AU616180B2 - Improvements in agricultural equipment - Google Patents

Description

raienliL MLLUll:ys 71 Queens Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia ~tk~c AT T A, AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 616180 Form 10 :i ;i q i, i i n B COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: *0 :6emplete Specification-Lodged: S0 Accepted: 99 Prioriry Lapsed: Published: 0* 0 Relaated Art: 9 o 89 0 0 TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: CARMELO CICERO and TINDARO S. CICERO, both of a o 5 0 0 Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: North Barham Road, Barham, New South Wales 2739, Australia.

AS ABOVE Care of: COWIE, THOMSON CARTER, Patent Attorneys, 71 Queens Road, Melbourne, Vic,, 3004, Australia.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT iil ;Is The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -1- SNote: The description is to be typed in double spacing, pica type face, in an area not exceeding 250 mm in depth and 160 mm in width, on tough white paper of good quality and it is to be inserted inside this form.

14699/78-L Printed by C, J, THOMPSON, Commonweahll Government Printer, Canberra 4 Carmelo Cicero DECLAREDAT Barham, N.S.W. this 24th day of t .iay 19 88 &i -2- This invention relates to improvements in agricultural equipment and relates particularly to improvements in cultivator-type equipment.

Numerous forms of cultivators, harrows and other earth-working machines have been devised for a large number of different applications and purposes. Such machines have been designed as different forms of cultivators for different areas, soils, soil conditions and cultivation requirements. However, to date, no cultivators have been developed which facilitate shallow cultivation of pasture for levelling and seeding purposes.

It is therefore desirable to provide a cultivator machine which can facilitate shallow cultivation of pasture, spreading and levelling of pasture and seeding.

It is also desirable to provide improved apparatus for cultivation which can be designed to be mounted to the three-point linkage of a prime mover or to be trailed.

It is also desirable to provide improved cultivator apparatus the cultivation depth of which is adjustable for different types of pasture and cultivation requirements.

According to the invention there is provided a cultivator comprising a frame structure, support means on the frame structure supporting a plurality of tynes to extend below the frame structure, one or more transversely extending blade members mounted on the frame structure and being adapted to extend therebelow and side skids carried by the frame structure and adapted to engage the ground, the side skids being arranged and adjustably mounted so that when the tynes and blade members are in an operative position, adjustment of the side skids alters the depth of penetration of the tynes into the ground, S o In one form of the invention, the frame structure includes longitudinal and 1 transverse frame members with side members extending substantially longitudinally along each side. If desired, the frame structure may include upstanding frame sections 4 adapted to enable the cultivator to be attached to the three-point linkage on a prime mover, such as a tractor or the like.

The tynes may comprise spring tynes adjustably mounted to tyne holders a" located at spaced intervals on the frame structure. The tynes are preferably staggered to provide optimum contact with the ground surface.

In a preferred form of the invention, a blade extends downwardly and rearwardly from the frame members carrying the tynes so that the blade is behind the V -jR4 C-V

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&c -3o 25 0 a00 oo 0o0o respective tynes on that frame member. Each blade is preferably adjustable to vary the distance the blade projects below the frame structure.

Since the side skids are adjustable and are mounted along each side of the frame structure they act to control the height of the frame structure from the ground and, therefore, the penetration of the blades and build-up of soil within the frame.

With this embodiment, the skids can be adjusted to that the tynes penetrate a relatively small distance into the ground, for example, between 4 cm and 12 cm, to provide a relatively shallow cultivation, which is required for existing pasture. As the cultivator is moved across the ground, the blades spread any soil dislodged by the tynes and act to level the ground behind the tynes.

In a preferred form of the invention, side plates are r'junted on the frame so that any soil build-up which occurs in front of the blades is retained within the frame by the side plates and is therefore available to fill hollows and depressions in the ground. The cultivator of the invention is, therefore, useful for simultaneous tillage and levelling.

In another form of the invention, the tynes are mounted on tyne holders carried by a spring-loaded, tyne release mechanism. With this arrangement, if the tynes, or any of them, encounter an immovable object, the tyne can pivot rearwardly against the action of the spring loading and ride over the encountered object. Further, hydraulic rams may be provided to enable the tynes to be hydraulically lifted from the ground for transportation purposes. With this embodiment of the invention the frame structure is preferably a trailing frame and a pair of wheels mounted on the frame and either manually or hydraulically adjustable enables the height of the frame to be adjusted as necessary so that the side skids 9 o a a a *rrr r a ,1 iiei; i .ar ir.: ,i ii i are in contact with the ground when the machine is being trailed in the working position.

