GB2533945A

GB2533945A - A Consolidator

Info

Publication number: GB2533945A
Application number: GB1500223.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Harvey Brock Arthur
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-01-08
Filing date: 2015-01-08
Publication date: 2016-07-13
Also published as: GB201500223D0

Abstract

A consolidator comprises a frame and a cylinder 20 rotatably mounted in the frame and arranged to roll along the ground. The cylinder comprises a central shaft 19 and a cylindrical array 52 of bars 51 connected to the shaft by a carrier 45. The bars are held by the carrier such that the bars are parallel to the shaft evenly spaced from the shaft and evenly spaced from each other. Each bar is attached to the carrier at a point remote from one end and wherein the cylindrical array of bars is open at one end. The cylinder may have multiple cylindrical arrays spaced apart from each other and also may comprise two such cylinders, one in front of the other, with the cylindrical arrays of each cylinder staggered relative to each other so as to permit all ground covered to be cross-consolidated on a single pass.

Description

A Consolidator The present invention relates to a consolidator for an agricultural implement, such as a cultivator, or which may be used as standalone implement that can be towed by or mounted to a tractor, or towed behind another agricultural implement.

When ground is cultivated by a plough, tines or discs, if a seed bed is to be prepared ready for drilling, some type of consolidation is normally required, to both provide a flat uniform seed bed and to provide a top layer of finely broken or crumbled soil, necessary for covering the seed, which occurs as part of the subsequent drilling operation.

Consolidation may be performed by rollers pulled by a tractor, which will leave the surface of the field with a plurality fine ridges which, in good conditions will be formed from finely crumbled soil.

As an alternative to performing consolidation as a separate operation, consolidation is commonly performed by employing an array of discs, sometimes known as a press, mounted to the rear of a cultivator, which for example may comprise a plurality of tines. One advantage of this method is that a separate pass need not be performed solely for the consolidation process. However, a disadvantage of such a consolidator process, using discs, is that the ridges in the soil left by the discs will run in the direction of travel, the same direction as the cultivation process takes place prior to the consolidation. Thus any non-uniformity in the soil surface, possibly due to tractor wheelings, or resulting from the cultivation process itself, may not be as dispersed by the consolidation process as well as it may have been if a cross consolidator had been used, where ridges are provided perpendicular to the direction of travel.

A further disadvantage may arise because, for various reason, subsequent passes over ground tend to be made in the same direction or opposite directions, thus ridges of tilth left by a disc consolidator will likely run in the same direction as the seed drill subsequently travels. Thus a single drill of a seed drill will gradually transverse from a ridge to a trough in the previously prepared tilth and thus subsequent covering of the drilled seed, as part of the drilling process, if likely to be less uniform than it would have been if the consolidation process had left the tilth ridged in a direction transverse to the direction of drilling.

In order to address the above problem, cross consolidators are sometimes used, which employ cages, not dissimilar to lawn mower cylinders but with parallel bars or tubes instead of helical blades. An advantage of this is that consolidation leaves ridges perpendicular to the direction of travel and thus any irregularities due to tractor wheelings, or as a result of the cultivation process, tend to be more greatly dispersed. Furthermore, if the subsequent drilling operation is performed in the same direction as the cultivation operation, the ridges of fine soil run perpendicular to the direction of drilling so that each individual drills is continually and rapidly passing through the ridges left by the consolidation process. This normally ensures the soil is evenly distributed and uniformly covers the drilled seed.

Although there are recognised advantages of cross consolidation, this is not widely used, for if a soil type and condition is not correct the cylindrical cages may fill with soil to an extent where it fills the gaps between adjacent bars and the consolidator effectively becomes a flat roller. To address this, it has been known to remove sections of the bars to provide a larger aperture in the cage, so that any clods forming within the cage might eventually be ejected from the cage, however this is not particularly effective.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved consolidator.

According to the present invention there is provided a consolidator comprising a frame and a cylinder rotatably mounted in the frame and arranged to, in use, roll along the ground, the cylinder comprising a central shaft, a cylindrical array of bars connected to the shaft by a carrier, the bars being fixed to the carrier such that the bars define the outer circumference of the cylinder, wherein each bar has two ends and is attached to the carrier at a point remote from one end and wherein the cylindrical array of bars is open at one end. The bars may be solid or could be hollow tubes and subsequent references to "bars" are to be interpreted accordingly, including in the claims. The bars are preferably parallel to the shaft, evenly spaced from the shaft and evenly spaced from each other.

