GB2160751A - Cultivating implement - Google Patents

Abstract

A cultivating implement has a blade 10 which extends downwardly into the ground to pass edgewise and at an angle to the vertical through the ground. The lower end of the blade carries a lifting element 20 which is inclined upwards and rearwards over a lifting surface and the element extends laterally from the lower end of the blade relative to its direction of travel A. During travel through the ground the soil above the inclined blade and above the lifting element is lifted to loosen the soil. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cultivating implement This invention relates to cultivating implements and in particularto cultivating implements for loosening the soil without significant disturbance oftheground surface.

Cultivating implements have been proposed in which a soil working tool having a portion inclined to the vertical is drawn edgewise through the ground so thatthe soil above the inclined portion is lifted and loosened. The width of ground acted upon by the tool is determined in part by the depth ofthe tool in the ground and in part bythe angle of inclination of the inclined portion. Both these factors are influenced by otheroperational characteristics such asthedesired depth to be loosened and the most advantageous angle of inclusion to achieve the desired loosening action.Thus,formostapplicationsatool is ableto effect loosening action over a limited width of ground.

In orderto loosen soil over a suitably wide area for each passage ofthe tool the tool is usually associated with othertools in transverseiy spaced relationship, the spacing being usually determined by the width of operation of each individual tool so that a consistent loosening action is performed overthewidth of the array ofthe tools.

It is desirable that some means is provided to achieve a loosening action for each tool over an increased width than hitherto.

According to the invention a cultivating implement comprises a blade arranged to extend downwardly into the ground so asto pass edgewise through the soil with a portion of the blade at an inclination to the vertical so that soil lying above the inclined portion is lifted as the blade passes through the soil, and so that the blade has a lower end displaced laterallywith respect two the direction of travel from its upper end, said lower end carrying a wing element extending laterally from said lower end in a direction awayfrom said upper end and having anuppersurfaceinclined upwardly and rearwardlyfrom its leading end, where byto lift soil above the wing element.

Preferably the blade carries a foot member at its lower end, the foot member extending longitudinally ofthe direction oftravel and having a leading end with an upper surface extending upwards and rearwards.

In this case the wing element may be carried on the foot member extending from a side of the foot member.

Convenientlythe leading edge of the wing element extends sideways and to the rear in a direction away from the lower end ofthe blade.

Furtherfeatures ofthe invention will appearfrom thefollowing description ofvarious embodiments of the invention given byway of example only and with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure lisa side elevation of a cultivating tool, Figure 2 is a plan view ofthe tool of Figure 1, Figure 3 is an end elevation ofthe tool of Figures 1 and 2, and Figure4isan end elevation of anotherform of cultivating tool.

Referring to Figures 1,2 and 3 a cultivating tool is shown which is intended to be mounted on a frame (not shown) to be carried on a tractorfor passage through the ground.

The tool is in the form of a blade 10 to be drawn edgewise through the ground in the direction of travel A. The blade 10 includes an uppervertical portion 11 and a lower portion 12 inclined at an acute angletothe vertical, in this case at 45" to the vertical and preferably in the range 30 -60 to the vertical.

The lower end ofthe blade, which is displaced laterally ofthe direction of travel from the upper end 11, carries a foot member 14. Thefoot member 14 has at its leading end an upwardly and rearwardly directed surface 15 formed of a replaceable wearing element.

The foot member 14 also has upright side surfaces 16 and 17 and at its rear end the foot member extends rearwardly ofthe lower end ofthe blade portion 12.

The side surface 16 is convenientlyformed of a replaceable wearing element and acts to resist sideways forces generated in the tool duetotheinclina- tion ofthe portion 12.

The other side surface 17 faces awayfrom the upper portion 11 ofthe blade and carries a wing element 20 which extends outwardly of said surface 17 laterally of the direction of travel A. The wing element 20 is inclined upwardly from its leading edge which is chamfered at 21. The angle of inclination may be in the range 5-25"to the horizontal. Itwill also be seen in Figure 2 thatthe leading and trailing edges of the element 20 are inclined rearwardsfrom the foot member.

