IE51156B1 - Turf cutting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

In a tractor mountable peat excavating machine which uses a disc blade to excavate peat from a bog and to feed the excavated peat upwardly into an extrusion press, an arrangement in which the disc blade is rotatable to excavate the peat in a direction opposite to that of movement of the tractor, a device in the form of a plough share being used to direct the peat into the extrusion press, the machine also having a ground contacting roller, the position of the axis of the roller relative to the axis of the disc blade being variable to enable the depth of penetration of the disc blade into the bog to be adjustable.

Description

The present invention relates to turf cutting machines, and is particularly concerned with tractor mountable turf cutting machines of the kind which utilize a disc blade which is adapted to excavate peat from a bog depth (typically 300-500 millimeters) and to feed the excavated peat into an extrusion press generally in the form of an elongated auger mounted for rotation within a cylindrical casing, part of the casing being cut away to receive the excavated peat, the arrangement being such that on rotation of the auger, the excavated peat is compressed in the casing and extruded through one or more pipe sections communicating with and located adjacent one end of the casing, The present invention provides a machine generally of the kind referred to, in which the disc blade is provided with peat cutting elements attached to and extending laterally from the disc but not projecting beyond the periphery of the disc and is rotatable so that excavated peat is thrown upwardly in a direction opposite to that of movement of the tractor, the disc blade being thus enabled to ride over non-millable obstacles in the bog.

The invention also provides a machine generally of the kind referred to in which the depth, to which the disc blade penetrates the bog, is determined by a roller, the axis of the latter being adjustable relative to the axis of the disc blade to enable the depth of M penetration of the disc blade into the bog to be adjusted. - 2 The disc blade is rotatable on an axis which is disposed below the base of the cylindrical casing so that, when the machine is operating on a bog with the blade in its cutting and excavating position in which it is partly embedded in the bog, the exposed part of the auger is located above the surface of the bog whilst being fed with milled peat excavated from the bog by the rotation of the disc blade.

The machine according to the invention also incorporates a plough share including a substantially rectangular strip bent to conform to the contour of the periphery of a portion of the disc blade and located adjacent the disc blade, so that when the disc blade is operating to excavate peat, the peat is constrained to ride upwardly on the strip and into the open part of the auger casing, the width of the plough strip extending substantially across the width of the furrow cut by the disc blade.

The invention will hereinafter be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example only, a preferred embodiment thereof. In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of the machine, Figure 2 is an elevation of the other side of the machine, and Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine as shown in Figure 2. H Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figure 3, the machine includes a frame member which is Ushaped when viewed in plan, the two extending limbs of the frame member being defined by a pair of side walls 15 and the bridging member of the U-shaped frame member being defined by part of cylindrical auger casing 16.

A support member, by means of which the machine may be supported by the three point linkage of a tractor (not shown), is welded to the extremities of the side walls 15 remote from the auger casing 16. The support member is a yoke-shaped bridging and strengthening member comprising a pair of limbs 17, shaped and relatively disposed so as to define the yoke shape. For this purpose the limbs 17 are cranked so their upper ends extend close to one another, being connected together by a welded spacer 20 and supporting pin 18. The lower ends 17b of the limbs 17 are widely spaced and are welded to the ends of the side walls 15. The lower ends 17b carry supporting pins 19 the pins 18 and 19 being adapted to be connected to the three point linkage of the tractor.

One end (hereinafter called the extrusion end 16a) of the auger casing 16 protrudes through one of the side walls 15. The auger (not shown) is mounted within the casing 16 on bearings (not shown) located at each end of the casing 16, and at the end of the latter (hereinafter called the driven end 16b) remote from the extrusion end 16a, the auger axle 25 protrudes through the other side wall 15 and supports a driven sprocket 26 (see Figure 2), by means of which the auger may be - 4 rotated.

The frame member also supports an axle 31 (see Figure 3) rotatable in bushings 32 mounted upon angle iron supports 33 welded to the side walls 15, the axle 31 supporting intermediate its ends a gear box 36.

Operatively connected to the gear box 36 is a drive shaft 37 for connection to the power take-off of the tractor (not shown). A slip clutch 38 is provided between the drive shaft 37 and the gear box 36. An extension of the axle 31 adjacent the driven end of the auger carries a drive sprocket 27 connected by a chain drive 28 to the driven sprocket 26 on the protruding end of the auger, so that on rotation of the axle 31, the auger is also rotated. The drive shaft 37 has a protective cover 41.

The side walls 15 also support, adjacent the front and lower edges thereof, bearings 42 for a rotatable axle 43 upon which is fixed the disc blade 44, the arrangement being such that a little more than one quarter of the disc blade 44 is located within the side walls 15, almost one half of the disc blade 44 depends from the lower edges of the side walls 15, and almost one quarter of the disc blade 44 protrudes forwardly of the front end of the frame. The gear box 36 is disposed centrally on its axle 31; and the disc blade 44 is located to one side of the gear box 36. The disc blade axle 43 is driven by a chain drive 52 connecting drive and driven sprockets 53 and 54 on the axle 31 which Si 1 56 supports the gear box 36 and on the rotatable blade disc axle 43 respectively.

