GB2532782A

GB2532782A - Apparatus for use on agricultural machinery

Info

Publication number: GB2532782A
Application number: GB1421165.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Norman Cousins John
Original assignee: COUSINS OF EMNETH Ltd
Current assignee: COUSINS OF EMNETH Ltd
Priority date: 2014-11-28
Filing date: 2014-11-28
Publication date: 2016-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 2034-11-28
Also published as: GB2532782B; GB201421165D0

Abstract

Apparatus 10 for use on agricultural machinery comprises a mounting plate 12, one or more fixing holes 14 located at one end of the mounting plate 12, a first socket 16 located at an opposite end of the mounting plate 12, and a second socket 18 also located at the opposite end of the mounting plate 12, and substantially parallel to the first socket 16. A first agricultural element 20 can be located in the first socket 16 and a second agricultural element 22 can be located in the second socket 18, where the second agricultural element 22 is longer than the first agricultural element 20. Either or both of the sockets may comprise variable height fixing holes. Also disclosed is a method of using the afore mentioned apparatus.

Description

DESCRIPTION

APPARATUS FOR USE

ON AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY

This invention relates to apparatus for use on agricultural machinery and to a method of using the apparatus.

In agriculture, a wide range of different machinery is used for tasks such to as sowing seeds and clearing weeds from fields. It is common for farmers to use a tractor in their fields, with some specific machinery being towed behind the tractor, which is specifically designed for the task in hand. Tasks such as cultivating, tilling, rolling and seed drilling are all typically carried out by specially designed agricultural machines that are towed by tractors. The farmer will select the appropriate machinery for their current task, attach this to their tractor and then cover their field(s), dragging the specific machinery behind the tractor.

A task such as seed drilling, in which seeds are introduced into the soil in a field, is a highly specialised task, with the appropriate machinery and configuration of the machinery chosen to reflect the type of seed, the type of soil, previous preparation of the soil, water levels in the soil, current weather and so on. Most agricultural machinery that is towed by tractors will have flexibility in relation to the specific task, so that in the case of seed drilling for example, the specific tine used can be changed and the type of seed drill can be changed to reflect the seed used and current soil conditions. The economics of farming are such that continuous improvement in such machinery is desirable to increase farm yields per available land.

It is therefore an object of the invention to improve upon the known art.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for use on agricultural machinery comprising a mounting plate, one or more fixing holes located at one end of the mounting plate, a first socket located at an opposite end of the mounting plate, and a second socket also located at the opposite end of the mounting plate, and substantially parallel to the first socket.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using an apparatus suitable for use on agricultural machinery, the method comprising the steps of receiving the apparatus comprising a mounting plate, one or more fixing holes located at one end of the mounting plate, a first socket located at an opposite end of the mounting plate, and a second socket also located at the opposite end of the mounting plate, and substantially to parallel to the first socket, connecting a first agricultural element in the first socket, connecting a second agricultural element in the second socket, and connecting the mounting plate to a bracket via the one or more fixing holes. Owing to the invention, it is possible to provide apparatus that can be used on agricultural machinery that can carry two agricultural elements such as tines, but can be fitted to a bracket that is designed to carry a single agricultural element. This provides farmers with apparatus that can be used to carry two tines at different heights (for example) which can be retro-fitted to existing brackets on existing agricultural machinery. This allows farmers to increase the flexibility of their existing equipment and also allows new equipment to be used in a wider variety of different ways.

Preferably the mounting plate comprises a substantially flat, L-shaped, single piece of metal. The mounting plate of the apparatus is preferably manufactured from a single piece of metal that is substantially flat. This ensures that the mounting plate is relatively easy to manufacture and can be made to a simple straightforward design. The L-shape of the mounting plate supports a shorter edge at the end of the mounting plate where the fixing holes are located (which will be the top of the mounting plate in use) and a longer edge at the end of the mounting plate where the sockets are located (which will be the bottom of the mounting plate in use). This shape provides the best 30 functional arrangement of the different components of the apparatus. Advantageously, the apparatus comprises two fixing holes arranged in a line substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the mounting plate. The fixing holes are so located that they will be essentially vertical once the apparatus is in use, and this provides the best arrangement of the fixing holes for connection to existing brackets on agricultural machinery.

Ideally, the first socket and the second socket terminate at an edge of the mounting plate and the first socket and the second socket are less than 30cm apart. With a first agricultural element (such as a tine) in the first socket and a second agricultural element (such as an identical or different tine) in the second socket, with the second agricultural element preferably being longer than the first agricultural element, then a useful arrangement can be achieved io using the apparatus. The two sockets can effectively be in line, so that the elements carried in the sockets will be drawn along the same line, when the machinery is being towed by a tractor.

