Patent Grant
7841034
This invention relates to a novel and useful fence cleaner and more specifically to a fence cleaner designed primarily for the purpose of removing dead and dried out vegetation, such as tumbleweeds, from a fence line of the type including spaced upright posts interconnected by means of vertically spaced and generally horizontal members extending between adjacent posts of the fence and then mulching the removed vegetation and placing the mulch on the ground.
In many localities barbed wire or wire fence of the type including upstanding vertically spaced posts and horizontally spaced strands of barbed wire or wire extending between adjacent posts are utilized to define certain field areas, either individual field areas or boundary lines between adjacent field areas.
When this type of fence construction, as well as other types of fence construction, is utilized to define a boundary line of a field, tumbleweeds and other dried out and uprooted vegetation will be blown across the field and become stuck or attached to the fence wire. An accumulation of such vegetation blown onto the fence wire can cause the fence wire to break or come detached from the fence post or can cause the fence post to be bent or broken.
The prior art proposes inventions for removing living ground vegetation from beneath and about a fence line. One such apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,314,215 by Hilblom. In this apparatus, Hilblom uses a caster wheel on the frame end to follow the ground level and support the weight of the cutter. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,306 by Smith et al, Smith uses a gearing system to power multiple ground vegetation cutters. U.S. Pat. No. 2,052,802 to Schartz; Is a weed and vine cutter in which Schartz uses a rotating disc as a cutter. He tilts the disc (as if plowing a field) and cuts below the surface of the ground thus severing the roots of weeds or vines. He supports his invention using a caster wheel, and the device is powered by a chain drive system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,508 to Whatley. Whatley uses a plurality of horizontal rotating blades, each mounted on a vertical stub axis and arranged in a circular array such that when a fence post is encountered, the mechanism rotates around the post. U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,372 to Heiskell. Heiskell uses a flexible reinforced rubber to cut ground-level vegetation.
While the prior art may be remotely successful in removing vegetation growing from the ground beneath the fence line, the prior art does not address the problem of removing tumbleweeds and other dead vegetation attached to all portions of the fence line. Furthermore, use of the prior art to remove the dead vegetation would simply result in the vegetation adjacent to the bottom fence line being removed from the fence line and then placed back into the field. Thus, when the wind blows, the previously removed vegetation would once again become attached to the fence line.
To permanently remove the vegetation from the fence line, individuals were required to either burn the dead and dried vegetation or hand pick the vegetation and discard it in a distant location. The burning of dried out vegetation is not an environmentally sound practice and creates the danger of the fire becoming uncontrolled, thereby creating a danger to individuals and adjacent property. Likewise, hand collecting the dead and dried out vegetation is not a realizable practice since the fence line may extend for several miles.
A fence cleaner assembly according to the present invention includes a movable main frame with an attached rotating vertical tube broom which bristles come into contact with the fence line to remove dead and dried out vegetation which has become affixed to the fence line. The tube broom is capable of being tilted for better access to a fence line. Once the vegetation is removed from the fence line by the tube broom, the tube broom rotates the dead and dried out vegetation to a rotating clean off assembly.
The clean off assembly extends parallel to the tube broom and contains a plurality of protruding teeth. The protruding teeth remove the dead and dried out vegetation from the rotating tube broom and forces the vegetation into a chopping assembly. A rotating horizontal feed accelerator containing a plurality of protruding teeth, which is maintained at the entry point of the chopping assembly, continuously pushes the vegetation into the chamber so as to avoid a buildup of vegetation. Upon entering the chopping drum of the chopper assembly, a plurality of removable chopping blades cut the dead and dried out vegetation into small sections. Once properly chopped, the vegetation sections drop to ground level and are ultimately tilled into the ground. The small size of the dead and dried out vegetation sections will no longer cause a problem along the fence line.
In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the rotation of the tube broom and clean off assembly are powered by a hydraulic motor. Likewise, the tilting of the tube broom and clean off assembly is powered with a hydraulic cylinder.
Accordingly, it is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a mechanical fence cleaner which will be operative to remove dead and dried out vegetation, such as tumbleweeds, from a fence line and then mulch or crush the removed vegetation so it will not be capable of reattaching to the fence line.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fence cleaner which will be operative to traverse one side of a fence and remove and mulch the dead and dried out vegetation attached thereto.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a fence cleaner adapted specifically to be partially supported from and propelled by an ordinary piece of farm equipment, such as a farm tractor, thereby enabling the fence cleaner to be readily utilized in conjunction with existing equipment.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a fence cleaner which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.
