GB2258983A

GB2258983A - Reseeding pasture

Info

Publication number: GB2258983A
Application number: GB9214233A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harold Robin Samuel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-07-06
Filing date: 1992-07-03
Publication date: 1993-03-03
Also published as: GB9114636D0; GB9214233D0

Abstract

The invention provides a method and apparatus for reseeding pasture in which a strip of turf is cut and inverted to be placed in the slot from which it has come. Seed is planted in the exposed soil and the strip firmed in position. The apparatus comprises a cutter 13, a plough body with guides 19, 21 which rotate the strip. A spring tine keeps the strip in contact with the guides. The plough body pivots relative to the cutter blade. A rear part of the apparatus is pivotally connected to the front part and carries a seed box 43, cultivator and roller. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Reseeding pasture DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus of reseeding an existing pasture.

New varieties of plant species for grazing of cattle or sheep or the harvesting of grass for conservation are continually becoming available which have a higher production potential than those naturally occurring in grassland. Introducing such new plant species has traditionally involved the ploughing, cultivation (several times), seeding, fertilising and rolling of the old grassland so that the old turf is buried 6 to 9 inches below ground. This is laborious, expensive and time-consuming and leaves the ground out of production for a considerable time. In an attempt to bypass this process, it has been proposed to cut slots into the existing pasture surface and put seeds into the slot and then compress the slot. This has not proved very successful.

It is an aim of the present invention to improve on previous proposals.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a method of reseeding pasture comprising moving apparatus longitudinally over pasture and cutting through the pasture to form a strip of turf having width and depth, inverting the cut strip and replacing it face down and planting seed into the exposed soil of the now upwardly facing underside. The method is repeated as required over the area of pasture to be reseeded to define a plurality of strips.

Apparatus can be provided which enables the cutting, turning and seeding to be performed in one pass. The frequency of the slots and thus the percentage of the pasture field so treated can be varied by the provision of slices to suit the different seeds that might be sown, ie. clover-grass clover mixes, kale, stubble turnips etc.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for reseeding pasture comprising a blade formed to cut a strip of turf having width and depth as the apparatus is moved longitudinally over the pasture, means for inverting the strip and replacing it face down with its underside then uppermost and means for planting seed into the exposed soil now uppermost.

The apparatus may comprise a single furrow machine or a multiple furrow machine with the width of the strips and their proximity to each other chosen to suit, for example, the power of vehicle moving the apparatus. Usually, in a multiple furrow embodiment, several of the single furrow machines will be disposed side by side. Usually, they will define strips spaced apart width wise, but they may be abutting one another.

More particularly the apparatus consists of a cutter blade having means for controlling its depth of cut in relation to the ground preferably in relation to a ground contacting member such as a roller. Associated with the cutting blade are two shoes disposed along each side of the blade to define the width of the strip.

Behind the cutting blade is a plough body and preferably this is mounted to articulate relative to the cutter to accommodate movement in the vertical plane. Preferably the plough body consists of guide means, conveniently two guide members, which rotates the cut strip of pasture as it passes therealong with the forward motion of the machine. This inverts the strip and in the preferred embodiment replaces it face down into the slot from which it came. Thus the operation is a continuous one. Preferably a spring-loaded tine acts on the turf to keep it in engagement with the guides of the plough body.

In one embodiment, once the turf has been inverted rotatable offset disks displace some of the surface soil to make one or more slots for the seed to be planted. The seed can be arranged to drop by gravity from a seed box whereafter a small scraper may follow thereafter to cover the soil back over the seed. In another embodiment, a rotorvator type device, for example comprising a plurality of - tines disposed on a rotating axle may be used to rotorvate the exposed soil surface. The device may be conveniently driven from a ground contacting roller or wheel of the apparatus via a suitable drive train. The rotorvator may be the full width of the overturned strip. In this embodiment the seed may be dispensed upstream of the cultivator.

Preferably a rear roller is provided to compress the surface and the turf back into place consolidating the new seed. Any rotorvation may be driven from the rear roller either directly or from the drive to the seed box.