Intheillustrated arrangementtheelement20isin the form of a plate lying in a plane inclined to the horizontal but in an alternative arrangementthe element 20 may be wedge-shaped in side elevation, the upper surface being atan inclination in the specified range.

Moreoverthe element 20 may be replaceably connected to the foot member 14for replacement when itbecomesworn.

Referring to Figure 4the tool includes a blade 22 of arcuate form instead ofthe rectilinear blade portions 11 and 12 of Figures 1,2 and 3. The blade 22 has an upright upper end 23 which is attached to aframe (not shown) on which the tool is mounted for passage through the ground. A lower arcuate portion 24 is inclined to the vertical at an angleto the vertical which progressively increasestowardsthe lowerend ofthe portion 24.

In other respects the tool of Figure 4 is similar to that of Figures 1,2 and 3 in having a foot member 14to the side of which is fitted a wing element 20.

Instead ofthe portion 24 of the tool being arcuate, as shown, the portion 24 may be curvilinear.

In each embodimentthetool may be located during operation with the ground level towards the lower end ofthevertical portion 11 or23 ofthe blade or with the ground level towards the upper end ofthe inclined portion 12 or 24.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2the blade may carry an adjustable shatter plate 25 towards the lower end of the blade portion 12 and atthe rear edge thereof. The plate 25 may be arranged to be between a position aligned with the plane ofthe blade and a position inclined upwardsfrornthe plane ofthe blade. The Figure 4tool may be similarlyfitted with an adjustable shatter plate.

TheartionolFthewing element20 in each embodi mentistoextend laterally of the foot member 14 beyond the width of ground to be lifted and loosened bythe blade. The wing element 20 on being drawn flhrcughthegroundc usessoil lying in the path ofthe element to be lifted by engagement with the upper inclined surface ofthe element.

Thetools may be operated individually or in groups.

In the latter case thetools are spaced apart in a direction transverse to the direction of travel, preferably in echelon. When fitted with the wing element, the lateral spacirg ofthe tools takes account of the increased width of soil loosened by the elements compared with blades without such elements.

In some circumstances it may be found advantageousto employ the illustrated tools in combination with other kinds of tools for example a tool having a vertical blade ortineto the lower end of which elements are fitted. In this case the vertical blade may be located to the rear ofthe inclined blade, with respect to the direction of travel, and the wing element laterally ofthe blade in the opposite direction to the inclined blade portion.The wing element on the vertical blade may take a similarform to that illustrated in the drawings so thatthe element effects a soil loosening action to one side ofthe vertical blade.

Claims (6)

1. A cultivating implement comprises a blade arranged to extend downwardly into the ground so as topass edgewise through the ground with at least a portion of the blade at an inclination to the vertical so thatthe ground abovetheinciined portion is lifted as the blade passes through the ground, and so thatthe blade has a lower end displaced laterally with respect to the direction of travel from its upper end, said lower end carrying a lifting member extending laterallyfrom said lower end in a direction away from said end and having an uppersurface inclined upwardly and rearwardlyfrom its leading endwherebyto lift ground lying abovethe lifting member.

2. An implement according to claim 1 wherein the lower end ofthe blade carries a foot member extending longitudinally ofthe direction oftravel and having a leading end with an uppersurface extending upwards and rearwards, the lifting member being securedto and extending from asideofthefoot member.

3. An implementaccordingto claim 1 or2wherein the lifting member has a leading edge lying in a generally hori=ontal plane.

4. An implement according to claim 3 wherein the leading edge is inclined rearwardly with respect to the direction oftravel.

5. An implement according to any one ofthe preceding claims wherein the lifting member is in the form of a plate releasablyfixed in relation to the lower end of the blade.

6. A cultivating implementsubstantially as de scribed with reference to Figs. 1-3 or Fig. 4 ofthe drawings.