Earth working – With draft detail
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-28
2002-09-24
Novosad, Christopher J. (Department: 3671)
Earth working
With draft detail
C172S261000, C111S163000, C111S926000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06454019
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to agricultural implements used to engage and manipulate a growing medium to enable seed, fertilizer, insecticide or herbicide to be deposited into the growing medium. In particular, the present invention relates to a mechanism which forces a growing medium manipulation surface, such as a surface of a furrow opening device, towards and into the growing medium or soil.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many different types of agricultural implements are known for engaging and manipulating a growing medium or soil to enable seed, fertilizer, insecticide or herbicide to be deposited onto or into the soil or to prepare the soil beforehand. Examples of such implements include planters, drills, disks, plows, cultivators and the like. Each such implement includes surfaces which engage and manipulate the soil. For example, planters typically include a pair of spaced disks which are forced into the soil and which sever and separate the soil to create a furrow into which seed is deposited. In such devices, large metal springs are usually employed to apply a downward force to the furrow opening disks or to whatever soil manipulation surface or edge is used. The spring is usually held in place by a bracket which provides discrete spring positions intended for the application of down pressure.
In the case of planters, the amount of downward force applied to the furrow opening disk is critical in that it establishes the depth of the furrow and the depth at which seed is planted. Accurate seed depth placement plays a critical role in crop yields. Unfortunately, adjusting the amount of downward force applied by the springs to the furrow opening disks in conventional planters is tedious and time consuming. In many situations, the metal springs and the brackets retaining such springs rust and become jammed with debris, making such adjustment physically challenging. Adjustment of the springs to alternatively create an upward force, such as when planting in lighter soils, generally requires that the entire spring assembly be reassembled. Moreover, such planters provide only a few discrete positions and only a few discrete force levels. Moreover, such planter spring assemblies include multiple parts which increase the complexity, manufacturing cost and assembly time of the planter.
Thus, there is a continuing need for a force applying system for planters and other soil engaging agricultural implements: (1) which is easy to adjust, (2) which provides an infinite range of force adjustment between both upper and lower down pressure or force boundaries, (3) which is adjustable between upward force and downward force states seamlessly, without disassembly and (4) which is simple and has relatively few parts, reducing manufacturing and assembly time and cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an agricultural implement which includes a frame, a furrow opening device having at least one surface and at least elastomeric torsion element coupled to the at least one surface. The surface moves between a first cutting position in which the surface is configured to cut into the soil to create a furrow in a second non-cutting position. The at least one torsion element resiliently biases the surface towards the first cutting position.
The present also provides an agricultural implement which includes a frame, a growing medium manipulation surface configured to manipulate and move a growing medium and at least one elastomeric torsion element coupled to the surface. The surface moves between a first growing medium engagement position in which the surface manipulates and moves the growing medium and a second growing medium non-engagement position. The at least one torsion element resiliently biases the surface towards the first growing medium engagement position.
The present invention also provides an agricultural implement which includes a frame, a row unit support, a furrow opening device coupled to the support, a furrow closing device coupled to the support and a force applying system coupled between the frame and the support to force the support and the furrow opening device into the soil. The force applying system includes a four bar linkage having a first end pivotably coupled to the frame and a second end pivotably coupled to the support and further having a first and second parallel upper links and first and second parallel lower links. The force applying system further includes a first torsion arm pivotably coupled to the lower links, a bracket pivotably coupled between the upper links, a second torsion arm, a screw rotatably coupled to the bracket and movably supporting the second torsion arm, a tube fixedly coupled to one of the first and second torsion arms, a shaft coupled to the other of the first and second torsion arms and extending through the tube and an elastomeric torsion element disposed in the tube between the tube and the shaft. The elastomeric torsion element is resiliently deformed such that the element applies a torque to the first and second arms in attempting to resiliently return to its original shape. As a result, the four bar linkage applies a force to the support.
The present invention also provides an agricultural implement including a frame, a row unit support, a furrow opening device coupled to the support, a furrow closing device coupled to the support, and a force applying system coupled between the frame and the support to force the support and the furrow opening device into soil. The force applying system includes a four bar linkage having a first end pivotably coupled to the frame and a second end pivotably coupled to the support. The four bar linkage includes first and second parallel upper links and first and second parallel lower links. This system further includes a first torsion arm coupled to the frame, a second torsion arm pivotably coupled to the first torsion arm, a tube fixedly coupled to the second torsion arm, a shaft fixedly coupled to at least one of the first and second parallel upper links or the first and second parallel lower links and an elastomeric torsion element. The shaft extends through the tube. The elastomeric torsion element is disposed in the tube between the tube and the shaft. The elastomeric torsion element is resiliently deformed such that the element applies a torque to at least one of the first and second upper links and the first and second lower links in attempting to resiliently return to its original shape. As a result, the four bar linkage applies a force to the support.
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Excerpts from Universal Group Catalog, “Rubber Torsion Axles” (3 pages), date unknown.
Excerpts from Lovejoy Catalog, “Lovejoy ROSTA” (5 pages), date unknown.
Dietrich, Sr. William J.
Keats David J.
Prairie Douglas S.
Skolseg Einar M.
Case Corporation
Novosad Christopher J.
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