GB2155745A - Soil cultivating implement - Google Patents

Abstract

In a soil cultivating implement comprising a hollow frame portion 1 supporting power-drivable soil working members rotatable about the axes of shafts 2, a coupling member or trestle 19 is mounted substantially mid-way across the working width of the implement and comprises spaced symmetrically identical upright side plates 20 each with an outwardly offset lower edge region 21. The lower edge regions 21 have feet 22 interconnected by a transverse bar 24 of L-shaped cross-section. Each edge region 21 has releasably connected thereto at one of a plurality of locations 31, a forwardly extending double coupling arm 27, the leading end of which is connectable to one lower lifting link of a tractor or other vehicle three-point lifting device or hitch. The coupling member or trestle 19 carries a rear coupling mechanism 48 for supporting an additional implement, such as a heavy seed drill or planting machine, in a raised inoperative position during manoeuvring or transport. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Soil cultivating implements This invention relates to soil cultivating implements or machines of the kind which comprise an elongate frame portion extending substantially horizontally perpendicular, or at least transverse, to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement or machine, said frame portion carrying a plurality of power-drivable soil working members and being provided, substantially centrally of the working width of the implement or machine, with a coupling member or trestle constructed and arranged for connection to the 3-point lifting device or hitch of a tractor or other vehicle. The expression "implement(s) or machine(s)" is replaced by "implement(s)" alone throughout the remainder of this documentforthe sake of brevity.

Soil cultivating implements of this kind are often used in combination with an additional implement, machine or tool, such as a seed drill or planting machine, to enable the land to be cultivated and seeds to be sown, or plants to be deposited, in the worked soil as a single operation. However, particularly during inoperative transport of the additional implement, machine or tool, a high extra load is placed upon the coupling member or trestle of the soil cultivating implement. Numerous proposals to prevent such extra load from causing bending or breakage have been made but these proposals usually involve a considerable increase in weight, thus additionally loading the lifting device or hitch of the tractor or other vehicle that is to move and operate the combination.The present invention seeks to provide a relatively simple and light-weight coupling member or trestle that will support a further implement, machine or tool in a safe and reliable manner and without itself significantly increasing the loading on the lifting device or hitch of a co-operating tractor or other vehicle.

According to the invention there is provided a soil cultivating implement of the kind set forth, wherein a lower region of said coupling member or trestle comprises plate portions which extend substantially parallel to said intended direction of operative travel and are secured to said elongate frame portion, and wherein a coupling arm extends forwardly, relative to said direction, at each side of each plate portion, the leading ends of said coupling arms being constructed and arranged for connection to the two lower lifting links of the 3-point lifting device or hitch of a tractor or other vehicle.

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 connected to the rear of an agricultural tractor, Figure 2 is a section, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line 11-11 in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a section, to a further enlarged scale, taken on the line Ill-Ill in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a section, to a still further enlarged scale, taken on the line IV--IV in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a view substantially corresponding to the right-hand half of Figure 2, only to an enlarged scale, showing an alternative coupling mechanism construction at the rear of the implement.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and firstly to Figures 1 to 4thereof, the soil cultivating implement that is illustrated is in the form of a rotary harrow which is intended primarily, but not necessarily exclusively, for preparing seed beds in previously worked agricultural land. The implement has a hollow box-section frame portion 1 that is of elongate configuration, its longitudinal axis extending 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 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 journalled in bearings carried by upper and lower walis of the frame portion 1 so as to be powerrotatable about their individual longitudinal axes which relatively parallel axes are advantageously, but not essentially, spaced apart from one another at regular intervals having magnitudes of substantially 25 centimetres.

A lower end portion of each shaft 2 projects downwardly from beneath the bottom of the hollow frame portion 1 and is there provided with a corresponding rotary soil working member that is generally indicated by the reference 3 (Figure 2).