Preferably the section of the apparatus which carries the rear roller, cultivator and seed box is arranged to articulate vertically to enable both cultivator and roller to stay in contact with the ground when the machine goes over undulations in the field.

Means is provided for adjusting the depth of turf cut and the pressure of the cultivator such as by means of spacers above the roller mountings.

In one embodiment the apparatus is adapted for fixing to the 3-point linkage of a tractor. During transport of the - machine and for turning at the headlands the whole machine can be raised from the ground by the tractor hydraulics. Adjustable chains may be fixed to the plough body and cultivator to restrict the articulation when the machine is lifted on the 3point linkage.

The rate of seed distribution is controlled by the size of the aperture in the seed box outlet. The speed of the brush inside the seed box that pushes the seed through the variable apertures corresponds with the speed of rotation of the rear roller to which it is preferably geared by a V-belt drive. A hitch may be provided on the rear on the frame to enable the towing of a further roller or other implements, ie. for spreading slug bait or fertilizer.

The present invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompany drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus according to the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1, Figure 3 is an axonometric view showing the hinge arrangement between cutter and plough body, Figure 4 is a side elevation of the rear part of another embodiment showing the use of a rotorvator, and Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings of Figures 1 to 3, there is shown pasture reseeding apparatus in the form of a implement for drawing behind a tractor having connections 1, 3 and 5 for connecting respectively with the top and bottom links of a tractor 3-point harness.

The implement has a chassis comprising spaced longitudinal members to which the connections 1, 3 and 5 are secured fixedly. Depending from the framework 7 is a cutter comprising an angled transverse plate 9 disposed between two side shoes 11, 13. Disposed in advance of the cutter is a cylindrical ground engaging roller 15 mounted for rotation determining the depth of cut produced by the cutter. For that purpose adjustable spacing blocks may be provided at 17 or other adjusting means provided.

Downstream of the cutter head is a plough body comprising two rearwardly extending guides 19, 21. The guides are curved and cause the cut strip of turf to turn through 1800. The spring biased tines 23 depend from a mounting bar 25.

Hingedly connected to chassis 7 is a rearward chassis defined by a pair of spaced members 31 and transverse linking members. The pivot axis is shown at 32 and allows for movement of the rearward chassis part in a vertical plane relative to the forward chassis part. The rear chassis part carries two rotating offset discs 33 mounted to the rear chassis arms by way of lever-spring arms 35. Rearwardly of the discs is a small scraper 37 and rearwardly of that a rear ground engaging roller 39 mounted to the chassis arms 31 by way of spacer block 41 to allow for adjustment of cultivator pressure, ie. cutting pressure at discs 33. 'Also mounted on the rearward chassis member is a seed box 43 which distributes seed to a seed spout 45. Seed delivery is driven by a belt drive 45 taken from the rear roller 39. Other types of seeding systems may be used if preferred.

The plough body has a rearwardly extending arm 51 which carries a shoe 53 which engages in the furrow bottom to control the depth of the plough body. Also shown is a hitch 55 for towing an additional roller or other implement.

In use the implement, according to the illustrated embodiment, is towed behind a tractor and its movement over a pasture causes the angled cutter blade 9 and shoes 11, 13 to dig into the pasture to a depth controlled by the contact of the outer surface of the roller 15 with the ground. Continued movement causes a strip of turf of width defined by the spacing of the shoes 11, 13, to be displaced up the angled blade 9 and into cooperating engagement with the twisted guides 19, 21. The strip of turf is urged into contact with guide 19 by the spring tines 23 and the strip is raised sufficiently to enable it to be rotated during its continued movement through 1800 so that the turf can be replaced face down in the groove from which it has been removed. The foot 53 contacts the bottom of the furrow and thereby controls movement of the plough body.

