GB1558876A - Soil cultivating implements - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SOIL CULTIVATING IMPLEMENTS (71) We, C. CAN DE LELY N.V., of 10, Weverskade, Maasland, The Netherlands, a Dutch Limited Liability Company, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to soil cultivating implements of the kind which comprise at least one group of soil cultivating members that are arranged in at least one row so as to be rotatable about non-horizontal axes and at least one soil crumbling member that is arranged so as to be rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis during the use of the implement.

According to the invention, there is provided a soil cultivating implement of the kind set forth, wherein the implement comprises at least two soil crumbling members that are arranged one behind the other with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement so as to be rotatable about corresponding substantially horizontal axes during the use of the implement, at least one of the soil crumbling members being freely upwardly and downwardly movable relative to the group, or at least one of the groups, of soil cultivating members under operative conditions.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a soil cultivating implement in accordance with the invention connected to the rear of an agricultural tractor.

Figure 2 is a side elevation as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow II in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a front elevation as seen in the direction indicated by a line III-III in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a section, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line IV-IV in Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a section, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line V-V in Figure 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the soil cultivating implement that is illustrated therein has a frame which includes a substantially horizontally disposed beam 1 that extends transverse, and usually perpendicular or substantially perpendicular, to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement that is indicated by an arrow A in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The beam 1 has a polygonal cross-section which it is preferred should be square, as illustrated, but, whatever polygonal cross-section is chosen, it should be one that allows uppermost and lowermost flat surfaces of the beam to be substantially horizontally disposed. The beam 1 comprises a central portion 2 that is flanked by two outer portions 3, the three portions 2 and 3 being in substantially co-axial alignment when the implement is in an operative position. The inner ends of the two outer portions 3 have parts of upright lugs 4 rigidly secured to them, said lugs 4 being parallel to one another and the lugs 4 of each pair being spaced apart from one another in the direction A by a distance which is equal to the thickness of the frame beam 1. Each upright lug 4 is of substantially triangular configuration (see Figure 3) and corners of the two lugs of each pair that embrace the front and rear sides of the central portion 2 of the beam 1 close to its opposite ends are interconnected by substantially horizontal pivot pins 5 which define corresponding axes that are both substantially parallel to the direction A. The two outer portions 3 of the frame beam 1 are tiltable upwardly and inwardly relative to the central portion 2 thereof about the axes that are defined by the pivot pins 5 in a manner that will be described below but it is noted that, in order to avoid the outer portions 3 tilting downwardly about said axes beyond positions in which they are substantially coaxial with the central portion 2, substantially horizontal stop plates 6 are welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the lowermost surface of the central portion 2 at the opposite ends of that portion, said stop plates 6 projecting outwardly beyond the opposite ends of the central portion 2 so as to lie beneath the lower edges of the lugs 4 and the inner ends of the respective outer portions 3.

Each of the two pivotably mounted outer portions 3 of the frame beam 1 is provided, at the same distance from the corresponding pivot pin 5, with a three-point linkage which comprises a pair of downwardly and rearwardly projecting lugs 8 that are spaced apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to the direction A and an upwardly projecting support 10 disposed midway between the corresponding pair of lugs 8. The lugs 8 (Figure 4), that are secured to the lowermost and rearmost surfaces of the corresponding outer portion 3, are formed, close to their lowermost and rearmost ends, with holes that are aligned in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the outer portion 3 concerned. The upper end of each upright support 10 has a pair of parallel and closely spaced apart plates 11 rigidly secured to it, the two plates 1l of each pair being substantially vertically disposed and being formed with a plurality, (such as three), of pairs of holes 14 that are aligned in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding outer portion 3. said pairs being spaced apart from one another in the direction A. The apertured end of a strip 12 is entered between the two plates 11 of each pair and can be secured thereto by a horizontally disposed bolt 13 entered through a chosen pair of the holes 14 and the hole in the intervening strip 12. It will be evident from Figure 4 of the drawings that each strip 12 can be angularly adjusted about the axis of the corresponding bolt 13 and can be retained in a chosen angular position about that axis by tightening the bolt 13 when the required angular position has been attained. The front of each upright support 10 with respect to the direction A has a corresponding strengthening plate 10A welded or otherwise rigidly secured to it. the shape of each strengthen- ing plate 10A being evident from a study of Figure 4 of the drawings.

