U.S. patent application number 12/563913 was filed with the patent office on 2010-01-14 for chain reel for tillage implement and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to KRAUSE CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Thomas W. Ankenman.
Application Number | 20100006309 12/563913 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39773555 |
Filed Date | 2010-01-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100006309 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ankenman; Thomas W. |
January 14, 2010 |
Chain Reel for Tillage Implement and Method
Abstract
In lieu of rigid bars, a tillage reel utilizes a number of
elongated flexible elements such as lengths of link chain that are
spaced circumferentially around the reel and extend axially
thereof. The flexible elements bow outwardly by centrifugal force
as the reel rolls along the ground during tillage operations to
impact and fracture clods encountered at the lower front extremity
of the reel. When the reel is used in connection with strip till
operations, the flexible elements bow upwardly and inwardly along
the lower periphery of the reel as they engage and conform to the
transverse cross-section of the strip till berm, thereby avoiding
destruction of the berm notwithstanding the clod-pulverizing action
provided by the flexible elements.
Inventors: |
Ankenman; Thomas W.;
(Hutchinson, KS) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOVEY WILLIAMS LLP
10801 Mastin Blvd., Suite 1000
Overland Park
KS
66210
US
|
Assignee: |
KRAUSE CORPORATION
Hutchinson
KS
|
Family ID: |
39773555 |
Appl. No.: |
12/563913 |
Filed: |
September 21, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12051420 |
Mar 19, 2008 |
7594546 |
|
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12563913 |
|
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60896695 |
Mar 23, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
172/1 ;
172/189 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01B 35/16 20130101;
A01B 29/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
172/1 ;
172/189 |
International
Class: |
A01B 21/04 20060101
A01B021/04; A01B 49/02 20060101 A01B049/02; A01B 79/00 20060101
A01B079/00 |
Claims
1. A tillage method comprising the steps of: working the soil with
a tillage tool that leaves clods of soil behind the tool as the
tool is moved through the soil; and breaking up the clods using a
ground-driven reel behind the tool that is formed in part by a
plurality of elongated, flexible, clod-engaging elements that
extend generally axially of the axis of rotation of the reel and
are spaced about the periphery of the reel, said flexible elements
being selected from a group consisting of lengths of cable and
lengths of chain with interconnected links.
2. A tillage method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the
step of forming an elongated, fore-and-aft extending berm behind
the tool from loose soil and clods produced by the tool and then
engaging the berm with the ground-driven reel for engaging and
breaking up clods in the berm without destroying the berm.
3. A tillage method as claimed in claim 2, said tool comprising a
shank, and said reel being disposed in on-center alignment with
said shank.
4. A tillage method as claimed in claim 1, said chain being made
from metal.
5. A tillage method as claimed in claim 1, said tool comprising a
shank.
6. A tillage machine comprising: a ground-working tillage tool
adapted to leave clods of soil behind the tool as the tool is moved
through the soil; and a ground-driven, rotatable reel disposed
behind said tool in such a position that the reel engages clods
left by the tool, said reel including support structure rotatable
about a transverse axis as the reel is advanced in a forward
direction while engaging the ground, said reel further including a
plurality of elongated flexible elements carried by said support
structure and spaced circumferentially about the periphery of the
reel for engaging and breaking up the clods as the reel rolls along
the ground, said flexible elements being selected from a group
consisting of lengths of cable and lengths of chain with
interconnected links.
7. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 6, said flexible elements
each comprising a length of chain, said support structure including
a pair of axially spaced apart, ground-engaging wheels, said
lengths of chain spanning said wheels.
8. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 7, said links being
constructed from metal.
9. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 7, each said length of
chain having a pair of opposite ends, one end of said length of
chain being anchored to one of said wheels and the other end of
said length of chain being anchored to the other of said
wheels.
10. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 6, said flexible elements
each comprising a length of chain, each of said lengths of chain
extending generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the
reel.
11. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 7, each wheel of said
pair of wheels comprising a generally circular plate having a
marginal periphery that is outturned to present a lip having a
ground-engaging surface that extends generally parallel with the
axis of rotation of the reel.
12. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 11, said lip being
serrated to present a circumferential series of notches
therein.
13. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 12, said notches being
generally triangular with a pair of opposite edges converging
toward an inwardly disposed apex.
14. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 13, said apex of each
notch having a slit that is sized to receive and contain a link of
the chain when the link is turned on edge, said chain having
another link on an outboard face of the plate that is turned at
right angles to the link in the slit and is secured to said
outboard face.
15. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 14, said links being
constructed from metal.
16. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 6, said flexible elements
each comprising a length of chain, said links being constructed
from metal.
17. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 6, said support structure
comprising a series of axially spaced apart wheels along the length
of the reel, adjacent wheels in the series having a plurality of
elongated flexible elements spanning between the adjacent wheels
and spaced circumferentially about the periphery of the reel.
18. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 17, said flexible
elements each comprising a length of chain, said chains being
constructed from metal.
19. A tillage machine as claimed in claim 6, said support structure
including a pair of axially spaced apart, ground-engaging wheels,
said flexible elements spanning said wheels, each flexible element
comprising a stretch between the wheels that is longer than the
distance between the wheels such that the stretch is loose and
flexible.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a continuation of prior
co-pending application Ser. No. 12/051,420, filed Mar. 19, 2008,
which claims the priority benefit, with regard to all common
subject matter, of earlier-filed U.S. provisional patent
application Ser. No. 60/896,695, filed Mar. 23, 2007 and titled
"CHAIN REEL FOR TILLAGE IMPLEMENT." The identified earlier-filed
applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety
into the present application.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present application relates to tillage tools and, more
particularly, to a special ground-engaging tillage reel useful in
breaking up surface clods and pulverizing the soil such as when
preparing a seed bed.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
[0003] Tillage reels are well known in the art and have typically
been used in field finishing operations to reduce clod size and
smooth the surface of the ground to prepare a suitable seed bed.
Conventional reels are typically provided with a cage-like
construction comprising two or more axially spaced bulkheads or
wheels that are spanned by a plurality of rigid bars spaced
circumferentially around the periphery of the reel. The bars extend
generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the reel and serve to
impact and break up surface clods as the reel is rotatably driven
by the ground during advancement of the tillage equipment.
[0004] In strip till operations wherein only a relatively narrow
strip of soil is tilled to prepare a strip-type seed bed, it is a
common practice to form the tilled strip into a long raised berm
into which the seeds will ultimately be planted. In order to avoid
destroying the berm when engaged by the reel, it is known in the
art to use reels having generally concave bars so that the reel
present a centrally tapered or waisted configuration that generally
conforms to the humped cross-section of the berm as the reel
straddles the berm with its wheels riding along opposite sides of
the berm. However, in these strip till operations, and in
conventional field finishing operations as well, there is a
tendency for the reels to ball up and plug as wet stick soil pushes
past the reel bars into the interior of the reel. This adversely
affects the ability of the reel to perform its intended finishing
operations and may necessitate costly and frustrating down time in
order to clean out the plugged reel so that it will perform
properly.
[0005] Accordingly, one important object of the present invention
is to provide a tillage reel that is effective in reducing surface
soil clods to the desired particle size while resisting the
tendency to become packed with mud and trash materials during use
in adverse conditions. Another important object of the invention is
to provide a reel that is especially suited for use in strip till
operations in which it is desirable to reduce clod size and
pulverize the soil without destroying the integrity of the berm
created by components that precede the reel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a left, rear isometric view of a tillage reel
constructed in accordance with the principles of the present
invention and used as part of a strip till row unit;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a left front isometric view of the tillage reel
and other components of the strip till unit of FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of
the reel in use on a berm created by the strip till unit;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the reel
taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and illustrating the
manner in which flexible elements of the reel conform to the shape
of the berm during field operations;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a left, rear, exploded isometric view of the
reel;
[0011] FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary isometric view of the
periphery of the reel illustrating details of construction at that
location; and
[0012] FIG. 7 is a left, rear isometric view of an alternative
embodiment of tillage reel in accordance with the present invention
having particular utility for field finishing operations where no
strip till berm is present.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] The present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many
different forms. While the drawings illustrate and the
specification describes certain preferred embodiments of the
invention, it is to be understood that such disclosure is by way of
example only. There is no intent to limit the principles of the
present invention to the particular disclosed embodiments.