The cultivator of the invention may be operated with a seeder which can be actuated to continuously seed during cultivation or which can be selectively operated to seed at desired locations as the cultivator is moved across the ground. The seeder may be mounted on the frame so as to distribute seed onto the ground at least before the rearmost blade.

Many other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of two embodiments of the invention which refer to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevational view of a cultivator in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a side view of a skid for connection to the sides of the cultivator of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a plan view of the cultivator of Figure 1 with, for clarity, only some of the tynes being shown, and SFigure 4 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, there is illustrated one form of cultivator in accordance with the present invention comprising a frame 12 of longitudinal members 14 and transverse members 16. Upstanding from a central 7 position at the front of the frame 12 are vertical frame members 17 having appropriate pins 18 for connection of 3G the frame 12 to the three-point linkage of a tractor.

Angularly extending diagonal frame members 19 assist in i o. *stiffening the frame 12.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the frame has four transverse members 16 the front three of which carry at spaced intervals substantially C-shaped spring tynes 21 which are fixed on the front surface of the respective transverse member 16 by tyne holders 22. The tyne holders 1, 22 allow adjustment of the position of the tynes 21 with _-4 regard to soil penetration and to take account of wear which inevitably occurs through use. Thus, the tyne holders 22 may include an adjustable bolt 23 with appropriate locking means, such as a lock nut 24.

Each of the four transverse members 16 also carries an adjustable, downwardly and rearwardly extending blade 26. Each blade is carried by a blade holder which comprises a blade support 27 extending below each transverse member 16 and having a rearwardly angled front face with adjusting bolts or other fastening means 26a which secures the respective blade in the desired position.

The blades are generally designed to project a relatively small distance below the level of the frame 12 as compared to the projection of the tynes 21, but the extent of projection can be adjusted by the adjusting bolts 26a as desired for the particular cultivation or levelling purpose.

The purpose of the blades 26 is to smooth out soil which develops by movement of the tynes 21 through the ground and to spread the soil into hollows and depressions which may be encountered during movement of the cultivator.

As soil may tend to build up between the frame members, upstanding weir plates 29 and 31 may be mounted on the top of at least the rear and preferably the rear two transverse members 16. These upstanding plates are of different heights, the plate 29 being relatively short and the rearmost plate 31 being taller. Additionally, side plates 32 are mounted on the side longitudinal members 14, the side plates 32 preferably being the same height as the rear plate 31. The plates act to retain soil within the frame 12 to provide soil material to fill depressions and hollows r encountered during movement of the cultivator across the ground.

The angle of the blades 26 is calculated so that soil is directed into depressions 25 and is pressed or squeezed by the blades to reduce volume caused by air pockets. At the same time, the blades must be able to 1 1.i pick up excess soil dislodged by the tynes.

Figure 2 illustrates one of a pair of skids 34 which may be fitted on either side of the frame 12. Each skid 34 has an upturned front end and three or more slots to enable the skid to be adjustably mounted by bolts or the like to lower side plates 36 extending downwardly from the side longitudinal members 14. The lower side plates 36 are provided with appropriate holes 28 which align with the slots 35 in the skids 34. The skids 34 are intended to engage the ground and guide and support movement of the cultivator across uneven ground. The adjustable mounting of the skids ensures that the frame can be levelled in accordance with the desired operation, the desired projection of the blades and the build-up S'"15 of soil in the frame.

4 .4 Referring to Figure 4 there is illustrated a modified form of cultivator in accordance with the invention. The cultivator frame is substantially similar to that of the previous embodiment having longitudinal 0 °20 and transverse members 14 and 16, a vertical frame member o So o 17 with diagonal supporting members 19. The frame 12 also includes upper and lower side plates 32 and 36, the lower side plates 36 having holes 28 to adjustably mount skids (not shown). Also, the frame 12 is provided with two upstanding plates 29 and 31 to maintain soil within the frame 12.

S. In this embodiment, however, the cultivator is adapted to be a trailed device, and is therefore adapted i tobe fitted with an appropriate drawbar (not shown) for attachment to a prime mover. If desired, however, appropriate three-point linkage mountings may also be provided.

While the mounting of the blades 26 to the transverse members 16 is substantially similar between the embodiments, the second embodiment has three rows of spring loaded tynes each including a post 37 fixed to the respective transverse member 16. The post 37 carries pivotally mounted, rearwardly extending upper -6and lower control arms 38 and 39, some of the lower control arms 39 being fixed to upwardly extending operating levers 41. The free ends of the control arms 38 and 39 are pivoted to a bracket 42 which carries a pivoted, downwardly extending tyne support 43. The upper end of the tyne support 43 carries a rearwardly extending rod 44 which engages the outer end of a spring 46, the inner end of which is supported against the bracket 42.

