GB2184332A - Soil-tilling implement with following levelling discs - Google Patents

Abstract

In a soil tilling implement the ridges 8 and furrows 5 produced by tines 3,4 are levelled by rotatably mounted hollow discs 6,7 secured to the chassis 2 so that the domed faces of a pair of discs are towards each other and in such a way that their hollow surfaces facing obliquely forward throw the earth back into the furrows. The hollow discs work above the tilling plane of the tines and are arranged offset in relation to one another in the direction of travel, so that the movement of the hollow discs cannot be disturbed by clods and the like lumps. The angle of inclination of the disc axes to the ground and the angle of the disc axes to the direction of travel are each variable. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Soil-tilling implement with following levelling part The invention relates to a soil-tilling implement having tilling tools which throw up ridges and leave furrows, especially cultivator tines, and following levelling tools which as extensively as possible break down the ridges thrown up by the cultivator tines, in the form of rotatably mounted hollow discs which are placed obliquely with their hollow faces forward in the direction of the furrows to be tilled, enclosing an acute angle.

In the tilling of the soil with cultivators or the like soil-tilling implements with working tools of tine form, naturally deep furrows with high ridges lying between them are produced.

The furrows and ridges are a hindrance to subsequent cultivation. It is known to obtain a kind of comb (French P.S. No. 1,360,746), the tines of which are set so that they break up the raised ridges down again as far as possible and throw the soil into the drawn furrows. In the implement known from Fed.

German Published Application No. 2,055,566 the tines are each deliberately set obliquely in order to achieve the most uniform possible distribution of the thrown-up ridges. If there is a lot of stubble however the comb blocks.

Moreover its levelling and mixing effect is only inadequate. Apart from these levelling tools of tine form, levelling tools of disc form in the form of disc harrows are also known. In these known disc harrows (Fed. German Ut. Mod.

No. 8,101,438) it is however disadvantageous that a considerable lateral traction acts upon the chassis of the soil-tilling implement. In order to compensate for this lateral traction as far as possible it has been attempted to support the disc harrow through obliquely set disc wheels. This however is not always successful, since the lateral forces vary with different working depths. Therefore it has further attempted to adapt the supporting effect of the disc radii to the lateral forces in each case by a modification of angle. This however is complicated and expensive and also makes the implement very clumsy. Therefore an additional disc harrow is frequently mounted behind the first disc harrow and exerts an opposite lateral traction. In this way the forces cancel one another. Admittedly the expense for equalising the ridges and furrows is very high.

This embodiment therefore invoives a high weight, which can lead to problems with the hydraulics of the tractor. One-sided disc har rows have smaller weight problems, but as well as the lateral traction they also have the disadvantage that in subsequent operations they leave behind new ridges and furrows. In general the expense of disc harrows is very high, since the discs work only in the region of the ridges and have practically no ground contact in the region of the grooves and furrows. By reason of the unfavourable oblique position of the entire discs moreover the running of the soil-tilling implement itself is considerably negatively influenced.

These disadvantages should be eliminated with a soil-tilling implement which is the object of Fed. German Ut. Mod. No. 7,736,543.

Here discs, with which the ridges are to be levelled, are arranged singly or in groups in each case between the cultivator tines and behind them. The discs are rotatably mounted and are to be formed, according to one special embodiment, as hollow discs. In such a formation of the soil-tilling implement, in the embodiment with flat discs the fact is disadvantageous that the cultivator is easily lifted and tends to block, because all the discs are arranged in a row. In the case of the embodiment with hollow discs there is the additional difficulty that these run together downwards, so that in the case of clods and the like lumps these jam between the hollow discs, whereby the hollow discs stop turning. The operation of the hollow discs is thus suppressed, they jam and the cultivator is blocked.Furthermore when the discs are halted the cultivator is easily lifted at the rear end, so that its manner of operation is also considerably disadvantageously influenced.

The invention is therefore based upon the problem of producing an easily lifted, easyrunning, lateral traction-free soil-tilling implement of short construction which works at the same time by mixing and levelling, but at the same time stoppage-freely.

In accordance with the invention the problem is solved in that the hollow discs, placed with the domed surfaces towards one another, are arranged staggered in the direction of travel. This suppresses mutual hindrance, especially the jamming of clods or the like parts between them, quite reliably. The consequence is the full manner of operation of the implement with advantageously levelled surface of the cultivated ground. It is further advantageous that such a soil-tilling implement works with surprisingly easy running, because the hollow discs are rotatably mounted and jamming by straw and the like material is prevented.By reason of this advantageous ar rangement and mounting a lateral traction is also completely suppressed, since the forces cancel one another, while due to the skilful arrangement of the hollow discs the thrown up ridges are uniformly distributed and skilfully thrown back into the furrows, so that a level field favourably prepared for further working is left behind.

