GB2279220A

GB2279220A - Intruducing waste material into the soil.

Info

Publication number: GB2279220A
Application number: GB9312265A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chris J Tarran
Original assignee: SOUTH WEST WATER SERVICES Ltd
Current assignee: SOUTH WEST WATER SERVICES Ltd
Priority date: 1993-06-15
Filing date: 1993-06-15
Publication date: 1995-01-04
Also published as: GB9312265D0

Abstract

A cultivation apparatus (10) moveable over soil (12) to be cultivated comprises tilth-producing means (14) and deposition means (16). The tilth-producing means comprises soil-working means (20) which is adapted to fracture the soil (12) and direct the fractured soil upwardly and rearwardly of the direction in which the apparatus is moved. The deposition means is arranged to deposit matter (100) downstream of the soil-working means on soil (90) exposed in the wake of the soil-working means such that the matter is covered by the upwardly and rearwardly directed soil when that soil falls. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN SOIL CULTIVATION The invention relates to soil cultivation and introducing matter into the soil beneath the surface thereof. The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to soil cultivation where the matter introduced into the soil comprises fertilizing matter for example sludge from sewage or farmyard waste water or slurry.

The invention provides cultivation apparatus moveable over soil to be cultivated, said apparatus comprising tilth-producing means and deposition means, said tilth-producing means comprising soil-working means adapted to fracture soil and direct said fractured soil upwardly and rearwardly of the direction in which said apparatus is moved, said deposition means being arranged for depositing matter downstream of said soil-working means on soil exposed in the wake of said soil-working means such that said matter is covered by said upwardly and rearwardly directed soil when said soil falls.

Preferably the apparatus further comprises means by which it may be mounted, or coupled, to external drive means such that said apparatus is moveable by said drive means.

Advantageously, the soil working means is rotatably driveable.

The rotatably driveable soil-working means may comprise at least one rotor provided with a plurality of radially extending blades or spikes.

As an alternative, the rotatably driveable soilworking means may comprise a plurality of flails.

Preferably, the rotatably driveable soil-working means is adapted to be driven from said drive means.

The tilth-producing means may further comprise deflector means disposed downstream of said soilworking means for downwardly deflecting at least a portion of said upwardly and rearwardly directed soil.

Preferably, the deflector means comprises a pivotable plate means adjustable for controlling the amount of said soil deflected.

Preferably, the deposition means comprises conduit means communicating with an umbilical cord system and/or reservoir.

The conduit means may be connected at an upstream end thereof to a manifold which communicates with said umbilical cord system and/or reservoir.

The conduit means may penetrate the deflector means.

The conduit means may comprise a plurality of flexible hose members and respective tubular members which tubular members are mounted to respective apertures provided in said deflector means, each hose member being connected at a downstream end thereof to an upstream end of a said respective tubular member.

Each tubular member may extend through a said respective aperture so as to comprise a respective nozzle portion protruding from a downwardly deflecting face of said deflector means.

Advantageously, the tilth-producing means further comprises soil-loosening means disposed upstream of said soil-working means for loosening soil to be fractured by said soil-working means which soilloosening means may comprise at least one rigid member.

The apparatus may further comprise means disposed downstream of said deposition means and adapted to insert material into or deposit material onto said fractured soil covering said deposited matter.

The means for insertion or deposition of material may comprise conduit means adapted for inserting seed.

The apparatus may further comprise compactor means disposed downstream of said deposition means.

The compactor means may be disposed downstream of said means for insertion or deposition of material.

Preferably, the compactor means comprises a cylindrical roller element.

The invention also provides a method of soil cultivation comprising the steps of: fracturing and directing upwardly of the ground a thickness of soil having a predetermined depth; depositing matter on soil exposed by the lifting of said thickness of soil; and allowing and/or causing said upwardly directed soil to fall on and cover said deposited matter to form a bed of fractured soil.

At least a portion of said upwardly deflected soil may be deflected downwardly by a deflector means.

