U.S. patent application number 09/917667 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-18 for tillage tooth for use in an implement providing a smooth finish.
This patent application is currently assigned to Case Corporation. Invention is credited to Dietrich, William J. SR..
Application Number | 20020043383 09/917667 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24458165 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020043383 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dietrich, William J. SR. |
April 18, 2002 |
Tillage tooth for use in an implement providing a smooth finish
Abstract
A tillage tooth for use in an implement which performs shallow
tillage with tillage discs followed by chisel plows with winged
points performing primary tillage in strips of untilled soil left
by the forward discs. The points include wings mounted to either
side of a central tooth. The wings are constructed and arranged to
provide a greater rise to lift soil adjacent their inner edges than
is provided by the outer edges of the wings. This imparts a lifting
and lateral rolling motion to tilled soil and enhances a smooth
finish.
Inventors: |
Dietrich, William J. SR.;
(Goodfield, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Larry W. Miller
Case Corporation
Intellectual Property Law Department
700 State Street
Racine
WI
53404
US
|
Assignee: |
Case Corporation
|
Family ID: |
24458165 |
Appl. No.: |
09/917667 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09917667 |
Jul 30, 2001 |
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09613655 |
Jul 11, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
172/730 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01B 49/02 20130101;
Y02P 60/14 20151101; Y02P 60/144 20151101 |
Class at
Publication: |
172/730 |
International
Class: |
A01B 005/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. In a chisel plow for performing deep tillage, having an upright
shank adapted to be mounted to a tillage implement, an improved
tillage point comprising: a tooth member mounted to said shank and
extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom in a use position; and
first and second wings, one mounted to either side of said tooth,
each wing extending upwardly and rearwardly in a field use position
and having an elongated inner edge adjacent said tooth member, an
outer edge generally parallel to said inner edge and substantially
shorter than said inner edge, a forward edge extending rearward
from said tooth member and located above the working level of the
forwardmost location of said tooth member in said field use
position, and a rear edge extending forwardly of said tooth member,
said wings characterized in that the inner edges of said wings
provide a substantially greater rise to lift soil than does the
outer edges thereof, thereby imparting a lifting and laterally
rolling motion to tilled soil.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein of said wings extends
rearwardly and upwardly from said forward edge at a lift angle of
about twenty-four degrees or less relative to the horizontal in a
field use position.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said tooth is an elongated,
narrow flat member and each of said wings of said points is
generally planar and has an elongated inner edge generally parallel
to and substantially shorter than said inner edge, whereby each
wing lifts soil a greater extent above the inner edge thereof,
thereby imparting a lateral rolling motion to soil being worked on
either side of said tooth member.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of said wings is formed of
flat steel plate and is in the general form of a trapezoid defining
a leading edge spaced above the lowermost extent of said tooth
member and extending outwardly and rearwardly from said tooth
member in said field use position.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said leading edge of each of
said wings extends rearwardly relative to the inner edge thereof at
approximately forty-five degrees.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said wings further
includes a rear edge extending forwardly at approximately thirty
degrees relative to said inner edge thereof.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 characterized in that said inner edge
of each wing is at least approximately twice as long as the outer
edge thereof.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 characterized in that said inner edge
of each wing is approximately four times as long as the outer edge
thereof.
9. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said wings is in the
general form of a trapezoid and made of steel plate stock, the
inner edge of each wing being at least twice the length of the
outer edge thereof and the upper, inner portion being turned
upwardly to impart greater lift to soil moving up the inner portion
thereof.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a division of co-pending U.S.
Application Ser. No. 09/613,655, filed Jul. 11, 2000, entitled
"Combination Tillage Equipment for Providing a Smooth Finish".
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an agricultural tillage
system. More particularly, it relates to a tillage system that is
capable of working the soil at a shallow depth with discs, and also
providing some deep ("primary") tillage at a second, deeper depth,
and then leveling the field, all in a single pass, thereby
conserving fuel and equipment operating time.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Single-pass tillage implements providing both shallow and
primary tillage in a single pass using discs and chisel points are
disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,245,706; 4,403,662; and 4,538,689.
These machines, however, leave furrows and/or ridges in the soil
after use. It has become desirable to leave the surface of the soil
as level as possible after tilling in the Fall to reduce the amount
of soil preparation necessary before planting the following Spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,178 discloses a disc leveler for use with a
tillage machine such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,403,662.
[0004] During the late 1970's, before the machine shown in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,403,662 became available, primary tillage was
accomplished principally with moldboard plows.
[0005] The moldboard plow leaves large slabs and chunks of soil
that tend to break down over the freeze and thaw cycles of Winter,
but this tillage practice required substantial working of the soil
in the Spring in order to level the field and prepare it for
planting of the next crop. Moreover, moldboard plowing is not an
effective remedy for soil erosion, and has a tendency to exacerbate
erosion.
[0006] In recent years, farmers have been looking for ways to
decrease soil and wind erosion. The use of a large disc assembly in
front of a chisel plow on a parabolic shank accomplished these
goals and also breaks up the hard plow pan (or "sole") that is
created at the particular depth at which the plow is set to
operate, caused by repeated tillage at the same depth over the
years. The parabolic shank and winged point of recent improved
plows have reduced soil erosion, but this practice also may create
large chunks of soil, and it usually requires substantial spring
soil-working to prepare an adequate seedbed for planting.
