BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further advantages and permutations will appear from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments of the invention taken together with the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a soil aeration apparatus of the prior art, having a pair of rotatable shafts having radially outwardly extending tines extending from each of said shafts;
FIG. 2 is a top view of a more elaborate soil aeration apparatus of the prior art, wherein the longitudinal axis of the rotatable shafts may be adjusted to variably position the rotatable shafts transverse to the direction of travel of the implement;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the agricultural implement of the present invention, having a pair of close-coupled transversly mounted rotatable shafts;
FIG. 4 is a top semi-schematic view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, taken in the direction of arrow “A”;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the agricultural implement of the present invention, similarly having a pair of close-coupled transversly mounted rotatable shafts;
FIG. 6 is a top semi-schematic view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, taken in the direction of arrow “A”;
FIG. 7 is a rear view of the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 & 5, taken in the direction of arrow ‘B’;
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along plane D-D of FIG. 7, showing the overlap of the circular arcs made by the tips of each of the time members mounted on adjacent rotating shafts; and
FIG. 9 is a similar view to that shown in FIG. 8, showing an alternative manner of mounting the tines to the rotatable shafts
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In all figures, for consistency, identical components are identified with identical reference numerals.
FIGS. 3-7 show two permutations of an agricultural implement of the present invention, namely a soil aeration device 10. Such device 10 in the preferred embodiments shown in the aforesaid FIGS. 3-7 is adapted, by means of three hardpoint attachments 12, for mounting onto a 3-point hitch of a tractor, to allow such device 10 to be towed by such tractor (not shown) over soil 15 that is desired to be aerated.
The aeration device 10 comprises a frame 14, having mounted thereon, two pairs of substantially parallel, spaced-apart rotatable shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b respectively. Each pair of shafts 18a, 18b and 20a, 20b comprises a forwardly-mounted shaft 18a, 20a, and a rearwardly-mounted shaft respectively, each mounted on frame 14 transverse to the direction of travel of device 10.
Shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b are mounted on frame 14 via end-mount members 70, and are preferably journalled for rotation by means of bearing and bearing housing 75 at end-mounts 70, although other means of rotatably mounting the shafts 18a, 18b and 20a, 20b will now occur to those skilled in the field.
Each rotatable shaft 18a, 18b and 20a, 20b posseses a plurality of protruding tines 22, extending substantially radially outwardly from each of said shafts 18a, 18b and 20a, 20b and spaced evenly about a periphery 34 of rotatable shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b, as shown best in FIGS. 8 & 9. In the embodiments shown in all of the figures, each of three tines 22 are substantially co-planar (although R is contemplated they may have several degrees of twist and/or tilt to aid in aeration when penetrating the soil, as disclosed in US Publ No. 20050077059 published Apr. 14, 2005, also commonly assigned to the assignee of this invention, namely Holland Equipment Ltd.), and are evenly spaced 120° from each of the other tines 22 in a common plane, and evenly spaced longitudinally along the longitudinal axis of each rotatable shaft 18a, 18b and 20a, 20b. Each tine 22 is adapted to rotate, with the respective shaft 18a,18b, 20a, 20b to which it is affixed, about a longitudinal axis 30 of a respective shaft 18a, 18b and 20a, 20b.
As shown best in FIGS. 8 & 9, tip 32 of each tine member 22, when rotating about a respective shaft 18a, 18b and 20a, 20b, is adapted to create a circular arc 40. Circular arcs 40 of tines 22, due to close mounting of pairs of rotatable shafts 18a to 18b, and 20a to 20b on frame 14, intersect with circular arcs 40 of other tines 22 mounted on the other of the pair of rotatable shafts, as best shown in FIGS. 4 & 6, and FIGS. 8 & 9.
As best seen from FIGS. 4 & 6, tines 22 mounted on forwardly-mounted rotatable shafts 18a, 20a, are longitudinally spaced along the respective longitudinal axis 30 thereof, and, due to the close mounting of shaft 18a to 18b, and shaft 20a to 20b, are adapted to interdigitate with tines 22 correspondingly longitudinally spaced along longitudinal axis of rearwardly-mounted shafts 18b, 20b.