Each rotary soil working member 3 comprises a substantially horizontal carrier 4 having two substantially symmetrically identical arms which radiate from a central hub of the carrier 4 that is firmly but releaseably secured to the splined or otherwise keyed downwardly projecting portion of the corresponding shaft 2 by means which includes a washer and a nut co-operating with a short lowermost screw-threaded part, the nut preferably being provided with known means (not visible) that will prevent it from working loose when the implement is in operation.The outer ends of the two arms of each carrier 4 are integrally or rigidly provided with corresponding sleeve-like holders in which upper fastening portions of soil working tools in the form of rigid metallic tines 5 are firmly but releaseably secured by means which includes a nut (see Figure 2) co-operating with a short screwthreaded uppermost part of the fastening portion concerned, this part projecting a short distance above a mouth at the upper end of the sleeve-like holder in question.

The opposite ends of the hollow frame portion 1 are closed by corresponding side plates 6 which are disposed substantially vertically parallel to one another and to the direction A. The two side plates 6 are provided, close to their upper leading corners, with respect to the direction A, with substantially horizontally aligned strong pivot bolts 7 and each pivot bolt 7 has the leading end of a corresponding arm 8 mounted thereon at the side of the respective plate 6 which faces the centre of the implement, each arm 8 extending generally rearwardly from its pivot bolt 7 to a location well behind the frame portion 1.

As can be seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, a rear end portion of each arm 8 is downwardly off-set and carries a corresponding rearwardly and steeply downwardly inclined support plate. Lower end regions of these two support plates are provided with substantially horizontally aligned bearings in which corresponding axial stub-shafts at the opposite ends of a ground roller 9 are received in a freely rotatable manner.In the example which is being described, the ground roller 9 is an openwork, cage-formation, roller comprising a plurality, such as five, of regularly spaced apart support plates 1 0A which are substantially vertically parallel to one another and to the direction A, the shape of one such support plate 10A being clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings from which it will be seen that each support plate 10A comprises six circumferential projections that are spaced apart from one another at regular 60 intervals around the longitudinal axis of the roller by six punched-out, approximately channel-shaped recesses.Each projection is substantialiy rectangular in shape and the projections of successive support plates 1 OA, along the length of the roller 9, are interconnected by elongate elements 10 of circular cross-section and tubular formation. Alternatively, the eleemnts 10 may be of solid rod-like formation and it will be seen from Figure 1 of the drawings that the six elements 10 are wound helically around the longitudinal axis of the roller 9 to some extent.

It is noted that the punched-out recesses between the circumference projections of each support plate 10attend to prevent the support plates lOAfrom forming tracks or traces in the worked soil and to minimize the adhesion of mud and clods of earth thereto.

Means which is not shown in detail in the drawings is provided to adjust the angular settings of the two arms 8 about the axis which is defined by the aligned pivot bolts 7. Such means may take the form of rows of holes provided in rear edge regions of the two frame portion side plates 6 with each hole at the same distance from said axis. At least one hole is formed in each arm 8 at the same distance from the axis defined by the pivot bolts 7 and retaining bolts 11 (shown diagrammatically in Figure 1) are provided for entry through chosen holes in the side plates 6 and the holes in the arms 8.

Upon tightening such retaining bolts 11, the angular settings of the arms 8 about the axis defined by the pivot bolts 7 will be maintained for as long as may be required and it will be appreciated that the chosen angular setting determines the bodily level of the ground roller 9 relative to that of the frame portion 1 and soil working members 3 and, since the implement is sustained from the ground surface to a significant extent by the ground roller 9, the maximum depth of penetration of the tines 5 of the soil working members 3 into the ground which is possible.

Other forms of adjusting mechanism may be substituted for the retaining bolts 11; for example, each arm 8 may be linked to the frame portion 1 by a corresponding block pivotally mounted on the arm 8 concerned and having a screw-threaded bore therethrough, said bore receiving the matchingly screw-threaded shank of a manually rotatable spindle that is coupled to the frame portion 1 so as to be rotatable and angularly tiltable about its longitudinal axis without being displaceable lengthwise of that axis to any significant extent.

