GB2349620A

GB2349620A - A soil compaction reducing agricultural vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2349620A
Application number: GB9910347A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Malcolm Cleasby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-05-05
Filing date: 1999-05-05
Publication date: 2000-11-08
Also published as: GB9910347D0

Abstract

To reduce the compaction of the soil resulting from a tractor running directly upon it there is provided a chassis 9 having a plurality of ground engaging rollers 8 driven from the wheels 3 of a tractor mounted on the chassis. Each front wheel of the tractor is mounted on a respective pivotable steering bogie 4 of the chassis. The rollers 8 may be linked to rotate together. The rollers 8 may also function as soil cultivating devices in which case retractable transport rollers 10 for the chassis are used on roads.

Description

TITLE: An Implement to Reduce Soil Compaction DESCRIPTION Soil compaction is a common problem in agriculture, usually caused by heavy machinery being moved around on inadequately sized wheels. The usual solution to this problem is aeration of the soil by ploughing or cultivating the compacted soil using tractor drawn implements. The conventional way is to tow the implement behind or push it in front of the tractor, using the traction of the tractor tyres to provide forward propulsion. Compaction maybe prevented by spreading the weight of the machine over a bigger surface area.

An aim of the present invention is to provide an implement to reduce soil compaction.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a soil compaction reducing implement which comprises a metal framework, drive rollers, ground engaging rollers, steering means, tractor mounting means, transporting means, means for attaching a second implement and means for releasably securing the tractor to the implement wherein, in use the tractor is driven up a mounting ramp onto said frame into a position where the drive wheels are engaged with said drive rollers On engaging a forward gear, the said drive rollers are rotated by the driven tractor wheels, which in turn drive the said ground engaging rollers, whereby propelling the whole unit forward.

Preferably, the implement may further comprise steering means, whereby the front section of the said implement is divided into two or more bogies, which can be turned around a pivot point. The two said bogies are attached to said framework (chassis) at this point. The said bogies may be turned by the action of the front wheels of the tractor or by hydraulic or any other mechanical means. Four wheel drive tractors may be used to provide drive to the rollers of the front bogies. The implement may also be constructed in two longitudinal halves, which allows only one side half to be driven at a given time allowing the implement to turn in this manner.

The present invention may also include means for attaching any other implements, e. g. seed drills, harvesting equipment etc., at any suitable point. i. e. front, midway or rear, said implements maybe controlled from the tractor. Implements may also be towed behind the present invention, and they in turn may also be fitted with a form of the present invention such as their own, powered or unpowered rollers. Such implements as mentioned above may take power from the tractor in any form, e. g. power take off shaft, hydraulic etc., In an alternative embodiment of the present invention the ground engaging rollers may be driven by any other mechanical or hydraulic means. Power for this drive system may be conveniently taken from the tractor e. g. P. T. O. shaft. The ground engaging rollers may have their rotation linked by the use of a system of chains and sprockets or by any other mechanical or hydraulic system. The ground engaging rollers may take their drive directly from the driven wheels of the tractor which may be fitted with specially modified wheels, or additions to the tractors existing wheels. Drive for the ground engaging rollers or the drive rollers may be taken from the tractor wheels by friction contact or by any mechanical means such as drive shafts or drive chains which can be attached to the wheels in any known way.

Preferably, the present invention may further comprise means for releasably securing the tractor to the implement chassis. This may take the form of a front and rear attachment. The attachment points may make use of the hydraulic lift arms front and rear or of the hydraulic pick up hitch of the tractor. Conveniently the lifting action of said hydraulic attachment points could be used to place downward pressure on the drive wheels of the tractor, thus providing extra grip onto said drive rollers of the present invention.

The present invention may further comprise means for road legal transportation wherein there is provided a central fold down draw-bar and hydraulically lowered wheels. Means may also be provided to drive said tractor onto said implement. This may take the form of a ramp and metal track like structure.

The implement may be used with small (horticultural) tractors or with larger, higher horse power tractors. When used with large tractors it may be necessary to make an implement which is wider than permitted public road limits. Hence the extra width required may conveniently be provided by the use of"outriggers" (separate sets of rollers running down each side of the main unit) which maybe folded by hydraulic means to fit within the permitted limits. Said hydraulic folding means may conveniently be used to place pressure on said outriggers, thus spreading the weight of the tractor evenly across the whole width of the implement. Said outriggers may be driven in any of the ways mentioned above. The chassis of the present invention may be of a telescopic design, in regard to length, to allow a variety of tractor sizes to be accommodated by each size of implement.