The amount of said upwardly directed soil which is downwardly deflected may be controlled by pivoting said deflector means to a predetermined angle.

The method may further comprise the step of loosening said soil prior to said step of fracturing and upwardly directing.

Advantageously, the soil is loosened to a depth greater than said predetermined depth.

The method may further comprise the step of inserting material into and/or depositing material on said bed of fractured soil.

The material may be seed inserted such that there is a predetermined depth of said bed of fractured soil between the seed and said deposited matter.

The method may further comprise the step of compacting the bed of fractured soil.

The deposited matter may comprise sludge from sewage or farmyard waste water or slurry.

The invention further provides in, or for, a cultivation apparatus moveable over soil to be cultivated and comprising tilth-producing means adapted to fracture soil and direct said fractured soil upwardly and rearwardly of the direction in which said apparatus is moved, a deposition device mounted or mountable to be associated with said tilthproducing means for depositing matter rearwardly thereof on the soil exposed thereby such that said matter is covered by said upwardly and rearwardly directed soil when said soil falls.

In order that the invention may be well understood, an embodiment thereof, which is given by way of example only, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure is a side elevation of a cultivation apparatus in use.

The figure shows a cultivation apparatus 10 which is moveable over soil 12 to be cultivated. The apparatus 10 comprises tilth-producing means 14 and deposition means 16. The apparatus is provided with means (not shown) whereby it may be mounted, or coupled, to an external drive means, typically a tractor, so as to be moveable by the drive means.

Generally, it is preferred to couple the apparatus to a tractor which pulls it over the soil to be cultivated.

The tilth-producing means comprises rotatably driveable soil-working means 20 adapted to fracture soil and direct the fractured soil upwardly and rearwardly of the direction (indicated by arrow 21) in which the apparatus is moved. Arrows 22 indicate the general direction in which the soil is thrown by the soil-working means. The soil-working means 20 comprises a plurality of rotors each of which is provided with a plurality of radially extending rotor blades 23. The rotors are mounted on a common axle so as to extend across the width of the apparatus. Drive for rotatably driving the rotors is obtained from the external drive means by way of a power take off drive.

Power take off drives for cultivation and other agricultural machinery are well known to those skilled in the art and will not therefore be described in detail.

The tilth-producing means further comprises soilloosening means 29 and a deflector means 40. The soil-loosening means comprises a plurality of rigid members or sub-soil loosening legs 30 which are spaced cross the width of the apparatus and are disposed upstream of the rotors 20. The rigid members 30 are adapted to shear through the soil 12 as the apparatus is moved thereacross so as to loosen the soil to be fractured by the rotors. It will be appreciated that loosening of the soil prior to rotovation serves to reduce the loading on the rotor blades. As illustrated in the figure, it is preferable that the rigid members be sized such that the soil 12 is loosened to a depth greater than the working depth of the rotors so as to ensure that the soil to be fractured is thoroughly loosened.

The deflector means 40 is disposed downstream of the rotors for downwardly deflecting at least a portion of the fractured soil thrown upwardly and rearwardly by the rotors (as indicated by the arrows 22) and comprises a pivotable plate means in the form of a plate 40 which extends across the width of the apparatus and is adjustable for controlling the amount of soil deflected whereby the tilth 44, or depth of the bed of fractured soil produced, is controllable.

In the drawing, the plate member 40 is positioned such that substantially all of the soil thrown up by the rotors is deflected.

Deposition means 16 comprises conduit means in the form of a plurality of flexible hose members 50 spaced at intervals across the width of the apparatus.