Advantageously, when pairs of rotatable shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b forming part of aeration device 10 are pulled over the ground and rotate in the similar direction, interdigitating tines 22 on the trailing edge 50 of forwardly-mounted shafts 18a, 20a will be moving upwardly, thus drawing stalks of residual crops upwardly into an area of interdigitating tines. Similarly, interdigitating tines 22 on the leading edge 60 of rearwardly-mounted shafts 18b, 20b will be moving downwardly, thus cutting or mulching therebetween at locations of interdigitating tines 22, any stalks of residual crops which may be brought up into such location by upwardly moving tines 22 mounted on forwardly-mounted shafts 18a, 20a. Cut stalks then fall downwardly, and are thereafter pinned or pushed by tines 22 on rearwardly-mounted shafts 18b, 20b into soil 15 over which such device 10 is passed.
As best seen from FIGS. 8 & 9, tines 22 are generally pointed, and have a cutting edge 62 on a trailing edge thereof, adapted to penetrate and cut the soil for the purpose of aerating the soil, Cutting edge 62 further assists in cutting stalks of crop residues in the area of interdigitating tines 22, as explained above.
Tines 22 can be of a type known in the prior art. They may be bolted onto shafts 18a, 18b and 20a, 20b as shown in FIGS. 8 & 9, either in a radial direction (FIG. 8) via bolts 47, or in an axial direction (FIG. 9) via bolt holes 48 and bolts (not shown). Alternatively, tines 22 may be integral with a hollow hub, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,232 assigned to Holland Equipment Ltd (FIGS. 4, 5).
Typical suitable tines 22 for use on device 10 are tines manufactured by Holland Equipment Limited of Norwich, Ontario, under the following trademarks, namely Shattertine™, Sportstine™, and Finetine™.
The embodiment of the soil aeration device shown in FIGS. 3 & 4 is intentionally different than the embodiment of the aeration device shown in FIGS. 5 & 6, in that the pairs of rotatable shafts 18a, 18b and 20a, 20b shown in FIGS. 3 & 4 are inclined at a transverse angle α1, α2 to the direction of travel of the device, where α1, α2 are each in the range of approximately 45°-90°, and in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 & 4 is about 86°.
By way of contrast, with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 & 6, the pairs of shafts 18a,18b and 20a, 20b are each inclined at a transverse angle β1, β2 to the direction of travel, and is in the range of approximately 45°-90°, and in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 & 6 is about 85°.
In each of the two embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 & 4, and FIGS. 5 & 6, α1 is substantially equal to α2, and β1 is substantially equal to β2. This is to permit the shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b to be substantially parallel to permit respective tines on shafts 18a, 20a, to interdigitate with respective tines on shafts 18b, 20b respectively. Of course, the angle α1 need not be precisely equal to α2, and similarly β1 need not be precisely equal to β1, as due to the longitudinal spacing apart of the tines 22 along the longitudinal axis 30 of shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b, some non-parallel alignment of the pairs of shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b can be tolerated, and in some cases may be desired to assist in soil aeration, as long as interdigitation of the tines 22 on respective pairs of shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b can still be obtained without interference of tines 22 on such respective pairs of shafts.
Lastly, as may be seen from FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, it is contemplated that the respective transverse angles α1, α2 and β1, β2 for which respective rotatable shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b are inclined to the direction of travel may be adjustable, within a range of 45°-90°.
In this regard, by means of a series of bolt holes 77 on fame 14 (see FIGS. 3 & 5), endmounts 70 having bearing and bearing housings 75 therein may be adjustably positioned on frame 14, to permit adjustment of angles α1, α2 and β1, β2 and thus adjustment of the transverse angle of shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b, within a range of 45°-90°, and preferably within a range from about 80°-90°. It is noted that endmounts 70 at an end of shafts 18a,18b, and 20a, 20b are adapted to permit some rotation which will result when the opposite end of shafts 18a, 18b, and 20a, 20b and the bearing mount 15 is adjustably positioned by means of bolt holes 77.
Although the disclosure described and illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these particular embodiments. Many variations and modifications will now occur to those skilled in the art. For a complete definition of the invention and its intended scope, reference is to be made to the summary of the invention and the appended claims read together with and considered with the disclosure and drawings herein.
Patent Application
20080053671