Symmetrically identical shield plates 13 are provided adjacent the opposite ends of the frame portion 1 and actualiy just beyond the opposite ends of the single row of rotary soil working members 3.

Each shield plate 13 co-operates with the immediately neighbouring rotary soil working member 3 in working the soil to the same thorough extent as is produced by co-operation between neighbouring soil-working members 3 at locations closer to the centre of the implement. However, in addition, the shield plates 13 prevent the rapidly moving tines 5 from flinging stones and other hard objects laterally of the path of travel of the implement so that any danger of damage and injury which might otherwise be caused in this way is substantially eliminated.The lower edges of the shield plates 13 are shaped to slide forwardly over the ground surface in the direction A and each shield plate 13 is carried by a corresponding arm 12 that includes a portion which is mounted on top of the hollow frame portion 1 so as to be turnable about a corresponding substantially horizontal axis that is parallel or substantially parallel to the direction A. This allows the shield plates 13 to move upwardly and downwardly to match undulations in the surface of the ground that may be met with during operative progress in the direction A and also enables each shield plate 13 to be turned upwardly and inwardly about the axis concerned to reach an inoperative transport position in which it is more or less inverted on top of the hollow frame portion 1.

Each shaft 2 is provided, inside the hollow frame portion 1, with a corresponding straight- or spurtoothed pinion 14, the twelve pinions 14, in this embodiment, being of such a size that the teeth of each of them are in mesh with those of the or each neighbouring pinion 14 in the single row thereof.

One of the centre pair of twelve shafts 2 in the single row of twelve shafts has an upward extension through the top of the hollow frame portion 1 into a gearbox 15 that is firmly but releaseably bolted in position, or otherwise mounted, on top of said frame portion 1. The gearbox 15 includes a rotary input shaft 17 whose splined or otherwise keyed end projects substantially horizontally forwards from the front of that gearbox in substantially the direction A where it can be placed, as illustrated, in driven connection with the rear power take-off shaft of an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle by way of an intermediate telescopic transmission shaft 18, which is of a construction that is known per se, having universal joints at its opposite ends.

Shafts and bevel pinions within the gearbox 15 place the rotary input shaft 17 in driving connection with the upward extension of said one of the shafts 2 that has been mentioned above and the back of the gearbox 15, with respect to the direction A, is provided with a change-speed gear 16 whose construction is not the subject of the present invention. It suffices to say that the change-speed gear 16 has a readily removable cover beneath which the splined or otherwise keyed ends of two shafts are accessible to co-operate with the matchingly internally splined or otherwise keyed hubs of two straight- or spur-toothed pinions whose sizes are such thattheirteeth will mesh with one another and dictate a corresponding transmission ratio between the two shafts concerned.The two pinions can be interchanged on the shaft ends or can be exchanged for at least one other pair of co operating pinions of different relative sizes so that any chosen one of a number of different transmission ratios is available enabling the soil working members 3 to be rotated at faster or slower rates without having to alter the driving speed of rotation which is applied to the leading end of the rotary input shaft 17.

The top and front of the hollow frame portion 1, with respect to the direction A, are provided, midway across the working width of the implement, with a coupling member or trestle 19 which exhibits coupling points arranged to enable to implement to be connected to the three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of the same agricultural tractor or other vehicle that is both to move the implement in the direction A and to operate the same The coupling member or trestle 19 comprises two opposite and substantially symmetrically identical compound-shaped side plates 20 which both extend upwardly, and generally obliquely forwardly with respect to the direction A, said side plates 20 being rigidly interconnected, towards, but not at, their upper ends by a hollow transverse beam 21A of square cross-section that is parallel to the length of the hollow frame portion 1.

A plate portion in the form of a lower edge region 21 of each side plate 20 is angularly off-set outwardly away from the centre of the implement with respect to the overlying remainder of the same side plate 20, each edge region 21 extending throughout substantially the whole of the fore-andaft width of the frame portion 1 and interconnecting a corresponding pair of front and rear feet 22 and 23 which feet 22 and 23 are firmly but releaseably secured to the top of the hollow frame portion 1 by some of a number of bolts which also releaseably secure a flat top closure plate or cover of the hollow frame portion 1 to substantially horizontal rims of a lower channel-shaped part thereof.

