Planting – Drilling – Furrow opener
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-21
2003-06-17
Novosad, Christopher J. (Department: 3671)
Planting
Drilling
Furrow opener
C111S195000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06578502
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a soil working apparatus. The present invention is particularly suitable for use as a planting apparatus or a seeding apparatus to produce a definite seedbed tilth. This ensures positive seed soil contact, fast and even germination and excellent primary root growth for rapid plant establishment.
Planting or seeding of crops is traditionally carried out by ploughing a field and subsequently planting or seeding the field. Planting or seeding apparatus include soil working tools, such as points, discs or coulters, that disturb the soil. Seed or vegetative matter is dropped into the disturbed soil a short distance behind the soil working tool. In cases where rotatable soil working tools, such as discs or coulters, are used, a number of discs or coulters are mounted on a common axle. The discs or coulters are also mounted in an essentially vertical plane but at an angle to the direction of travel of the planting or seeding apparatus. The discs or coulters all have essentially the same orientation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved soil working apparatus.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a soil working apparatus having a sub-unit including at least one rotatable soil working means for disturbing soil in the direction of travel of said apparatus, said rotatable soil working means being oriented for obliquely passing through and beneath the surface of the soil, a sub assembly including a mounting beam mounted for rotation within said sub-unit having at least one oblique axle mounting for receiving an axle of said soil working means, said axle extending into said mounting at an angle offset from the direction of rotation of the longitudinal axis of the mounting beam, and at least one press wheel positioned beside and at least partially behind each of said at least one rotatable soil working means for pressing down the soil disturbed by said rotatable soil working means, each press wheel corresponding to at least one rotatable soil working means whereby rotation of said oblique axle mounting beam within said sub-unit changes the orientation of said soil working means relative to its respective press wheel.
In a preferred form, the soil working apparatus traverses a path across the surface of the soil in the direction of travel of the apparatus. Since the press wheel travels across the surface of the soil, the depth and angle of the rotatable soil working means relative to the surface of the soil may be set by adjustment of the position of the soil working means relative to the press wheel.
By positioning the press wheel beside and partially behind the soil working means, the press wheel is able to carry out three separate functions in its synchronous operation with the soil working means. These functions include,
(1) the ability to catch and control the disturbed soil as it rises with the trailing edge of the soil working means exiting the soil,
(2) the ability to establish the operating depth of the soil working means, and
(3) gently pressing the disturbed soil back over any planted seeds without overpressing or overcompaction of the soil.
It is preferable that a portion of the soil working means disturbs soil beneath at least a portion of the path of the press wheel during its rotation. It is desirable that the soil working means not pass beneath the full width of the path of the press wheel.
Through the combination of the soil working means and the press wheel, the soil working apparatus is able to disturb the soil to allow seeds to be planted with very little or no appreciable mixing of dry surface soil and moist subsurface soil. This maintains the moisture in the soil and provides the most optimal conditions for plant germination from seeds.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a soil working apparatus having a sub unit including a plurality of rotatable soil working means, each of the rotatable soil working means being oriented in an oblique plane and wherein one of the rotatable soil working means is in an opposed orientation to another of the rotatable soil working means, a mounting beam mounted for rotation within said sub unit having a plurality of oblique axle mountings for receiving an axle of each said soil working means, each axle extending into said mounting at an angle off set from the direction of rotation of the longitudinal axis of the mounting beam whereby rotation of said soil working means relative to its respective press wheel and at least one press wheel positioned at least partially behind the rotatable soil working means for pressing down soil disturbed by the rotatable soil working means.
Preferably, the rotatable soil working means are arranged in opposed pairs although single rotatable soil working means in combination with paired soil working means are within the scope of the invention. In either case, the oblique plane of the soil working means is angled towards the press wheel. In this way, the disturbed soil will be on the press wheel side of the soil working means.
As in the case of a single soil working means and press wheel, when at least one press wheel is used in combination with multiple soil working means, the press wheel:
(i) catches and controls the disturbed soil as it rises with the trailing edge of the soil working means,
(ii) establishes the working depth of the soil working means, and
(iii) gently presses the disturbed soil back over any planted seeds without overpressing or overcompaction of the soil.
The apparatus may further comprise connection means for connecting said apparatus to a superstructure or a tool carrying assembly. The connection means is preferably a support or a plurality of supports and a single support is usually sufficient for each sub unit. The support may be inserted into or received by a standard support-receiving box that is part of an assembly that is ultimately connected to a tractor or other towing vehicle. Other connection means may be used. It will be appreciated that the connection means will normally be held in a fixed orientation and preferably substantially vertical, when it is connected to the assembly that is connected to the tractor or other towing machine.
The apparatus preferably further comprises a sub-frame for connecting a number of sub-units together. The sub-frame may be connected to a superstructure or a tool carrying assembly by connection means.
Preferably, each sub-unit has two rotatable soil working means. The rotatable soil working means are preferably in an opposed orientation such that one of the rotatable soil working means is essentially a mirror image of the other.
It can be seen that the present invention may provide a soil working apparatus or a sub-unit for a soil working apparatus. For ease of fitting, modularity and to open up the possibility of retrofitting, the present invention is preferably in the form of a sub-unit for a soil working apparatus. For convenience, the invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the embodiment of the invention as being a sub-unit. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to that particular embodiment. Indeed, the present invention extends to encompass soil working apparatus manufactured as an integral unit and having the features described herein.
In one preferred embodiment the rotatable soil working means are preferably mounted on a mounting beam that is preferably connected to a longitudinal member. By “longitudinal member”, it is meant a member that extends substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the apparatus in use. The longitudinal member is preferably a shaft extending generally along a line of travel of the apparatus of the present invention. Preferably, the sub-unit of the present invention is provided with two rotatable soil working means and both of the rotatable soil working means are connected to the mounting beam. Even more preferably, each of the rotatable soil working means are fixed to a stub axle, with each stub axle fixed to and projecting from the mounting beam. The stub axles may extend
Barnstable Derek Gilbert
Danaher Denis James
Dennison, Schultz & Dougherty
Novosad Christopher J.
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