parallel to one another and to the direction A, said portions of the plates 1 2 being formed at the front, with respect to the direction A, with two pairs of horizontally aligned holes 13, these upright portions of the two plates 1 2 affording the upper coupling point 8 of the coupling frame 6 and either pair of holes 1 3 being usable to co-operate with the free end of the upper lifting link of the three-point lifting device or hitch to which, in use, the implement is connected, it being a matter of choice as to which pair of holes 1 3 is employed having regard to the construction and dimensions of the particular lifting device or hitcch that is to co-operate therewith, one pair of holes 1 3 being further advanced with respect to the direction A than is the other.

Each of the substantially, but not exactly, triangular portions of the plates 1 2 in which the holes 1 3 are formed has a substantially right-angled recess in its lower edge and that recess receives the uppermost corner of the square cross-section of the main frame beam 9, that beam 9 being so disposed about its own longitudinal axis that each side surface thereof is inclined to both the horizontal and the vertical. As will be evident from Fig. 3 of the drawings, diagonals of the square crosssection of the beam 9 are respectively nearly horizontal and nearly vertical.

In addition to the substantially vertically parallel portions of the two plates 12, each such plate includes a leading rim 14 and a rear rim 1 5 and these two rims are bent-over perpendicularly relative to the vertical portions of the corresponding plates 1 2 and relative to one another.The leading rim 1 4 of each plate 1 2 bears against the upwardly and forwardly inclined surface of the beam 9 whereas the rim 1 5 bears against the upwardly and rearwardly inclined surface thereof, the leading rim 1 4 extending throughout the width of the inclineed surface of the beam 9 which it contacts whereas the rear rim 1 5 extends throughout only substantially one third of the width of the surface which it contacts. Two bolts 16 secure each rim 14 to the beam 9 and a single further bolt 1 6 secures each rim 15 to that beam 9, said rims 14 and 15 and the inclined surfaces of the beam 9 being formed with aligned holes to receive said bolts 16.

Each of the two lower coupling points 7 includes a corresponding elongate box 1 7 comprising two juxtaposed side walls 1 8 having front and rear feet 1 9 and 20, respectively. The feet 1 9 and 20 are substantially horizontally disposed and are secured to the top of the hollow frame portion 1 adjacent the front and rear edges, respectively, thereof.

Upper edge regions of the side walls 1 8 of each juxtaposed pair are bent over twice through 90 in opposite directions to form contacting rims that are fastened to one another by furrther bolts 1 6 so as to close the tops of the elongate boxes 1 7. It can be seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings that the juxtaposed side walls 1 8 of each elongate box 1 7 are so shaped that the interior of each box 1 7 tapers in height from front to rear.A double arm 21 formed by securing two strips to one another in side-by-side relationship extends internally of each box 1 7 and has its rear end, with respect to the direction A, pivotally connected to the side walls 1 8 of the box by a strong horizontal pivot 22 that is entered through a hole in the double arm 21 itself and through two horizontally aligned holes 23 formed in the side walls 1 8 by a punching operation that is performed in such a way as to give each hole 23 an outwardly directed punched rim 24. It will be seen from Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings that the side walls 1 8 of each box 1 7 are formed with two pairs of the aligned holes 23 with each hole 23 having its own rim 24.The strong pivots 22 are shown as being entered through the rearmost holes 23 with respect to the direction A, but it will be evident that they can be removed from those holes 23 after which the double arms 21 can be displaced forwardly in the boxes 1 7 until the holes therethrough come into register with the leading pairs of aligned holes 23 in the walls 18 of the boxes 17. The pivots 22 are then replaced through the lead ing pairs of holes 23 so that the leading ends of the double arms 21 are significantly further in front of the mouths of the boxes 1 7 than they are in the positions shown in the draw ings. The leading ends of the double arms 21 are forked (Fig. 5) and the arrangement which has just been described enables the forked ends, which principally define the lower cou pling points 7, to co-operate readily with the free rear ends of the lower lifting links of coupling devices or hitches of different constructions carried by various tractors and other vehicles. It will be seen from Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings that the punched rims 24 of the holes 23 are sufficiently large to act as plain bearings for the pivots 22 when entered therethrough, each rim 24 having an axial extent which is greater than the thickness of the plates from which the side walls 1 8 are formed.