A rod 9. which will be substantially horizontally disposed when the implement occupies an operative position, connects the foot of a corresponding coupling member or trestle 15 to the lugs 8 of each three-point linkage. said rod 9 being entered through the aligned holes in the lugs 8 and through a chosen pair of a plurality of similarly aligned holes that are formed in plates at the foot of the coupling member of trestle 15 concerned. The strip 12 at the top of each three-point linkage has a hole at its rearmost end with respect to the direction A and a bolt. pin or the like co-operates with that hole in coupling said strip 12 to the top of the coupling member of trestle 15 concerned. It can be seen in Figure 4 of the drawings that the top of each coupling member or trestle 15 is formed with a plurality of pairs of substantially horizontally aligned holes that are located at different horizontal levels and that the bolt, pin or the like that has just been mentioned can co-operate with any chosen pair of those holes to connect the top of the coupling member of trestle 15 to the rear end of the strip 12. Supports 16 that diverge forwardly with respect to the direction A connect each coupling member or trestle 15 to two frame beams 18 that are at the front, and towards the rear, respectively, of a corresponding frame 17 and supports 16A that are inclined upwardly and forwardly with respect to the direction A from rear to front connect substantially the top of each coupling member or trestle 15 to the rearward frame beam 18 of the corresponding frame 17. It can be seen from Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings that the two frames 17 are disposed closely alongside one another with their adjacent sides having only a small clearance between them. The front and rear frame beams 18 of each frame 17 are parallel to one another and perpendicular, or substantially perpendicular. to the direction A, said beams being at substantially the same horizontal level but being well spaced apart from one another in the direction A. Each frame 17 has two substatiallv vertically disposed side plates 19 that extend parallel to one another and substantially parallel to the direction A in rigidly interconnecting relationship with the corresponding ends of the two beams 18 of the frame 17 concerned. It can be seen from Figure 2 of the drawings that each side plate 19 is substantially sector-shaped in such a wav that its rear edge with respect to the direction A has a considerablv greater vertical extent than does its leading edge, the plates 19 being so arranged with respect to the frame beams 18 that their rear edges are spaced at a distance behind the rear beams 18 of the corresponding frames 17. Figure 4 of the drawings shows that the beams 18, like the beam 1. are of hollow construction and have a polygonal cross-section which it is preferred should be a square one. as illustrated. so that upper and lower surfaces of each beam 18 can both be substantially horizontallv disposed.

Substantially oblong support plates 23 are secured to the lower surfaces of the two beams 18 of each frame 17 by similarly shaped clamping plates 22 and co-operating groups of four substantially vertically disposed bolts 21. Each beam 18 is provided with four of the support plates 23 that are spaced apart from one another at regular intervals along the length of that beam. The four support plates 23 that correspond to the rear beam 18 of each frame 17 are not, however, in register with the support plates 23 of the corresponding front beam 18 in the direction A but are so arranged that, when each frame 17 is viewed from the rear in the direction A, three of the rear support plates 23 lie alternately between the four leading support plates 23 whilst the fourth rear support plate 23 is disposed a short distance to the left of the leading left-hand end support plate 23. The lower surface of each support plate 23 carries a corresponding obliquely downwardly inclined stub shaft 24 that physically affords an axis about which a corresponding soil cultivating member, that is generally indicated by the reference 25, is freely rotatable. The four stub shafts 24 that correspond to each beam 18 have their longitudinal axes contained in a single substantially vertical plane that is perpendicular, or substantially perpendicular, to the direction A, each group of four such axes being parallel to one another with each axis obliquely inclined to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding beam 18 at an angle of substantially 80" so as to be inclined at an angle of substantially 10 to the true vertical when the implement is standing on horizontal ground. However, it should be particularly noted that, for each frame 17, the longitudinal axes of the stub shafts 24 that correspond to the leading beam 18 thereof are inclined obliquely downwardly from the support plates 23 in one direction whereas the longitudinal axes of those stub shafts 24 that correspond to the rear beam 18 of the same frame 17 are inclined downwardly from the respective support plates 23 in an opposite direction. This arrangement is clearly visible in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings.

Each of the freely rotatable soil cultivating members 25 comprises a substantially cruciform tine support 26 having a central hub that is rotatably mounted on the corresponding stub shaft 24 and four arms which radiate from said hub, the outermost ends of the four arms each being provided with a substantially cylindrical sleeve-like tine holder 27. Each tine holder 27 firmly but releasably receives an upper fastening portion of a corresponding rigid soil working tine 28 which also has a soil working portion that projects downwardly towards the soil from the fastening portion so as to penetrate into that soil when the implement is in use.