[0007] During the 1970's, the cutter chisel was widely used. It
consisted of a chisel plow with a row of coulters to cut the
residue ahead of two rows of staggered shanks on thirty-inch
centers. These shanks had a four-inch twisted point attached to
them to perform the primary tillage. The tip of the point was at
approximately a 45.degree. angle to the horizontal, sloping
downwardly and forwardly from the shank. The worked soil followed
the curvature of the "C"-shaped shank that was attached to the
chisel plow and was twisted in order to provide a moldboard-type
turning action. A "C"-shaped shank, of the type described, is shown
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,662.
[0008] For early cutter chisel plows, there was a net lateral
movement of soil. A machine with, for example, 11 shanks would be
equipped with five right-hand and six left-hand twisted points. The
result was that a wide groove and a large berm were left after a
pass. The machine as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,662 was an
improvement because it left a smaller groove and not as large a
berm by using fore and aft sets of discs and an improved point.
[0009] In U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,689, there is disclosed a winged
point mounted on a parabolic shank. That winged point, in the
combination shown, creates a large, rough surface similar to the
surface of the moldboard plow used during the late 1970's and early
1980's. The wings on these points are set at a soil lift angle of
approximately 30.degree.. This lift angle was conventional at the
time, but it is an aggressive angle which causes the wings to lift
the soil abruptly. In some soils, particularly more compacted
soils, the combination of an aggressive lift angle on the wings of
the point, together with a parabolic shank, which is designed to
lift and heave soil, lifted larger soil chunks and threw them out
of the paths of the chisel plow and away from cooperating discs,
making it difficult to create a level soil surface after a pass of
the machine.
[0010] During the 1980's, farmers desired less tillage to prepare
for planting. The furrows left by the chisel shanks had to be
filled with the berms that were created between each shank. In
order to fill these furrows behind large parabolic shanks, smaller
shanks were placed to run shallower and were placed midway between
the large chisel shanks. This resulted in smaller grooves on
reduced centers. With the development of the disc leveler shown in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,178, the furrows behind the shanks were
substantially filled without leaving substantial grooves after the
shanks had passed, thus improving the levelness or "smoothness" of
the surface.
[0011] In heavily compacted soils, a parabolic shank lifts out
large chunks of soil and heaves them to the path of least
resistance around the shank. These large chunks are difficult to
rearrange in such a way as to give a smooth resulting surface. If a
chunk is rather large, it will tend to ride up the shank, roll
forward and not be in the proper location for the leveler to roll
it back to its original location, because the leveler primarily
moves the soil laterally, not backward.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention is directed to a tillage system, which
is designed to perform complete tillage of the soil in a single
pass while leaving a fairly level surface to reduce the amount of
soil preparation required for planting the next season.
Specifically, the present system cuts and buries residue, provides
shallow tillage with discs, and provides a controlled amount of
primary (deeper) tillage without creating a plow sole. As used
herein, primary tillage means deep soil plowing, in a range of
approximately nine to fourteen inches or greater. Shallow tillage
may be in a range of three to six inches approximately. Finally, a
leveler smooths the surface behind the chisel shanks.
[0013] The overall system functions are achieved through the
cooperative action of widely spaced forward disc blades (sometimes
referred to as the tillage discs to distinguish them from the
trailing leveler discs) followed by chisel plows with winged
points. Each plow point is located to the side of a strip of soil
left untilled by the forward discs. The tillage discs are arranged
in a forward set and a rear set with adjacent discs being offset in
the direction of travel. One disc from the forward set and an
associated one from the rear set cooperate to till adjacent swaths
and move the soil (and residue if any) in opposing lateral
directions. The tillage discs are arranged in cooperating pairs. A
cooperating pair of tillage discs includes one disc from the
forward set and one from the rear set with their working surfaces
facing each other (i.e., in laterally "opposing" relation).
Adjacent sets of cooperating discs are spaced with one disc from
the forward set and one disc from the rear set having their
non-working surfaces spaced to leave a strip of untilled soil.
[0014] By running the tillage discs at an operating depth in the
range of approximately three to six inches, large chunks capable of
riding up the plow shank are avoided. Further, some of the tillage
discs run nearly in-line ahead of the shanks. That is, the shanks
are placed to run adjacent to the edges of the strips of untilled
soil left by the tillage discs. The discs provide a notch effect,
leaving a furrow fairly closely aligned with the shank. Thus, the
disc cutting into the previously untilled soil creates a furrow and
the trailing plow, with its point working at a deeper level, is
located near the furrow created by a forward tillage disc, at the
edge of an untilled strip. This relationship permits the plow more
easily to break through the compacted soil with less energy
imparted to the soil, reducing a tendency to create large clumps of
soil.
[0015] The action of the tillage discs is characterized by an
aggressive tilling of the soil and top residue. By aggressive
action, it is meant that each tillage disc on the forward set is
placed at an operating depth, working angle, and lateral spacing
from an associated disc such that its leading edge cuts the residue
and the disc blade scoops or shovels the soil and residue at a
comparatively shallow depth (typically in the range of three to six
inches) by turning the soil over, mixing the residue and soil and
displacing the mixture laterally in a windrow at least partially
covering the swath to be worked by a cooperating disc on the rear
set. A cooperating disc from the rear set of tillage discs then
tills a swath spaced laterally from the cooperating forward disc,
cuts into compacted soil, mixes it with the windrowed soil from the
forward cooperating disc and moves the mixture in the opposite
lateral direction from its associated forward disc and at least
partially behind the forward cooperating disc.
[0016] As mentioned, the pairs of cooperating discs are spaced
laterally apart to leave a swath of untilled soil. That is, the
non-working surfaces of a forward disc in one cooperating pair is
spaced laterally from the non-working surface of the nearest disc
of the adjacent cooperating pair to leave an untilled strip, which
may contain soil and residue worked by the tillage discs.