This is advantageous in accommodating undulations of the ground. Once the strip has been replaced the cultivator discs 33 displace some of the surfaced soil to make slots for the seed to be planted which drops by gravity down the seed spout 45 controlled by dispensing means in the outlet of the seed box. Thereafter the small scraper 37 pushes the soil back over the seed and the following roller 39 compresses the surface back into place consolidating the new seed. The articulation of the rear section of the chassis that carries the rear roller, cultivator and seed box enable both the cultivator and roller to stay in contact with the ground when the machine goes over undulation in the field.

During transport of the machine and for turning at headlands the whole machine can be raised from the ground by the tractor hydraulics operating on the 3point linkage. Adjustable chains 57, 59 are fixed to the plough body and cultivator to restrict their articulation when the machine is lifted on the 3-point linkage.

Reference to Figures 4 and 5 shows an alternative to the discs 33 and a variation to the seed box and delivery system. Parts corresponding to those of Figures 1 to 3 use the same reference numbers. Thus the frame part 31 carries a rear roller 39 and a seed box 43. The seed box has a metered dispensing system driven from the rear roller by way of belt 45. A

pulley 46 is carried-on a shaft 48 journalled for rotation, and whose other end carries a pulley 60 around which is entrained a belt 62 driving a pulley 64 of a rotorvation assembly 66. The rotorvator 66 comprises an axle 68 journalled for rotation and mounted on suspension means 35'. The suspension means comprises a frame which can pivot and whose movement is limited by a chain 36 and damped to a certain extent by disposing the chain in a plastics sheath 38. The axle carries a plurality of spaced tines 70. In this embodiment seed is dispensed in front of the rotorvator which serves to distribute the seed in the soil. A scraper blade 72 prevents soil building in the rear roller, and it can be helpful to provide studs on rear roller to ensure a good driving connection with the ground.

Claims

1. A method of reseeding pasture comprising moving apparatus longitudinally over pasture and cutting through the pasture to form a strip of turf having width and depth, inverting the cut strip and replacing it face down and planting seed into the exposed soil of the now upwardly facing underside.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising repeating as required over the area of pasture to be reseeded to define a plurality of strips.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the cutting, turning and seeding is performed in one pass.

4. A method as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 comprising cultivating the newly exposed soil.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 in which the seed is dispensed before cultivation.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 or 5 in which the soil surface is rolled after cultivation.

7. A method of reseeding pasture substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings of Figures 1 to 3 or as modified according to Figures 4 and 5.

8. Apparatus for reseeding pasture comprising a blade formed to cut a strip of turf having width and depth as the apparatus is moved longitudinally over the pasture, means for inverting the strip and replacing it face down with its underside then uppermost and means for planting seed into the exposed soil now uppermost.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which there is means for controlling the depth of cut.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which the depth of cut is controlled in relation to a ground contacting member such as a roller.

11. Apparats as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10 in which two shoes are associated with the blade and disposed along each side of the blade to define the width of the strip.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claim 8 to 11 comprising a plough body to rotate the strip of pasture as it passes therealong with the forward motion of the machine.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 comprising guide means which invert the strip.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which the guide means comprises two guide members which control rotation of the strip.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 or 14 in which the two guide members are of helical configuration.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 or 15 in which a spring-loaded tine acts on the turf to keep it in engagement with the guides of the plough body.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 16 in which once the turf has been inverted rotatable offset disks displace some of the surface soil to make one or more slots for the seed to be planted.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 in which the seed drops by gravity from a seed box into the slot whereafter a small scraper follows to cover the soil back over the seed.

19. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 16 comprising a rotorvation type device to cultivate the exposed soil.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 in which the seed is distributed into the soil in advance of the cultivator.

21. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 20 further comprising a roller to compress the surface and the turf back into place consolidating the new seed.

22. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15 in which the plough body is mounted to articulate relative to said blade to accommodate movement in the vertical plane.

23. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 22 comprising a further vertically articulating section of the apparatus which carries the rear roller, cultivator and seed box.

24. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 17, 18 or 19 comprising means for adjusting the pressure of the cultivator.

25. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 24 comprising a fixing for attaching to the 3-point linkage of a tractor.

26. Apparatus as constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 or as modified according to Figures 4 and 5.