With a consolidator in accordance with the present invention, the same advantages are achieved as with the previously described cross consolidators. However, the provision of an open ended cylindrical array of bars lets any soil passing into the cylindrical array of bars to swiftly escape, prior to it building up into large clods or accumulating until it clogs the bars.

Preferably the carrier is attached to the bars at a point remote from both ends of the cylindrical array of bars, whereby the cylindrical array of bars is open at both ends, so that in use any soil entering between adjacent bars may pass out of a respective open end of the cylindrical array of bars. Preferably the carrier is located midway along the cylindrical array of bars, minimising the distance any soil needs to travel to be released.

In one advantageous embodiment the bars each have a non-square rectangular cross-section and are mounted on the carrier so that each bar lies at an angle of between 30 and 50 degrees to the radius of the cylinder so that, in use, each bar comes into contact with the soil angled forwards in the direction of travel. The non-square, rectangular cross-section of the bars results in the bars contacting the soil edge on, wherein the bars will act as blades which may result in more reliable breaking up of hard clods of soil.

Furthermore, the angle of the bars acts to prevent the soil being wedged in between adjacent bars and either jamming in between the bars or being subsequently released and thrown up behind the consolidator.

Preferably the cylinder comprises a plurality of substantially identical cylindrical arrays of bar and respective carriers, on a common axis about which they rotate and each cylindrical array of bars is spaced apart from an adjacent cylindrical array of bars.

The provision of a plurality of cylindrical arrays of bars permits each cylindrical array of bars to be relatively short and thus less likely to be distorted, for example if passing over a rock. Also, the shorter each cylindrical array of bars may be relative to its internal diameter, the less likely it is that soil will build up within the cylindrical arrays of bars.

Preferably each cylindrical array of bars is spaced from an adjacent cylindrical array of bars by a distance no less than the radial distance between the shaft and the cylindrical array of bars. This ensures that any clods of soil that may be accommodated in the cylindrical array of bars may freely pass out of the gap between adjacent cylindrical arrays of bars.

The cylinder may be constructed by having a plurality of cylindrical array of bars mounted on a common shaft.

Where a cylinder comprises a plurality of spaced apart substantially identical cylindrical arrays of bars, the consolidator preferably has two or more similar cylinders, each located one behind the other in the direction of travel, wherein the cylindrical arrays of bars of one cylinder are staggered relative to those of the other cylinder or cylinders and wherein the cylindrical arrays of bars are dimensioned so that, in use, each cylinder consolidates the ground not consolidated by the one or more other cylinders.

The above configuration permits relatively large spacing between adjacent cylindrical arrays of bars of a cylinder, for the unworked soil between these will be worked by the one or more other cylinders. It will normally be necessary to have only one cylinder positioned in front one other cylinder.

The consolidator may comprise of two or more frames each frame having a front and rear cylinder each with multiple cylindrical arrays of bars, with those of the front cylinder staggered relative to those of the rear cylinder, wherein at least one of the frames is arranged to be folded relative to the other for transportation of the consolidator.

The consolidator may have a central portion and two side wings which, for transportation, are arranged to be folded up and supported by the central portion. The consolidator may be arranged to be mounted to a multi-point linkage on the rear of a towed agricultural implement, or could be directly attached at the three point linkage of a tractor.

In an alternative embodiment the consolidator may be arranged to be towed and comprise a frame having a draw bar at a front end thereof, wheels, a cylinder mounted forward of the wheels and a cylinder mounted behind the wheels. In this manner the wheels may be arranged to lift the consolidator for transportation.

In order to both increase the working width of the consolidator and ensure that it easily transported, the frame may have a central portion and two side wings which, for transportation, are arranged to be folded up and supported by the central portion, wherein each of the central portion and the two side wings each has a cylinder mounted forward of the wheels and a cylinder mounted behind the wheels.

With any consolidator in accordance with the present invention it is advantageous if the consolidator comprises a scraper associated with each open end of a cylindrical array of bars, each scraper being fixed to the frame and extending into the respective open end of the cylindrical array of bars. Such scrapers ensure that soil cannot build up within the cylindrical arrays of bars, for on each rotation of the cylindrical array of bars any soil entering the internal space within the cylindrical array of bars will be scraped from those bars, so it may then freely pass out of the open end of the cylindrical array of bars. To assist removal of the soil it is preferable that each scraper is angled.