The soil working portion of each tine 28 is of downwardly tapering configuration and is arranged to trail rearwardly from top to bottom by a few degrees with respect to the direction in which the corresponding member 25 will usually revolve when cultivation is in progress. It will be realised that, when the implement is in use, at least one tine 28 of each member 25 will, at any given instant, be located at one side of the axis of rotation of the member 25 and, due to the oblique disposition of that axis, will penetrate considerably more deeply into the soil than will at least one tine 28 which is disposed at the opposite side of said axis at the same instant. This arrangement. together with the trailing disposition of the soil working portions of the tines 28, ensures that the members 25 will revolve more or less constantly during operative progress of the implement in the direction A, the directions of rotation of the members 25 that correspond to the leading beams 18 with respect to the direction A being opposite to those of the members 25 that correspond to the rear beams 18. Nevertheless, should one or more tines 28 meet a firmly embedded stone or other substantially immovable obstacle in the soil. the ground driven rotation of the member or members 25 concerned may be temporarily halted, or even momentarily reversed in direction. until the stone or other obstacle has been circumnavigated. It will thus be realised that, with this ground driven arrangement of the members 25, there is no great danger of the tines 28 being broken or seriously damaged by collisions with stones and the like.

Each rotary ground driven soil cultivating member 25 conveniently has a working width of substantially 30 centimetres and the axes of rotation of neighbouring members 25. that coincide with the longitudinal axes of the respective stubs shafts 24, are preferably spaced apart from one another by substantially twice the working width of each member 25 so that said spacing may advantageously have a value of substantially 60 centimetres. The distance in the direction A between the front and rear beams 18 of each frame 17 is preferably substantially the same as the distance between the axes of each immediately neighbouring pair of stub shafts 24 and may therefore conveniently have a value of substantially 60 centimetres in the embodiment which is being described.

Since all of the members 25 are of the same construction and the spacing between the stub shafts 24 is the same in each of the four rows of four of those stub shafts, it will be appreciated that the members 25 will work a single broad strip of soil because the spaces between the members 25 that correspond to the leading frame beams 18 of the two frames 17 register. in the direction A. with the members 25 that correspond to the rear frame beams 18 of the two frames 17, and vice versa.

The two side plates 19 of each frame 17 are provided, near to their leading ends with respect to the direction A, with substantially horizontally aligned stub shafts 29 about which arms 31 that extend rearwardly from said stub shafts are turnable upwardly and downwardly alongside the corresponding plates 19. Each plate 19 is formed, near its rearmost edge, with a row of holes 30 that are equidistant from the axis defined by the corresponding pair of stub shafts 29 and each arm 31 is formed with a single hole that is at the same distance from said axis.

Locking bolts 32 are provided for entry through the holes in the arms 31 and chosen ones of the holes 30 to retain the arms 31 in corresponding angular positions relative to the respective frames 17 about the axes defined by the respective pairs of stub shafts 29. It will be evident from the drawings that the arms 31 extend rearwardly by considerable distances beyond the rear edges of the frame side plates 19, each arm 31 having rigidly secured to it, at a location just behind the rear edge of the corresponding plate 19, the top of a support bracket 33 that is downwardly and rearwardly inclined with respect to the direction A from the arm 31 concerned. The lower and rear ends of the two support brackets 33 that correspond to each frame 17 are provided with substantially horizontally aligned bearings between which a soil crumbling member in the form of an open-work ground roller 34 is rotatably mounted, said roller 34 also serving as a rotatable supporting member of the corresponding frame 17 of the implement. The axis of rotation of each roller 34 extends substantially horizontally parallel to the corresponding frame beams 18 and thus perpendicular, or substantially perpendicular, to the direction A. Each roller 34 conveniently has an overall diameter of substantially 36 centimetres and comprises a plurality, such as five. of substantially vertical support plates 35A of octagonal con figuration. said regularly spaced apart plates 35A being in parallel relationship with each other and parallel or substantially parallel relationship with the direction A. The corners of the octagonal support plates 35A of each roller 34 are rigidly interconnected by elongate elements in the form of strips 35 that extend parallel to the axis of rotation of the corresponding roller 34 throughout substantially the whole of the axial length thereof, each strip 35 being arranged with its general plane radially disposed with respect to the axis of rotation of the roller 34 concerned. The two support plates 35A that are at the opposite ends of each roller 34 carry axial stub shafts that co-operate with the bearings held by the support brackets 33.