[0017] Located behind the tillage discs in the untilled strips, are
chisel plows with winged plow points set at a "deep" or primary
operating depth in the range of nine to fourteen inches. They are
located to till the untilled swaths left by the tillage discs.
[0018] During the past decades, tillage speeds have increased.
Speeds above 51/2 mph, especially, can roll large clods out of the
shank path. According to the present invention, the wings on the
point are shaped so that the soil has a longer path as it is
lifted, and the lift angle is less than 30.degree. relative to the
horizontal. The lift on the inner portions of the wings is greater
than on the outer portions. That is, the soil path is longer
adjacent the central tooth, and provides the twisting and mixing
action of the soil.
[0019] This allows the rear disc leveler effectively and easily to
smooth out the surface of the tilled, mixed residue and soil. It is
desirable to put some twisting or moldboard-type of roll to the
soil in order to mix and bury surface-applied fertilizer and
residue deeper into the soil.
[0020] The greater lift of the inner portion of the wings and the
moderated lift of the outboard portions produces an outboard roll
to the soil without lifting and hurling large chunks as far
vertically or forwardly. That is, the principal movement of the
soil tilled at the primary level is to the side, not forward This
helps to prevent the soil from rolling forward and leaves the field
with a more even surface in a fore-and-aft direction.
[0021] The chisel shanks carrying the plow points are located in
the untilled strips of soil between adjacent pairs of cooperating
discs. Specifically, the shanks are located toward the lateral edge
of an untilled strip left by the tillage discs. This places the
point adjacent the location at which a disc has formed a shallow
furrow. Thus, the vertical distance between the tip of the point
(which performs the primary or deep tillage) and the bottom of the
furrow of secondary or shallow tillage is at a minimum--of the
order of four to ten inches typically. The churning, lifting action
of the plow point is muted by this reduced fracture distance
(called the "line of weakness" or "fracture line") because it takes
less force or energy to break the soil along a shortened line of
weakness so less energy is imparted to the fracturing soil; and the
broken soil is less likely to move any substantial distance, either
laterally or forward. This cooperative action along the line of
weakness leaves a more even surface profile after the chisels pass.
The profile between adjacent chisels after they pass is a slight
mound, the top of which is approximately centered between adjacent
chisels.
[0022] A small optional shark fin can be attached to the top of the
point. Such fins have been used for many years to help part the
soil.
[0023] Leveling discs may be placed behind the chisels. The
levelers are also arranged in pairs of discs with their non-working
surfaces opposing each other. Each pair is centered on the ridge of
the berm created by the chisel plows. The leveler discs of adjacent
pairs thus part the berm and spread the soil laterally behind the
chisel plows to create a smooth or level final surface profile of
loosened soil (some of which has been deep-tilled), residue and
fertilizer (if fertilizer had been applied before the tillage
implement passed). The leveler disc blades as shown in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,080,178 are approximately at a 15.degree. angle. When mounted
to help smooth the field in the instant invention, it has been
found that it is best to run the blades at approximately a
25.degree. angle. That is, the axis of rotation of the disc makes
an angle of 25.degree. relative to a line perpendicular to the
direction of travel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1, lower portion, is a plan view of an implement
constructed according to the present invention, and in the upper
portion, a diagrammatic plan view, illustrating the lateral
movement and leveling of soil and residue by the discs in relation
to the location and action of the chisel plows;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 3 is a vertical view looking forward of an idealized
soil profile illustrating the operation of the first and second
rows of tillage discs;
[0027] FIG. 4 is a vertical view of a soil profile illustrating the
operation of the chisel plows;
[0028] FIG. 5 is a similar view of a soil profile similar to FIG.
4, but with the system including a smaller lead shank;
[0029] FIG. 6 is a similar view of a soil profile illustrating the
operation of the leveling discs on the soil profile left by the
chisel plows;
[0030] FIG. 7 is a left side view of an improved tillage point used
in the implement of FIG. 1;
[0031] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the tillage point of FIG. 7;
[0032] FIG. 9 is a front view of the tillage point of FIG. 7;
[0033] FIG. 10 is a left side view of an alternate embodiment of
the tillage point; and
[0034] FIG. 11 is a left side view of a tillage disc and mount used
in the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0035] Referring first to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally
designates the overall tillage implement of the present invention.
The tillage implement 10 includes a rigid main or pull frame
generally designated 11 adapted to be attached at its front to the
rear of an agricultural tractor by means of a conventional hitch
12. Midway along and carried by the pull frame 11 is an adjustable
disc frame 13. To the rear of disc frame 13 is a transverse support
frame 14 which includes a chisel toolbar 15 having a broad
chevron-shape with the point headed in the direction of travel and
centered on the longitudinal centerline of the implement which
extends in the direction of travel.
[0036] The pull frame 11 includes first and second elongated side
frame members 16, 16A also arranged in a chevron shape and braced
toward the front by a cross frame member 17 attached at each end to
the pull frame 11. The disc frame 13 includes a forward
chevron-shaped mounting bar 19 with the point directed rearwardly
and centered on the longitudinal centerline of the implement, and a
similar, but wider, rear mounting bar 20 with its point facing the
forward direction and centered. Thus, the disc frame 13 in the
illustrated embodiment, in its entirety, has a general X-shape.
However, a rectangular shape and other configurations could work as
well. Forward and rear disc mounting bars 19, 20 are formed into a
rigid disc frame by left and right side frame members, the left
member being designated 22, rigidly connected (as by welding) at
their respective forward ends to the forward disc mounting bar 19
and at their rear ends to the rear disc mounting bar 20. A center
longitudinal frame member 24 is rigidly attached between the
centers of the forward and rear mounting bars 19, 20 to provide
further strength and rigidity to the disc frame 13.