One example of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying figures of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a consolidator in accordance with the present invention, shown mounted to the rear of an agricultural implement; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a central section of the consolidator of figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the central section of figure 2; Figure 4 is rear elevation of the central section illustrated in figures 2 and 3; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the central section illustrated in figures 2 to 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the rear cylinder of the central section of figures 2 to 5; Figure 7 is the perspective view of the second example of a consolidator in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, shown in a deployed, "in use", state; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the consolidator of figure 7 in a folded, "transport", state: and Figure 9 is an enlarged view of a section of the consolidator of figure 8.

Referring to figure 1, a consolidator 1, indicated generally as 1, comprises three sections 2, 3 and 4 and is attached to the rear of an agricultural implements.

The agricultural implements, also comprises three sections 6, 7 and 8. For transportation purposes a first side section 6 may be folder vertically inwards on a row of hinges 9 having a common axis, only the rear most hinge of which is shown in figure 1. Similarly the second side section 8 may be folder vertically inwards on a similar row of hinges 10, only the rear most one of which is shown in figure 1.

Each section of the consolidator 1 is pivotally suspended from the back of the implement by a respective two of the arms 11, which are themselves pivotally fixed to the back of the implement 5 and a respective one of the arms 12. Although not shown in figure 1, all the arms 12 are linked on the implement so that the arms 12 may all be simultaneously moved forward or backwards by a ram (not shown) to simultaneously raise or lower each of sections 2 to 4 of the consolidator 1.

The central section 3 and the first and second side sections 2,4 of the consolidator 1 are similar both in construction and operation. Referring to figure 2 to 5 there is shown to an enlarged scale the central section 3 of the consolidator 1.

The central section 3 of the consolidator 1 may be mounted to the rear and form part of an agricultural implement, such as a cultivator as shown in figure 3. The central section 3 could itself form a complete consolidator or can be used as part of a larger consolidator 1, comprising a number of sections as shown in figure 1 to permit the consolidator 1 to be folded for transport purposes.

As an alternative to being mounted to the rear of an implement, the central section 3 could be mounted directly to the three point linkage of a tractor. Similarly it will be appreciated that with limited modification the three sections 2, 3 and 4 of the consolidator 1 of figure 1 could be mounted directly to the rear of a tractor, by an appropriate linkage extending to the arms 11 and 12.

Referring to figures 2 to 5, the central section 3 of the consolidator 1 comprises a frame, indicated generally as 13. This comprises a tubular section 14 supporting two rear end plates 15 and 16 carrying rear bearing plates 17 and 18 and associated bearings (not shown), supporting respective ends of shaft 19 of a rear cylinder 20, shown for clarity separately in figure 6.

The tubular section 14 also has fixed thereto a plurality of rear scraper support arms 21, which each support a respective pair of curved scrapers 25, 26. A similar pair of scrapers 27 and 28 are attached to extension portions of the rear bearing plates 17 and 18 respectively. A rod 29 connects and braces both the rear scraper support arms 21 to 24 and the ends of the rear bearing plates 17 and 18.

As can be most clearly seen from figure 3, the tubular section 14 also has fixed to it front end plates 30 and 31 carrying front bearing plates 32 and 33 and associated bearings (not shown), supporting respective ends of shaft 34 of a front cylinder 35. The tubular section 14 also has attached thereto front scraper support arms 37, 38 and 39 each supporting a respective pair of scrapers 40 and 41, with a similar pair of curved scrapers 42 and 43 being carried by respective front bearing plates 32 and 33. Rod 49, seen end on figure 5, braces the ends of the front scraper support arms 37 and 39 and front bearing plates 32 and 33 in the same manner as rod 29 braces the rear scraper support arms 21 to 24 and the ends of the rear bearing plates17 and 18.

As can be most clearly seen from figure 3, the tubular section 14 of the frame 13 is cut away at either end. This permits the central section 3 of the consolidator 1 to overlap with the adjacent first and second side sections 2 and 4, as shown in figure 1.

Referring now to figure 6, there is shown, in isolation for clarity, the rear cylinder 20 of the central section 3 of the cultivator 1. The rear cylinder 20 comprises the central shaft 19 on which are mounted, in the position shown, five disc like carriers 45, each of which carries a number of steel plates 51 forming respective cylindrical arrays of steel plates 52 to 56. This rear cylinder 20 is identical to the front cylinder 35 of figures 3 to 5, except that the corresponding shaft 34 is shorter than the shaft 19 and has only 4 cylindrical arrays of steel plates 57 to 60.