The rearmost ends of the two arms 31 that correspond to each frame 17 are perpendicularly interconnected by a tubular support 36 that extends substantially horizontally parallel to the frame beams 18 and thus perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the direction A. A further similarly disposed tubular support 37 perpendicularly interconnects each pair of arms 31 at locations along those arms which are substantially midway between the rearmost tubular supports 36 and the corresponding support brackets 33 (see Figure 2), the two supports 36 and 37 that correspond to each frame 17 thus being in parallel relationship. The leading tubular supports 37 are provided, at two locations that are close to their opposite ends and at two further locations which are spaced by short distances from their midpoints, with four lugs 38 that project downwardly and rearwardly from said supports 37 with respect to the direction A. Each rear tubular support 37 is provided with four similarly positioned lugs 39. The upper ends of chains 40 are secured to the lugs 38 and the upper ends of the chains 41 are secured to the lugs 39. With this arrangement, there is a pair of the chains 40 at each side of the midpoint of each tubular support 37 and a pair of the chains 41 at each side of the midpoint of each tubular support 38. The lower ends of the two chains 40 of each pair are fastened to the front, with respect to the direction A, of a corresponding supporting structure 42 and the lower ends of the two chains 41 of each pair are fastened to a substantially central beam of the same supporting structure 42 as are the two chains 40 that are substantially in register therewith considered in the direction A. With this arrangement, as will be evident from Figure 1 of the drawings, there are four of the supporting structures 42 that lie alongside one another in closely spaced apart relationship in a horizontal direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the direction. two of said supporting structures being indirectly connected to one of the frames 17 and the other two being indirectly connected to the other frame 17.

Each supporting structure 42 rotatably carries a corresponding pair of soil crumbling members, in the form of open-work rollers 43. that lie one behind the other with respect to the direction A with their axes of rotation substantially horizontally parallel to one another and in perpendicular or substantially perpendicular relationship with the direction A. However, as can be seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, the two freely rotatable rollers 43 of each pair are laterallv offset relative to each other in a direction parallel to their own axes of rotation by a distance which may conve niently, as illustrated. have a magnitude that is substantially equal to 121/250 of the axial length of one of the rollers. Each open-work soil crumbling roller 43 comprises a central tubular support 44 having axial stub shafts at its opposite ends which stub shafts rotatably co-operate with substantially horizontall; aligned bearings carried by brackets 45 which project downwardly from side members of the corresponding supporting structure 42. Each central tubular support 44 carries a plurality, such as five, of substantially vertically disposed and regularly spaced apart octagonal support plates 46 that are in parallel relationship with one another and parallel or substantially parallel relationship with the direction A. Holes are formed through each support plate 46 close to the eight corners thereof and eight elongate elements 47 are entered lengthwise through holes in the successive plates 46 so as to extend in the same general direction as the axis of rotation of the roller 43 concerned but preferably. as illustrated. helically around that axis. Each elongate element 47 is of circular cross-section and may have either a solid rod-like formation or a hollow tube-like formation. The overall diameter of each soil crumbling roller 43 preferably has a magnitude of substantially 23 centimetres.

The two freely rotatable soil crumbling rollers 43 that correspond to each supporting structure 42 constitute a pair of rollers that are one behind the other with respect to the direction A (see Figure 1). There are two separate groups of the soil cultivating members 25 that correspond to the two frames 17, each group of members 25 being freely turnable upwardly and downwardly (within the limits dictated bv the corresponding stop plates 6) about the corresponding pivot pins 5 relative to the central portion 2 of the frame beam 1. The freely rotatable soil cultivating members 25 of each group are arranged in two rows that are one behind the other with respect to the direction A and that are laterallv offset to a sufficient extent to bring the members 25 of the rear row into register with the spaces between the members 25 of the front row and vice versa. The soil crumbling and frame-supporting rollers 34 are located behind the corresponding groups of soil cultivating members 25 with respect to the direction A and the corresponding two pairs of laterally offset soil crumbling rollers 43 immediately follow the rollers 34 with respect to the direction A. When the various parts of the implement have the preferred dimensions that have been discussed above.

each group of soil working members 25 together with the corresponding soil crumbling and frame supporting member 34 and the corresponding soil crumbling rollers 43 has a working width of substantiallv 250 centimetres. The working widths of the two sets of members overlap, or at least adjoin, each other substantially midway across the width of the implement so that the implement, as a whole, has a working width of substantially 5 metres.