As can be seen best in Figure 3 of the drawings, the rear end of each lower edge portion 21 is deformed laterally to prevent its welded connection to the corresponding rear foot 23 blocking access to one of the fastening bolts that has just been mentioned.

Each front foot 22 integrally includes a relatively large perpendicularly upwardly bent-over rim 26 (Figure 2) and a connecting bar 24 of L-shaped cross-section extends along the upper leading edge of the hollow frame portion 1, with respect to the direction A, between the two front feet 22 to whose rims 26 it is firmly but releaseably secured by corresponding pairs of bolts 25.

The lower edge region 21 of each side plate 20 has the rear end of a corresponding double coupling arm 27 turnably connected to it by a horizontal pivot pin 30 that extends substantially horizontally parallel to the frame portion 1, each double coupling arm 27 itself extending forwardly from its pivot pin 30 in parallel or substantially parallel relationship with the direction A.

The two arms 27 of each pair are entered forwardly through a corresponding rectangular opening 28 (Figure 4) in the large rim 26 of the front foot 22 concerned, the upper edge of each opening 28 being strengthened by the provision of a corresponding reinforcing strip 29 which is welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the front of the respective rim 26. The two horizontally aligned pivot pins 30 are each installed in a readily removable manner (see Figure 4), the lower edge region 21 of each side plate 20 being formed with a plurality, such as the three that are illustrated, of holes 31 (Figure 2) which are spaced apart from one another in the direction A.Each pivot pin 30 can be entered through aligned holes close to the rear wends of the two arms of one of the double coupling arms 27 and also through a chosen one of the holes 31 in the region 21 of the respective plate 20 and it will immediately be apparent from Figure 2 of the drawings that the particular holes 31 which are chosen for co-operation with the pivot pins 30 determine the extent to which the leading ends of the double coupling arms 27 project forwardly of the hollow frame portion 1 in substantially the direction A.The aligned holes in the two arms of each double arm 27 that are intended for co-operation with one of the pivot pins 30 are provided, on their inner relatively facing sides, with sleeves 32 (Figures 3 and 4) and these sleeves 32 act bsth as bearings and as spacing sleeves which locate the rear end of the double arm 27 concerned correctly relative to the lower region 21 of the corresponding side plate 20.

The two arms of each double arm 27 are rigidly interconnected, towards their leading ends, by a transverse piece 33 and are formed, in advance of that transverse piece 33 and close to their leading ends, with horizontally aligned holes for cooperation with a pivot pin at the rear end of one of the lower lifting links 34 of a three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle. This arrangement is illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

It will be noted from Figure 4 of the drawings that the lower region 21 of each coupling member of trestle side plate 20 is located substantially exactly mid-way between the two arms of the corresponding double coupling arm 27, the two double arms 27 themselves naturally being spaced apart from one another by the correct distance to allow them to co-operate with the two lower lifting links 34 of a tractor or other vehicle lifting device or hitch, it being remembered that the lower regions 21 of the two side plates 20 are substantially symmetrically off-set outwardly relative to the remaining upper regions of those side plates 20.

The connecting bar 24 which rigidly couples together the two front feet 22 and thus the lower regions 21 of the two side plates 20 that are rigidly fastened to those feet 22, ensures that forces generated, during operation, as the result of the forwardly and inwardly convergent relationship of the two lower lifting links 34, are effectively resisted and do not cause bending damage or breakage. The rigidity of the coupling member or trestle 19 is strengthened by the provision of two rimmed plates 35 (Figures 2 and 4) of triangular configuration which interconnect the inner surfaces of the two side plates 20 and the lower surface of the upper square cross-section transverse beam 21A.

