GB2260681A

GB2260681A - Land rolls

Info

Publication number: GB2260681A
Application number: GB9122508A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Seaman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-10-23
Filing date: 1991-10-23
Publication date: 1993-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-23
Also published as: GB9122508D0; GB2260681B

Abstract

A land rolls set comprises a main beam (10) to which three land rolls (12, 14, 16) extending parallel to the beam are pivotally mounted to said beam about respective horizontal axes (18) normal to their lengths, and a draw bar (20) is pivotally mounted to a central region of the main beam about a horizontal axis (22) parallel to the length of the main beam. A preferred arrangement has auxiliary beams (23, 25) pivotted to the main beam and pivotally carrying additional rolls (26, 28) which maximise the span of the set. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements in Land Rolls This invention relates to land rolls.

Land rolls comprise sets of rollers towed behind a tractor to flatten and compact farming land.

Increasingly there is a requirement for land roll sets of increased span. However, with increasing span, it is not easy to ensure, on uneven land, that all the rolls of a set are at all times in proper contact pressure with the ground.

Land roll sets of wide span can also be a problem to transport on the road.

According to the invention, there is provided a land roll set which comprises a generally horizontal main beam supporting three land rolls extending lengthwise parallel to the beam, each roll being pivotally mounted generally at the centre of its length about a generally horizontal pivot axis normal to its length, the three rolls being in adjacent but substantially non-overlapping relationship along the length of the main beam, either one or two in front of the beam and either two or one behind the beam, and a draw bar for connection to a tractor linkage, said draw bar being connected to the central region of the beam by a pivotal mounting having a generally horizontal axis parallel to the length of the beam.

With the arrangement according to the invention, as the draw bar/tractor linkage also permits pivotting of the beam, at least to a limited extent, about a generally horizontal axis transverse to the length of the beam, the three rolls necessarily always press against the ground, with their respective individual pivotal mountings forming a triangle lying in a plane which may be inclined either in the side to side direction or in the front to back direction or both.

Moreover, the individual pivotal mountings of the three rolls on the main beam enable each roll to press flatly against the region of the ground with which it is in contact, even though this may mean that the roll is angled relative to the main beam.

In a preferred arrangement, the main beam, at its opposite ends, has respective auxiliary beams pivotally mounted to it about respective generally horizontal axes transverse to the length of said main beam, and each auxiliary beam also supports a land roll pivotally mounted generally at the centre of its length about an axis transverse to the length of said auxiliary beam. The preferred arrangement thus has a span defined by five land rolls in adjacent substantially non-overlapping relationship, either two or three in front of the main beam and either three or two to the rear of the main beam.

Preferably, the centre and two outermost rolls are disposed to the rear of the main beam, and the two intermediate rolls are disposed to the front of the main beam, the draw bar connecting to the central region of the main beam between said two intermediate rolls.

The pivotal mountings of the auxiliary beams enable the outer rolls to follow the contour of the land, and the individual pivotal mountings of said outer rolls enable the rolls to press flatly against the ground. Thus, in use, the auxiliary beams may be angled relative to the main beam and the outer rolls angled relative to said angled auxiliary beams.

In the preferred arrangement, hydraulic rams operable from the hydraulic output trappings of the tractor are articulated to the auxiliary beams to enable said beams, together with the outer rolls, to be lifted upwardly and then inwardly to seat on supports carried by the main beam above and to the rear of the intermediate rolls. In this folded back elevated position, the outer rolls preferably lie above and on opposite sides of the central roll, each in overlapping relationship therewith in the side to side direction.

The land rolls set can be used in this alternative reduced span mode when it is desired to flatten and compact the land with greater pressure.

When the land rolls set is used in the greater span mode, pressure in the hydraulic lines to the rams is relaxed, so that hydraulic fluid can flow to and fro in accordance with pivotal movements of the auxiliary beams.

The outer rolls are also folded back when the land rolls set is to be transported on the road. Most preferably however, the land rolls set is transported lengthwise. For this purpose, the main beam carries a pair of road wheels on a frame articulated to the centre region of said main beam, and an hydraulic ram, again operable from the tractor hydraulics, is pivotally connected between the main beam and said frame to enable the road wheels to be moved between a raised, inoperative position and a lowered operative position in which the road wheels are ready to run in the direction of the length of the main beam. -In the lowered position, the road wheels raise the central region of the main beam to lift the land rolls (the outer rolls already being folded back) clear of the ground, the arrangement being such that the main beam and parts carried thereby are generally balanced from end to end of the main beam but with a small bias to tip the main beam downwardly at one end. On this end of the main beam is provided an auxiliary draw bar for connection to the tractor linkage, whereby the tractor is for transport purposes able to tow the land rolls set longitudinally. The main draw bar is redundant during transport and can be folded up on its pivotal mounting to the main beam to stand in a generally upright inoperative position.

A land rolls set in accordance with the invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 show the land rolls set in the working mode, respectively in plan and from the front; and Figures 3 and 4 show the land rolls set in the transport mode, respectively in plan and from the front.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the illustrated land rolls set comprises a main beam 10 supporting three land rolls 12, 14, 16, which may be rib rolls or any other kind of land roll, Each land roll 12, 14, 16 is pivotally mounted to the beam 10 generally at the centre of the length of the roll, as indicated at 18.