In operation, if a tyne encounters an obstacle, it can move rearwardly, the tyne support 43 pivoting on the bracket 42 and the rod 44 compressing the spring 46.

t, A hydraulic ram 47 mounted on the vertical frame member 17 has an operating rod 48 which interconnects with the upstanding operating levers 41 fixed to some of the lower control arms 39. The other lower control 4 c arms 39 in each row are connected together by transverse connecting members (not shown) to those arms with the lever 41. With this arrangement, operation of the ram 47 causes movement of the rod 48 to move the lower control 20 arms about their pivotal mounting to thereby lift or lower the tyne supports 43 and the associated tynes. The tynes can thus be raised vertically above the lower level of the frame 12 for transportation purposes. Further, the ram 47 enables control of the depth of penetration of the tynes 21 into the ground.

As the cultivator of this embodiment is drawn or trailed across the ground, the depth of penetration of the tynes can be adjusted as desired. As with the previous embodiment, the projection of the blades 26 can ,i 30 also be adjusted as desired by adjustment of the side skids and or the blade mounting.

If required, wheels may be provided on the frame for transportation purposes, such wheels being hydraulically or otherwise movable between the operating and the transporting positions.

It will be appreciated that the structure of the cultivator of Figure 2 may be varied to provide a more simple arrangement for the "stump jump" operation of the -7ii ti i

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ii iiB tyne. Thus, all the tyne mounting posts 43 in a row may extend from a single transverse beam which is mounted for movement relative to the frame so -that if one tyne engages an obstacle, all the tynes in that row "jump".

Further, the blades 26 may also be mounted to carriers which enable automatic or manual blade height adjustment. Similarly, the side skids 34 can be mounted for hydraulic adjustment.

In a further modification, one or all of the blades 26 may be mounted in such a way that the angle thereof with respect to a vertical plane can be varied as desired.

oa« The blades 26, preferably the front blade, may be angled in a downward and forward direction so as to act as a r. grader blade during movement of the cultivator across the ground. In this configuration, the cultivator would 00 .00o normally be trailed, and the tynes may either by lifted to allow the machine to be operated as a grader or may be lowered to effect a combination of grading and tilling.

The blade angle variation may be manually 20 accomplished using appropriate mounting brackets or blocks, o or the blade may be mechanically or hydraulically moved between a rearwardly extending and a forwardly extending o a °00 a position.

While the invention has been described with reference to transversely extending blade members, it I will be understood that the blade members may extend at 0o an angle to the longitudinal other than perpendicular, and may also each be formed as two or more sections each of which may extend at a desired angle to the longitudinal.

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Claims (11)

1. A cultivator comprising a frame structure, support means on the frame structure supporting a plurality of tynes to extend below the frame structure, one or more transversely extending blade members mounted on the frame structure and being adapted to extend therebelow and side skids carried by the frame structure and adapted to engage the ground, the side skids being arranged and adjustably mounted so that when the tynes and blade members are in an operative position, adjustment of the side skids alters the depth of penetration of the tynes into the ground.

2. A cultivator according to claim 1 wherein said frame structure includes two or more longitudinally extending frame members and two or more transversely extending frame members.

3. A cultivator according to claim 2 wherein the blade members are mounted on the transverse frame members.

4. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the frame structure includes longitudinal side plates. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the blade members are angled rearwardly.

6. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a transverse weir plate extends upwardly from the frame structure along a rear edge thereof.

7. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the frame structure has three-point linkage mountings.

8. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tynes are mounted in rows and the support means includes adjusting means to enable adjustment of the tyne position.

9. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least three rows of tynes are carried by the frame structure and a blade member is mounted behind each row.

10. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the support means includes a pivotal mounting which enables one or more tynes to move rearwardly and upwardly relative to the frame structure, and means biasing the tynes to their normal, ground-engaging position.

11. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding cl;dms wherein the support t; ,t i I'; y^

41- I ii; -lO- means includes hydraulic or pneumatic operable means to lift the tynes from the ground-engaging position to a transport position. 12. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more wheels is mounted on the frame structure. 13. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of the blades is either angled forwardly or is mounted so as to be moved to a forward angled position. 14. A cultivator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a seeder is carried on the frame structure and is operable to deliver z-ed to the ground at least in front of the rearmost blade member. A cultivator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 11th day of July, 1991. CARMELO CICERO and TINDARO S. CICERO i! 0 o 9 'o I