Abstract:
A residue clearing apparatus for a shank of an agricultural implement includes a spoked wheel adapted for attachment to the implement such that the spoked wheel rotates about a wheel axis oriented substantially horizontal and perpendicular to an operating travel direction of the implement and forward of the shank. A drive is operative to rotate the spoked wheel. The spoked wheel is oriented such that ends of spokes of the spoked wheel pass above the ground forward of the shank, and such that the ends of the spokes of the spoked wheel pass adjacent to a front face of the shank. The spokes may be resiliently or pivotally mounted to the wheel.
Abstract:
In one aspect of the present invention, a roller assembly on an excavator for degrading natural and man-made formations has a plurality of pointed inserts disposed along its outer diameter. The inserts have a tip adapted to impact the formation and at least one of the tips has polycrystalline diamond bonded to a cemented metal carbide segment. The diamond also has a substantially conical geometry with a 0.50 to 0.200 inch radius and a thickness greater that 100 inches at the apex. The diamond also has a volume that is 75 to 150 percent of a volume of a carbide substrate.
Abstract:
An improved composting apparatus is provided which is particularly suited for use with straw-like materials. The composting apparatus includes a counter-rotating drum and paddle assembly which generates a plurality of air streams in which the composting material is entrained. The air streams rotate in a vortex like pattern within a chamber to mix and aerate the composting material. The composting apparatus is configurable for being driven sideways through fence gates and the like, and has an additional configuration for being towed without requiring a trailer.
Abstract:
The farm machine 1 for working the soil comprises tools 21 each of which consists of a concave disk 47 provided with a plurality of spades 48 at its periphery. The concavity of the concave disk 47 is directed toward the forward end 12 of the rotor 16, considering the work direction 3 of the farm machine 1. A lateral stabilizing element 41 comprising at least one share 43 extends behind the rearward lateral end 11 of the frame 9 of said farm machine 1. The farm machine 1 also comprises support wheels 36, 38, one 36 of which extends in front of the forward lateral end 12 of said frame 9.
Abstract:
A power driven disc cultivator apparatus includes a main frame to which are connected a main sub-frame assembly and at least one second sub-frame assembly. The main sub-frame assembly mounts a shaft provided with spaced cultivator discs which are constrained to rotate with the shaft. The shaft and thus the discs are power driven at a rate independent of the speed of advance of the tractor or like vehicle towing the cultivator apparatus. The main sub-frame assembly is located at the forward end of the main frame. The second sub-frames mount shafts which are not power driven. The sub-frames can be selectively positioned lengthwise and angularly relative to the main frame.
Abstract:
A rotary hoeing tool comprising a flat portion, or hoe-blade, furnished with a forward cutting edge and one or more teeth set apart, parallel with each other, interchangeable or otherwise and protruding downwards to the rear of the tool's cutting edge, designed to forestall compaction of the earth resulting from the action of the hoe-blade. The said flat portion or blade (4, 5 & 15) may be fixed direct to the flange (11) of the cultivator's rotor shaft (10) by way of a flat shank (2), or onto an L-shaped mounting connected to the flange (11) of the cultivator shaft (10). The teeth (6, 7, 8 or 22) may be incorporated directly into the flat portion or blade (4 or 5) part of the tool, or made fast to the L-shaped mounting independently of the actual hoe-blade.
Abstract:
A cultivator adapted to straddle a windrow of material such as compost. A frame has an improved disintegrator and aerator comprising a horizontal drum crosswise of the windrow with a plurality of cultivator blades disposed in two helical arrays between opposite ends of the drum, the arrays being circumferentially spaced 180.degree. apart about the drum and extending equal distances on opposite sides of a central, longitudinal, vertical plane along the center of the frame. The blades on the right and left sides of the drum have paddle portions at their ends transversely offset toward the central vertical plane and contoured to move material sidewise and heap it up into a peak along the center of the windrow. The helical arrays of blades are identical and symmetrical on opposite sides of the windrow center, enabling repeated passes of the cultivator to circulate material between the inside and the outside of the windrow while maintaining it with a triangular cross-section of ever-increasing height and ever-diminishing base width for improved chimney effect and aerobic heat utilization within the windrow. Two specific blade shapes are shown, one primarily for windrow cultivation and aeration, and another for shredding paper, cardboard, magazines, and the like prior to composting. A modified form of rotor is disclosed, for agricultural use, to form parallel ridges and furrows in a ground surface to prepare it for planting and subsequent irrigation.
Abstract:
This invention relates to an auger and to a plow including such auger. This specification discloses an auger which is suitable for use even in the difficult terrain encountered in typical reforestation operations. An auger in accordance with this disclosure has its axis extending in the direction of movement of the plow and is arranged to rotate in a direction opposing the forward movement of the plow. The auger has a plurality of generally helical turns. Sections of the ground engaging portions around the periphery of the turns have an angle of attack in a plane at a selected angle to the axis of the auger and other sections have angles of attack in planes at a different angle. These ground engaging sections of the periphery are preferably teeth which because of the difference in angles discussed above attack the ground at different cutting angles. The dislodged earth will as is normal with an auger be flung sideways as a furrough is formed, but it will also have a component of motion which is either forward or backwards in relation to the direction of travel of the plow. When, as previously explained the auger is rotating to oppose the direction of the plow, this forward or backward component of motion will depend on the rate of forward movement of the plow less the rearward displacement of particles relative to the auger shaft. While the net effect of the auger is to resist forward motion, selected sections may have an opposite pitch or orientation and those limited sections would have the opposite effect.
Abstract:
A rotary plough has one or more rotors rotatably mounted to be driven via a power take off about a horizontal axis that extends transverse to the direction of travel. Each rotor has a central support and axis of rotation and two spaced apart and oppositely positioned rotatable soil working members, each of which has a soil working support with two rows of tines. A driving connection is established between a P. T. O. and a shaft within the central support which turns each soil working member through a control mechanism. The control mechanism can be a pinion gear arrangement or a chain and sproket combination that turns the tine supports of the soil working members so that a transmission ratio is established to cause the tines to rotate more or less about their supports while also turning about the central support. Earth lumps are cut and lifted by the tines and then moved to an inverted position back to the dug out cavity. An adjusting lever is attached to turn the shaft relative to the central support which also varies the relative positions of the rows of tines and changes their angle of soil penetration. Two rotors can be provided each with two soil working members and the four members can be spaced 90.degree. apart around the central support.
Abstract:
A rotary plough has a rotor that rotates about a horizontal axis defined by a central support. The rotor comprises three spaced apart groups of soil working tines and each group includes a row of tines mounted on arms that extend radially with respect to the support. Each row of tines is independently connected via a chain transmission to a toothed pinion on the central support so that as the entire rotor turns about the support, each row of tines is also revolved about a horizontal axis. The central support is rotated by a further sprocket and chain transmission connected to a gear box with a P.T.O connection. The central support is surrounded by a second rotatable support on which radial scrapers are mounted. The gear box is connected to rotate the entire rotor as a whole and the three groups of tines in the same direction so that the tines are moved through the soil rearwardly with respect to the normal direction of travel. The scrapers are turned in an opposite direction to intersect the paths of travel of the tines and to scrape some of the earth. The scrapers and tine rows are geared to revolve twice for each full turn of the rotor. The tines are bolted to their holding supports and curved to dig out and lift up slices of soil which are then inverted and deposited on the ground. The digging or angled positions of the tines can be adjusted by a fixing arrangement at one end of the central support.