A pair of quadrangular plates 36 are fixed to the transverse beam 21A in surrounding relationship therewith and so as to be substantially vertically parallel to one another and to the direction A, the two plates 36 being mounted mid-way along the length of the beam 21A but in spaced apart relationship with one another. Leading edge regions of the two plates 36 are formed with horizontally aligned upper and lower pairs of coupling holes and either appropriate pair can co-operate with a pivot pin at the rear end of an upper adjustable-length lifting link 37 of the same three-point lifting device or hitch whose lower links 34 are pivotally connected to the leading ends of the two double coupling arms 27. Once again, this arrangement is shown somewhat diagrammatically in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Lugs project obliquely from the outer surfaces of the two side plates 20 at a level just above that of the top of the transverse beam 21A and tubular tie beams 38 strengtheningly interconnect these tie beams and upright portions of brackets which are secured to the top and rear of the hollow frame portion 1 close to the opposite ends of that frame portion. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the tie beams 38 diverge rearwardly and downwardly from the side plates 20 of the coupling member or trestle 19 to the top and rear of the holiowframe portion 1.

The tops of the two upright side plates 20 of the coupling member or trestle 19 have the leading ends of corresponding upper arms 39 turnably connected to them by aligned strong pivots 40 which define a substantially horizontal axis that is parallel or substantially parallel to the hollow frame portion 1, said arms 39 extending more or less horizontally rearwards from the pivots 40 to locations in rear regions of the implement.The same upright side plates 20 also have the leading ends of corresponding lower arms 41 connected to them by horizontally aligned strong pivots 42 which define an axis that is parallel to the axis of turnability of the upper arms 39 which is defined by the aligned pivots 40, the pivots 42 being mounted on the outwardly facing surfaces of the side plates 20 at locations which are short distances below the centres of the vertical heights of those plates 20 and close to the rear edges thereof with respect to the direction A. The lower arms 41 again extend more or less horizontally rearwardly from their pivots 42 for approximately the same distance as do the upper arms 39, the pair of upper arms 39 being rigidly and transversely interconnected, towards their rear ends, by a horizontal beam 43 of hollow formation and circular cross-section.

Similarly, the pair of lower arms 41 is rigidly and transversely interconnected by a horizontal beam 44. However, in this case, the hollow beam 44 is of oblong (see Figure 2), or alternatively square or other polygonal, cross-section and interconnects the extreme rear ends of the two lower arms 41 rather than being spaced forwardly from those extreme rear ends as is the hollow beam 43 in relation to the upper pair of arms 39.

The rearmost ends of the two lower arms 41 are bevelled inwardly (Figure 1) and, at the locations of their junctions with the interconnecting hollow beam 44, have the upper leading ends of corresponding downwardly and rearwardly inclined brackets 45 fastened to them. A coupling mechanism 48 is turnably connected by horizontally aligned pivots 46 to the rear ends of the upper arms 39 and by aligned parallel pivot bolts 47 to the lower rear ends of the brackets 45. The coupling mechanism 48 is of basically rectangular configuration including an upper horizontal beam 49 of angular, and preferably square, cross-secton which extends substantially parallel to the hollow frame portion 1. As seen in Figure 2, the pivots or pivot bolts 40, 42, 46 and 47 are at the four corners of a quadrilateral.

Two beams 50 of the same cross-sectional shape and size as the beam 49 extend downwardly and more or less rearwardly from the opposite ends of the beam 49 in parallel relationship with one another, the lower ends of the beams 50 being connected to plates which, in turn, are turnably connected to the respective brackets 45 by the pivot bolts 47.