Each hose member is connected at a downstream end thereof to a respective tubular member 52. The tubular members 52 are mounted to the plate member 40 and extend through respective apertures therein so as to have an outlet, or nozzle, portion 54 protruding from the downwardly deflecting face of the plate member. At the upstream end thereof, the flexible hose members 50 are connected to a manifold 58. The manifold comprises two pipes 60 extending from opposite sides of a cylinder 62. The hose members 50 are connected to the pipes 60 at spaced locations therealong. The manifold 58 is fed from an umbilical cord system (not shown but well known to those skilled in the art) which contains matter to be deposited by means of a conduit 64. Alternatively a reservoir containing the matter may be an integral part of the apparatus 10, or separate therefrom, in which latter case it may typically be in the form of a tank trailer which in use would be towed alongside the apparatus 10. Where a tank trailer or the like is to be used, the conduit 64 would be adapted to be flexibly connectable to an output of the tank trailer in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

The apparatus 10 additionally comprises means 70 disposed downstream of the deposition means 60 and adapted to insert material into the tilth 44. The means 70 comprises conduits 72 which are adapted for inserting seed. Pairs of conduits 72 are spaced at intervals across the width of the apparatus to provide two aligned rows of seed insertion means. Connected to the upstream end of each conduit 72 is a respective flexible hose member 74 which is fed with seed from a seed hopper (not shown) mounted on the apparatus.

Disposed downstream of the seed insertion means 70 is a compactor means comprising a cylindrical roller element 80 which has a length corresponding substantially to the width of the apparatus and is adapted for compacting or consolidating the seedbed as the apparatus is moved thereover.

In use, the apparatus 10 is moved over the soil 12 which is to be cultivated. As the apparatus moves, the rigid members 30 shear through the soil which is thereby loosened prior to fracture by the rotors 20.

After loosening, the soil is fractured to a predetermined depth by the rotatably driven rotors and is reduced to a finely divided consistency. The rotors direct the fractured soil upwardly and rearwardly of the direction of movement of the apparatus exposing in their wake a fracture surface 90. The deposition means 16 deposits matter 100 onto the fracture surface 90 which matter is subsequently covered by the fractured soil when said soil falls on being downwardly deflected by the plate member 40 or naturally by gravity when not so deflected. Thus a strata of unfractured soil, matter 100 and tilth 44 is created. The tilth 44 is then planted with seeds 110 which are inserted to a predetermined depth by means of the conduits 72 such that there is a predetermined depth of seedbed between the seed and the deposited matter. Following seed insertion, the tilth is consolidated by the cylindrical roller element 80 passing thereover.

Thus it will be appreciated that an automated method of one pass cultivation is provided wherein a predetermined thickness of soil 12 to be cultivated is fractured and directed upwardly, matter 100 is deposited on to a fracture surface 90 exposed by the lifting of said thickness of soil and that soil is allowed and/or caused to fall on and cover the deposited matter 100 to form a bed of fractured soil which covers the deposited matter.

It is to be understood that the matter deposited may be any type of matter which it is desired to lay under a tilth for cultivation purposes. It is, however, envisaged that the apparatus 10 would be particularly suitable for depositing sludge from sewage which has been treated so as to be suitable for agricultural use. Alternatively, farmyard waste water or slurry, or any other fertilizer may be used.

It will be appreciated that the cultivation method may be limited to the steps of providing the fracture surface 90, depositing the matter 100 thereon and covering same with fractured soil. The steps of inserting the seed and consolidating the tilth are not essential to the method and may be carried out in subsequent operations in which case, the apparatus may simply comprise the tilth-producing means and the deposition means. Further, the soil-loosening means and deflector means are not essential elements of the tilth-producing means which may simply comprise soilworking means such as the rotors 20 or rotatable flails. In cultivation apparatus not provided with deflector means, the fractured soil upwardly thrown by the soil-working means is allowed to fall over the deposited matter and a consistent tilth depth is provided by controlling the rate at which the apparatus moves over the soil to be cultivated.

It will be understood that the means 70 is not limited to the insertion of seeds into the tilth.

Other material may be inserted as required or, alternatively, material may be deposited on the surface of the tilth if desired. By way of example, the material deposited on the surface may be seed or fertilizer. As a further alternative, materials may be both inserted into and deposited onto the seed.