[0037] The disc frame 13 is suspended beneath the main pull frame
11 and adapted for vertical adjustment (under operator control) by
means of a forward rocker arm 25 and a rear rocker arm 26 which are
journaled to the underside of the longitudinal side frame members
16, 16A of the pull frame 11. The left and right sides of the
implement are similar. The lower portion of FIG. 1 shows the left
side and center of the structure; and the upper portion of FIG. 1
demonstrates the operation of the machine. Thus, only the left side
will be described in detail. Persons skilled in the art will
appreciate that the right side of the implement is the same as the
left side, but in mirror image.
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, two pairs of plates (the left
pair being shown at 29) are mounted to the top surface of the
forward disc mounting bar 19 and spaced to receive a pin, such as
the one designated 31 for the plates 29. Similar left and right
pairs of mounting plates (the left pair being shown at 32) spaced
and provided with pins are affixed to the rear disc mounting bar
20. The forward rocker arm 25 is provided with left and right crank
arms (the left one designated 35 in FIG. 2) which have their distal
ends journaled on the pins, such as pin 31, mounted to the forward
plate pairs 29. Similar crank arms (see the left one designated 38
in FIG. 2) are mounted to the left and right ends of the rear
rocker arm 26 and connected at their distal ends to pins mounted to
the pairs of mounting plates affixed to the rear disc mounting bar
20.
[0039] An hydraulic cylinder unit or actuator 40 (FIG. 2) has its
rod end pivotally connected to a crank member 41 fixed to the
center of the forward rocker arm 25. The cylinder end of the
hydraulic cylinder unit 40 is pivotally mounted to a tab 43 which
is part of a rotatable mount 44 (FIG. 1) journaled on a cross
member 45 affixed to the side frame members 16, 16A of the pull
frame 11. A spring seat 46 is mounted to the top of the rotary
mount 44 and seats a coil spring 47 under preload and having a
center bolt 48 mounted to a pin 49 (FIG. 1) secured to plates 50,
51 mounted to the cross frame member 17 which, as described, is
rigidly fixed to the side frame members 16, 16A.
[0040] The operation of the disc frame 13 will now be apparent to
those skilled in the art. The operator sets the operating depth of
the tillage discs by controlling the hydraulic actuator 40 from the
tractor. As the tillage discs (to be described more below)
encounter obstruction or unevenness in the ground, the spring 47
acts to cushion the displacement force and restore the disc frame
to its operating or use position, similar to what is shown in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,546,832. The mounting system for the tillage disc frame
maintains the discs operating on substantially the same elevation
for all depth settings. The operation depth of the tillage discs
may be set independently of the depth of the chisel plows, as will
become apparent.
[0041] A first or forward set of disc blades generally designated
55 is mounted to the forward disc mounting bar 19 and a second or
rear set of similar disc blades 56 is mounted in a similar fashion
to the rear disc mounting bar 20 of the disc frame 13. The disc
blades are mounted on shanks as is conventional and need not be
described further. The individual discs of the forward set are
designated 55A-55J, respectively; and the individual blades of the
rear set are correspondingly designated 56A-56J, respectively.
[0042] Each of the discs 55A-55J and 56A-56J (seen in more detail
in FIG. 11) is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, such
as that designated 58 in FIG. 1 for the disc 55J which defines an
angle W(FIG. 1), called the working angle, relative to a line
transverse of the direction of travel. The working angle W may also
be thought of as the angle between a vertical plane defined by the
peripheral edge of a disc and a line parallel to the direction of
travel. For the illustrated embodiment, the working angle for the
tillage disc is advantageously within the range of approximately
15-22.degree. and preferably about 18.degree.. The spacing of
adjacent tillage discs and the relative placement of cooperating
front and rear discs will be described below.
[0043] In the illustrated embodiment, there are ten forward tillage
discs and ten rear tillage discs, thus creating ten pairs of
cooperating discs. A "cooperating" or "associated" pair of discs
comprises one from the forward set and an adjacent one from the
rear set, e.g., 55H and 56H, whose working surfaces face each
other. Thus, the disc from the forward set (55H in the example)
performs shallow tillage forming a trench or furrow, and throws its
soil and residue in one lateral direction (to the right, in the
example) to create a windrow. Each cooperating tillage disc (56H in
the example) performs its own shallow tillage, forming a trench,
and also works at least a portion of the soil in the windrow
created by the associated forward disc 55H, moving and mixing both
the soil it tilled and the soil/residue forming a portion of the
overlying windrow formed by the cooperating tillage disc 55H.
Cooperating tillage discs, as described herein, move soil in
opposite lateral directions.
[0044] Turning now to the transverse support frame 14 (FIGS. 1 and
2) for the plows, an upper transverse tubular frame member 60 is
mounted by brackets (the left one shown in FIG. 1 and designated
61) to the side frame members 16, 16A of the pull frame 11, toward
the rear (i.e., behind the disc frame 13). Left and right side
longitudinal frame members (see the left one 64) are rigidly
affixed at their forward ends to the transverse frame member 60 and
at their rear ends to the chisel toolbar 15 to form a rigid
structure with the pull frame.