The arrangement is especially favourable in which the working plane of the hollow discs lies above the working plane of the working tools, whereby it is ensured that in each case the ridge thrown up by the working tools is only partially removed, so that a field surface which is level on the whole is produced. Here the individual hollow discs are expediently combined in pairs in each case into a unit for securing on the chassis.

According to one expedient embodiment in each case two hollow discs acting on adjacent ridges are arranged forming a V pointing with the point to the rear. These two hollow discs in each case distribute the ridge uniformly and throw a uniform part of the ridge back into the furrow. Such an arrangement offers the advantage over the combining of the hollow discs acting upon one ridge, that the chassis as such is loaded more uniformly.

The hollow discs are expediently arranged inclined by means of their disc axes in the ground direction, the inclination and oblique positioning of the disc axis advantageously being variable. Thus the action of the hollow discs can be varied deliberately according to the nature of the soil, and adapted to existing conditions. The disc readjustment is here achieved in an especially simple manner in that the disc axes are arranged pivotably about a pivot point and fixably in several positions. Three, four or more positions can be predetermined which guarantee easy running or easy pulling and advantageous working action of the soil-tilling implement according to the invention.

The assembling of two hollow discs in each case into one working unit is advantageous as regards construction and working technique, as already described further above. These discs are secured in common to the chassis.

The hollow discs arranged to act in each case on the ridges can be varied in engagement depth simultaneously, since they are arranged adjustably in height with the chassis, in accordance with the invention, and are preferably operable by means of a plug-in device. An exact and certain working depth of the tool is guaranteed by the arrangement by pairs and plugging into positions by pairs.

An advantageous easy running of the tilling implement is also achieved by the development of the invention in which the hollow discs with the inclined disc axes are mounted pivotably about a pivot point arranged therebefore, by means of an arm. In that case the hollow discs swing themselves automatically into position, and deviate out laterally when overload occurs, in order immediately thereafter to resume their optimum position.

In the case of heavy loading for example due to stones in the soil, damage to the levelling tools is reliably prevented in that the hollow discs, singly or in groups, are articulated to the chassis so as to yield under spring loading upwards and/or to the side.

Thus with appropriate formation it is ensured that after swinging out the levelling tools are also pivoted back automatically into their working position again, for which the appropriately formed spring serves.

According to the nature of the soil and the area of use it can be advantageous to associate further working tools with such a soiltilling implement, or to associate these working tools with trailer implements. For this purpose it is provided according to the invention that mountings for follower implements or an additional three-point linkage are allocated to the chassis carrying the hollow discs or to the separate chassis. In this manner practically any desired trailer implement can be hitched on, preferably a rotary tiller with drag bar or tamper roller, or equally a rotary tiller or tamper roller with seed drill. With such a combination a flat, recompacted seed bed or a tilled field is achieved in one operation.

According to the area of use, the use of two-row cultivators, that is implements of very short structure, is expedient or even necessary. Such short implements have especially the advantage of only low weight, so that they can be used in combination with further implements. In order to guarantee the easy running of such an implement it is now provided in accordance with the invention that the hollow discs arranged in staggered manner in relation to one another are associated, for the breaking up of the ridges thrown up by the cultivator tines, with a cultivator having two rows of tines lying one behind the other, preferably one with wide-cutting shares.In such implements the special formation of the hollow discs arranged offset in relation to one another makes itself especially positively noticeable, because the ridges per se thrown up with such implements are especially high, because the cultivator tines allocated to the few tine rows must loosen and throw up a relatively large quantity of earth. With the hollow discs in accordance with the invention it is then advantageously possible to level out these ridges again so that an overall uniform surface of the field results.

The allocation of the mutually staggered hollow discs to a cultivator having two tine rows lying one behind the other can further be realised well where the tine rows are made in Vform.

One solution which can be used with advantage both in two-row cultivators and in corresponding multi-row implements is that in which the hollow discs are allocated to a separate chassis which is centrally adjustable.

This embodiment offers the possibility of completing existing cultivators without great expense and bringing them into use, according to existing conditions, with or without hollow discs with levelling effect. In this solution the chassis merely accommodates the hollow discs, while the cultivator as mentioned otherwise remains unaltered and thus usable for other purposes too.