It will be appreciated that the speed at which the apparatus is drawn over the surface and the rate at which the soil-working means is driven may be varied to suit the soil type and prevailing soil conditions.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Cultivation apparatus moveable over soil to be cultivated, said apparatus comprising tilth-producing means and deposition means, said tilth-producing means comprising soil-working means adapted to fracture soil and direct said fractured soil upwardly and rearwardly of the direction in which said apparatus is moved, said deposition means being arranged for depositing matter downstream of said soil-working means on soil exposed in the wake of said soil-working means such that said matter is covered by said upwardly and rearwardly directed soil when said soil falls.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for mounting, or coupling, said apparatus to external drive means such that said apparatus is moveable by said drive means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said soil-working means is rotatably driveable.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rotatably driveable soil-working means comprises at least one rotor provided with a plurality of radially extending blades or spikes.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rotatably driveable soil-working apparatus comprises a plurality of flails.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 when dependent on claim 2, wherein said rotatably driveable soil-working means is adapted to be driven from said drive means.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said tilth-producing means further comprises deflector means disposed downstream of said soil-working means for downwardly deflecting at least a portion of said upwardly and rearwardly directed soil.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said deflector means comprises a pivotable plate means adjustable for controlling the amount of said soil deflected.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said deposition means comprises conduit means communicating with an umbilical cord system and/or reservoir.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said conduit means is connected at an upstream end thereof to a manifold which communicates with said umbilical cord system and/or reservoir.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10 when dependent on claim 7 or 8, wherein said conduit means penetrates said deflector means.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said conduit means comprises a plurality of flexible hose members and respective tubular members which tubular members are mounted to respective apertures provided in said deflector means, each hose member being connected at a downstream end thereof to an upstream end of a said respective tubular member.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein each said tubular member extends through a said respective aperture so as to comprise a respective nozzle portion protruding from a downwardly deflecting face of said deflector means.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said tilth-producing means further comprises soil-loosening means disposed upstream of said soil-working means for loosening soil to be fractured by said soil-working means.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said soil-working means comprises at least one rigid member.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising means disposed downstream of said deposition means and adapted to insert material into or deposit material onto said fractured soil covering said deposited matter.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said means for insertion of material comprises conduit means adapted for inserting seed.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, further comprising compactor means disposed downstream of said deposition means.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 or 17, further comprising compactor means disposed downstream of said means for insertion or deposition of material.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein said compactor means comprises a cylindrical roller element.

21. A method of soil cultivation comprising the steps of: fracturing and directing upwardly of the ground a thickness of soil having a predetermined depth; depositing matter on soil exposed by the lifting of said thickness of soil; and allowing and/or causing said upwardly directed soil to fall on and cover said deposited matter to form a bed of fractured soil.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein at least a portion of said upwardly directed soil is deflected downwardly by a deflector means.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the amount of said upwardly directed soil which is downwardly deflected is controlled by pivoting said deflector means to a predetermined angle.

24. A method as claimed in claim 21, 22 or 23, further comprising the step of loosening said soil prior to said step of fracturing and upwardly directing.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the soil is loosened to a depth greater than said predetermined depth.

26. A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 25, further comprising the step of inserting material into and/or depositing material on said bed of fractured soil.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein said material is seed.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein said seed is inserted such that there is a predetermined depth of said fractured soil between the seed and said deposited matter.

29. A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 28, further comprising the step of compacting said bed of fractured soil.

30. A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 29, wherein said deposited matter comprises a sludge from sewage.

31. A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 29, wherein said deposited matter comprises farmyard waste water or slurry.

32. In, or for, a cultivation apparatus moveable over soil to be cultivated and comprising tilth-producing means adapted to fracture soil and direct said fractured soil upwardly and rearwardly of the direction in which said apparatus is moved, a deposition device mounted or mountable to be associated with said tilth-producing means for depositing matter rearwardly thereof on the soil exposed thereby such that said matter is covered by said upwardly and rearwardly directed soil when said soil falls.

33. Cultivation apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

34. A method of cultivation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.