Lugs 51 surround the opposite ends of the beam 49 and portions thereof project forwardly, with respect to the direction A, and actually establish the pivotal connections, by way of the aligned pivots 46, to the rear ends of the upper arms 39. The plates at the lower ends of the beams 50, and the brackets 45, are turnably connected to the upper ends of rearwardly directed hooks 52 by the respective aligned pivot bolts 47 and these hooks 52 afford the two horizontally spaced apart lower coupling points of a three-point lifting device or hitch of the implement itself which is furnished by the rear coupling mechanism 48. The single upper coupling point of this lifting device or hitch is afforded by a pair of substantially vertically parallel, but horizontally spaced apart, plates 53 which surround a central region of the beam 49 and project downwardly and forwardly therefrom (Figure 2), the downwardly and forwardly projecting portions being formed with horizontally aligned holes through which an upper coupling pin can be entered. The construction and arrangement of the three-point lifting device or hitch of the implement itself is such that a further implement, machine or tool which may be mounted behind the soil cultivating implement is located as close as possible to the latter thus facilitating a compact disposition of the complete combination.The further implement, machine or tool might, purely for example, be a seed drill arranged immediately to sow seeds into the seed bed produced by the soil cultivating implement.

The hollow beam 43 which transversely interconnects the upper pair of arms 39 towards their rearmost ends carries two forwardly projecting lugs 54 at locations spaced by equal short distances from its opposite ends. Each lug 54, and the corresponding upper arm 39, is formed with a relatively short axially extending slot 56 (Figure 2) and each such pair of slots 56 has a horizontal pivot pin 55 entered horizontally therethrough in perpendicular relationship with the lengths of the arms 39 and lugs 54 and in such a way as to be movable lengthwise along the slots 56 concerned.

Each pivot pin 55 is surrounded by a sleeve (see Figure 1) at the free end of the piston rod of a corresponding fluid pressure-operated piston and cylinder assembly 57, the leading lower end of the cylinder of each assembly 57 being turnably connected to a shoulder of the corresponding coupling member or trestle side plate 20 by a strong horizontally disposed pivot 58. It will be noted that the axis defined by the two horizontally aligned strong pivots 58 is located at substantially the same horizontal level as is the bottom of the beam 21A.

The assemblies 57 will be connected, in use, to the hydraulic system of the operating tractor or other vehicle by flexible ducts which are not shown in the drawings.

The pivots 40 by which the upper arms 39 are turnably connected to the side plates 20 of the coupling member or trestle 19 also have corresponding latches 59 turnably mounted on them, the latches 59 being located at the relatively remote or outer sides of the plates 20 and upper arms 39. The rear end of each latch 59, with respect to the direction A, is formed with a jaw whose shape can be seen in Figure 2 of the drawings and each such jaw is arranged to co-operate retainingly with a corresponding pin 60 that projects horizontally from the outer side of the corresponding lower arm 41. As can be seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, the pins 60 are mounted on the lower arms 41 at locations which are short distances to the rear of the midpoints of those arms.The latches 59 project short distances forwardly of the pivots 40 and these forwardly projecting portions are formed with holes 61 into which extend, with sufficient clearance to allow limited turning movements of the latches 59 about the pivots 40, corresponding stop pins 62.

Each latch 59 has the end of a cable or other flexible but inextensible operating member 63 connected to it at a point spaced from the corresponding pivot 40, the members 63 extending to locations on the agricultural tractor or other vehicle that moves and operates the implement and these locations being readily accessible to the driver of that tractor or other vehicle so that, upon pulling them forwardly, the latches 59 will be raised to the extent that is allowed by the co-operation between the holes 61 and stop pins 62 which is sufficient to disengage the latch jaws from the pins 60 on the lower arms 41.

In the use of the soil cultivating implement that has been described in preparing a seed bed, its coupling member or trestle 19 is connected to the three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of a tractor or other operating vehicle in the manner that has been described above and that is illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The rotary input shaft 17 of the gearbox 15 is placed in driven connection with the rear power take-off shaft of the same tractor or other vehicle using the known telescopic transmission shaft 18 which has universal joints at its opposite ends. Adjustments which may, if required, be made before work commences include raising or lowering the bodily level of the ground roller 9 relative to that of the frame portion 1 and soil working members 3 employing the retaining bolts 11 or other adjusting mechanisms for that purpose.The speed at which the soil working members 3 will all revolve in response to a more or less standard speed of rotation applied to the rotary input shaft 17 of the gearbox 15 can be changed, if required, by altering the transmission ratio established in the changespeed gear 16. These adjustments will usually be made having regard to the nature and condition of the soil that is to be dealt with and the particular purpose for which that soil is required after its cultivation.