The frame parts or supports 11 which sustain the opposite end regions of the main frame beam 9 principally establish, it will be realised, the required connection between the single upper coupling point 8 and the two lower coupling points 7 which latter are upwardly and downwardly displaceable to a limited extent relative to the frame portion 1 and soil working members 3. It will be remembered that the frame portions 11 are in the form of folded plates, each part 11 defining a side region 25 that is of very approximately triangular configuration, being orientated upwardly and forwardly, with respect to the direction A, from the top of a corresponding one of the boxes 1 7 to adjacent the neighbouring end of the coupling frame beam 9.

The same bolts 1 6 that secure the rims at the top of the box side walls 1 8 to one another also secure the lower edges of the frame part side regions 25 to the tops of those boxes 1 7.

The leading upwardly and forwardly inclined edge of each frame part side region 25 is connected by a 90 fold line a to a front region 26 which again, as can be seen best in Fig. 4 of the drawings, is of substantially, although not exactly, triangular configuration.

The edge of each front region 26 which is remote from the corresponding side region 25 is integrally connected by a 90 fold line b to a strengthening rim that is directed back towards the rear of the implement. The 90 fold lines a and b that interconnect the side region 25, the front region 26 and the rim of said front region 26 of each frame part of support 11 give that frame part or support a high degree of rigidity.

The upper edge of each frame part front region 26 is provided with a more steeply and upwardly inclined broad fastening lug 27 and two further relatively spaced bolts 1 6 secure that lug to the downwardly and forwardly facing surface of the main frame beam 9 adjacent the corresponding axial end of that beam 9.The rear edge, with respect to the direction A, of each frame part side region 25 is relatively steeply inclined in an upward and forward direction and an area adjacent to that rear edge has secured to it by further relatively spaced bolts 1 6 the large parallel rim of a separate supporting frame part or support 28, the body of this plate-formation frame part or support 28 being perpendicular to the rim that has just been mentioned and extending upwardly and forwardly in parallel relationship with the corresponding side region 25. The separate frame part or support 28 is again of substantially, although not exactly, triangular configuration, its shape being most clearly visible in Fig. 4 of the drawings.The upper edge of each part 28 has a broad fastening lug 29 which is co-planar therewith, said fastening lug 29 being secured to the upper rearwardly facing surface of the main beam 9 by further bolts 1 6. The edge of the frame part 28 that is remote from the frame part 11 is integrally connected by a 90 fold line to a forwardly and downwardly directed strengthening rim. The large rim of the frame part 28 which lies alongside a rear area of the side region 25 of the frame part 11, and which is secured to that rear area by further relatively spaced bolts 16, has a width which is substantially the same as the width of the hollow main beam 9 and thus, advantageously, a width of substantially, but not necessarily exactly, 100 mms.It can be seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings that the width of the upper end of each frame part 28 is substantially double the width of the upper end of the front region 26 of each frame part 11.

The rear area of the side region 25 of each frame part 11 and the rearwardly bent over large rim of the corresponding frame part 28 which is secured thereto by some of the bolts 1 6 is formed near its upper and lower ends with punched holes 30 which, like the holes 23, have punched rims 31 designed to function as plain bearings, the rims 31 projecting outwardly from both sides of the portions of the frame parts 11 and 28 from which they are produced (see Fig. 4).When an additional implement, such as the seed drill 40 which is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, is to be used in combination with the soil cultivating emplement, lower arms 33 and upper arms 34 have their leading ends turnably connected to the plain bearings that are afforded by the rimmed holes 30 with the aid of corresponding horizontal pivots 32, said holes 30 being at substantially the horizontal level of the beam 9 and at substantially the level of the tops of the elongate boxes 17, respectively. The rearmost ends of the rearwardly extending arms 33 and 34 are pivotally connected to coupling lugs projecting forwardly from the front of the seed drill 40, the upper arms 34 being longer than the lower arms 33 because of the steep upward slope of the portions of the frame parts 11 and 28 in which the holes 30 that receive the pivots 32 are punched.Setting means in the form of substantially vertically disposed hydraulic jacks have their cylinders mounted on top of the rear feet 20, the free ends of their piston rods being connected to the corresponding upper arms 34 at locations spaced rearwardly from the upper holes 30. The hydraulic jacks 35, which may be connected by hydraulic ducts (not shown) to the hydraulic system of the operating tractor or other vehicle, enable the level of the seed drill 40 readily to be governed relative to that of the soil cultivating implement. It is noted that the arms 33 and 34 and the jacks 35 together form a rear coupling member 46 and that the rear ends of the arms 33 and 34 could, when required, carry a three-point hitch for co-operation with a three-point coupling member at the front of some implement other than the seed drill 40 which is described and illustrated purely by way of example.

