GB2448308A

GB2448308A - Agricultural soil working and planting machine

Info

Publication number: GB2448308A
Application number: GB0705582A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Edward Dale
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-03-23
Filing date: 2007-03-23
Publication date: 2008-10-15
Also published as: GB0705582D0

Abstract

An apparatus for sowing, planting of crops or cultivating the soil is described. Multiple arrays of elements 3 can be positioned relative to a soil surface by controlling means 13. Each individual array of soil working elements employs a single pivot or a pivot block 6 the pivot block 6 allows controlled rotation about the lateral axis, which initiates a rotation about the longitudinal axis. This, through a line of wheels or other controlling means, adjusts and maintains soil working elements at a constant depth and parallel to the surface in the longitudinal and lateral planes. The unit may employ wheels 4 as the depth controlling means and these perform the triple function of constraining depth, firming the soil in a precise location and drawing surface residues away from one side of adjacent tines 3 by pinning them briefly to the ground. A single adjusting means 13 can be used for each array of elements, which may be tines 3, discs or other soil working components and with any number of wheels or other controlling means acting as the pivot point.

Description

I

Title: Agricultural soil working and planting machine

Background

In agjicuhure it is often necessary to use a mechanism that constrains the depth to which soil working elements penetrate below the soil surface while dealing with crop residues on the surface. These aspects are important for a variety of reasons most of which are associated with improving the efficiency of production methods.

Where working elements are being used to repair or re-structure the soil, it is essential that they work to the correct depth and that this depth is constrained. This ensures that only the required profile is disturbed and that excessive energy is not expended in the repair process due to deeper than necessary working. Precise depth control is also needed when the soil working elements are providing an environment into which seeds or plants are placed. This aspect is particularly important for small seeds such as giasses and brassicas whose energy supplies limit the depth from which they can successfully emerge.

With traditional methods it is expensive if individual soil working elements are provided with their own depth control, and with wide machines, it is also time consuming if each unit has to be adjusted separately. However, where wheels are used as the control method they also have the function of firming the soil around the seed or plant, conserving moisture and breaking surface aggregates. It is also the case that if the soil engaging elements are mounted in wide banks with a common depth control unit or units, the depth of individual elements can vary significantly due to surface undulation.

An equally important aspect for these machines is dealing with surface residues. Where tines are used for tillage or as soil openers for seeds, residues are ninsaged by ensuring a large gap between adjacent elements. This large gap usually allows residues to flow between the tines without interruption, but in moist conditions where you are likely to encounter sticky soils, great bundles of material can build up in front of an individual tine and even bridge the gap between adjacent tines. Currently, fur crops grown in closely spaced rows, the machines that are available create the large gap between adjacent elements by having many banks or tiers of elements one behind the other to create the overall close spacing They are therefore long from front to back and generally of a very bulky nature. The other main method of dealing with residues is to cut through them with soil driven discs that may be straight or angled to the direction of travel. When using this method for sowing seeds, a straight or "in line" disc may be followed by a further pair of discs that touch each other where they first engage with the soil surface but are angled apart towards the rear. This design opens up a vee-shaped channel in the soil into which seeds can be dropped. An angled disc on the other hand creates a furrow in the soil and seeds are dropped into this by fbeding them directly down the back of the disc in the "shadow" of the soil flow. However, whenever discs are used to deal with residues they are prone to the problem of"hairpinning'. This is when residues are not cut cleanly by the discs and are drawn down into the soil and left in a vee-shape in the channel or furrow. If seeds are being sown, this invariably means that they are left in direct contact with residues rather than soil and germination can be seriously impaired due to a lack of moisture or to bacterial or fungal growth.

In the patent published by Guttler (1990), an attempt was made to overcome the problem of residues wrapping themselves around the front of coulters (tines) by placing the coulteis between two adjacent closely spaced roller elements. This design suffers from the fact that in moist sticky soils with high volumes of residue, the mix of residues and soil quickly become lodged between the roller elements. Equally, if long, tough and stringy residues become wrapped around the coulters, they tend to get pulled from both sides and they either remain in place or break still leaving some material on the coulter.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a more reliable method of disturbing the soil and/or sowing seeds or planting plants, particularly in the presence of surfiice residues.