As the implement moves operatively in the direction A, the maximum depth of penetration of the tines 5 of its soil working members 3 into the soil which is possible is governed by the bodily level of the ground roller 9 relative to that of said soil working members 3. Each pinion 14, shaft 2 and soil working member 3 will revolve, due to the intermeshing arrangement of the pinions 14, in the opposite directon to the or each immediately neighbouring similar assembly as shown by small arrows in Figure 1 of the drawings and the distance between the two tines 5 of each member 3 is such that the strips of ground, extending in the direction A, that are worked by the individual members 3 overlap, or at least adjoin, one another to produce a single broad strip of worked soil extending in the direction A.With the preferred distance of substantially 25 centimetres that has been discussed above between the axes of rotation of immediately neighbouring members 3, this single broad strip of worked soil will have a width of substantially, although not necessarily exactly, three metres in the case of the implement that is being described. Greater or smaller working widths could be produced by increasing or decreasing the number of soil working members 3 in the single row thereof.

Figure 5 of the drawings illustrates the provision, at the rear of the implement, of an alternative coupling mechanism 65 to the coupling mechanism that is generally indicated by the reference 48 in Figures 1 and 2. In the construction of Figure 5, the pair of upper arms 39 is replaced by upper arms 39A that are bent over sharply downwardly, and then rearwardly, to form rearwardly tapering end portions 64. The top of the coupling mechanism 65 has opposed side plates 66 formed, adjacent their leading edges, with corresponding rows of three relatively spaced apart holes 67. The previously mentioned horizontally aligned pivots 46 can connect the end portions 64 of the arms 39A turnably to the side plates 66 by employing a chosen substantially horizontally aligned pair of the holes 67 and Figure 5 of the drawings shows the central hole 67 of one side plate 66 being used for this purpose.Similarly, the brackets 45 at the rear ends of the lower arms 41 can be connected to the coupling mechanism 65 by the previously mentioned horizontally aligned pivot bolts 47 using any chosen substantially horizontally aligned pair of holes 68 formed in the opposite sides of the mechanism 65, Figure 5 of the drawings showing the central pair of substantially horizontally aligned holes 68 of three such pairs being employed for this purpose. The holes 68 are spaced apart from one another by the same distances as are the holes 67 and the rows of holes 68 are parallel to the rows of holes 67.

It will immediately be apparent that the construction described with reference to Figure 5 of the drawings enables the coupling mechanism 65 to occupy any chosen one of three different basic levels relative to the upper and lower arms 39A and 41 and this has the advantage that, when the coupling mechanism 65 has been raised into an inoperative transport position by extension of the piston rods of the mechanisms 57 and engagement of the latches 59 with the pins 60, the clearance beneath the coupling mechanism 65 and the top of the remainder of the implement can be changed as may be required having regard to the dimensions of any other implement, machine or tool that may be used in combination with the soil cultivating implement and that may still be connected to its own rear coupling mechanism 65.Thus, when required, the space beneath the mechanism 65, in this transport position, can be increased or decreased to ensure sufficient clearance to accommodate a further implement, machine or tool whilst maintaining as compact a configuration of the combination as possible.

The coupling member ortrestle 19 constitutes a particularly effective supportforthe leading ends of the upper pair of arms 39 or 39A and the lower pair of arms 41. The effectiveness of this support is particularly evident in the inoperative transport position of the implement when an additional implement, machine or tool, such as a seed drill or planting machine, is still connected to the rear coupling mechanism 48 or 65.Under these circumstances, a large part of the additional implement, machine or tool will be located over and above principal members of the soil cultivating implement and high potentially deforming forces are exerted upon the coupling member or trestle 19, such forces being even greater when, for example, an additional seed drill has its hopper full of seeds, an additional planting machine is fully loaded with plants or an additional fertilizer spreader is fully loaded with powdered or granular fertilizer.