As will be appreciated from figures 2 to 5, as each of the cylinders 20 and 35 rotate the rods 29 and 49 will scrape any build-up of soil off of the outside of the cylinders 20 and 35. Similarly scrapers 25 to 28 and 40 to 43 will scrape any soil out that enters through the cylindrical arrays of steel plates 52 to 60 and funnel it out of the open ends of the cylindrical arrays 52 to 60, where it may escape through the gap between adjacent cylindrical arrays of steel plates 52 to 60.

As can be most clearly seen from figure 3 the cylindrical arrays 57 to 60 of the forward cylinder 35 are staggered relative the cylindrical arrays of steel plated 52 to 56 of the rear cylinder 20. Thus, in use, all soil over which the central section 3 passes will be consolidated by one of the cylindrical arrays of steel plates 52 to 60 and the first and second sections 2,4 of the consolidator 1 of figure 1 function in the same manner.

With reference to figure 5, the steel plates 51 are seen to be mounted on respective carriers at an angle of 500 to the radius. This acts to reduce the amount of soil lifted by the consolidator 1, compared to the situation that would arise if plates 51 were mounted radially, where adjacent steel plates 51 would form a V shape into which soil may tend to become wedged, clogging the cylinder or being subsequently released to be thrown out of the back of the consolidator 1.

Referring now to figures 7 to 9 there is illustrated a second embodiment of a consolidator, indicated generally as 61. This is arranged to be towed by drawbar 62, either directly behind a tractor or behind an agricultural implement, such as a cultivator. The consolidator 61 comprises a central portion 63, a first side portion 64 and a second side portion 65, the first and second side portions 64 and 65 being foldable from a flat "in use" configuration, shown in figure 7, to a transport configuration, shown in figure 8. Each of the central portion, the first side portion and the second side portion has one or more wheels 66 to 69, which may be raised or lowered by associated hydraulic rams 70.

As can be seen from figures 7 and 9, each of the central and first and second side portions 63 to 65 has front and rear cylinders 71 to 76, each similar to the cylinder of figure 6. Cylindrical arrays of steel plates of front cylinders 71, 72 and 73 are staggered relative to those of the rear cylinders 74 to 76, a so that all the ground over which the consolidator 61 travels will be consolidated by respective ones of cylinders 71 to 76 in a single pass.

In the embodiment of figures 7, Sand 9, the hydraulic rams 70 may be used to control the position of the wheels and thus the weight carried by cylinders 71 to 76, when in the "in use" position shown in figure 6. When it is desired to transport the consolidator 61 to 67 the wheels 67 and 68 are fully lowered the wheels 66 and 69 are fully raised. Hydraulic rams 77 and 78 are then operated to raise the first and second side portion 64 and 65 to the "transport" position shown in figure 8.

Two embodiments of the present invention have been described by way of example only with reference to accompanying drawings. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that many modifications to these embodiments may be made which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. In particular, the invention has been described with reference to two examples of consolidators which each have two rows of adjacent cylindrical arrays of bars, one located in front of the other with the arrays of bars of one row offset to those of the other. However a consolidator in accordance with the invention may have only a single row of cylindrical arrays of bars and the spacing between adjacent cylindrical arrays of bars in the row may be relatively small to minimise the non-consolidated ground between adjacent cylindrical arrays of bars.

It may be particularly desirable with such an embodiment, to include a fixed spike or bar protruding between adjacent cylindrical arrays of bars, to break up any soil accumulating in the cylindrical arrays of bars, particularly if the spacing between adjacent cylindrical arrays of bars is not sufficient to accommodate scrapers as previously described. Alternatively, an auxiliary spiked or similar narrow wheel could be positioned behind or in front of each adjacent pair of cylindrical arrays of bars, so that it runs along the ground with the bars of the cylindrical arrays of bars, with the spikes, or similar penetrating the gap between the adjacent cylindrical arrays of bars to smash up any clods of soil within the cylindrical arrays of bars. Such wheels could also be used with multi-row embodiments such as those previously described.