Attached to and extending laterally from the disc blade 44 are replaceable peat cutting elements 62 and 63 which facilitate the milling and excavation of the peat. Each cutting element 62 is a small L-shaped bracket and each cutting element 63 is an elongated L-shaped bracket, a part of which is cut away (as shown in Figure 3) to enhance its peat milling and excavating function.

The machine includes a plough share defined by a strip 75 which follows the contour of a section of the disc blade 44. The strip 75 is mounted upon a plough support 76 one part of which is located beneath the casing 16 and another part of which extends upwardly behind the casing 16 to which it is welded and from which it is supported.

A semi-circular strengthening plate 77 is welded to the plough support 76 and casing 16.

The machine also includes a roller 82 rotatable on an axle 83 supported on brackets 84 by and beneath a U-shaped frame element, one end of each limb 85 of which is pivotally connected to a support bracket 86 welded to the casing 16. The other ends of the limbs 85 are bridged by a transverse limb 88 to which is welded a bracket 92 supporting a pin 93. Between the pin 93 and a corresponding pin 94 mounted on the upper end of the plough support 76 is an adjustable tumbuckle 95. - 6 Rotation of the turnbuckle 95 raises or lowers the roller axle 83 relative to the disc blade axle 43 and thus determines the depth of penetration into the bog of the disc blade 44.

The machine includes the following additional features: (a) a V-shaped ground contacting guide 102 by means of which excavated peat which does not enter the auger casing 16 is returned into the furrow cut by the disc blade 44. The guide 102 is supported by guide support elements 103 which are welded to and depend from the strengthening plate 77. (b) Supports 105, 106 and 107 for a water barrel 108 from which water passing through a hose 112 may be sprayed onto the peat in the auger casing 16 to facilitate the process of extrusion. (c) A protective hood (not shown) for the area between the side walls 15.

Protective removable covers 114 and 115 are provided for the moving parts of the machine. A removable cover element 116 enables the interior of the extrusion end of the auger casing 16 to be inspected.

In operation, as the machine is drawn through a bog behind a tractor, the disc blade 44 and auger are rotated and the machine is lowered onto the bog. The disc blade 44 cuts a furrow and descends into the bog until the roller 82 contacts the bog surface. The disc - 7 blade 44 is rotated in a direction such that the disc blade 44 cuts, mills and excavates the peat upwardly along the plough strip 75 and into the auger casing 16. The peat is then compressed and extruded through pipe sections 118 as cylindrical peat sods. The length and diameter of the sods are determined by the corresponding dimensions of the pipe sections.

Claims (8)

1. A turf cutting machine of the kind referred to, in which the disc blade is provided with peat cutting elements attached to and extending laterally from the disc 5 but not projecting beyond the periphery of the disc and is rotatable so that excavated peat is thrown upwardly in a direction opposite to that of movement of the tractor, the disc blade being thus enabled when in operation to ride over non-miliable obstacles in the bog. 10

2. A turf cutting machine as claimed in Claim 1, incorporating a plough share including a substantially rectangular strip bent to conform to the contour of the periphery of a portion of the disc blade and located adjacent the disc blade, so that when the disc blade is 15 operating to excavate peat, the excavated peat is constrained to ride upwardly on the strip .and into the open part of the auger casing, the width of the plough strip extending substantially across the width of the furrow cut by the disc blade. 20

3. A turf cutting machine as claimed in either of Claims 1 or 2, in which the depth, to which the disc blade penetrates the bog, is determined by a roller, the axis of the latter being adjustable relative to the axis of the disc blade to enable the depth of penetration of the disc 25 · blade into the bog to be adjusted.

4. A turf cutting machine as claimed in Claim 3, in which the roller is supported upon an auxiliary frame one end of which is pivotally connected to the frame of the 81156 machine and the other end of which is adjustably connected to the frame of the machine by an adjustable member, the relative positions of the auxiliary frame and the frame of the machine being adjustable about the pivot connection 5. Between the auxiliary frame and the frame of the machine.

5. A turf cutting machine as claimed in Claim 4, in which the auxiliary frame is adjustably connected to the frame of the machine by means of a turn-buckle.

6. A turf cutting machine as claimed in any one of 10 the preceding claims, in which the disc blade is rotatable on an axis which is disposed below the base of the cylindrical casing so that, when the machine is operating on a bog with the blade in its cutting and excavating position in which it is partly embedded in the bog, the 15 exposed part of the auger is located above the surface of the bog whilst being fed with milled peat excavated from the bog by the rotation of the disc blade.

7. A turf cutting machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as 20 illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

8. A turf cutting machine of the kind referred to, in which the disc wheel is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.