[0014] The tillage reel 10 in FIG. 1 is illustrated for purposes of
example as part of a strip till row unit 12 which is, itself, one
of a number of such units that collectively comprise a larger
machine. Row unit 12 is mounted at its front end to a transversely
extending tool bar 14 which, in turn, can be mounted to the three
point hitch of a tractor (not shown) or serve as part of the frame
of a pull-type piece of equipment. The principles of the present
inventions are not limited to the type of equipment of which it is
used although, as will be seen, reel 10 has particular utility for
use as part of a strip till unit which creates a raised berm.
[0015] Although the strip till row unit 12 may take a number of
different configurations, in the illustrated embodiment it
includes, in addition to reel 10, a forwardmost, flat coulter 16
for cutting through trash and preparing a slit in the ground, a
shank 18 behind and in alignment with coulter 16 for operating in
the slit created by coulter 16 and fracturing the soil below the
surface, and a pair of left and right, wavy coulters 20, 22 located
a short distance behind shank 18 in symmetrical relationship
therewith for building a berm from the soil that has erupted from
the advancing shank 18. Wavy coulters 20, 22 converge toward one
another at their rear extremities so as to converge the erupted
soil inwardly toward the center line of the row unit in preparation
for engagement by the reel 10. Of course, slicing coulter 16 is
rotatable about a transverse axis as defined by a pivot bolt 24,
while wavy coulters 20, 22 are rotatable about respective
transverse axes defined by pivot bolts 26 and 28. The axes defined
by pivot bolts 26, 28 are angled slightly forwardly due to the
rearwardly converging orientation of wavy coulters 20, 22.
[0016] Among other things, row unit 12 includes a main,
fore-and-aft extending beam assembly 30 comprised of a pair of
side-by-side, fore-and-aft extending tubular beams 32 and 34. Beams
32, 34 are rigidly interconnected such that beam assembly 30
comprises a rigid, integral unit that can pivot upwardly and
downwardly about a forwardmost transverse pivot 36 at the lower end
of a bracket 38 by which row unit 12 is attached to toolbar 14. A
pair of left and right, generally upright bars 40 and 42 are
rigidly affixed to beams 32, 34 at their front ends and project
downwardly therefrom to the pivot 36. A spring assembly 44 is
connected between bracket 38 and beam assembly 30 to yieldably bias
the latter in a downward direction. Inasmuch as shank 18, wavy
coulters 20, 22 and reel 10 are supported by beam assembly 30, they
are likewise yieldably biased in a downward direction by spring
assembly 44.
[0017] At the rear of beam assembly 30, a cross tube 46 is rigidly
affixed to beams 32, 34 and extends in transverse relation thereto,
generally parallel with the toolbar 14. A pair of left and right
arms 48, 50 are fixed to opposite ends of tube 46 and extend
downwardly and rearwardly therefrom. The reel 10 is rotatably
supported at the lower rear ends of arms 48, 50 for rotation about
an axis that is transverse to the normal direction of forward
travel of row unit 12 and is generally parallel to toolbar 14.
[0018] Reel 10 includes support structure broadly denoted by the
numeral 52 and including a pair of opposed, axially spaced apart,
left and right bulkheads or wheels 54 and 56. Wheels 54, 56 are
welded or otherwise rigidly affixed to a solid, transversely
rectangular axle 58 at spaced locations along the length thereof,
the axle 58 comprising another part of support structure 52. Axle
58 projects outwardly beyond wheels 54, 56 in opposite directions
and is rotatably received at its opposite ends within a pair of
left and right bearings 60 and 62 secured to the lower rear ends of
arms 48, 50. A pair of tubular spacers 64 and 66 (FIGS. 4 and 5)
are received on axle 58 between bearings 60, 62 and the respective
wheels 54, 56 to maintain reel 10 centered between arms 48 and
50.
[0019] Each wheel 54, 56 comprises a generally circular metal plate
having an outturned lip 68 that presents a ground-engaging surface
68a extending generally parallel to the axle 58. Preferably, lip 68
is serrated to present a circumferentially extending series of
generally triangular notches 70 therein (FIGS. 5 and 6). Notches 70
thus interrupt surface 68a in such a manner that lip 68 is
discontinuous and presents a circumferential series of feet or pads
72 that engage the ground and support reel 10 for rolling movement
therealong.