Claims

Claims 1. A consolidator comprising a frame and a cylinder rotatably mounted in the frame and arranged to, in use, roll along the ground, the cylinder comprising a central shaft, a cylindrical array of bars connected to the shaft by a carrier, the bars being held by the carrier such that the bars define the outer circumference of the cylinder, wherein each bar has two ends and is attached to the carrier at a point remote from one end and wherein the cylindrical array of bars is open at one end.
2. A consolidator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bars are parallel to the shaft, evenly spaced from the shaft and evenly spaced from each other.
3. A consolidator as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the carrier is attached to the bars at a point remote from both ends of the cylindrical array of bars, whereby the cylindrical array of bars is open at both ends, so that in use any soil entering between adjacent bars may pass out of a respective open end of the cylindrical array of bars.
4. A consolidator as claimed in claim 3 wherein a single disc like carrier is located midway along the cylindrical array of bars and the whole of the free space within the cylindrical array of bars is open to a respective one of the two ends of the cylindrical array of bars.
5. A consolidator as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the carrier is in the form of a disc, with the shaft passing through the centre of the disc and the bars located around the outer periphery of the disc.
6. A consolidator as claimed in claim 5 wherein the disc is fixed to the shaft and the bars are welded to the disc.
7. A consolidator as claimed in any preceding claims wherein the bars each have a non-square rectangular cross-section and are mounted on the carrier so that each bar lies at an angle of between 30 and 50 degrees to the radius of the cylinder so that, in use, each bar comes into contact with the soil angled forwards in the direction of travel.
8. A consolidator as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a plurality of substantially identical cylindrical arrays of bars, respective carriers and shafts, wherein the shafts have a common axis about which they rotate and each cylindrical array of bars is spaced from an adjacent cylindrical array of bars.
9. A consolidator as claimed in claim 8 wherein each cylindrical array of bars is spaced from an adjacent cylindrical array of bars by a distance no less than the radial distance between the shaft and the cylindrical array of bars.
10. A consolidator as claimed in claim 8 or 9 wherein the cylindrical arrays of bars of the cylinder have a common shaft.
11. A consolidator as claimed in claims 8, 9 or 10 comprising two or more cylinders each located one behind the other in a direction of travel, wherein the cylindrical arrays of bars of each cylinder are staggered relative to those of the other cylinder or cylinders and wherein the cylindrical arrays of bars are dimensioned so that, in use, each cylinder consolidates the ground not consolidated by the one or more other cylinders.
12. A consolidator as claimed in claim 11 wherein each cylinder has a common shaft.
13. A consolidator as claimed in claims 11 or 12 wherein there is only one cylinder positioned in front one other cylinder.
14. A consolidator as claimed in claims 8 to 13 further comprising a fixed spike or bar protruding between adjacent cylindrical arrays of bars, to break up any soil accumulating in the cylindrical arrays of bars.
15. A consolidator as claimed in claims 8 to 13 further comprising an auxiliary spiked wheel positioned behind or in front of each adjacent pair of cylindrical arrays of bars, so that it runs along the ground with the bars of the cylindrical arrays of bars, with the spikes penetrating the gap between the adjacent cylindrical arrays of bars to break up any clods of soil within the cylindrical arrays of bars.
16. A consolidator as claimed in any preceding claim comprising two or more frames each frame having a front and rear cylinder each with multiple cylindrical arrays of bars, with those of the front cylinder staggered relative to those of the rear cylinder, wherein at least one of the frames is arranged to be folded relative to the other for transportation of the consolidator.
17. A consolidator as claimed in any preceding claim arranged to be mounted by a multipoint linkage to the back of a towed agricultural implement.
18. A consolidator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16, comprising a frame having a draw bar at a front end thereof, wheels, a cylinder mounted forward of the wheels and a cylinder mounted behind the wheels.
19. A consolidator as claimed in claim 18 wherein the frame has a central portion and two side wings which for transportation are arranged to be folded up and supported by the central portion, wherein each of the central portion and the two side wings each has a cylinder mounted forward of the wheels and a cylinder mounted behind the wheels.
20. A consolidator as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a scraper associated with each open end of each cylindrical array of bars, each scraper being fixed to the frame and extending into the respective open end of the cylindrical array of bars.
21. A consolidator as claimed in claim 20 wherein each scraper is angled such that, in use, as the cylindrical array of bars rotates it forces any soil in the cylindrical array of bars out of the open end of the cylindrical array of bars.
22. An agricultural implement having a consolidator as claimed in any preceding claim.
