Patent Application
20100084148
The invention relates generally to agricultural implements, such as tandem disk systems, used in farming operations. More particularly, the invention relates to a tandem disk system featuring a soil finishing system.
A tandem disk system is used to break up the ground to prepare for seed deposition. A soil finishing system is used along the ground after the tandem disk system to create a desirable finish for farming. Current tandem disk soil finishing systems may contain spike or tine harrows to achieve a desired soil finish. The tines may bend or break after usage and wear. In the case of spike harrows, they may bunch, clog and plug with residue, thus will not break clods and smooth soil. Further, the tines may be composed of a metal that may bend or break as the harrows or tines are dragged across rocks and/or large clods of soil. Moreover, tines do not have sufficient down pressure to break larger soil clods and smooth the soil.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a novel configuration for agricultural tandem disk systems that feature soil finishing systems. This configuration of the finishing system features finishing reels that provide a robust assembly, resulting in reduced repair and maintenance costs. The finishing system also features support arms that allow the user to adjust the position of finishing reels and the downward force applied to the reels. In an exemplary embodiment, the soil finishing reels are located behind two rows of ground breaking disk blades. After the soil is opened by the disks, the finishing reel may be used to break up or split large soil clods formed by the disks. The soil finishing system allows the user to have the soil in an optimized state for germination after one pass of the agricultural system, thereby reducing the number of passes needed to prepare the field.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
One or more specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.
When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present invention, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Any examples of operating parameters and/or environmental conditions are not exclusive of other parameters/conditions of the disclosed embodiments.
As discussed in detail below, various configurations of disk and soil finishing systems may be employed to produce an optimal soil finish, improve reliability, and reduce maintenance. For example, the embodiments discussed below may employ rows of disks, finishing reels extending from support arms that include biasing members, and soil contacting bars included in the finishing reels to split or break soil clods. Specifically, the finishing reels rotate about an axis as the disks and reels are towed across a terrain. The biasing members may urge the reels into the terrain and may enable a position adjustment of the finishing reels. The support arms may also include a position adjustment allowing a position adjustment of the finishing reels. For example, the finishing reels may be towed across a terrain behind two disk rows, thereby producing a terrain surface that is optimal for seeding or farming.
Turning now to the drawings and referring first to
Tandem disk system 10 includes soil finishing systems 12. As discussed in detail below, soil finishing systems 12 that include reels enable the operator to create optimal soil for seeding and farming without frequent maintenance or repair. Soil finishing systems 12 are located in the rear portion of the tandem disk system 10, which may be attached to a tractor via hitch assembly 14. Hitch assembly 14 may be pivotally coupled to frame 16. Frame 16 includes several structural members that are used to connect and support front disk row 18 and rear disk row 20.
In certain embodiments of the tandem disk system 10, the disk rows 18 and 20 may also be referred to as gangs of disk blades. As shown, tandem disk system 10 includes only disks mounted to tool bars and uses no other tools or devices to open the soil. The disk rows 18 and 20 include disks mounted to tool bars that are part of frame 16. In an embodiment, front disk row 18 includes two sets of disk blades 21 that are mounted to two tool bars 23, which converge at an angle toward the center 25 of frame 16. In another embodiment, tool bars 22 may converge in an X-shape, wherein tool bars 23 and 27 converge toward the center to form an “X.” Further, the disk blades 21 are configured to grab and open soil, turning it outward as the tandem disk system 10 is pulled across the ground. Rear disk row 20 includes two rows of disk blades 21 mounted to two tool bars 27, which converge at an angle (e.g., V-shape configuration) toward the center 25 of the frame 16. In an embodiment, the rear disk row 20 is configured to draw the soil inward in contrast to the outward turning of the soil by the front disk row 18.
Tandem disk system 10 also includes transport wheels 22, which may be extended to raise the ground contacting disks 21 from the ground when the system is in transport. Transport wheels 22 may be located in a plurality of positions under frame 16 to support the tandem disk system 10 when the disks 21 are elevated. Included in the rear portion of frame 16 are rear-frame cross bars 24, which are generally transverse to hitch assembly 14 and to the direction in which the tandem disk system 10 is towed. Hitch assembly 14, frame 16, and rear frame cross bars 24 may be made of any suitable durable and strong material, such as steel.
Soil finishing systems 12 are mounted to rear frame cross bar 24 by support arms 26. In an embodiment, two support arms 26 are used to support each of the finishing reels 28 located on soil finishing systems 12 aft of the finishing reels 28. In the present context, finishing reels 28 may also be referred to as finishing baskets. Finishing reels 28 may be used to contact the soil after the ground has been broken up by front disk row 18 and rear disk row 20. In particular, the tandem disk rows 18 and 20 may tend to leave the ground with many clods of unbroken soil, rough with ridges and valleys. The finishing reels 28 may be used to create a smooth finish to the broken up ground. The configuration of soil finishing systems 12 may reduce or eliminate the need for extra passes through the field to finish the soil, thereby reducing the time and costs associated with preparation for seed deposition. Further, the robust design of the finishing reels 28 and systems 12 reduces breakage and the effects of wear on the assembly.
In an embodiment, the tandem disk system 10 may be described as a soil conditioning system. Further, disk rows 18 and 20 of the soil conditioning system include only disks to break the soil. After the soil is broken by the disk rows 18 and 20, the finishing reels 28 break up clods and further condition the soil for planting or seeding by another implement. That is, the tandem disk system 10 only conditions the soil with disks and does not include planting, seeding, cultivating or other similar tools. Further, the robust design of the tandem disk system 10 and soil finishing systems 12 enable an optimal farming soil surface after one pass of the tractor and implement, reducing the amount of time and fuel used by an operator. The design of finishing reels 28 is durable, able to withstand stones and other debris and further break up large clods.
While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