The opposite ends of the hollow frame portion 1 are closed by corresponding side plates 36 which extend substantially vertically parallel to one another and to the direction A.

An upper leading region of each side plate 36, with respect to the direction A, lies above the remainder of the hollow frame portion 1 and is provided with a horizontal pivot 37 about which an arm 38 is upwardly and downwardly turnable about the substantially horizontal axis defined by the aligned pivots 37. The arms 38 extend rearwardly from the pivots 37 alongside the outer surfaces of the plates 36, locking bolts or the like that are visible in Fig. 2 of the drawings being provided for entry through holes in the arms 38 and chosen aligned holes in rear edge regions of the side plates 36 so that, upon tightening these boltts or the like, the angular settings of the arms 38 about the pivots 37 are fixed for as long as may be required.The arms 38 project behind the rearmost edges of the frame portion side plates 36 and, at their rear ends, carry downwardly directed supports which supports, in turn, carry substantially horizontally aligned bearings between which an open-work, cage-formation roller 39 is mounted in a freely rotatable manner. The roller 39, which acts to level the soil worked by the members 3 and to crush any lumps thereof exceptionally missed by those members bears firmly against the ground surface during the operation of the implement and it will be apparent that its bodily level relative to that of the frame portion 1 and soil working members 3 governs the maximum depth of penetration of the tines 5 of those members 3 into the ground which is possible.

Each shaft 2 is provided, inside the hollow frame portion 1, with a corresponding straight- or spur-toothed pinion 41, each of the twelve, in this embodiment, pinions 41 having its teeth in mesh with the or each immediately neighbouring pinion 41 in the single row of twelve such pinions. One of the centre pair of shafts 2 in the single row of twelve shafts has an upward extension through the top of the hollow frame portion 1 into a gear box 42 that is fastened in position on top of the hollow frame portion 1. Shafts and bevel pinions within the gear box 42 place the upward extension of the shaft 2 that has just been mentioned in driven connection with a rotary input shaft 44 of the gear box 42 that projects substantially horizontally forwards from the front of that gear box in substantially the direction A.The rear of the gear box 42, with respect to the direction A, is provided with a change-speed gear 43 (Fig.

3). The change-speed gear 43 is not the subject of the present invention and it suffices to say that two splined shaft ends project into the change-speed gear 43 wwhere they are drivingly interconnected by a pair of straightor 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 accomplished merely by temporarily removing a cover of the change-speed gear 43.The change-speed gear 43 allows the rotary soil working members 3 to be revolved at a faster or slower speed without having to change the substantially standard speed of rotation that is applied to the leading end of the rotary input shaft 44 of the gear box 42 by drive derived from the rear power take-off shaft of an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle through the intermediary of a telescopic transmission shaft 45 of known construction having universal joints at its opposite ends.

The forwardly projecting rotary input shaft 44 of the gear box 42 is splined or otherwise keyed for co-operation with the universal joint at the rear end of the transmission shaft 45 (Fig. 2). It is noted that the gear box 42 is secured to the top of the frame portion 1 inside the space which is enclosed by that frame portion 1 and the main beam 9 and supporting frame parts 11 of the coupling frame 6 (see particularly Fig. 4 of the draw ings).