These, and other, aspects and objects of the present invention will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
The present invention and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments described in the following description.
Referring to
Referring to
The first ends of the first connector plates 40 are fixedly attached to the first side 26 of the main frame 20 near the back end 24 in spaced proportion with the second end of the first connectors 40 extending perpendicular from the first side 26. The first ends of the second connector plates 42 are fixedly attached in spaced relation to the first side 26 of the main frame 20 near the front end 22 with the second end of the second connectors 42 extending perpendicular from the first side 26.
As illustrated in
The first ends of the horizontal tubing sections 44 are inserted between the second ends of the first and second connector plates 40, 42. Bolts 100 are inserted in the aligned openings of the first and second connector plates 40, 42 and horizontal tubing sections 44 resulting in the horizontal tubing sections 44 being rotatable about the first and second connector plates 40, 42.
The tilting assembly 36 is further comprised of a longitudinal tubing section 56 having a first end and a second end and extending parallel to the first side 26 of the main frame 20. Fixedly attached to the longitudinal tubing section 56 adjacent to its first end in spaced relation are a third pair of connector plates 52. Fixedly attached to the longitudinal tubing section adjacent to its second end in spaced relation are a fourth pair of connector plates 54.
The third and fourth pairs of connector plates 52, 54 extend perpendicular from the longitudinal tubing section 56 with each such connector plate 52, 54 containing a circular opening. Rotatably attached between the spaced third connector plates 52 is the second open end of a horizontal tubing section 44. Likewise, rotatably attached between the spaced fourth connector plates 54 is the second open end of a horizontal tubing section 44. A bolt 102 is inserted in the aligned openings of the third connector plates 52 and the horizontal tubing section 44. Similarly, a bolt 102 is inserted in the aligned openings of the fourth connector plates 54 and the horizontal tubing section 44.
Referring to
As illustrated in
The extension of the hydraulic cylinder 66 causes the longitudinal tubing section 56 and horizontal tubing sections 44 to rotate about the connector plates 40, 42, 52, 54. Through such rotation, the tube broom frame and broom clean off frame assembly 57 can be raised, lowered and angled to properly removed the dead and dried vegetation from the fence 104.
Referring to
Referring to
In operation, the tube broom 38 and clean off assembly 68 are rotating as the fence cleaner assembly 18 is towed by a tractor or similar towing vehicle along a fence line 104. The tube broom 38 and clean off assembly 68 can be angled closer to the fence line by rotating the tilting assembly 36 by means of the hydraulic cylinder 66. As the tube broom 38 rotates and removes the vegetation from the fence line 104, the vegetation will attach to the tube broom 38. While rotating on the tube broom 38, the vegetation will come into contact with the clean off assembly 68 and be removed from the tube broom 38. The clean off assembly 68 will cause the vegetation to drop to the ground in front of the chopper assembly 84.
Referring to
To force the weeds into the chopping drum 86, a horizontal feed accelerator 96 is utilized. The horizontal feed accelerator 96 is comprised of a cylindrical section of tubing to which are fixedly attached a plurality of teeth. The horizontal feed accelerator 96 is powered by a hydraulic motor (not shown). As the horizontal feed accelerator 96 rotates, its teeth cause weeds to be pushed into the chopping drum 86.
The rotating shaft 88 of the chopper assembly 84 is comprised of a single longitudinally extending shaft operatively coupled to a drive motor (not shown). The rotating shaft 88 is supported by bearing blocks at either end thereof. As illustrated in
When the weeds are removed from the tube broom 38 by the clean off assembly 68 and dropped to ground level in front of the chopper assembly 84 the forward advancement of the fence cleaner assembly 18 along with the horizontal feed accelerator 96 cause the weeds to enter the chopping drum 86 at which time the weeds are chopped into small sections by the chopping blades 90. Once the weeds have been chopped, they drop out of the chopping drum 86 and remain on the ground.
Although the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out the present invention is disclosed above, practice of the present invention is not limited thereto. It will be manifest that various additions, modifications and rearrangements of the features of the present invention may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept.
The individual components mentioned herein need not be fabricated from the disclosed materials, but could be fabricated from virtually any suitable and strong materials.
Moreover, the individual components need not be formed in the disclosed shapes, or assembled in the disclosed configuration, but could be provided in virtually any shape, and assembled in virtually any suitable configuration. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such additions, modifications and rearrangements.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5651156 | Oomura | Jul 1997 | A |
