Earth working – Rolling – rotating or orbitally moving tool – With disk cleaning means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-03
2001-05-01
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Earth working
Rolling, rotating or orbitally moving tool
With disk cleaning means
C172S566000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223832
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tillage equipment and, more specifically, to a disk scraper system for a harrow or other implement having a plurality of disks.
2) Related Art
Typically, disk harrows include a main frame with several disk gang assemblies suspended for limited flexibility with respect to each other and the main frame. Each gang assembly comprises a plurality of equally spaced disks mounted on an axle for rotation about a common axis. The axle is supported at opposite ends by C-shaped spring elements to allow the disk gangs to flex with the contour of the landscape as the implement is drawn by a tractor. Depending on soil and crop conditions, an accumulation of soil and residue will adhere to the disks and adversely affect disk operation. To eliminate the accumulation of soil and residue, a disk scraper which is often mounted from the main frame is biased by a spring into contact with the surface of the disk. As the disk rotates, the scraper continuously removes the soil/residue accumulations.
During disk operation in the field, the disk gangs flex with ground contour changes and oscillate laterally as different soils act upon the disk surfaces. When the lateral oscillations occur, the disk mounting arrangement causes the disk scraper pressure against the disks to increase or decrease depending on the magnitude and direction of the oscillation. Since the disk scrapers and biasing means are mounted from the main frame and the disk gangs move with respect to said frame, disk scraper pressure can vary considerably. As the disk gang shifts laterally away from the scraper, biasing force from the spring is reduced resulting in a non-clean disk surface. As the disk gang shifts laterally the opposite direction, an excessive force is applied to the disk surface. The force is usually more than necessary to scrape the disk clean and results in excessive wear and added draft requirements. Also, as the disk gang shifts laterally away from or toward the scrapers, the preferred angular relationship between the scraper and blade is not maintained.
Attempts to address disk scraper problems include mounting the scrapers directly to the disk gang assembly so the scrapers move with the assembly. However, such a design requires mounting brackets and hardware connected between the disk scrapers and the disk gang, thereby hindering trash and soil flow and providing additional surfaces where material can accumulate. Additionally, in current disk scraper mounting designs, changing the bias of the scraper requires changing springs or increasing or decreasing the number of springs. These changes can be very time consuming and require additional parts and expense.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved disk scraper system which overcomes most or all of the aforementioned problems. It is another object to provide such a system which maintains a constant scraper bias, even when the disks move relative to the implement frame, and which is easily adjustable to vary the scraper bias.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved disk scraper system which does not require biasing springs. It is yet another object to provide such a system which provides a generally constant scraper pressure, that pressure being adjustable from a location remote from the scrapers.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved scraper system which requires no springs and which is easily adjusted for changing conditions. It is another object to provide such a system wherein scraper pressure setting may be adjusted in the field on-the-go.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved scraper system which provides a generally constant scraper pressure against a disk gang assembly, even as the disk gang assembly moves relative to the disk frame in changing ground contours and soil and trash conditions. It is yet a further object to provide such a system which provides constant pressure without need to connect the scrapers directly to the to the disk gang assembly.
A scraper system constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention includes a tubular member slidably supported by an implement frame adjacent a gang assembly having a plurality of disks. Scrapers are fixed to the member and project into scraping relationship with the disks to remove dirt and debris from the surfaces of the disks. A hydraulic cylinder is connected between the frame and the tubular member and connected through a pressure control valve assembly to a source of fluid under pressure to bias the member so the scrapers are urged towards the disks. The pressure control valve assembly is adjustable to remotely vary the scraper pressure as conditions change. The system maintains a preselected scraper bias independently of relative movement between the frame and the gang assembly, for example, of the type that commonly occurs when a C-spring supported disk gang assembly moves vertically and from side to side relative to the frame.
A constant pressure is maintained by the scraper system without need to mount the scrapers directly to the disk gang assembly, thereby eliminating mounting hardware that would otherwise present additional surfaces that hinder soil and residue flow and collect dirt and debris. Biasing springs are eliminated, and the scraper pressure can be changed easily and very quickly in the field, without requiring spring changes or other time-consuming adjustments. The constant scraper pressure is maintained, even when there is considerable relative motion between the disk gang assembly and the implement frame. The system is simple in construction and easy to attach and adjust.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description in view of the drawings.
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“Walker Disk Scraper”, sales brochure, pp. 1 and 2, Sep. 1979.
Goins Garrett Lee
Hook Richard Wayne
Zaun Richard David
Deere & Company
Mammen Nathan
Pezzuto Robert E.
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