Coulter assembly with an inside floating scraper assembly

Details Coulter assembly with an inside floating scraper assembly Coulter assembly with an inside floating scraper assembly

1999-03-15

2001-07-17

Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)

Earth working

Rolling, rotating or orbitally moving tool

With disk cleaning means

C172S558000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06260632

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to agricultural implements and is particularly concerned with a coulter assembly with an inside floating scraper with a leading edge constructed of carbide.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Farmers frequently plant crops in fields that have debris and waste material covering the field. Such material may consist of straw or old crops, which is frequently referred to as trash. In order to plant seeds or deposit fertilizer in such fields, coulter assemblies are tools that are used to create furrows or seed trenches in the soil. These coulter assemblies are typically attached, in a side-by-side configuration, to a frame which is then pulled behind a tractor to create a slot that allows the injection of agents, such as fertilizer and seed, into a field.
One problem that may occur with known coulter assemblies is an accumulation of dirt and debris between the discs and the struts as they rotate through the soil. If the soil is wet, it may stick and build up on the discs, which can inhibit rotation of the discs, cause poor disc penetration, excessive soil disturbance and create excessive draft forces. Conventional scrapers are made of steel and tend to wear relatively quickly and require a high scraper pressure when used in heavy, wet, clay soil. Once the scraper wears, the contact area between the scraper and the disc increases, further increasing the spring force that is required to keep the scraper in contact with the disc to keep the disc clean, which consequently increases the drag force on the coulter assembly. Moreover, if the field consists of sections of clay and sandy soil, the coulter assembly has less frictional force available to turn the coulter disc when it is pulled through the sections of sandy soil. The high spring force on the scraper blade may cause difficulties since the disc may stop turning when pulled through the sections of sandy soil, thereby causing operational problems.
In U.S. Pat. No. 493,182 issued Mar. 7, 1893, Platt teaches the use of a rod, which rotates freely about a spool between discs, to break up clogs of dirt and debris which form as the coulter discs create a furrow. The rod drags behind the discs and as soil accumulates, the rod rotates upward until the rod is stopped above the discs. The rod breaks the soil clumps which fall beside the disc. A scraper blade is also provided which is subject to a spring force to keep the scraper blade in contact with a surface of the coulter. As the coulter disc rotates, the scraper blade maintains contact with the surface to remove debris.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,196 issued May 6, 1997, Hughes teaches the use of a blade which continuously contacts the surfaces of a coulter disc to scrape the disc and clean it as the disc rotates. In an embodiment, the scraper blade is made of plastic to permit flexibility, as it also bends when in contact with the soil. This scraper blade performs the dual role of acting as a scraper/cleaner and also as a closer. Once the disc opens a furrow in the soil, the scraper blade acts as a closer since it will force some of the soil back into the furrow after seeds have been deposited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved coulter assembly, particularly one which utilizes a scraper blade on the inside of the disc to clean the disc as it rotates.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coulter assembly adapted to be mounted on a frame of a farm implement comprising:
a mounting bracket; a strut; means for connecting said strut to said mounting bracket; a two-sided disc, said two sides of said disc comprising an inner side and an outer side, said disc being rotatably attached to said strut; a torque arm pivotally attached to the strut; a scraper assembly slidably and rotatably mounted to the torque arm and facing the inner side of the disc; and resilient means mounted on the torque arm wherein said scraper assembly is urged against the inner side of the disc by said resilient means of said torque arm and whereby said scraper assembly cleans the inner surface of said disc during operation of the coulter assembly.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coulter assembly adapted to be mounted on a frame of a farm implement comprising:
a mounting bracket; a strut; means for connecting said strut to said mounting bracket; a two-sided disc, said two sides of said disc comprising an inner side and an outer side, said disc being rotatably attached to said strut; a torque arm pivotally attached to the strut; a scraper assembly slidably and rotatably mounted to the torque arm and facing the inner side of the disc, said scraper assembly comprising: a scraper blade having a leading edge attached thereto and constructed of carbide; and a hollow tubular member attached to the scraper blade, said tubular member adapted to matingly engage said torque arm and being slidably maintained thereon with a retaining means; and resilient means mounted on the torque arm wherein said leading edge of said scraper assembly is urged against the inner side of the disc by said resilient means of said torque arm and whereby said scraper blade cleans the inner surface of said disc during operation of the coulter assembly.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coulter assembly comprising a coulter assembly adapted to be mounted on a frame of a farm implement comprising: a mounting bracket; a strut; means for connecting said strut to said mounting bracket; a two-sided disc, said two sides of said disc comprising an inner side and an outer side, said disc being rotatably attached to said strut; a torque arm assembly fixedly attached to the strut, said torque arm assembly including a torque arm; a scraper assembly slidably and rotatably mounted to the torque arm and facing the inner side of the disc, said scraper assembly comprising: a scraper blade having a leading edge attached thereto and constructed of carbide; and a hollow tubular member attached to the scraper blade, said tubular member adapted to matingly engage said torque arm and being slidably maintained thereon with a retaining means; and resilient means mounted on the torque arm wherein said leading edge of said scraper assembly is urged against the inner side of the disc by said resilient means of said torque arm assembly and whereby said scraper blade cleans the inner surface of said disc during operation of the coulter assembly.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coulter assembly comprising: a substantially vertically oriented mounting bracket having a lower end and an upper end; a strut, having an upper end and a lower end; a torque arm assembly fixedly attached to the strut, said torque arm assembly including a torque arm; a coupling attached to the upper end of the strut and pivotally connected to the lower end of the mounting bracket; a disc, rotatably attached to the lower end of the strut whereby an inner side of the disc faces the strut; a scraper assembly slidably and rotatably mounted to the torque arm and facing the inner side of the disc, said scraper assembly comprising: a scraper blade having a leading edge attached thereto and constructed of carbide; and a hollow tubular member attached to the scraper blade, said tubular member adapted to matingly engage said torque arm and being slidably maintained thereon with a retaining means; and resilient means mounted on the torque arm wherein said leading edge of said scraper assembly is urged against the inner side of the disc by said resilient means of said torque arm assembly and whereby said scraper blade cleans the inner surface of said disc during operation of the coulter assembly; and
a spring connected between the mounting bracket and the coupling whereby the coupling will rotate upon elevation of the strut to avoid obstacles when in operation.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coulter assembl

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