23. A consolidator substantially as herein before described with reference to, and/or as illustrated in, one or more of the accompanying figures.Amendments to the claims have been made as follows: Claims 1. A consolidator comprising a frame and a cylinder rotatably mounted in the frame and arranged to, in use, roll along the ground, the cylinder comprising a central shaft, a cylindrical array of bars connected to the shaft by a carrier, the bars being held by the carrier such that the bars define the outer circumference of the cylinder, wherein each bar has two ends and is attached to the carrier at a point remote from one end and wherein the cylindrical array of bars is open at one end, characterised in further comprising a scraper or bar associated with each open end of each cylindrical array of bars, each scraper or bar being fixed to the frame and extending into the respective open end of the cylindrical array of bars.2. A consolidator as claimed in claim 1 comprising a scraper associated with each extending into the respective open end of the cylindrical array of bars, each scraper being angled such that, in use, as the cylindrical array of bars rotates each scraper forces any soil in in the cylindrical array of bars out of the open end of the cylindrical array of bars.3. A consolidator as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the bars are parallel to the shaft, evenly spaced from the shaft and evenly spaced from each other.4. A consolidator as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the carrier is attached to the bars at a point remote from both ends of the cylindrical array of bars, whereby the cylindrical array of bars is open at both ends, so that in use any soil entering between adjacent bars may pass out of a respective open end of the cylindrical array of bars.open end of each cylindrical array of bars, each scraper being fixed to the frame and 5. A consolidator as claimed in claim 4 wherein a single disc like carrier is located midway along the cylindrical array of bars and the whole of the free space within the cylindrical array of bars is open to a respective one of the two ends of the cylindrical array of bars.6. A consolidator as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the carrier is in the form of a disc, with the shaft passing through the centre of the disc and the bars located around the outer periphery of the disc.7. A consolidator as claimed in claim 5 wherein the disc is fixed to the shaft and the bars are welded to the disc.8. A consolidator as claimed in any preceding claims wherein the bars each have a non-square rectangular cross-section and are mounted on the carrier so that each bar lies at an angle of between 30 and 50 degrees to the radius of the cylinder so that, in use, each bar comes into contact with the soil angled forwards in the direction of travel.9. A consolidator as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a plurality of substantially identical cylindrical arrays of bars, respective carriers and shafts, wherein the shafts have a common axis about which they rotate and each cylindrical array of bars is in spaced from an adjacent cylindrical array of bars.10. A consolidator as claimed in claim 9 wherein each cylindrical array of bars is spaced from an adjacent cylindrical array of bars by a distance no less than the radial distance between the shaft and the cylindrical array of bars.11. A consolidator as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein the cylindrical arrays of bars of the cylinder have a common shaft. 25 12. A consolidator as claimed in claims 9, 10 or 11 comprising two or more cylinders each located one behind the other in a direction of travel, wherein the cylindrical arrays of bars of each cylinder are staggered relative to those of the other cylinder or cylinders and wherein the cylindrical arrays of bars are dimensioned so that, in use, each cylinder consolidates the ground not consolidated by the one or more other cylinders.13. A consolidator as claimed in claim 12 wherein each cylinder has a common shaft.14. A consolidator as claimed in claims 12 or 13 wherein there is only one cylinder positioned in front one other cylinder.15. A consolidator as claimed in any preceding claim comprising two or more frames each frame having a front and rear cylinder each with multiple cylindrical arrays of bars, with those of the front cylinder staggered relative to those of the rear cylinder, wherein at least one of the frames is arranged to be folded relative to the other for transportation of the consolidator.cr) 16. A consolidator as claimed in any preceding claim arranged to be mounted by a multipoint linkage to the back of a towed agricultural implement.17. A consolidator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, comprising a frame having a in draw bar at a front end thereof, wheels, a cylinder mounted forward of the wheels and a CD cylinder mounted behind the wheels.18. A consolidator as claimed in claim 17 wherein the frame has a central portion and two side wings which for transportation are arranged to be folded up and supported by the central portion, wherein each of the central portion and the two side wings each has a cylinder mounted forward of the wheels and a cylinder mounted behind the wheels.19. An agricultural implement having a consolidator as claimed in any preceding claim.20. A consolidator substantially as herein before described with reference to, and/or as illustrated in, one or more of the accompanying figures.