Statement of invention

The invention is a longitudinally compact apparatus having multiple arrays of elements that can be positioned precisely relative to a soil surface while perfonmng the functions of soil disturbance, sowing seeds or planting plants, soil firming and surface residue management Combining all these functions into a machine that is short in working length is a considerable asset in terms of manoeuvrability, cost and weight With existing designs on the market; an increase in working width results in an increase in the length of such machines, whereas the present invention has the great benefit that there is no resulting increase in its length to take account of working width. Additional width can easily be accommodated in this invention by simply adding further arrays or sets of elements at any point across the apparatus.

More particularly, according to the present invention, the elements are tines mounted in a line that is at an angle of less than ninety degrees to their direction of travel and their controlling means are wheels in a line parallel to the elements, all of which are brought together in an array.

Jn the present invention the line of the wheels is to the rear of the tines in the direction of travel and spaced apart from the tines such that material lying on the surface and wrapping itself around the tines is drawn off the latter by being pinned between the surface and the wheels. Although the latter aspect has some similarities to that patented by Güttler (1990), there is a distinction between them as the present invention uses precise positioning of wheel to pull residues away from the tine, while a second wheel finns the soil loosened by the tine and both perlbrm the function of depth controL.

A further novelty is that a single adjusting means is used to position each array of tines or elements relative to the surface while ensuring that the elements remain paralLel to the surface both laterally and longitudinally and in the same positions relative to the tines.

This is important to maintain a constant working depth for all elements and to perform the functions described above. Additionally and crucially, these features create a design that is compact in length regardless of working width.

Depth control by the single adjusting means, on each of what may be numerous individual sets or arrays of elements and wheels, is achieved by two pivots, one axis of which lies longitudinally and the other laterally, relative to the travel direction.

An important aspect of the invention is that although all but the trailing wheels on each array of the present embodiment individually perform the functions of residue pinning, depth control and finning, they also act in pairs.

Residues on the leading tine of each array are managed according to existing principles, namely by having considerable lateral clearance between adjacent elements and also by allowing material to flow freely up the tine without encumbrance.

In one embodiment of the invention, the elements are a plurality of soil disturbing tines behind which seeds are introduced. Typically, the predominantly vertical tines will be evenly spaced apart longitudinally by a distance and similarly evenly spaced apart laterally, the relative distances being chosen for the particular function.

The controlling means, in this example wheels with tyres, will be similarly spaced but additionally all set rearward by a disiance from the tines. In this einbodiment four of the tines and four of the wheels will be constructed as a unit or array with a single adjusting means that alters the depth of all the tines simultaneously.

Additionally, these arrays can be àombined in multiples on a frame that itself has an adjusting means allowing all the attachment points of the anays.to be positioned simultaneously and vertically relative to the soil surface and if necessary at different angles of inclination.

The said frame may be attached to the three-point linkage of a tractor or may have its own wheels or supporting means and be trailed from the towing hook of a tractor.

When sowing or planting, a hopper means containing seeds or plants can be introduced.

The hopper means may be carried centrally on the frame and seeds or plants may be conveyed by gravity or by force to the individual tines or soil opening means.

Alternatively, several hoppers may be introduced that convey seeds or plants in the said manner. These hoppers may supply individual tines or openers or one hopper may supply each said army.

The method and apparatus of the invention may be used on previously cultivated soils, with or without residues on the surlkcn, or on land that has been Lmdistuthed.

In essence, the invention has four principal aspects all of which are combined into arrays which may themselves be combined on a frame: 1. A pivot block having longitudinal and lateral axes.

2. An adjusting means that alters the angle of the pivot block around the lateral axis, which in turn causes rotation of an array around the longitudinal axis.

3. A line of elements at an angle of less than ninety degrees to their direction of travel whose position relative to a surface is altered by the adjusting means.

4. A line of controlling means parallel to the line of elements but oflet from it by a distance and around which the elements rotate.

The pivot block in a preferred embodiment has a longitudinal axis that is longer than the lateral axis with the lateral axis being situated just above the longitudinal axis.