In the use of the soil cultivating implement or machine that has been described, the coupling points 7 and 8 of the coupling frame 6 are connected to the three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle in the manner which has been described above and that is illustrated somewhat diagramatically in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. If necessary, the double arms 21 are moved forwardly until the pivots 22 can be entered through the holes at the rear thereof and through the leading, rather than rear, holes 23 in the juxtaposed side walls 1 8 of the boxes 1 7. Either pair of holes 1 3 in the upright portions of the plates 1 2 can be used to co-operate with the free end of the upper lifting link. The known telescopic transmission shaft 45 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 44 of the gear box 42. Other adjustments which may, if necessary, be made before work commences include moving the ground roller 39 bodily upwards or downwards, using the locking bolts or the like carried by the arms 38 to maintain any chosen bodily level as lonng as may be required, this adjustment determining the maximum depth of penetration of the tines 5 into the soil which is possible.The speed of rotation of the members 3 may be increased, or decreased, by an appropriate adjustment of the change-speed gear 43, these adjustments being made 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. When, as illustrated, the seed drill 40 is to be used in combination with the implement, the hydraulic jacks 35 may require alteration in length to adjust the level of the seed drill 40 relative to that of the soil cultivating implement.

As the implement moves forwardly in the direction A, the inter-meshing relationship of the pinions 41 causes each assembly of one pinion 41, one shaft 2 and one soil working member 3 to revolve in the opposite direction 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 wiill having a width of substantially, but not necessarily exactly, three 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 coupling frame 6 which is afforded principally by the main beam 9, the supporting frame parts 11 and the separate supporting frame parts 28 can readily be manufactured from lengths of hollow beam and folded sheet steel or other sheet metal, all, or substantially all, of the various connections being made releaseably by employing the fastening bolts 1 6 all, or most, of which may be of the same size and type. Expensive welding is thus very greatly reduced, if not entirely eliminated, in producing and mounting the coupling frame 6 and any part of that frame 6 which may become seriously damaged can be replaced alone merely by releasing the appropriate bolts 1 6 and substituting a fresh undamaged part.

The substantially vertically disposed frame parts or supports 11 include the approximately triangular side regions 25 and are reinforced by the front regions 26 thereof and by the separate frame parts or supports 28 which lie at the front, and at the rear, respectively, of the side regions 25. The strength of the coupling frame 6, when assembled, is such that the combined frame portions 11 and 28 will reliably support the arms 33 and 34 by which the seed drill 40 or some other implement, tool or machine to be used in combination with the soil cultivating implement is supportingly connected to the soil cultivating implement.The reliability of this support for the arms 33 and 34 is produced particularly by the shapes of the relatively perpendicular regions 25 and 26 of the frame parts 11 and the shapes of the separate frame parts or supports 28 each of which includes two 90 fold lines. The square cross-section main beam or carrier 9 of the frame 6 also contributes significantly to the strength of that frame since it has to resist deformation by the strong forces to which it is exposed when the implement is in use and particularly when it is used in combination with the seed drill 40 or some other implement, machine or tool.

The rigid elongate boxes 1 7 very reliably support the lower coupling points 7 that are afforded principally by the double arms 21 in such a way that those arms 21 can move pivotally upwards and downwards to a limited extent. The strong formation of the boxes 1 7 also reliably supports the lower edges of the side regions 25 of the upwardly extending frame parts 11.

It is emphasized that a soil cultivating implement has been described purely as a good example of an agricultural implement to which the present invention may advantageously be applied and that other agricultural implements having coupling means for cooperation with three-point lifting devices or hitches carried by agricultural tractors and other operating vehicles may equally well employ the present invention with considerable advantage.

Although certain features of the soil cultivating implement 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 emphasized that the invention is not necessarily limited to those features and that it includes within its scope each of the parts of the implement that has been described, and/or that is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, both individually and in various combinations.

Claims (24)

1. An agricultural implement of the kind set forth, wherein an upper one of said coupling points is mounted on an elongate hollow carrier, opposite end regions of which carrier are connected to lower coupling points by substantially vertically descending supporting frame parts that are wholly or principally of plate formation.

2. An implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a side region of each supporting frame part is of broader width in the intended direction of operative travel of the implement at the bottom thereof than it is at the top.

3. An implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein each supporting frame part includes at least one fold line.

4. An implement as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein each supporting frame part includes a supporting front region, in addition to its side region, and, at its rear, is secured to a separate supporting frame part.

5. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein each supporting frame part is of progressively increasing width from its bottom to its top.

