GB2307389A

GB2307389A - Clod crusher

Info

Publication number: GB2307389A
Application number: GB9621467A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Crister Stark
Original assignee: VAEDERSTAD VERKEN AB
Current assignee: VAEDERSTAD VERKEN AB
Priority date: 1995-10-18
Filing date: 1996-10-15
Publication date: 1997-05-28
Anticipated expiration: 2016-10-15
Also published as: SE9503642D0; SE9503642L; GB2307389B; SE510727C2; FI964116A; FI118411B; GB9621467D0; FI964116A0

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for moving granular material, preferably as accessory equipment for an agricultural machine, and comprising a number of resilient bar elements (4) which are arranged in a line by means of a securing member (7), each one of the said bar elements (4) being provided with means for fixing at least one elongate object in the form of a rod (11) and/or a plank (5) in the transverse direction of the bar elements.

Description

APPARATUS FOR MOVING GRANULAR MATERIAL The present invention relates to an apparatus for moving granular material, preferably as accessory equipment for an agricultural machine, and comprising a number of resilient bar elements which are each arranged in a line by means of a securing member.

Such an apparatus is a further development of the clod-crusher, i.e. a plank which is arranged at an angle to the ground, so that it slopes forwards in the direction of travel and levels out the uneven, ploughed soil before it is harrowed or worked in some other way.

The resilient bar elements may be too flexible and spring back too easily.

The object of the present invention is to make available an apparatus of the type mentioned at the outset, which can be adapted to different soils.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of the apparatus having been given the characteristics cited in Patent Claim 1.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been given the characteristics cited in the subclaim.

The invention is described in more detail hereinbelow with reference to the attached drawings which show a preferred embodiment.

Figure 1 shows a harrow which is being drawn by a tractor, on which an apparatus according to the invention is mounted.

Figure 2 shows a partial exploded view, in perspective, of the apparatus according to the invention arranged on the front of a harrow.

Figure 3 shows a side view of a bar element in the arrangement according to the invention.

Figure 4 shows a side view of the bar element with a plank mounted thereon according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a tractor (1) which is drawing a harrow (2) which is provided at the front with an apparatus (3) according to the invention, comprising a series of resilient bar elements (4) on the front side of which an elongate board, for example a plank (5), is detachably fitted.

Figure 2 shows the apparatus (3) in more detail in an exploded view. The apparatus thus comprises resilient bar elements (4) at whose lower ends there are work elements, such as angled metal plates (6) of hardened steel, which are welded on or made secure by some other means. The securing member (7) is arranged at the opposite end of the resilient bar elements (4) in order to secure the same on a transverse beam (8), which in turn is connected to the frame (9) of the harrow (2).

The transverse beam (8) can be rotated and/or raised in order to set the position of the bar elements in relation to the soil surface. The bar elements (4) are further provided with fastening members in the form of eyes (10) which are preferably arranged on that side of the bar elements which is facing away from the direction of travel. A rod (11) which has through-holes (12) formed at the ends can be pushed through the eyes (10) arranged in a line, after which the rod can be fixed at the ends by means of cotters (13) or other connections being introduced into and fixed in the holes (12). Instead of eyes, hooks or other fastening members (not shown) can be provided.

By virtue of the fact that the rod is fixed on the bar elements, a more rigid arrangement is obtained than is the case when the bar elements are not mutually anchored.

In order to further strengthen the apparatus (3) according to the invention, an elongate board, for example a plank of essentially rectangular cross-section, and with fastening members (14) arranged thereon in the form of eyes, can be fastened on the front side of the bar elements by means of the holes in the eyes (14) being brought into line with the holes in the eyes (10) on the bar elements, and the rod (11) thereafter being passed through all the eyes (10) and (14).

Figure 3 shows a bar element (4) from the side, in which the securing member (7) and the lower plate (6) have been omitted for the sake of clarity. As can be seen in Figure 3, the bar element essentially consists of two parts, namely a straight part (15) and a bent part (16) with a centre of pivoting (17) about which the bar element can swing when it has been mounted on the beam.

A fastening member in the form of an eye (10) is arranged at a predetermined distance from the outer end of the straight part (15) of the bar element. An arrow (18) illustrates that one or more corresponding eyes (10) can be placed along the straight part towards the bent part, depending on the requirement to strengthen the bar elements. Thus, several eyes can be arranged on one and the same bar element.

Figure 4 shows the bar element in a similar view to Figure 3, but where the plank (5) and the rod (11) have been mounted outside the metal plate (6) by means of the rod (11) having been passed through the eyes (14) and (10) and fixed there by means of cotters (13).

It is important to emphasize that the apparatus according to the invention can be used in many ways, for instance with or without plank, with or without rod, and with several rods with or without plank. The apparatus according to the invention which represents a type of clod crusher thus allows the disadvantage of freely resilient pegs to be eliminated, as these can sometimes be too flexible and spring back too easily. This is particularly the case when the earth is extremely hard and at the same time uneven or when there are large, hard clods and rough plough ridge. To strengthen the clod crusher, the apparatus has thus been arranged in accordance with the invention as described above, in which the resilient bar elements can be locked in relation to one another by means of a rod, which can preferably be made of spring steel or the like. By varying the size and position of the rod, the plank can be given different characteristics, i.e. it can be strengthened to a greater or lesser extent.

The apparatus can also be used for other purposes with the aim of moving granular material such as earth, sand, snow, etc. The apparatus can therefore also be used as a road scraper or snow plough, and can thus also be arranged at an angle other than the transverse direction in relation to the direction of travel.

Claims

1. Apparatus for moving granular material, preferably as accessory equipment for an agricultural machine, and comprising a number of resilient bar elements which are arranged in a line by means of a securing member, characterized in that each one of the said bar elements is provided with at leats one fastening member such as an eye or a hook arranged on the bar element, preferably on that side of the bar element facing away from the direction of travel of the machine, for the purpose of fixing at least one elongate object in the transverse direction of the bar elements.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said elongate object is a rod.

3. Apparatus for moving granular material substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.