[0045] Left and right vertical frame members (the left one being
shown at 68 in FIG. 2) are rigidly affixed to the left and right
sides of transverse frame member 60. Wheel support arms (see the
left one 70 in FIG. 3) are pivotally connected to the bottoms of
vertical frame members 68, respectively, and extend rearwardly,
parallel to the direction of travel. Support wheels 74 have their
axles journaled in the rear portions of wheel support arms 70,
respectively. First and second hydraulic cylinders 72 are pivotally
connected at one end to the vertical frame member 68, respectively,
and pivotally connected at the other end, respectively, to the
wheel support arms 70. As will be understood, as the hydraulic
cylinders 72 are extended under operator control, the entire
implement frame (comprising the pull frame 11 and the transverse
frame 14) is raised; and conversely, as the hydraulic cylinders 72,
73 are retracted, the implement frame is lowered. This action
adjusts the elevation of the tillage discs 55, 56 as well as the
chisel plows and leveling discs to be described. The tillage discs
55, 56, however, may be independently adjusted by operation of the
hydraulic cylinder 40 as described above.
[0046] The structure of the five chisel plow units, designated
80A-80E, respectively, may include conventional sweeps and shanks.
However, plows having narrow, rigid shanks and winged points are
preferred, and one winged point believed to be of particular
advantage is disclosed below. Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2,
each plow unit may be identical, so only unit 80A will be disclosed
in further detail. In that unit, a main strut 82 is affixed at its
forward end by a conventional mount 83 to the chisel toolbar 15 and
extends rearwardly, parallel to direction of travel and generally
horizontally. A parabolic shank 85 (FIG. 2) is mounted by a
conventional main bolt/shear bolt combination mount 86 to the rear
or distal end of the strut 82. A winged point generally designated
88 is mounted to the bottom of the shank 85.
[0047] It will be observed that for ten pairs of cooperating
tillage discs, 55, 56, there are five chisel plows, leaving one
plow for alternate disc pairs and one plow (80C) centered. If it is
desired to perform additional primary tillage, smaller, but similar
plows may be placed in the remaining untilled strips, such as the
lead plow shown in dashed line at 81 in FIG. 1 and mounted to the
transverse frame member 60. Following the chisel plows is a disc
leveler generally designated 90. The leveler 90 includes a
plurality of discs which do not till the soil as do the forward
tillage discs 55, 56 performing shallow tillage. That is, the
leveler discs are set at a depth such that under normal conditions,
their bottom edges do not engaged untilled soil to any continuous
and substantial extent. Rather, the leveler discs operate slightly
above the original soil level (H in FIG. 3); and they primarily
level the soil and residue already tilled and mounded by the
tillage discs and chisel plows, leaving the surface of the soil
level without the need for substantial additional tillage before
planting.
[0048] A suitable disc leveler is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,178,
except that that leveler sets the working angle (as defined above)
of the leveler discs in a range of 5-15.degree.. The present
invention preferably sets the working angle of the leveler discs at
approximately 25.degree.. The leveler 90, described further below,
is comprised of a mounting bar or toolbar 91 and first and second
longitudinal strut frame members 93A connecting the leveler toolbar
91 to the chisel plow toolbar 15.
[0049] It will be observed that for the forward set of tillage
discs 55, those to the left of the centerline of the machine (the
forward/left quadrant when viewing from above), 55A-55E, have their
working surfaces facing toward the left of the machine to displace
soil and residue in that direction (i.e., outwardly from the
center). Similarly, those to the right of the centerline of the
machine in the forward set, 55F-55J, face to the right, and also
move soil outwardly.
[0050] The discs 56A-56J on the rear set having their working
surfaces facing toward the center of the apparatus and consequently
displace soil inwardly, thereby obviating any build-up of soil or a
net displacement of soil outside the swath worked by the apparatus.
This permits the apparatus to work the soil in either direction
relative to a previously worked swath. The outermost tillage discs
on the rear set, 56A, 56J, if they are the same size as the other
discs, may be mounted one inch higher and at a slightly lesser
working angle, preferably slightly less than 18.degree., so as to
avoid leaving a substantial furrow. Alternatively, raker discs of
smaller diameter can be used as the outboard discs on the rear set
since the primary function of these outboard discs is to fill the
furrow left by the associated or cooperating disc in the forward
set.
[0051] Thus, for each quadrant of the machine, the tillage discs in
a quadrant face the same direction. This avoids a tendency towards
clogging or plugging as might otherwise occur with adjacent discs
facing each other. The working surfaces of the center discs of the
rear set 56E, 56F face each other; but, because their forward
cooperating discs 55E, 55F, respectively, move soil outwardly,
there is a spacing of additional width in the center of the rear
set, thus reducing any tendency toward plugging of the center, rear
discs by residue.
[0052] The centers of the tillage discs of the forward set 55 are
laterally spaced at a distance which is generally greater than half
the diameter of the disc. In other words, the lateral distance
between corresponding centers of adjacent discs facing the same
direction is generally greater than half the diameter of the discs.
For example, if twenty-four-inch or twenty-six-inch discs are used,
then the discs are set at a space of approximately fifteen to
eighteen inches on center. This is not so for the adjacent center
blades 55E and 55F obviously, because they throw the cleared top
soil in opposite directions.
[0053] The discs on the rear set 56 are also spaced in the same
manner. The rear discs are located relative to an associated
forward disc on the forward set such that the disc on the rear set
parts the windrow of mixed soil and residue formed by the
associated disc on the forward set. Referring to the right side of
the machine in FIG. 1, the disc 55I of the forward set clears a
path P and the residue and top soil cleared from path P are
displaced to the right onto a windrow. The leading edge of the
"cooperating" or "associated" tillage disc 56I on the rear set is
located to part the windrow and to clear a second strip of ground
PP.