Advantageously, the second socket comprises variable height fixing holes. At least one of the two sockets can be provided with means to allow the easy adjustment of the height of the agricultural element that is being mounted in the respective socket. This means that a second tine, for example, can have its height easily adjusted using functionality provided by the apparatus, without a farmer needing to own a wide variety of different tines. Other types of variable height fixing are possible. For example, the socket could be provided with a longitudinal slot that allows the agricultural element to be positioned exactly as desired by the farmer.

The invention preferably provides a method for mounting two or more tines or other ground engaging elements using one stem and mounting point on a toolbar or frame. This design enables tines to be fitted simply into an existing single bracket or single toolbar rather than two separate toolbars/brackets/mounting points being required. It is therefore an improvement allowing simplification of construction and manufacture, reducing space required in frame and improving handling of the machine. The new stem design could be fitted into existing machines/brackets/toolbars. It is possible to adjust the tines relative to each other for depth, as well as adjusting the whole unit relative to the frame. Different mounting elements wings/points/discs could be fitted. Using a shallow tine ahead of a deeper tine provides a decrease in draft force. A shallow tine can be used to create a required fine shallow tilth for drilling e.g. rape seed or sugar beet, in combination with a deeper tine to give a deeper loosening action.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a side view of apparatus for use on agricultural machinery, Figure 2 is a further side view of the apparatus with tines attached, Figure 3 is a further side view of the apparatus attached to agricultural machinery, and Figure 4 is a top plan view of an agricultural machine.

Figure 1 shows a side view of the apparatus 10, which is for use on agricultural machinery. The apparatus 10 comprises a mounting plate 12, two fixing holes 14 located at one end of the mounting plate 12, a first socket 16 located at an opposite end of the mounting plate 12 and a second socket 18 which is also located at the opposite end of the mounting plate 12 and is substantially parallel to the first socket 16. The mounting plate 12 is a substantially flat, L-shaped, single piece of metal. The mounting plate 12 of the apparatus 10 is manufactured from a single piece of metal that is substantially flat.

The two fixing holes 14 are arranged in a line which is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the mounting plate 12. The fixing holes 14 are located in this way so that they will essentially be vertical once the apparatus 10 is in use, and this provides a suitable arrangement of the fixing holes 14 when considering the issue of connection of the apparatus 10 to existing brackets on agricultural machinery. The apparatus 10 is designed to be retrofitted to existing agricultural machinery such as machinery that are towed behind tractors in fields. Existing machinery can be re-used without the need for any expensive adaption of the machinery.

The first socket 16 and the second socket 18 terminate at an edge of the mounting plate 12 and the first socket 16 and the second socket 18 are less than 30cm apart. The second socket 18 comprises variable height fixing holes 26. The two sockets 16 and 18 are in line, one behind the other, so that any agricultural elements (such as tines) carried in the sockets 16 and 18 will be drawn along the same line, when the machinery to which the apparatus 10 is fixed is being towed by a tractor. The second socket 18 is provided with means to allow the easy adjustment of the height of the agricultural element that is being mounted in the socket 18.

Figure 2 shows the apparatus 10 further comprising a first agricultural element 20 in the first socket 16 and a second agricultural element 22 in the io second socket 18, where the second agricultural element 22 is longer than the first agricultural element 20. The agricultural elements 20 and 22 are tines for use in preparation of soil for seed drilling operations, which will be dragged behind a tractor by a farmer in the farmer's field(s). The actual seed drilling operation may or may not be performed in combination with the preparation of the soil. The main advantage of the apparatus 10 is that two different agricultural elements 20 and 22 can be mounted by the mounting plate 12, shown here with two different tines 20 and 22 that will till the soil at different depths.

As mentioned above, the second socket 18 has variable height fixing holes 26, which support the easy adjustment of the height of the tine 22 that is being mounted in the socket 18. This increases the flexibility of the apparatus 10 with respect to the ability to use the tine 22 (or other agricultural element in the socket 18) in different positions relative to the first tine 20. Other types of variable height fixing are possible. For example, the socket 18 could be provided with a longitudinal slot that allows the tine 22 to be positioned exactly as desired by the farmer fitting the tine 22 in position in the socket 18.

The proximity of the two sockets 16 and 18 is important, as they need to be close enough together to be effective in the actual working of the tines 20 and 22 fitted into the respective sockets 16 and 18, without being too close together. A maximum distance apart, for good working properties, is probably 30cm. This ensures that the tines 20 and 22 can work the soil effectively, as they are being towed behind a tractor, while fixed to the mounting plate 12.

Although Figure 2 shows tines 20 and 22 located in the sockets 16 and 18, any suitable agricultural element can be fitted into the sockets 16 and 18, depending upon the current task that the farmer is undertaking.

Figure 3 shows the apparatus 10 after it has been fixed to a bracket 24.

The apparatus 10 is fixed in position with a solid bolt 26 through the top-most fixing hole 14 and a sheer bolt 28 through the lower fixing hole 14. The use of the two different types of bolt ensures that the apparatus 10 will not be damaged if one or both of the tines 20 and 22 becomes overloaded during use, as the lower shear bolt 28 will fracture, allowing the apparatus 10 to rotate io around the solid bolt 26. This provides protection for the mounting plate 12 and the other parts of the agricultural machinery, which might otherwise be damaged.