Preferably, cultivating means may be in the form of rotary cylinders, but can take other forms, such as tines, rollers, packers, pneumatic tyres, plough shares, rings furrow presses or any other known form. These various systems may be interchangeable to suit varying soil types and conditions as well as different functions.

Conveniently, said drive and soil engaging rollers may be of metal construction or be wholly or partly made from metals, plastics, rubbers, composite materials, ceramics or any other known suitable material.

It is envisaged that the present invention may be used for a variety of jobs, such as in field transportation, crop harvesting, cultivation, spraying, rolling etc.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side view of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a simplified top view of figure 1.

Referring to figure 1 in the first instance, the chassis according to an embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the numeral 9. The ground engaging rollers 8 are attached via rotational bearings to said chassis. The chassis also forms the mounting frame for the drive rollers 7, draw-bar 1, cultivating tines 5, transport wheels 10, bogy pivot point 6 and transfer gearbox 16.

Ground levels are indicated by 11 when using solid rollers or full width gangs of tyres etc. and 12 when using cultivation type rollers.

The drive system comprises, tractor drive wheels 3, front and rear or just rear, which drive the drive rollers 7, which in turn engage with ground engaging rollers 8, whose rotation thus provides the implement and tractor combination with forward motion.

In this embodiment, the tractors front wheels 3, are used to control the steering of said implement by turning the independent bogies 4, around their respective pivot points 6.

Attachment of the tractor to the implement is made via front link arms 2, being, in this example, attached to uplifted draw bar 1, and by rear lift arms 14 or hydraulically lifted hitch 13, being attached to said chassis.

Additional implements which may be attached at any point are demonstrated in this example, at the rear, as a seed drill 17. Power for such implements may be provided by the tractor via a P. T. O. shaft 15 and may be passed through a transfer gearbox 16 to accommodated the difference in height between the normal attachment of the seed drill onto the tractor and the height when attached to said implement.

Cultivation tines 5 are shown in only two of the many different forms available and may be interchanged to suit applications and conditions.

Transport wheels 10 are shown in raised position. They may be raised or lowered using power from the tractor. In lowered position they will raise the rear of the machine off the ground and when used in conjunction with the folded down draw bar 1 can be used to transport the machine from field to field on public roads.

With particular reference to figure 2, a simplified top view of figure 1, shaded areas 3 denote the tractor wheels. The front wheels being shown turned to the right thus turning the two independent bogies 4 around their pivot point 6. Additional vertically positioned rollers may be provided, not shown, which would follow the side walls of the tyres to assist in turning the bogies.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A soil compaction reducing implement which consists of a chassis, a path along which a tractor can be mounted and soil engaging rollers, wherein in use the tractor wheels are rotated thereby driving said rollers and propelling the whole unit forward.
2. A implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said implement further comprises steering means.
3 An implement as claimed in claim 1 and 2 wherein said implement further comprises drive rollers.
4. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said ground engaging rollers are of a design which enables cultivation of the soil to take place
5. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein provision is made for attaching other implements.
6. An implement as claimed in claims 1 to 5 wherein all types of cultivation means and ground engaging rollers are interchangeable.
7. An implement as claimed in claims 1 to 2 and 4 to 6 wherein the drive for the ground engaging rollers can be taken from other means such as a P. T. O. shaft or hydraulic or any other known means.
8. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the ground engaging rollers rotation may be linked by any known means.
9. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the tractor can be releasably secured.
10. An implement as claimed in claims 1 to 9 wherein the said securing means can be made by the tractors own hydraulic lift arms or hitch.
11. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 and 8 to 10 wherein the said securing means can be used to provide downward pressure on to the drive wheels of the tractor.
12. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein retractable means are provided to increase the working width of said implement beyond the road legallimits.
13. An implement as claimed in claims 1 to 13 wherein transport means are provided.
14. An implement as claimed in claims 1 to 14 wherein ground engaging rollers may be of any known design.
15. An implement as claimed in claims 1 to 4 wherein towed implements may be fitted with roller assemblies.