The top and front of the central portion 2 of the frame beam 1 are provided with a coupling member or trestle 48 that is of substantially triangular configuration when viewed in front or rear elevation (see Figure 3). said coupling member or trestle 48 being constructed and arranged to connect the frame beam 1 to the three-point lifting device or hitch of an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle in a manner that is known per se and that is illustrated, in outline. in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

In the use of the implement. said coupling member or trestle 48 is connected to the three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle and. before work commences, the maximum depth to which the tines 28 of the rotary soil working members 25 can penetrate into the soil is set by turning the arms 31 upwardly or downwardly. as may required, about the axes defined by the stub shafts 29 and entering the locking bolts 32 through appropriate holes 30 in the side plates 19. As the implement moves operativelv over the ground in the direction A, the tines 28 of the soil cultivating members 25 penetrate into the soil and cause said members 25 to revolve around the corresponding oblique stub shafts 24. the rotation being produced because of the obliquity of the shafts 24 and the trailing dispositions of the soil working portions of the tines 28 relative to the directions of rotation. This aspect of the operation of the implement has been discussed above as has the fact that the members 25 in the rear rows thereof with respect to the A are in register with the spaces between the members 25 in the front rows thereof and vice versa so that, despite the spacing between immediately neighbouring members 25 in each row, said members operate throughout the whole working width of the implement. The rotatable frame-supporting and soil crumbling rollers 34 that immediately follow the rear rows of members 25 with respect to the direction A further crumble the earth that has been broken up by the tines 28 and, finally. the pairs of soil crumbling rollers 43 follow the rollers 34 to complete the crumbling action of the implement and ensure that the worked soil is distributed substantially uniformly throughout the working width of the implement. no significant ridges of soil being left that extend substantially parallel to the direction A. It is noted that the lengths of the chains 40 and 41 are adjustable so that, when the arms 31 are turned upwardly or downwardly about the axes defined by the stubshafts 29 to alter the working depths of the tines 28, the lengths of said chains 40 and 41 can be changed to bring the supporting structures 42 which carry the rollers 43 to the best possible operating positions. Such positions will usually, as illustrated in Figure 2, be ones in which the supporting structures 42 are horizontally or substantially horizontally disposed. The connection of the supporting structures 42 to the arms 31 by way of the flexible but inextensible chains 40 and 41 allows the rollers 43 to move upwardly and downwardly, independently of the remainder of the implement, during progress thereof over somewhat undulating ground.

Each frame 17. together with the corresponding rollers 34 and 43, can turn upwardly and downwardly relative to, the central portion 2 of the frame beam 1 about the substantially horizontal axis of the corresponding pivot pin 5 that extends substantially parallel to the direction A. The movements of the two frames 17 and the parts that are connected thereto about the axes defined by the corresponding pivot pins 5 are independent of one another so that, despite the fact that the implement has a working width of substantially 5 metres, the implement is capable of matching undulations in the surface of the soil over which it operatively moves without any difficulty.

When the implement is to be transported from one place to another without performing any working operation. it is obviously desirable that its large working width of substantially 5 metres should be reduced as much as possible and, to this end, the upper corners of the substantially triangular upright lugs 4 are interconnected by pivot pins that extend parallel to the pivot pins 5. Said pins have the free ends of the two piston rods of a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 49, which is preferably doubleacting. turnably mounted thereon and. pre ferably, upon withdrawing said piston rods inwardly into the common cylinder of said assembly 49, the two outer portions 3 of the frame beam 1 and the parts which those outer portions 3 carry will be turned upwardly through substantially 90" about the axes defined by the pivot pins 5 until they occupy substantially the positions thereof that are illustrated in broken lines in Figure 3 of the drawings. In this inoperative transport position in which the outer portions 3 of the frame beam 1 are substantially vertically disposed, the implement has an overall width of substantially 240 centimetres. The cylinder of the assemblv 49 is connected to the hydraulic svstem of the agricultural tractor or other vehicle that operates the implement by flexible ducts or the like (not illustrated) and it is noted that the inoperative transport positions can be positively maintained, after relieving the assembly 49 of hydraulic pressure, by connecting the plates 11 at the tops of the two upright supports 10 together by way of a strip (as shown in broken lines in Figure 3) or by way of a chain or the like.