The pivot block in other embodiments may have relatively longer and shorter Longitudinal and lateral axes that could be either above or below each other. Equally, the pivot block may have only one axis that is parallel to the line of controlling means and whose rotation is controlled by an adjusting means at right angles to this axis.

The adjusting means may have threaded rods that screw into a barrel which can be turned by means of flat surfaces or a bar located through a hole in its centre. Turning the barrel in one or other direction has the effect of changing the distance between two points but this could equally be achieved with a hydraulic or air cylinder operated remotely.

Introduction to drawings

The mechanism will now be described more precisely by way of example and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a set of elements (tines) and controlling means (wheels) of the present invention.

Figures 2 and 3 show side and rear elevations of the particular embodiment and the position of the pivot block and its axes.

Figure 41s a view along the tine rotation axis and shows by example, the effect of shortening the adjusting means.

Detailed description

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show detailed plan, side and rear views of one embodiment of the present invention. In concise terms, the invention includes a fimework 1 in Figures 1,2 and 3 made from 50 mm square rolled hollow section steel members welded together and to which supports 2 of flat steel plate are welded. Supports 2 provide for the rigid addition of tines 3 in a predominantly vertical alignment and in a plane at right angles to that of the frame. Further steel plates 4 are attached in a similar plane to tines 3 in this embodiment and allow wheels 5 to be rigidly attached to their lower end. (For clarity, not all of the wheels of this embodiment have been shown in these figures). The tines 3 and wheels S in this example have a particular and relative alignment with each other, such that the wheels firm the soil loosened by the tine in front of them while also being positioned to interact with the nearest tine laterally, as indicated in Figure 1 by tine A, tine B and wheel A. The wheels S perform three functions, namely, pinning residues that become wrapped around the nearest adjacent tine (tine B in Figure 1), finning the soil behind the tine in front (tine A in Figure 1) and providing a means of maintaining the tines 3 in this example, at a constant height in relation to a soil surface. Although in this embodiment there are a bank of four tines and four wheels, another embodiment could be any number of tines and wheels.

Also shown in Figure 1 is the fact that the wheels and tines lie on parallel axes. In this example these are separated by a distance that allows a particular range of adjustment of the tines in relation to a soil surface as will become clear from the next sections and Figure 4.

Also attached to framework! in the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 is a swivel block arrangement 6 supported through an h-section member 7 and parallel arms S to a

S

vertical head 9 which may be clamped or bolted to a further framework 10, which in this embodiment is a 140 mm square rolled hollow section flibe that forms part of the whole apparatus. The framework *0 may have ha own wheels to allow the present embodiment to be moved in the general direction of right to left (forwards) in Figure 2. Alternatively, framework 10 may be directly supported on the linkage of a tractor WhiCh allows it to be raised and lowered. Hydraulic mm 14 allows the framework 1 and its related components to be raised and lowoted ordepeidendy of the vatual head 9.

Framework 1 shown in Figures 1,2 and 3 of this embodiment has a longitudinal pivoting axis 11 vunningthrough pivot block6, which itself pivo t axis 12 inaplaneat right angles to axis 11. Rotation of the swivel block 6 around axis 1210 this embodiment is accomplished by lengthening or shortening turnbucklc 13. The outcome of shortening twnbucklc 13 is shown in Figure 4. In emcee., as the swivel block 6 Mates around axis 12, it also rotates around axis 11, the effect of which is to rotate the whole of framework 1 around the wheel or line of wheels along the tine rotation axis shown in Figure 1. The outcome in this embodiment is a change in operating depth of all the tines mounted on framework 1 as exampled in Figure 4 where depth has changed from 49 to 73 mm. / (a