[0020] Each of the notches 70 is generally triangular shaped, with
opposite side edges 74 and 76 on pads 72 that converge toward a
generally inwardly disposed apex broadly denoted by the numeral 78.
At apex 78, each notch 70 is extended to form a generally radially
extending slit 80 (FIG. 6) in the wheel 54 or 56, each slit 80
having a generally rectangular tooth 82 that projects laterally
inwardly into the slit from the adjacent edge of the slit. Tooth 82
extends almost across the entire width of slit 80 and is spaced
above the radially inwardmost extremity of slit 80 so as to define
a rectangular opening 84 that is sized to receive the flatted
portion of a carriage bolt 86.
[0021] Reel 10 also includes a plurality of elongated flexible
elements 88 that span the two wheels 54, 56 and are disposed at
equally spaced locations around the periphery of reel 10. In one
preferred embodiment, each flexible element 88 is in the nature of
a link chain having a series of interconnected links 90 of open
loop construction. It will be appreciated, however, that element 88
could take a variety of different forms including without
limitation, a roller chain or a cable. In a most preferred
embodiment, each element 88 comprises a hardened, welded metal link
chain such as a link chain available from Watkins, Inc of Wichita,
Kans. under the trademark and designation SYSTEM 7 TRANSPORT
CHAIN.
[0022] Although each chain element 88 can be anchored to wheels 54,
56 in a variety of different ways, in the illustrated embodiment,
each element 88 is so arranged that the endmost links 90a at
opposite ends of element 88 lie flatly against the outside faces of
wheels 54 and 56 in registration with the rectangular opening 84
such that carriage bolt 86 is received through the endmost link
90a. A nut 92 and washer 94 on carriage bolt 86 serve to clamp the
endmost link 90a against wheel 54 or 56. Each endmost link 90a has
a next adjacent, penultimate link 90b that is turned sideways from
link 90a and is received within the confines of slit 80 so as to be
trapped thereby. The remaining stretch of the element 88 between
the two wheels 54, 56 is greater in length than the distance
between wheels 54, 56 such that the chain stretch is loose and
flexible, rather than taut. Consequently, each element 88 can bow
out in a convex manner during certain portions of the rotation of
reel 10, as well as bow inwardly in a concave manner during other
portions of its rotation.
Operation
[0023] The operation and use of reel 10 is illustrated particularly
in FIGS. 3 and 4. In those figures it will be seen that reel 10
straddles the berm 96 as it rolls along the ground with wheels 54
and 56 on opposite of berm 96. Thus, the outer surface 68a on pads
72 bears against and rides upon the unraised portions 98 and 100 of
the ground surface at this time.
[0024] As reel 10 rolls along the ground, driven thereby in a
counter-clockwise direction viewing FIG. 3, the flexible elements
88 around the top half of the reel periphery are caused to bulge or
bow outwardly by centrifugal force into the convexly arched
configurations illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. This phenomena can
also be seen, for example, in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6. Thus, as elements
88 whip downwardly around the lower front portion of the reel
periphery at significant velocity, they slap against clods 102 in
berm 96 that have been produced by the upheaval from shank 18 and
cause such clods to fracture and break apart into smaller
particles. Thus, the clods become pulverized and reduced in size to
such an extent that much better seed-to-soil contact is assured in
the seed bed than would otherwise be the case.
[0025] Notwithstanding the aggressive pulverizing action afforded
by the flexible elements 88, the overall integrity and shape of
berm 96 remains substantially unchanged by reel 10 due to the fact
that, as elements 88 come into engagement with berm 96, they
deflect radially upwardly and inwardly, conforming themselves to
the shape of the berm as illustrated in FIG. 4. As elements 88 are
lifted up off berm 96 around the back side of reel 10, they are
once again free to flex outwardly by centrifugal force and assume
their outwardly bowed configuration in preparation for the next
impacting engagement with clods on the front side of the reel.