[0054] As will be observed, for each pair of associated or
cooperating discs, one in the front and one in the rear, the
forward disc clears a swath of soil and moves the cleared soil and
residue in one lateral direction to form a windrow. The cooperating
rear disc cuts a swath of previously unworked soil, and, in
addition, moves at least a portion of the windrow created by the
forward cooperating disc. The rear cooperating disc moves its soil
in the opposite lateral direction to fill the furrow formed by the
cooperating forward disc. This is the case for all ten pairs of
cooperating discs in the illustrated embodiment. The center discs
on the forward set of discs throw their soil outwardly. The
cooperating center discs on the rear set are spaced laterally
further apart than are the center discs on the forward set, and the
center discs on the rear set, 56E, 56F, throw their soil toward the
center.
[0055] The operation of the tillage discs is illustrated in
idealized form in FIG. 3. The original soil level is represented by
the horizontal line H. The trench formed by tillage disc 55I is
designated T1 and the trench formed by the rear cooperating disc
56I is designated T2.
[0056] The idealized surface profile left after the tillage discs
have passed is identified by the line SP. It will be observed from
FIG. 3 that the soivresidue worked by disc 56I (which disc is
offset to the right of disc 55I and behind it) fills the trench T1
formed by the cooperating forward disc 55I and mounds over that
trench T1 and even onto the trench formed by the adjacent, forward
disc of the rear set, 56H, which had formed trench T3. This is
represented by the windrow or mound W in FIG. 3. It is a
characteristic and important feature of the present invention that
the operation of the tillage discs will form low, even profile
mounds of tillage soil and residue over a wide range of
comparatively high ground speeds (i.e., 5-8 mph). This is due in
major part to the aggressive setting of the working angle of the
tillage discs, and the construction, arrangement and placement of
the tillage discs. There is thus left by the tillage discs, a
series of mounds (or windrows) of mixed soil, residue and
fertilizer extending to the depth of secondary tillage and spread
out fairly evenly with comparatively low ridges.
[0057] Still referring to FIG. 3, it will be observed that the
trenches (for example, T1 and T2) formed by one pair of cooperating
tillage discs (55I, 56I) are spaced slightly from the trenches
formed by an adjacent pair of cooperating discs to form strips of
untilled soil designated ST. For example, the trench T5 shown in
FIG. 3 formed by the forward tillage disc 55J is spaced from the
trench T2 formed by rear tillage disc 56I of the rear set of discs.
There is thus formed, between each set of overlapping furrows
formed by cooperating tillage discs, a narrow strip of previously
untilled soil, illustrated in FIG. 3 by the regions designated ST.
The chisel plows 80A-80E are set to work in alternate ones of the
strips ST, but the plows are effective to complete tillage of the
soil. In the example being discussed, chisel plow 80E is set to
work in the strip ST between trenches T5 (formed by tillage disc
55J) and trench T2 (formed by tillage disc 56I on the rear set of
tillage discs). This is illustrated in FIG. 4 where it can also be
seen that chisel plow 80D is set to work in the narrow strip ST
between trenches T4 and T6.
[0058] Still referring to FIG. 4, the depths and operation of the
chisel plows is such as to perform deep tillage at the level set by
the points of the chisel plows, and also to till soil in a broad,
chevron-shaped trench indicated at TT in FIG. 4. The extent of the
trenches tilled by the chisel plows is such as to till
substantially all of the soil beneath the trenches formed by the
forward tillage discs, including that soil beneath the strips of
untilled soil ST between adjacent chisel plows, as indicated in the
region generally designated 100 in FIG. 4. The region of tillage
accomplished by the chisel plows is shown in FIG. 4 with angled
sectioning, such as in trench TT, as explained. Moreover, the
loosened soil existing on the surface and filling the trenches
formed by the tillage discs (as explained in connection with FIG.
3) is also re-worked by the chisel plows and diagrammatically
illustrated by the cross-hatched portion beneath the soil profile
SP' in FIG. 4. For clarity of illustration, the trenches (e.g., T2,
T4) formed by the tillage discs are not hatched or marked. Rather,
they are unmarked. However, they are filled with loosened, tilled
soil, primarily soil worked by the tillage discs and mixed with
residue and, if available, fertilizer. It will be observed,
however, by comparing FIGS. 3 and 4, that the mounds or windrows
left by the chisel plows are characterized as having a slightly
higher ridge than those formed by the tillage discs alone, and the
spacing of swales between the surface mounds is defined by the
spacing of the chisel plows, which is twice the lateral spacing of
pairs of cooperating tillage discs.
[0059] As discussed above, although some secondary tillage is
formed in the region 100 located approximately midway between
adjacent chisel plows, if it is desired to perform additional
tillage in that region, lead chisel plows, such as the one
designated 81A in FIG. 5 may be mounted to the transverse frame
member 60 of the transverse frame 14 (see lead plow 81 in FIG. 1)
and located approximately midway between adjacent ones of the main
chisel plows mounted to the chisel plow toolbar 15. If used, the
lead chisel plows 81 (shown in phantom in FIG. 1 between main
chisel plows 80B and 80C) may be similar to the primary chisel
plows already described, except they are set to operate at a lesser
operating depth and may be scaled down in size to perform less
tillage, represented by the trench shown at 82 in FIG. 5.
