Rotary harrows

Abstract

A rotary harrow has a row of soil working members that are rotatable about upwardly extending axes defined by shafts journalled in an elongated, hollow frame portion. The frame portion is formed by opposing U-shaped upper and lower portions that have abutting rims clamped together by releasable fastening means. Driving gears are housed, together with lubricant, within the frame portion. The lateral sides of the frame portion are closed by vertical sector plates which are attached to the lower frame portion. Inwardly projecting ribs on the plates coextend with the inner surfaces of the upper frame portion and a gasket is sandwiched between those surfaces and the ribs. A supporting roller is located to the rear of the soil working members and arms pivotably interconnect the roller to the sector plates so that adjustment can be made to regulate the working depths of the working members.

Description

Claims

1. A rotary harrow comprising a frame having an elongated frame portion that extends transvese to the direction of travel, a plurality of soil working members being mounted on corresponding upwardly extending shafts and said shafts being journalled in said frame portion, said frame portion being hollow and having opposing upper and lower parts that are detachable from one another and fastening means securing said parts to one another, driving means housed within said hollow frame portion and engaging said shafts, the lateral ends of said frame portion comprising upwardly extending plates and said plates being secured to the lower part, at least one of said plates having an inwardly projecting rib that guides and positions one of the frame parts relative to the other frame part in assembled position, said upper and lower frame parts being substantially U-shaped in cross-section, with divergent limbs on a web, said projecting rib extending inwardly into the hollow frame portion and the web of said upper frame part resting on the top side of the rib.

2. A rotary harrow as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper and lower parts are substantially identical.

3. A rotary harrow comprising a frame having an elongated frame portion that extends transverse to the direction of travel, a plurality of soil working members being mounted on corresponding upwardly extending shafts and said shafts being journalled in said frame portion, said frame portion being hollow and comprising opposing upper and lower parts that are detachable from one another, fastening means securing the two parts to one another, driving means housed within a chamber formed in said hollow frame portion and said driving means engaging said shafts, the lateral ends of said frame portion being closed and comprising upwardly extending plates and at least one of said plates having an inwardly projecting rib that guides and positions one of the frame parts relative to the other frame part in the frame portion's assembled structure, the two parts being substantially identical to one another and having outer rims that oppose and abut one another to form the hollow frame portion, said rib projecting inwardly and being configured to underlie and coextend with the undersurface of said upper part, said plate being secured to the lower part of the frame portion.

4. A rotary harrow as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rib extends across substantially the entire width of said frame part.

5. A rotary harrow as claimed in claim 3, wherein each plate extends rearwardly from the frame portion and comprises a sector plate, a supporting roller being located to the rear of said soil working members and arms pivotably interconnecting the roller to the sector plates.

6. A rotary harrow as claimed in claim 3, wherein said upper and lower frame parts are each substantially U-shaped in cross-section, with divergent limbs on a web, said plates each having a projecting rib and the web of said upper frame part resting on the top sides of the ribs of said plates.