The centre roll 14 is mounted to the rear of the beam and the rolls 12, 16, termed intermediate rolls, are mounted in front of the beam. This triangular configuration ensures that all three rolls 12, 14, 16 engage the ground when the land rolls set is towed by a tractor via a draw bar 20, which is pivotted to the main beam at 22, as the draw bar/ tractor linkage coupling also affords pivotting of the main beam 10 at least to a limited extent, in the side to side sense as well as the front to back sense.

Articulated to the outer ends of the main beam 10 at 24 are auxiliary beams 23, 25, respectively supporting centre pivotted outer rolls 26, 28. These centre pivots are referenced 34. The pivotal mountings 24, 34 enable the outer rolls 26, 28 also to press flatly against the ground.

Thus, the arrangement is such that, even on uneven or contoured land, all five land rolls 12, 14, 16, 26, 28 are enabled to press flatly against the ground as the land rolls set is being towed by the tractor.

Hydraulic rams 36 are articulated between the main and auxiliary beams so that the outer rolls 26, 28 can be lifted upwardly and inwardly te seat in rest positions above and to the rear of the intermediate rolls 12, 16, as shown in Figure 3. In this folded back position, the intermediate rolls 12, 16 remain in line with the centre roll 14, but are disposed above said centre roll 14 in overlapping relationship thereto.

The land rolls set can also be used in this reduced span mode.

The main beam 10, at its centre region, also pivotally supports a frame 38 carrying road wheels 40. By means of an hydraulic ram 42 operative between the main beam 10 and the frame 38, the wheels 40 can be lowered from a raised inoperative position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to a lowered operative position shown in Figures 3 and 4. The land rolls set can then be transported longitudinally by towing from one end of the main beam 10, where an auxiliary draw bar 44 is provided. For transport purposes, the main draw bar 20 is folded upwardly out of the way, as also shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Various modifications of the above-described and illustrated arrangement are possible within the scope of the invention hereinbefore defined.

Claims

1. A land rolls set which comprises a generally horizontal main beam supporting three land rolls extending lengthwise parallel to the beam, each roll being pivotally mounted generally at the centre of its length about a generally horizontal pivot axis normal to its length, the said three rolls being in adjacent but substantially non-overlapping relationship along the length of the main beam, either one or two in front of the beam and either two or one behind the beam, and a draw bar for connection to a tractor linkage, said draw bar being connected to the central region of the beam by a pivotal mounting having a generally horizontal axis parallel to the length of the beam.

2. A land rolls set according to claim 1, in which the main beam, at its opposite ends, has respective auxiliary beams extending generally parallel to said main beam and pivotally mounted to it about respective generally horizontal axes transverse to the length of said main beam, and each auxiliary beam also supports a land roll pivotally mounted generally at the centre of its length about an axis transverse to the length of said auxiliary beam.

3. A land rolls set according to claim 2, in which the centre and two outermost rolls are disposed to the rear of the main beam, and the two intermediate rolls are disposed to the front of the main beam.

4. A land rolls set according to claim 3, in which the draw bar connects to the central region of the main beam between said two intermediate rolls.

5. A land rolls set according to any of claims 2 to 4, ln which hydraulic rams operable from the hydraulic output tappings of the tractor are articulated to the auxiliary beams to enable said beams, together with the outer rolls, to be lifted upwardly and then inwardly to seat on supports carried by the main beam above and to the rear of the intermediate rolls.

6. A land rolls set according to claim 5, in which, in said folded back elevated position, the outer rolls lie above and on opposite sides of the central roll, each in overlapping relationship therewith in the side to side direction.

7. A land rolls set according to claim 5 or claim 6, in which, when the land rolls set is used in the greater span mode, pressure in the hydraulic lines to the rams can be relaxed to enable hydraulic fluid to flow to and fro in accordance with pivotal movements of the auxiliary beams.

8. A land rolls set according to any of claims 1 to 7, in which to enable the land rolls set to be transported lengthwise the main beam carries a pair of road wheels on a frame articulated to the centre region of said main beam, and an hydraulic ram operable from the tractor hydraulics is pivotally connected between the main beam and said frame to enable the road wheels to be moved between a raised, inoperative position and a lowered, operative position in which the road wheels are ready to run in the direction of the length of the main beam.

9. A land rolls set according to claim 8, in which, in the lowered position, the road wheels raise the central region of the main beam to lift the land rolls (the outer rolls already being folded back) clear of the ground, the arrangement being such that the main beam and parts carried thereby are generally balanced from end to end of the main beam but with a small bias to tip the main beam downwardly at one end.

10. A land rolls set according to claim 9, in which, at said one end of the main beam, is provided an auxiliary draw bar for connection to the tractor linkage, whereby the tractor is for transport purposes able to tow the land rolls set longitudinally.

11. A land rolls set according to claim 10, in which the main draw bar is redundant during transport and is foldable up on its pivotal mounting to the main beam to stand in a generally upright inoperative position.

12. A land rolls set substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.