The invention is especially distinguished in that a soil-tilling implement is produced which has levelling tools available for the avoidance of furrows and ridges, which guarantees a uniform ground surface, but at the same time works without blockages, with a mixing and levelling effect. The easy running of the implement is further advantageous, especially in the case of heavier soils. Thus for the first time an implement is produced in which the levelling tools cope with not only a distributing function or levelling function, but at the same time a mixing and comminuting effect as well.

The short construction style renders possible the attachment of additional implements without excessive demands upon the lifting power of the tractor hydraulics.

Further details and advantages of the object of the invention appear from the following description of the accompanying drawing, in which a preferred example of embodiment is illustrated with the necessary details and individual parts and wherein: Figure 1 shows a rear view of the soil-tilling implement, Figure 2 shows a lateral elevation, Figure 3 shows a levelling tool with overload safety device, Figure 4 shows a plan view of a soil-tilling implement with levelling tool of disc form as detail, Figure 5 shows a perspective representation of the levelling tools of disc form, Figure 6 shows a soil-tilling implement with rearwardly arranged three-point linkage, in lateral elevation, and Figure 7 shows a construction of the soiltilling implement in lateral elevation, with pivotable hollow discs.

The soil-tilling implement 1 as shown in Fig.

1 comprises, beside the working tools 3, 4 secured to the chassis 2, by means of which the furrows 5 and ridges 8 clearly reproduced in the Figure are produced, hollow discs 6, 7 arranged between the working tools 3, 4.

As mentioned, the hollow discs 6, 7 are arranged to act upon the ridge 8 between the working tools 3, 4 and behind these, in such a way that they distribute the ridge and convey the soil correspondingly partialiy back into the furrow 5.

The working tools 3, 4 reproduced here are cultivator tines 9 which are fitted at the lower end with double-heart-shaped shares 10, the points 11 of which dig deeper into the ground than the hollow discs 6, 7, as is made clear especially by Fig. 2. In the region of the outer cultivator tines 9 furthermore there are fitted limiter discs 12 which run laterally in front of the double-heart-shaped share 10 and ensure that the soil thrown up in the region of the outer working tools in each case is conveyed back in the direction of the middle of the soiltilling implement 1. In this way, with the aid of the limiter discs 12 a precise limitation of the working width of such a soil-tilling implement 1 is achieved.

Fig. 2 shows the unworked ground 15 in front of the soil-tilling implement 1, the cultivated ground 16 in the region of the cultivator tines 9 and the working tools 3, 4 and the levelled ground 17 behind the hollow discs 6, 7. In Fig. 2, behind the hollow discs 6, 7 additional implements are provided, these being in the example of embodiment as represented a rotary tiller 20 and a drag rail 21 which are secured through a fitting 22 to the chassis 2. Fig. 2 further makes clear the arrangement and fitting of the hollow discs 6, 7 combined in pairs, which are attached or secured to the chassis 2 through a common carrier bar 19.

In the tilling of story soils it is expedient to bring into use an overload safety device 24 reproduced in Fig. 3, where with the aid of an offset-arranged pivot point 27 and the loading through a spring 26, pivoting out of the carrier bar 19 with the hollow discs 6, 7 arranged or secured thereon is achieved, if these discs strike against a correspondingly large stone or other obstacle. Fig. 3 further makes clear a plug-in attachment device with the aid of which the two hollow discs 6, 7 can be fixed at different levels, in order thus to till or level the ridges 8 indicated in Fig. 1 in directed manner.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement of two hollow discs 6, 7 in plan view, two hollow discs acting upon adjacent ridges being reproduced here. Thus a form of embodiment is concerned which differs from that shown in Fig.

1, in as much as here hollow discs allocated to adjacent ridges are reproduced, namely as combined unit. According to Fig. 1 the hollow discs 6, 7 acting in each case upon one ridge 8 face one another with their domed surfaces 29, while the hollow faces 30 face the furrows 5, whereby the removal of the ridges 8 into the furrows 5 is achieved. Furthermore the hollow discs 6, 7 are arranged with their disc axes 32 inclined both in the direction of the ground 15, 16, 17 and in the direction of travel.

Apart from the offsettability of the hollow discs 6, 7, each regarded singly, it is also possible to arrange the individual groups which act on adjacent ridges 8 offset each in relation to the next group, in order thus reliably to prevent influencing of the individual groups against one another.

According to Fig. 5 the oblique position of the disc axis 32 is variable, in that the disc axis 32, which is pivotable about the pivot point 36, is fixed in the desired position in each case by means of the plug-in pins 34, 35. Fig. 5 further reproduces a possibility of the arrangement of two hollow discs 6, 7 with the desired width of offset. Here Fig. 5 makes it clear that by reason of the selected offsetting hindrance of the earth flow through the two discs, which face one another with the domed surfaces 29, is not possible.

