Earth working – With drive means for tool or cleaner – With non-driven tool
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-25
2003-04-29
Batson, Victor (Department: 3671)
Earth working
With drive means for tool or cleaner
With non-driven tool
C172S071000, C172S073000, C172S158000, C172S146000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06554078
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of farm equipment for breaking and mixing soil, especially for preparing a seedbed for planting. Particularly preferred aspects of the invention relate to the field of farm implements having multiple cultivating devices that manipulate the soil in distinct ways to collectively form a level seedbed with a consistent depth by a single pass of the implement. This invention further relates to the planting of crops and incorporation of fertilizers and herbicides into a seedbed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Farmers for years have been searching for an implement that would allow them to convert compacted soil into a level seedbed with a consistent depth for providing excellent conditions for planting of a crop. It is also desirable for grass or stubble growing or disposed on top of the soil to be worked into and uniformly through the seedbed so that it does not interfere with a planting implement passing through the seedbed.
Farmers have used a variety of implements in attempts to provide their fields with a loose or firm, level seedbed of a consistent depth. For instance, a farmer might first work the entire field with a v-chisel, chisel plow or disk implement to loosen and break compacted soil. The farmer might then work the entire field with an implement having a plurality of S-tines, C-shanks, or other blades to further mix the soil and attempt to break down some of the larger soil clods. Thereafter, a farmer sometimes might use an implement with a reel having a plurality of blades for breaking clods into smaller sizes and chopping up the debris still remaining on the top of the soil. In yet a fourth pass over the entire ground, a farmer might use an implement having rows of rollers, each roller having a plurality of longitudinal blades disposed about its periphery for mixing and blending the soil conditioned from the previous passes through the field with the other implements. Such rollers serve to position and incorporate the debris under and within the seedbed.
Multiple passes with different implements as described above do not necessarily provide a level seedbed with a consistent depth and can cause compaction of the soil, especially moist soil. Compaction of soil can reduce crop yields. During the multiple passes with different implements, the implement being used typically bounces and rocks as it is pulled across the field. Thus, the first implement that is pulled across the field will not have a consistent cultivation depth, but will have a cultivation depth that varies depending upon the location in the field and the compaction of the ground. As a second implement is pulled through the field thereafter, the second implement will also rock and bounce as it is being pulled, because the field had been non-uniformly treated by the first implement. As is apparent, the second implement will not rock and bounce in a manner identical to that of the first implement. Thus, the cultivation depth of each implement is likely to be different and the conditioning of the soil provided by the implements is likely to be non-uniform because of the above-described conditions. The inconsistencies in the soil condition and seedbed depth are multiplied each time a pass is made through a field with a different implement.
As is also apparent, attempting to set different separately operated implements such that they operate at the exact same depth is likely to be very difficult if not impossible. Each implement will likely have a different depth-setting structure with different adjustments and calibrations. Therefore, the use of multiple passes with multiple implements to prepare a level seedbed with a consistent depth is impractical in most instances.
Further, the multiple-pass, multiple implement techniques described above do not allow for efficient incorporation of fertilizer or fumigants or the like into a seedbed. More particularly, if a fertilizer or seed is applied to the top of the soil and not incorporated within a particular period of time, the effectiveness of the fertilizer or fumigants can be lost. Therefore, fertilizer or the like applied between passes of an implement can result in loss of effectiveness of the fertilizer if the second pass is not made expeditiously. Factors such as weather and equipment maintenance may prevent a farmer from being able to make an additional pass within the desired amount of time.
Other implements have been used in attempts to solve the problems described above. One such implement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,227 and comprises a multi-functioned farm implement for treating soil. The multi-functioned farm implement comprises a plurality of rows of different cultivating devices mounted on a frame that is pulled by a tractor or other vehicle of suitable horsepower to pull the implement. Among the cultivating devices that may be used with the '227 farm implement are the following: a cultivating device which is commercially available under the name “DYNA-DRIVE” manufactured by Bomford Turner LTD of Evesham Worcs., England; S-tines; chopping and breaking reels; and finishing reels. Although the '227 patent farm implement has proven to be much more effective than the conventional techniques and implements described above, the '227 patent farm implement does have some drawbacks. In particular, it has been found that the '227 patent farm implement has limited penetration into compacted ground of about 15 cm (6 inches) deep, making the implement principally useful for secondary tillage. Additionally, it is difficult to variably and individually control the penetration depth of each of the cultivating devices of the '227 patent farm implement, thus restricting to some degree the ability to tailor the farm implement for particular fields or applications.
Another implement that has been used is the Wishek 3. Model Disc, which is commercially available from Wishek Steel and Manufacturing. This implement comprises a frame, a front row of concave discs mounted rotatably on the frame, and a rear row of concave disc mounted rotatably on the frame and spaced behind the front row of concave discs. The concave faces of the front discs and the rear discs face in generally opposite directions to each other, and are exposed yet offset by a predetermined angle to the direction of travel. Although this implement was designed for primary tillage, it has been found that operation of this implement at high rates (for example, 5 mph or higher) leads to inconsistent treatment of fields and does not always prepare the desired level seedbed of consistent depth needed for planting. Soil tends not to flow smoothly through the implement, but to accumulate between the discs. As a consequence, soil displaced by the front row of discs does not flow consistently into the rear row of discs, so that the rear row of discs has limited effectiveness in inverting and further breaking the soil. Moreover, accumulation of soil between discs can deleteriously affect the performance of the discs. Accordingly, debris such as stubble or grass remains on the top of the soil after the implement has passed, thus, interfering with planting.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a farm implement capable of primary tillage or secondary for preparing a level seedbed with a consistent depth from unprepared compact soil in a single pass.
It is another object of this invention to provide a farm implement that has interchangeable parts to allow switching between primary tillage and secondary tillage.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a farm implement having a plurality of cultivating devices that are independently movable for variably controlling the penetration depth of each of the cultivating devices.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The instrumentalities an
Batson Victor
Sullivan Law Group
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