[0026] It is to be appreciated that the flexible nature of elements
of 88 and their repetitious inward and outward flexing movement
makes it difficult for wet, sticky soil to become trapped and
packed within the interior of the reel. In this sense, the active
elements 88 provide a type of self-cleaning action for the reel to
maintain it in the best condition possible for carrying out its
clod-pulverizing action.
[0027] Moreover, it is to be appreciated that the serrated nature
of the lip 68 on each wheel 54, 56 helps prevent soil buildup on
the outer surfaces 68a of wheel 54 and 56 as they roll along the
ground. Although there is no movement of pads 72 on each lip 68
relative to one another, having the pads 72 separated by notches 70
also helps render these portions of the reel essentially
self-cleaning.
Alternative Embodiment
[0028] FIG. 7 illustrates a second embodiment of a tillage reel 200
in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In this
embodiment reel 200 is especially adapted for use as part of a
field finishing implement broadly denoted by the numeral 202
wherein a number of the reels 200 are utilized behind discs 204 or
other tillage components to break up clods and prepare a smoother
seed bed. In this particular embodiment, reel 200 is not especially
designed to be used on the berms created by strip till
operations.
[0029] Reel 200 is supported in any suitable manner on the frame
206 of implement 202, such as by a pair of rearwardly extending
arms 208 and 210, a cross bar 212 at the lower rear ends of arms
208, 210, and by a pair of downwardly extending arms 214 and 216 at
opposite ends of cross bar 212. Reel 200 is rotatably supported at
the lower ends of arms 214, 216 for rotation about an axis that is
transverse to the normal direction of forward travel of implement
202.
[0030] Reel 200 includes support structure broadly denoted by the
numeral 218 and including a series of bulkheads or wheels 220
disposed at spaced apart locations along the length of the axis of
rotation of reel 200. Wheels 220 are fixedly attached to a common
axle 222 that extends the full length of reel 200 and projects in
opposite directions somewhat beyond the endmost wheels 200 for
bearing support at the lower ends of arms 214, 216. Axle 222 thus
comprises a part of support structure 218.
[0031] Reel 200 further comprises sets of elongated flexible
elements 224 spanning the distance between adjacent pairs of wheels
220 and spaced circumferentially about the periphery of the reel.
Opposite ends of each flexible element of 224 are secured to
respective wheels 220 in any suitable manner, including, but not
limited to, the slit and carriage bolt arrangement described with
respect to the first embodiment. One arrangement is for a single
length of flexible element 224 to extend the entire length of reel
200 and to simply be anchored to interior wheels 220 by appropriate
means at those locations. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, for
example, reel 200 has a pair of opposite end wheels 220 and a pair
of interior wheels 220 so that each full length element can be
effectively subdivided into three shorter lengths by anchoring the
element at the two interior wheels 220 as well as the two outboard
wheels 220. Each stretch of the flexible element has a length that
is somewhat greater that the distance between the two wheels 220 to
which it is attached such that each stretch can flex inwardly and
outwardly between outwardly and inwardly bowed configurations
similar to that of the first embodiment.
[0032] In one preferred form of the reel 200, each of the flexible
elements 224 comprises a length of link chain, preferably
constructed of metal. It is to be understood, however, that the
flexible elements could be constructed from other devices such as
cable or roller chains.
[0033] It will be noted that the wheels 220 of reel 200 are not
provided with outturned peripheral lips as in the first embodiment,
although wheels 220 could be constructed in a manner similar to the
wheels 54 and 56 of the first embodiment if desired. In any event,
it will be appreciated that as the flexible elements 224 whip
around the peripheral reel 200 and into engagement with the ground,
they impart sharp impacting blows to clods and large particles of
the soil so as to fracture, fragment and pulverize clods much in
the same manner as with respect to the first embodiment. Although
flexible elements 224 can flex inwardly as they engage the ground
around the lower periphery of reel 200, there is less need in this
type of operation for elements 224 to conform to the ground contour
since there is no berm involved. The flexible nature of the
elements 224 helps assure that reel 200 functions in an essentially
self-cleaning manner to prevent reel 200 from becoming packed with
mud and soil.
[0034] The inventor hereby states his intent to rely on the
Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair
scope of his invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially
departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as
set out in the following claims.
* * * * *