[0060] It will be observed from FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, and it is deemed
to be an important feature of the invention for the reasons to be
discussed below, that the main chisel plows 80A-80E are located to
the left side of their associated untilled strip, such as that
designated ST in FIG. 4. The chisel plows till the soil deeply and
because they are provided with winged points, they fracture the
soil not only directly above the points, but laterally to the side
in a generally chevron-shaped trough defined by the idealized soil
profile lines 116A, 116B for the chisel plow 80D in FIG. 4. The
chisel plows are offset relative to the strip of untilled soil
reaching to the surface and located between adjacent pairs of
cooperating discs, to enhance the primary tillage effectiveness and
to reduce the force required for complete tillage, and thereby
conserve fuel, and to mute the tendency to create large clumps of
soil in the process of primary tillage. This is so because the
fracture line or line of weakness from the tip of a winged point is
adjacent to the wall of the furrow or notch 117 cut by the rear
disc 56I on the right side of a cooperating disc pair (see FIG. 1).
This is a region of soil weakness which is more easily fractured
and more likely to be broken by the action of the chisel plow than
would otherwise occur if the chisel plow were centered on the
untilled strip between adjacent pairs of cooperating discs. Thus,
as seen in FIG. 4, the tilled, loosened soil and residue formed by
the action of the tillage discs and the chisel plows is illustrated
by the crosshatched mound designated SP', having troughs at 111
which are the locations in which the plows are set, and a peak at
112 which is the location between adjacent sets of cooperating
tillage disc pairs for which no chisel plow is provided. The
leveler discs, described more below, are then set to straddle the
crest 112 of the mound W of soil left by the chisel plows.
[0061] Turning now to FIGS. 7-9, the groundbreaking and working
tool or winged point, generally designated by reference numeral
120, is seen to comprise a narrow, flat member 121 (sometimes
called a "tooth") which may be formed from hardened bar stock, and
having a curved cast upper surface or tip 122 welded to the top as
a wear surface. First and second mounting plates 123, 124 are
welded to the bottom of the tooth 121. The structure may be
strengthened by a brace near the forward portion of the point,
under the leading portion of the shank, if desired or
necessary.
[0062] A pair of wings 128, 129 are welded to the sides of the
tooth 121, and they may be suitably braced against the tooth and
the mounting plates. Each of the wings 128, 129 in the illustrated
embodiment is a piece of flat steel in the general shape of a
trapezoid. Thus, the left wing 128 has an inner straight edge 128A
(FIG. 8) welded to the tooth 121 of the point, a sharpened leading
edge 128B, a side edge 128C, which is parallel to the inner edge
128A, and a rear edge 128D. The right wing 129 has corresponding
edges designated 129A-D, respectively.
[0063] As seen in FIG. 7, the winged point 120 is seen in its
normal or field use position with the upper surface of the tooth
121 sloping upwardly and rearwardly from its lowest, forward tip at
approximately 30.degree. relative to the horizontal. The wings 128,
129 of the illustrated embodiment extend outwardly and upwardly at
an angle of approximately 23.degree., i.e., less than the
30.degree. slope of the tooth 121; and the wings are tilted
slightly downwardly proceeding outwardly from the tooth 121.
[0064] As seen in FIG. 9, the leading edges 128B, 129B of the wings
therefore extend outwardly and slightly downwardly in the
illustrated embodiment, but this is not critical to the practice of
the invention and would not appear if the side tilt of the wings
were less. The leading edges of the wings are at a substantial
distance above the lowermost point of the point 121 and the tip 122
of the point, see FIG. 7.
[0065] Referring to FIG. 8, when viewed in elevation, the leading
edge 128B of the wing 128 extends rearwardly relative to the
straight inner edge 128A to define an angle of approximately
45.degree.. The rear edge 128D of the wing extends forwardly
relative to the inner edge 128A to form an included angle of
approximately 70.degree.. It will thus be observed that the length
of the inner edge 128A, between the forward edge 128B and the rear
edge 128D is substantially greater than the corresponding length of
the side of the outboard side edge 128C. The length of the inboard
edge of the wings in the illustrated embodiment is almost four
times the length of the outboard edge, and it is preferably greater
than twice the length of the outboard edge, but the length of the
inboard edge may be one and one-half times the length of the
outboard edge and still achieve the desired effect. The reason for
this, and the resulting advantage, is that the soil traveling up
and over the wing adjacent the tooth 121 has a much longer distance
to travel, and because of the fore-to-aft slope of the wing, the
soil moving over the inner portion of a wing is elevated more than
is soil traveling over an outboard edge of the wing. The right wing
129 is a mirror image of the left wing just described and works the
same way. This can seen from FIGS. 7 and 9, the latter being a
frontal view of the point. As seen in FIG. 9, the vertical
projection of the outboard edge 128C on a vertical plane is
substantially less than the projection of the inboard edge 128A.
Thus, the soil traveling along a wing adjacent the inboard edge is
lifted, and therefore broken and turned, to much greater extent
than the soil traveling along the outboard edge 128C, all other
factors, including the soil consistency, being the same. This
structure has the effect of rolling the soil over and to the side,
as opposed to bull-dozing soil forward, which displaces soil which
cannot be later moved laterally to achieve a level surface.
[0066] Turning now to FIG. 10, there is shown a side view of a
point which is similar to that shown in FIG. 9, but which has been
modified in that the upper, inner portion of the wings (see the
portion 127 for the left wing 128) has been bent or formed upwardly
to provide, in addition to the greater length of travel provided by
the inboard portion of the wing, an extra lift. This contributes to
and promotes the elevation and outward, lateral rolling of the
soil, away from the point and the shank and to the side while
reducing any tendency to heave soil clumps forward.
[0067] Referring now to the leveler 90 (FIGS. 1 and 2), attached
along the length of the leveler toolbar 91 in a spaced manner are
the six leveler disc assemblies 130A-130F. The two outer disc
leveler assemblies 130A, 130F each include only a single respective
disc 131, 132 for moving soil inward toward the center of the
chisel plow in reducing ridges formed by the outboard chisel plows.