The three-point linkages that are carried by the outer portions 3 of the frame beam 1 enable the frames 17 that carry the soil cultivating members 25 to be released from said frame beam 1 together with the rollers 34 and 43 and this enables those parts to be used separately, independently of the implement that has been described, and thus gives said implement a greater degree of versatility than would be th

Claims (22)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. upwardly or downwardly about the axes defined by the stubshafts 29 to alter the working depths of the tines 28, the lengths of said chains 40 and 41 can be changed to bring the supporting structures 42 which carry the rollers 43 to the best possible operating positions. Such positions will usually, as illustrated in Figure 2, be ones in which the supporting structures 42 are horizontally or substantially horizontally disposed. The connection of the supporting structures 42 to the arms 31 by way of the flexible but inextensible chains 40 and 41 allows the rollers 43 to move upwardly and downwardly, independently of the remainder of the implement, during progress thereof over somewhat undulating ground. Each frame 17. together with the corresponding rollers 34 and 43, can turn upwardly and downwardly relative to, the central portion 2 of the frame beam 1 about the substantially horizontal axis of the corresponding pivot pin 5 that extends substantially parallel to the direction A. The movements of the two frames 17 and the parts that are connected thereto about the axes defined by the corresponding pivot pins 5 are independent of one another so that, despite the fact that the implement has a working width of substantially 5 metres, the implement is capable of matching undulations in the surface of the soil over which it operatively moves without any difficulty. When the implement is to be transported from one place to another without performing any working operation. it is obviously desirable that its large working width of substantially 5 metres should be reduced as much as possible and, to this end, the upper corners of the substantially triangular upright lugs 4 are interconnected by pivot pins that extend parallel to the pivot pins 5. Said pins have the free ends of the two piston rods of a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 49, which is preferably doubleacting. turnably mounted thereon and. pre ferably, upon withdrawing said piston rods inwardly into the common cylinder of said assembly 49, the two outer portions 3 of the frame beam 1 and the parts which those outer portions 3 carry will be turned upwardly through substantially 90" about the axes defined by the pivot pins 5 until they occupy substantially the positions thereof that are illustrated in broken lines in Figure 3 of the drawings. In this inoperative transport position in which the outer portions 3 of the frame beam 1 are substantially vertically disposed, the implement has an overall width of substantially 240 centimetres. The cylinder of the assemblv 49 is connected to the hydraulic svstem of the agricultural tractor or other vehicle that operates the implement by flexible ducts or the like (not illustrated) and it is noted that the inoperative transport positions can be positively maintained, after relieving the assembly 49 of hydraulic pressure, by connecting the plates 11 at the tops of the two upright supports 10 together by way of a strip (as shown in broken lines in Figure 3) or by way of a chain or the like. The three-point linkages that are carried by the outer portions 3 of the frame beam 1 enable the frames 17 that carry the soil cultivating members 25 to be released from said frame beam 1 together with the rollers 34 and 43 and this enables those parts to be used separately, independently of the implement that has been described, and thus gives said implement a greater degree of versatility than would be the case if the frames 17 were not releasable from the beam 1 for separate use. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A soil cultivating implement of the kind set forth, wherein the implement comprises at least two soil crumbling members that are arranged one behind the other with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement so as to be rotatable about corresponding substantially horizontal axes during the use of the implement, at least one of the soil crumbling members being freely upwardly and downwardly movable relative to the group, or at least one of the groups, of soil cultivating members under operative conditions.

2. An implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein two neighbouring groups of rotary soil cultivating members lie alongside one another with said rows thereof extending substantially perpendicular, or at least transverse, to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, and wherein each group is indirectly connected by a corresponding three-point linkage to a frame that is provided with means to enable it to be coupled to a tractor or other operating vehicle.

3. An implement as claimed in claim 1 or 2. wherein the or each leading rotary soil crumbling member, with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, also serves to support the group. or corresponding group of rotary soil cultivating members from the ground surface and is provided with means to control the effective working depth of the soil cultivating members of said group or corresponding group.

4. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each leading soil crumbling member. with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement. has a larger diameter than does the or each following soil crumbling member.

5. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least three soil

crumbling members that are rotatable about corresponding substantially horizontal axes, during the use of the implement, are arranged behind said group, or behind each group, of rotary soil cultivating members with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement.