Fig. 6 reproduces an embodiment in which, in departure from the illustration according to Fig. 2, a separate rear three-point linkage 38 is provided so that any follower implements may be hitched on appropriately.

In Fig. 4 the angle a reproduces the form in which the individual hollow discs 6, 7 are expediently arranged in order to achieve secure transporting of the soil from the ridge 8 into the furrow 5.

The cultivator as reproduced in Fig. 7 corresponds in the principle of its assembly to the cultivator as shown in Fig. 2. Admittedly here the hollow discs 6, 7 acting as levelling tools are allocated to a separate chassis 39 which is adjustable in height through a parallel linkage 40 with adjusting device 41 so that thus the working depth of the hollow discs 6, 7 can be modified according to actual conditions. The individual hollow discs 6, 7 are mounted pivotably with the inclined disc axes 32 through an arm 33 about a forwardly arranged pivot point 31. Thus if overloaded they can deviate laterally and then automatically pivot back again into their position.

Fig. 2 shows a two-row cultivator comprising hollow discs 6, 7 arranged offset in relation to one another in each case between the additional implements 20, 21 and the two rows of tines 43, 44. The solution according to Fig. 7 is similar, except that here in addition the individual hollow discs 6, 7, there being several such pairs of hollow discs seen at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the implement, are allocated to their own chassis 39, so that the cultivator can come into use with or without this additional chassis 39, according to whether the levelling effect of the hollow discs 6, 7 is required or not.

Claims (15)

1. Soil-tilling implement having tilling tools which throw up ridges and leave furrows, which follow levelling tools which as extensively as possible break down the ridges thrown up by the cultivator tines, in the form of rotatably mounted hollow discs which are placed obliquely with their hollow faces forward in the direction of the furrows to be tilled, enclosing an acute angle, characterised in that the hollow discs (6, 7) standing with the domed faces (29) towards one another are arranged staggered in relation to one another in the direction of travel.

2. Soil-tilling implement according to Claim 1, characterised in that the working plane of the hollow discs (6, 7) lies above the working plane of the tilling tools (3, 4).

3. Soil-tilling implement according to Claim 1, characterised in that in each case two holow discs (6, 7) are combined into one unit and secured on the chassis (2).

4. Soil-tilling implment according to Claim 1, characterised in that in each case two hollow discs (6, 7) which till adjacent ridges are arranged forming a V pointing with the point to the rear.

5. Soil-tilling implement according to Claim 1, characterised in that the hollow discs (6, 7) are arranged by means of their disc axes (32) inclined in the direction of the ground (15, 16, 17).

6. Soil-tilling implement according to Claims 1 and 5, characterised in that the inclination and oblique position of the disc axis (32) are variable.

7. Soil-tilling implement according to Claim 6, characterised in that the disc axes (32) are pivotable about the pivot point (36) and securable in several positions.

8. Soil-tilling implement according to Claim 1, characterised in that the hollow discs (6, 7) are mounted pivotably with the inclined discs axes (32) by means of an arm about a forwardly arranged pivot point (31).

9. Soil-tilling implement according to Claim 1, characterised in that the hollow discs (6, 7) are spring-loaded individually or by groups and are articulated to the chassis (2) so as to deviate upwards and/or to the side.

10. Soil-tilling implement according to Claim 1, characterised in that retaining devices (22) for follower implements (20, 21) or an additional three-point linkage (38) are allocated to the chassis (2) or the separate chassis (39).

11. Soil-tilling implement according to Claim 1, characterised in that the hollow discs (6, 7), or their shanks (19), are adjustable in height individually or by pairs by means of a plug-in device (25).

12. Soil-tilling implement having tilling tools which throw up ridges and leave furrows, especially cultivator tines, and following levelling tools which as extensively as possible break down the ridges thrown up by the cultivator tines, in the form of rotatably mounted hollow discs which are placed obliquely with their hollow faces forward in the direction of the furrows to be tilled, enclosing an acute angle, characterised in that the hollow discs (6, 7) arranged staggered in relation to one another are allocated to a cultivator having two tine rows (43, 44) lying one behind the other, preferably one with widely cutting shares (10).

13. Soil-tilling implement according to Claim 12, characterised in that the tine rows (43, 44) are made in V-form.

14. Soil-tilling implement according to Claim 1 or 12, characterised in that the hollow discs (6, 7) are allocated to a separate chassis (39) which is centrally adjustable.

15. Soil-tilling implement as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, 3 and 4 Fig. 5, Fig. 6 or Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.