The remainder of the disc leveler assemblies 130B-130E each have
two discs, one facing toward the left and the other facing toward
the right with the non-working surfaces of the discs adjacent each
other. Thus, the pair of discs for the disc leveler assembly 130B
are designated 133, 134. The two discs 133, 134 of the disc leveler
assembly 130B are spaced slightly apart to move the sides of the
windrow formed by the chisel plows laterally, behind the chisel
plows, forming the smaller windrows 103, 104 (FIG. 6), while the
center portion 112A between the discs breaks down under weathering
because it is loose soil. The leveler discs, as indicated in FIG. 6
at D1, D2, are spaced slightly to either side of the crest or peak
112A of the mounds SP' formed by the chisel plows 80A-80E and move
soil outwardly toward the swales 111 Since the soil which is worked
by the leveler discs is loosened soil, the smaller narrow band or
peak 112A in FIG. 6 and shown in solid line left by adjacent
leveler discs D1, D2, working in opposite directions is quickly
broken down by the weather, and the troughs 111 left by the chisel
plows are filled with loosened soil, indicated by solid line mounds
103, 104 in FIG. 6. The leveler discs are set to operate at an
elevation (dashed horizontal line 113 in FIG. 6) slightly above the
original soil level H, by an inch or two.
[0068] Staggering the discs, fore and aft, of each pair of leveler
discs has the advantage of avoiding compacting the narrow band or
ridge of soil left by the gap between the discs. This staggered
arrangement also has the advantage of reducing any tendency of
residue or soil clumps to plug between the convex, non-working
surfaces of a disc pair. Moreover, it will be observed that the
concave working surfaces of adjacent leveler discs (such as the end
disc of assembly 130A and the left side disc of disc assembly 130B)
are also offset or staggered along the direction of travel. This
further facilitates the passage and handling of residue. If the
working surfaces of adjacent discs were in lateral alignment, each
would be heaping residue on the other, and this would decrease the
ability of the implement to handle residue.
[0069] The disc leveler may be adjusted in height relative to the
transverse support frame 14. It will be recalled that the chisel
toolbar 15 is rigidly attached to the transverse frame 14 and is
raised and lowered with the transverse support frame 14 as it is
elevated relative to the support wheels 74. As also described
above, the leveler toolbar 91 is attached to the chisel toolbar 15
by means of left and right longitudinal struts, the left one being
shown at 93 in FIG. 1. Height adjustment of the leveler toolbar is
accomplished by left and right hydraulic adjusting mechanisms which
are similar. The left hydraulic adjusting mechanism is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2 and it will be appreciated that the right hydraulic
adjusting mechanism, not shown in the drawing, is similar and
operates in unison with the left hydraulic adjusting mechanism.
Turning then to the left hydraulic adjusting mechanism, the forward
end of the strut 93 is pivotally mounted beneath the chisel toolbar
15 at 95 The cylinder end of an hydraulic cylinder unit 97 is
pivotally to the forward end of a housing 98 which is pivotally
mounted at 92 to an extension member 99 fixed to the top of the
chisel toolbar 15 (FIG. 2). The housing 98 is provided with left
and right aligned slots (the left slot being shown at 94 in FIG. 2)
which receive a cross pin 99A mounted to a bracket 99B fixed to the
top of the strut 93.
[0070] The cylinder end of the hydraulic cylinder unit 97A is
mounted within the housing 98A, and the rod end is provided with a
clevis receiving a cross pin 99A received in the slots 94 and
mounted to bracket 97.
[0071] An adjusting screw 97C is received in a bolt fixed to the
bottom of the housing 98. When the adjusting screw 97C is turned by
hand, it adjusts the limit position of the extension of the
hydraulic cylinder unit, because the screw 97C engages the cross
pin 96A and limits the extension of the cylinder unit. As the
adjusting screw 97A is turned so that it extends further into the
housing 98, the extension limit of the hydraulic cylinder unit is
shortened, and the leveler toolbar 91 will thus be set at a higher
position when the hydraulic actuator 97A is extended. When the
adjusting screw 97C is turned in the other direction so that it is
withdrawn from the housing 98, the hydraulic cylinder will be able
to extend further, thereby permitting the leveler toolbar 91 to be
lowered, causing the leveler discs to operate at a lower
elevation.
[0072] As shown in FIG. 11, an alternate tillage disc mount may be
used in rocky soil conditions. A curved spring steel shank 130
carrying a hub 131 to which a tillage disc 132 is mounted may be
used in this situation to mount the discs. The outermost tillage
discs in the second line, 56A, 56J may be spaced laterally inwardly
at a slightly narrower spacing than normal since they are normally
angled less.
[0073] While particular embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in
the art that changes and modifications may be made without
departing from the invention in its broader aspects. For example,
with the chisel points located as disclosed above, having the point
located in untilled soil but adjacent a line extending rearward
from the leading edge of forward discs, many of the benefits of the
invention may be obtained even if the other discs (i.e., the discs
facing in the opposing direction) are located to the rear of the
points. The reduction of the length of the fracture line is still
obtained. Further, one embodiment of an improved winged tooth has
been disclosed, but many of the performance benefits can be
obtained for most soils if the tooth is inclined upwardly and
rearwardly from its leading edge at less than about 33.degree. and
the wings are inclined so that the lift surface defines an angle
less than about 26.degree. with the inner edge of each wing being
at least about one and one-half times as long as the outer edge of
the wing. Therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all
such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and
scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing
description and accompanying drawing is offered by way of
illustration only and not as a limitation. The actual scope of the
invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when
viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.
* * * * *