6. An implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein a pair of upwardly and downwardly movable soil crumbling members is provided each of which comprises a roller, and wherein the rollers of said pair are located one behind the other with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement and are of equal or substantially equal diameters.

7. An implement as claimed in claim 6, wherein there are at least two groups of the rotary soil cultivating members and the upwardly and downwardly movable soil crumbling members are arranged behind the corresponding groups in substantial register with each other as considered in a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, and wherein the two upwardly and downwardly movable soil crumbling members that correspond to one group of rotary soil cultivating members are upwardly and downwardly movable independently of the two soil crumbling members that correspond to the or each other group of rotary soil cultivating members.

8. An implement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the two upwardly and downwardly movable soil crumbling members that correspond to each group of rotary soil cultivating members are offset relative to each other in a substantially horizontal direction that is substantially perpendicular to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement .

An implement as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the two upwardly and downwardly movable soil crumbling members that correspond to each group of rotary soil cultivating members are carried by a corresponding supporting structure and each supporting structure is connected to at least one arm in such a way as to be freely upwardly and downwardly movable relative to that arm, and wherein each arm is connected to a frame carrying the corresponding group of rotary soil cultivating members, the arms also carrying the corresponding leading rot arv soil crumbling members that determine the effective working depth of said groups of rotary soil cultivating members.

10. An implement as claimed in anv one of claims 6 to 9 wherein each soil crumbling roller has a plurality of elongate elements arranged at its peripheral curved surface so as to extend lengthwise of the axis of rotation thereof and the leading rollers, with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, comprise strip-shaped elongate elements whereas the rollers that follow them in said direction comprise rod-shaped or tubular elongate elements.

11. An implement as claimed in claim 2 or in any one of claims 3 to 10 when read as appendant to claim 2, wherein the frame that is provided with means to couple it to a tractor or other operating vehicle cmprises a beam that extends substantially perpendicular, or at least transverse, to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, a central portion of said beam being furnished with a three-point coupling member or trestle, whilst outer portions of said beam at opposite sides of said central portion are provided with three-point linkages for the indirect connection thereto of corresponding groups of the rotary soil cultivating members, and wherein means is provided to enable at least one group of the soil cultivating members to be tilted upwardly relative to at least one further group thereof.

12. An implement as claimed in claim 11. wherein two groups of the rotary soil cultivating members are both upwardly tiltable through angles of substantially 90".

13. An implement as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the or each upwardly tiltable group of soil cultivating members is tiltable with the or each corresponding rotary soil crumbling member.

14. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein at least one hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly is provided whose longitudinal axis extends substantially perpendicular, or at last transverse, to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, the assembly being arranged to effect the tilting movements of the or each tiltable group of rotary soil cultivating members.

15. An implement as claimed in claim 12 or 13 or in claim 14 when read as appendant to claim 12 or 13, wherein connecting means if provided by which the groups of rotary soil cultivating members can be maintained in their upwardly tilted positions, said connecting means being arranged to couple together upper regions of the respective three-point linkages.

16. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each group of rotary soil cultivating members comprises two rows of those members that are located one behind the other with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement.

17. An implement as claimed in claim 16. wherein the members in the or each leading row, with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, are in register, in that direction, with spaces between the members of the rear row or corresponding rear row, and vice versa, the axis of rotation of each rotary soil cultivating member extending in oblique relationship with the vertical, and wherein, in each row of the members, the axes of rotation of all of the members of that row extend obliquely upwardly in the same direction.

18. An implement as claimed in claim 17, wherein the axes of rotation of the soil cultivating members in successive rows thereof, with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement extend obliquely upwardly towards opposite sides of the implement.

19. An implement as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the axes of rotation of all of the rotary soil cultivating members of each row are contained in a corresponding single non-horizontal plane that is substantially perpendicular, or at least transverse, to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement.

20. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the soil cultivating members are constructed and arranged to be rotated as a result of their contact with the ground during operative travel of the implement.

21. An implement as claimed in claim 2 or in any one of claims 3 to 20 when read as appendant to claim 2, wherein the groups of rotary soil cultivating members are arranged alongside one another in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, the soil crumbling members being arranged behind the soil cultivating members with respect to said direction of travel in such positions that they will work at least adjoining strips of ground when the implement is in use.

22. A soil cultivating implement as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference ta the accompanying drawings.