When, for example, the implement has to manoeuvre on headland at one end of a field, with an additional seed drill or planting machine retained in its upwardly displaced inoperative position, the tubular tie beams 38 very effectively stabilize the shape of the coupling member or trestle 19, preventing it from becoming bent or broken despite the very heavy load which it is carrying. Thus, such manoeuvring and other transport can be carried out without danger or difficulty whilst a heavy additional implement, machine or tool is still inoperatively supported by the soil cultivating implement and this saves considerable time and effort as compared with the conventional practice of having to disconnect a heavy additional implement, machine or tool from a soil cultivating implement whilst manoeuvring or transport of the latter takes place.

Although certain features of the two soil cultivating implement embodiments that have been described and/or that are shown 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 each soil cultivating implement embodiment that has been described, and/or that is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, both individually and in various combinations.

Claims (15)

1. A soil cultivating implement of the kind set forth, wherein a lower region of said coupling member or trestle comprises plate portions which extend substantially parallel to said intended direction of operative travel and are secured to said elongate frame portion, and wherein a coupling arm extends forwardly, relative to said direction, at each side of each plate portion, the leading ends of said coupling arms being constructed and arranged for connection to the two lower lifting links of the threepoint lifting device or hitch of a tractor or other vehicle.

2. An implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate portions are substantially perpendicularly coupled to one another by a transverse connecting bar.

3. An implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transverse connecting bar is located adjacent the fronts of said plate portions with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement.

4. An implement as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the transverse connecting bar adjoins, or is adjacent to, the top of said frame portion and is in parallel or substantially parallel relationship with that top.

5. An implement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the transverse connecting bar is located on the top of said frame portion.

6. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said plate portions are lower edge regions of opposed upright side plates of said coupling member or trestle, said plate portions being further spaced apart from one another than are the remainders of those side plates.

7. An implement as claimed in claim 6, wherein upper regions of the side plates of the coupling member or trestle are interconnected by a transverse beam, and wherein strengthening tie beams interconnect said side plates and respective end regions of the frame portion, said tie beams being connected to the corresponding side plates of the coupling member or trestle at substantially the same horizontal level as that of the transverse beam which interconnects those side plates.

8. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said coupling arms can be connected to the respective plate portions at any chosen ones of a plurality of different positions of forward projection therefrom by means of readily removable pivot pins entered through appropriate registering openings.

9. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said coupling member or trestle has connected to it a rear coupling mechanism that is constructed and arranged for connection to the soil cultivating implement of an additional implement, machine or tool that is to be used in combination with that soil cultivating implement, the connection between the coupling member or trestle and said coupling mechanism comprising arms which, when substantially horizontally disposed, extend rearwardly from the coupling member or trestle to locations that are behind a ground roller of the soil cultivating implement which is located to the rear of its soil working members with respect to its intended direction of operative travel.

10. An implement as claimed in claim 9, wherein said coupling mechanism of the implement defines three rear coupling points, and wherein said arms which connect the coupling member or trestle of the implement to said rear coupling mechanism are arranged in upper and lower pairs.

11. An implement as claimed in claim 10, wherein means is provided by which said rear coupling mechanism can be mounted on said arms at any chosen one of a plurality of different bodily positions relative thereto.

12. An implement as claimed in claim 11, wherein said different bodily positions of said rear coupling mechanism relative to said arms are at different horizontal levels.

13. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein each arm of the upper pair is operatively connected to a corresponding fluid pressure-operated piston and cylinder assembly which is arranged to displace that arm about an axis.

14. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein said upper and lower pairs of arms are pivotally connected to both the coupling member or trestle and to said rear coupling mechanism, and wherein, as seen in side elevation, the pivotal connections are at the four corners of a quadrilateral.

15. A soil cultivating implement of the kind set forth, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings or with reference to Figures 1 to 4 as modified by Figure 5 of those drawings.