Patent Application
20220022358
This disclosure relates generally to an improved ground engaging blade for an agricultural implement such as a tillage device or planter, and in particular to a disc blade or notch blade with a wear resistant coating. In one arrangement, the disclosure relates to a ground engaging blade with wear resistant coating applied in patterns that are specific to soil type.
Various tillage devices are used to turn and work soil for agricultural purposes. One type of tillage device is a disc blade, sometimes called a coulter blade or a planter blade. Such blades often have a generally circular sharpened outer periphery. Another type of tillage device is a notch blade, which has a generally circular sharpened outer periphery with a series of notches disposed around the outer periphery. A number of such blades are typically rotatably mounted on an agricultural implement via a shaft, and each blade rotates about the shaft due to contact with the soil as the implement moves over the soil. Disc blades may be mounted to an agricultural tillage device to turn and prepare the soil for planting, or disc blades may be mounted to the row units of an agricultural planter in order to open furrows in which seeds are planted.
Various designs for agricultural ground engaging blades exist, examples of which include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,855,246, 6,554,079, 7,497,270, 7,878,262, and 10,390,471. Due to the abrasive nature of the soil that blades and other ground engaging agricultural devices encounter, such devices become worn and periodically require replacement. Replacement of ground engaging agricultural devices leads to expense and down time while the worn part is replaced. Further, soil types vary from location to location, and different soil types produce different wear patterns on ground engaging blades. Wear resistant coatings have been applied to the edges of ground engaging agricultural blades to improve blade longevity; however, a single wide swath of wear resistant coating is typically applied around the periphery of the blade with no differentiation in application patterns based on soil type. Such over-application of wear resistant coating leads to wasted material without improving blade longevity.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, there is a need in the art for an improved ground engaging blade with wear resistant coating.
Thus it is a primary object of the disclosure to provide a ground engaging blade with wear resistant coating that prevents wear using minimal wear resistant coating.
These and other objects, features, or advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the specification and claims.
The disclosure relates to an improved ground engaging blade with wear resistant coating. The disclosure relates to application of wear resistant coating along the periphery of a ground engaging blade in a pattern that is specific to soil type.
In the following detailed description of the embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that mechanical, procedural, and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosures. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
As used herein, the terminology such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, front, back, end and sides are referenced according to the views presented. It should be understood, however, that the terms are used only for purposes of description, and are not intended to be used as limitations. Accordingly, orientation of an object or a combination of objects may change without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
Throughout the disclosure, ground engaging blade 100 may be referred to as simply “blade 100.” As shown in
Ground engaging blade 100 may be constructed from steel or any other metal or material suitable for use as a ground-engaging device. The ground engaging blade 100 can be as wide or narrow as desired. A number of blades 100 can be cut from a single sheet of material in order to conserve the material, reduce waste and give the farmer as much material as possible in order to enhance the performance and longevity of the blade 100 to be made therefrom. After cutting a number of blades 100 from a single sheet of material, the flat pieces cut from the material may be shaped and cut to form the various parts of blade 100 described in this disclosure.
In operation, the movement of the agricultural implement to which the blade 100 is mounted causes the blade 100 to rotate, thus cutting the soil. Over time, the blade 100 gradually wears from its original shape to a worn condition as a result of encountering soil, rocks, roots, and other objects.
To extend the useful life of blade 100, a wear resistant coating 150 may be applied near the outer periphery 130 of the blade 100. Wear resistant coating 150 may comprise carbide particles, tungsten carbide coating or any other material suitable for preventing wear of a ground engaging blade 100. The wear resistant coating 150 may be applied to the blade 100 using any application method. For example, wear resistant coating 150 may be welded, sprayed, rolled, brushed, dabbed, etched, deposited, applied by laser, deposited by plasma or detonation gun, or brushed onto the blade 100. Alternatively, the blade 100 may be dipped in wear resistant coating 150.
Agricultural soil types vary from location to location, and soil type affects the wear pattern ground engaging blade 100 experiences. Wear resistant coating 150 may be applied in differing patterns based on soil type as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
To protect ground engaging blade 100 in rocky soil, first, second, and third concentric generally circular bands 310 of wear resistant coating 150 varying in distance apart from each other are applied around the outer periphery 130. The generally circular bands 310 may be spaced at equal intervals from each other, or may be spaced at different distances from each other without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In one embodiment, blade 100 comprises a concave/convex plate 140, and first, second, and third concentric bands 310 of wear resistant coating 150 are applied to the first or convex side of plate 140. Alternatively or additionally, wear resistant coating 150 may be applied to the second or concave side of plate 140. When wear resistant coating 150 is applied to both sides of blade 100, wear resistant coating 150 may be applied in the same pattern on both sides or different patterns of wear resistant coating 150 may be applied on each side of blade 100.
As shown in
As shown in
For black or sticky soil, wear resistant coating 150 is applied near each notch 510 in one or more sinusoidal bands or rows 540 adjacent to each notch 510. A line passing through each peak of each sinusoidal band 540 may be generally parallel to the line formed by the two points at which notch 510 intersects the outer periphery 130 and also generally parallel to each other, in which case the sinusoidal bands 540 are applied at or near to the point on each notch 510 that is closest to the center of blade 100. Alternatively, the sinusoidal bands 540 may match the shape of the notch 510. Any number or spacing of sinusoidal bands 540 may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For black or sticky soil, wear resistant coating 150 is also applied at or near the outer periphery 130 between adjacent notches 510 in one or more sinusoidal rows or bands 545. A line passing through each peak of each sinusoidal band 545 may be generally parallel to the line formed by the nearest two points at which each adjacent notch 510 intersects the outer periphery 130 and also generally parallel to each other. Alternatively, the sinusoidal bands 545 may match the shape of the outer periphery 130. Any number or spacing of sinusoidal bands 545 may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. When wear resistant coating 150 is applied to both sides of blade 100, wear resistant coating 150 may be applied in the same pattern on both sides or different patterns of wear resistant coating 150 may be applied on each side of blade 100.
Each soil-specific pattern of wear resistant coating 150 is considered ideal for most instances of the soil type described; however soil types are highly variable. In particular, there are many types of sandy or abrasive soils, each of which may produce a unique wear pattern. It is anticipated that some equipment owners may experience different wear patterns based on their specific soil, and the shapes, dimensions, and locations of wear resistant coating 150 may be customized to counter specific wear patterns. It is anticipated that some equipment owners may experience different wear patterns based on their specific soil, and the shapes, dimensions, and locations of wear resistant coating 150 may be customized to counter specific wear patterns. Further, shapes, dimensions, locations, and thicknesses of wear resistant coating 150 may be customized to achieve an acceptable balance of wear resistant properties and manufacturing cost for a particular customer. Customers may submit worn blades 100 to the manufacturer for analysis of wear patterns, and subsequent blades 100 produced for that individual customer will have customized wear resistant coating 150 patterns that are most effective for the customer's specific soil type.
The ground engaging blade 100 with wear resistant coating 150 has many benefits and advantages including, but not limited to reducing the expense and lost working time associated with replacing worn ground engaging components. These and other benefits and advantages of the ground engaging blade 100 are apparent from the specification and claims.