Claims

Claims I claim: 1. A unit or array of units consistrng of single or

multiple elemwts and controlling means that may interactively perfonu the fimcticns of depth control, soil Loosening, soil finning and surce residue management
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 that introduces seeds or plants to the soil.
3. Adjusting means by which the position of the said elements in claims I and 2 can be adjusted precisely and simultaneously relative to a sutthce.
4. A means by which single elements in claims I and 2 can be positioned independently relative to a surfhce.
5. A plurality of controlling means about which the said elements in claims land 2 pivot and which are held in position relative to a surface.
6. A plurality ofcontzollingflleafls inclaim 5 thatmaybeparalletoratan angleto the said plurality of elements in claims 1 and 2.
7. An apparatus consisting of multiple rigidly or flexibly connected side by side units according to claims 1 and 2.
8. An adjusting means in claim 3 that operates through t separate pivots in a pivot block.
9. An adjusting means in claim 3 that operates through a single pivot that is parallel to the line of controlling means.
10. A single adjusting means that alters the angle of a member around a lateral pivot by changing the distance between a fixed point on a supporting frame and one end of the said pivot
11. A single adjusting means that alters the angle of a member around a longitudinal pivot by changing the distance between a fixed point on a supporting frame and one end of the said pivot
12. A preferred embodiment in which one of the axes of the two said pivots in claim 8 direction of travel. /
13. The said pivot block in claimS in a preferred embodiment has a longitudinal pivot that is longer than the lateral pivot with the lateral pivot being situated just above the longitudinal pivot
14. In another embodiment the lateral pivot in claim S may be longer than the longitudinal pivot and may be above or below the longitudinal pivot.
15. Positioning of a single or a plurality of controlling means as in claim S such that they interact with the working elements in claims I and 2.
16. A single adjusting means acting through the said pivots in claim 8 that alters the relative position of the plurality of elements in claims I and 2 in relation to a surface, but maintains their position relative to the controlling means.
17. A single adjusting means acting through the said pivots in claim 8 that alters the relative position of the plurality of elements in claims I and 2 in relation to a surface but ensures that the elements remain essentially parallel to the surface in all planes.
18. The single adjusting means in claim 10 may have threaded rods that screw into a barrel which can be turned by means of flat surfaces or a bar located through a hole in its centre to change the distance between two points.
19. In another embodiment, the said adjusting means in claim 10 may involve a hydraulic or air cylinder operated remotely that has the effect of changing the distance between two points.
20. Positioning of the controlling means such that they press on the surface at a precise location relative to the preceding and adjacent elements.
21. In a preferred embodiment, each of the controlling means press the surface immediately behind each of the elements, but this could be to one or other or both sides of the elements in a rearward position.
22. In other embodiments, the controlling means may lie generally in front of the elements.
23. In a farther prefrred embodiment, each of the controlling means in claim 20 is positioned adjacent to a neighbouring element in such a way that when travelling forward it pulls material off one side of the element by momentarily pinning it to the surface.
24. While pinning residues as in claim 23, the controlling means also maintain the elements in a fixed position relative to the surface and finns that surface relative to preceding elements.
25. Preferentially the elements are soil-engaging tines and the controlling means are wheels.
26. In another embodiment the elements may be soil-engaging discs or rotors used in conjunction with wheels or rolls that pack the soil down.
27. According to claim 25, the said tines are vertical and their top ends are free of any encumbrance such that crop residues may flow up them as well as being drawn ofT them from one side.
28. According to claim 25, the said wheels may be solid or have pneumatic tyres or flexible material around their peripheiy.
29. According to claim 25, the controlling means may be skids.
30. In a preferred embodiment, the tines and wheels will be spaced at a common and fixed distance apart associated with the particular crop being sown or planted or the tilfage effect required.
31. In a fluther preferred embodiment, the tines or discs have tubes attached to the back of them and seeds, markeis or other objects are blown or dropped ihmugh these onto or into the soil.
32. In another embodiment, the tines or discs may simply have seeds, markers or other objects scattered behind them.
33. The common angle of the lines of elements and controlling means may range from close to zero to close to one hundred and eighty degiees to the direction of travel.
34. In a further embodiment, the fixed distances in claim 30 will be variable or one Will be variable and the other one fixed.
35. An apparatus according to claims I and 2 that can be used in cultivated or non-cultivated soils with or without residues on the surface.
36. An apparatus according to claims I and 2 that can have road wheels removably or pivotally attached for road transport that allows it to be towed endways.
37. An apparatus consisting of multiple rigidly or flexibly connected side by side units according to claims 1 and 2 spaced apart laterally so that the individual spacing in claim 30 is maintained between all arrays.