The apparatus 10 that is shown in this Figure has the two tines 20 and 22 attached, as in Figure 2. The farmer using the apparatus 10 will connect whatever agricultural elements are appropriate for the current task. In this example, the soil level 30 is shown, as is a seed delivery tube 32. The configuration shown in Figure 3 is for seed drilling of, for example, maize. The lead tine 20 creates the seedbed for the seeds delivered via the tube 32 and the second tine 22, which is set at a lower level, disturbs the subsoil and creates room for the roots of the plant being sowed to flourish.

The bracket 24 is a conventional component on a horizontal tool bar of an agricultural machine. There may be a single tool bar or multiple tool bars in parallel, each of which are at an angle (which may be perpendicular) to the direction of travel of the tractor that is towing the machinery. Each tool bar carries multiple brackets 24 that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the tool bar carrying the brackets 24. The apparatus 10 is designed to be retrofitted to existing brackets 24 in order that two agricultural elements (here tines 20 and 22) can be used in tandem, without the need to adapt the bracket 24 or the tool bar carrying the brackets 24.

Figure 4 shows a top plan view of an agricultural machine 34, which is being towed behind a tractor 36. The arrow 38 indicates the direction of travel of the tractor 36. The tractor 36 will traverse a field, with the machinery 34 carrying out the desired task on the field, such as seed drilling and/or preparation of the soil. The machinery 34 include a single tool bar 40, on which is fixed eight of the apparatus 10, via individual brackets 24. Using the configuration of Figure 3, the two tines 20 and 22 on each apparatus 10 will create a seedbed into which the seeds will be sowed as the machinery 34 is moved forward.

The flexibility delivered by the apparatus 10 is such that the two tines 20 and 22 can be carried in line to serve the same seedbed, without the need to adapt the tool bar 40 of the machinery 34. This provides farmers with far more to options in relation to the working of their fields, without the need to acquire and use different machinery, other than the apparatus 10, which has the mounting plate 12 fastened to the tool bar 40 at one end, while at the lower end of the mounting plate 12, the two sockets 16 and 18 provide the fixing for the two tines 20 and 22 (or whatever implements are desired to be used).

The apparatus 10 can be used on the agricultural machinery 34 and can carry two agricultural elements 20 and 22 (such as the tines), but can be fitted to the bracket 24 that is designed to carry a single agricultural element, without that bracket 24 being adapted in any way. This provides farmers with apparatus 10 that can be used to carry the two tines 20 and 22 at different heights (for example) and can be retro-fitted to existing brackets 24 on existing agricultural machinery 34. This allows farmers to increase the flexibility of their existing equipment and also allows new equipment to be used in a wider variety of different ways.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus (10) for use on agricultural machinery comprising: * a mounting plate (12), * one or more fixing holes (14) located at one end of the mounting plate (12), * a first socket (16) located at an opposite end of the mounting plate (12), and * a second socket (18) also located at the opposite end of the mounting plate (12), and substantially parallel to the first socket (16).
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plate (12) comprises a substantially flat, L-shaped, single piece of metal.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the apparatus comprises two fixing holes (14) arranged in a line substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the mounting plate (12).
4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first socket (16) and the second socket (18) terminate at an edge of the mounting plate (12).
5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the first socket (16) and the second socket (18) are less than 30cm apart.
6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, and further comprising a first agricultural element (20) in the first socket (16) and a second agricultural element (22) in the second socket (18), wherein the second agricultural element (22) is longer than the first agricultural element (20).
7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the first socket (16) and/or the second socket (18) comprises variable height fixing holes (26).
8. A method of using an apparatus (10) suitable for use on agricultural machinery, the method comprising the steps of: * receiving the apparatus comprising a mounting plate (12), one or more fixing holes (14) located at one end of the mounting plate (12), a first socket (16) located at an opposite end of the o mounting plate (12), and a second socket (18) also located at the opposite end of the mounting plate (12), and substantially parallel to the first socket (16), * connecting a first agricultural element (20) in the first socket (16), * connecting a second agricultural element (22) in the second socket (18), and * connecting the mounting plate (12) to a bracket (24) via the one or more fixing holes (14).
9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the mounting plate (12) comprises a substantially flat, L-shaped, single piece of metal.
10. A method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the apparatus comprises two fixing holes (14) arranged in a line substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the mounting plate (12).
11. A method according to claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the first socket (16) and the second socket (18) terminate at an edge of the mounting plate (12).
12. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the first socket (16) and the second socket (18) are less than 30cm apart.
13. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the second agricultural element (22) is longer than the first agricultural element (20).
14. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein first socket (16) and/or the the second socket (18) comprises variable height fixing holes (26).