6. An implement as claimed in claim 5 when read as appendant to claim 4, wherein the width of the top of the front region of each supporting frame part is substantially half the width of the top of the corresponding separate supporting frame part which is located to the rear thereof with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement.

7. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the front region of each supporting frame part and the corresponding separate supporting frame part which is located to the rear thereof with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement are both in perpendicular or substantially perpendicular relationship with the side region of that supporting frame part.

8. An implement as claimed in claim 7, wherein each separate supporting frame part has a rim which is bent over substantially perpendicularly and which is releasably secured to a rear area of the side region of the corresponding supporting frame part.

9. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein each supporting frame part is provided, at the edge of the front region thereof which is remote from its side region, with a substantially perpendicularly bent-over strengthening rim whose general plane is parallel or substantially parallel to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement.

10. An implement as claimed in claim 2 or in any one of claims 3 to 9 when read as appendant to claim 2, wherein the bottom of the side region of each supporting frame part is mounted on a corresponding elongate box which, in turn, is secured to a frame portion of the implement, each elongate box affording a support for a corresponding lower coupling point.

11. An implement as claimed in claim 10, wherein each elongate box is afforded principally by two juxtaposed profiled side walls, the tops of said side walls being formed with rims that are secured to one another and to the bottom of the side region of the corresponding supporting frame part.

1 2. An implement as claimed in claim 2 or in any one of claims 3 to 11 when read as appendant to claim 2, wherein a rear area of the side region of each supporting frame part is formed with holes arranged for the coupling to the implement of an additional implement, machine or tool that is to be used in combination therewith.

1 3. An implement as claimed in claim 12, wherein said holes are formed adjacent to the top and the bottom of each of said rear areas, and wherein, when in use. they receive pivots by which the leading ends of rearwardly extending arms of a coupling member are arranged so as to be upwardly and downwardly turnable relative to the remainder of the implement.

14. An implement as claimed in claim 12 or 1 3, wherein each of said holes has a punched rim whose axial extent is greatter than the thickness of the rear area of the side region of the corresponding supporting frame part.

1 5. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 1 2 to 14, wherein fluid pressureoperable setting means interconnect the upper arms of said coupling member and said frame portion of the implement.

1 6. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 1 2 to 15, wherein the rear area of the side region of each supporting frame part extends obliquely upwardly and forwardly with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, and wherein lower arms of said coupling member are consequently of shorter length than are upper arms thereof.

1 7. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the releasable connections between the supporting frame parts, the elongate hollow carrier and the lower coupling points are all afforded by bolts.

1 8. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the upper coupling point comprises two spaced and parallel or substantially parallel plates, said plates having rims which are bolted to two relatively inclined surfaces of the elongate hollow carrier.

1 9. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the elongate hollow carrier has a quadrilateral cross-section and is so disposed about its own longitudinal axis that an imaginary line joining together two opposite corners of that cross-section is substantially horizontally disposed.

20. An implement as claimed in claim 1 9 when read as appendant to claim 18, wherein said two rimmed plates are each formed with a lower recess in which fits one corner of the quadrilateral cross-section of the hollow elon gate carrier, the rims of said plates being arranged at the relatively inclined edges of each recess and being employed to fasten the plates to the elongate hollow carrier.

21. An implement as claimed in claim 10 or in any one of claims 11 to 20 when read as appendant to claim 10, wherein each lower coupling point comprises an arm pivotally mounted internally of the corresponding elongate box so as to be upwardly and downwardly displacable in that box to a limited extent, and wherein means is provided by which the pivotal connection between each arm and the corresponding elongate box can be displaced to any chosen one of a plurality of different locations in each of which the end of the arm will project from the corresponding elongate box by a different distance.

22. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim and being in the form of a soil cultivating implement comprising a plurality of soil working members that are arranged in a row which extends substantially horizontally perpendicular, or at least transverse, to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement with each such member rotatable about a corresponding upwardly extending axis, said soil working members being rotatably supported from a frame portion, or from said frame portion, that is of elongate configuration and the coupling frame which defines said coupling points being mounted on top of that elongate frame portion.

23. An agricultural implement of the kind set forth and comprising a coupling frame that is constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

24. A soil cultivating implement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.