Agricultural system for field preparation

• US 10,721,855 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2018
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Original Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Inventors: Bassett, Joseph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S
• Application Number:
  US15/860,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20180139885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 172134, 172145, 172151, 172154, 172157, 172158, 172174, 172184, 172187
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 29/04 with non-smooth surface formed of rotatably-mounted rings or discs or with projections or ribs on the roller body; Land packers
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 29/046 the soil-pressing body being a helical coil
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 29/06 with special additional arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 39/08 with rotating tools such as weeding machines
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 39/22 Tools; Mounting tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/027 with a rotating, soil working support element, e.g. a roller
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/06 for sowing or fertilising
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 61/046 the device including an energy accumulator for restoring the tool to its working position
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/002 Apparatus for sowing fertiliser; Fertiliser drill
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/064 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/006 Minimum till seeding
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/06 Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/8355 for cutting up or crushing remaining standing stalks, e.g. stubble mowers combined with means for cutting up, crushing or bruising, the mown crop A01D43/08, A01D43/10; apparatus for crushing or bruising mown stalks A01D82/00; apparatus for cutting up the mown crop A01F29/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/21 Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures

Abstract

An agricultural system includes a frame configured for attachment to a leading tow bar of a towing vehicle, and at least one roller device attached to the frame and extending between two adjacent parallel strip positions. The roller device is configured to crush standing residual plant matter in the field. The system further includes a fertilizer opener disk attached to the frame and which is configured to prepare, at least in part, a furrow for receiving a fertilizer. The system also includes a fertilizer injector attached to the frame and which is configured to deposit the fertilizer into the furrow in a trailing position relative to the fertilizer opener disk.

Claims

1. An agricultural system comprising:

a frame configured for attachment to a leading tow bar of a towing vehicle;

at least one furrow opener disk attached to the frame for forming a furrow into a field;

a stationary deflector attached to the tow bar via a rigid frame and configured to clear residual plant matter away from a centerline of the rigid frame;

at least one roller device attached to the frame and extending between two adjacent parallel strip positions, the roller device being configured to crush standing residual plant matter in the field, the at least one roller device being overlapped in part, near the rigid frame, by the stationary deflector such that the at least one roller device receives cleared residual plant matter by the stationary deflector;

a fertilizer opener disk attached to the frame in a trailing position relative to the stationary deflector and configured to prepare, at least in part, the furrow for receiving a fertilizer, the fertilizer opener disk being in a trailing position relative to the at least one furrow opener disk; and

a fertilizer injector attached to the frame and being configured to deposit the fertilizer into the furrow in a trailing position relative to the fertilizer opener disk.

2. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the roller device is generally aligned with the fertilizer opener disk.

3. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the roller device is concentric with the fertilizer opener disk.

4. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the roller device is in a leading position relative to the fertilizer opener disk.

5. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the frame is a planter rigid frame.

6. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the stationary deflector is mounted along a centerline of the frame.

7. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the stationary deflector has at least one element with a triangular profile.

8. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the stationary deflector has a top element that is longer than a bottom element.

9. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the stationary deflector is attached to the frame via a hydraulic actuator or a pneumatic actuator.

10. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the roller device includes a plurality of protrusions that extend outwardly from a peripheral surface of the roller device.

11. The agricultural system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of protrusions forms a unitary construction with the roller device, being formed from a single piece of material with the roller device.

12. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the roller device is mounted on one side of a centerline of the frame, another roller device being mounted on another side of the centerline of the frame.

13. The agricultural system of claim 12, wherein the roller device and the another roller device are commonly overlapped in part, near the rigid frame, by the stationary deflector.

14. An agricultural system comprising:

a tow bar for attachment to a towing vehicle in a trailing position relative to a direction of movement along a field;

at least one furrow opener disk attached to the two bar for forming a furrow into a field;

a stationary deflector attached to the tow bar via a rigid frame and configured to clear residual plant matter away from a centerline of the rigid frame;

two roller devices attached to the rigid frame in a trailing position relative to the stationary deflector, the roller devices being independently movable up-and-down relative to each other when obstacles are encountered on the field, each of roller devices being configured to crush standing residual plant matter in the field and the residual plant matter cleared by the stationary deflector, the two roller devices being commonly overlapped in part, near the rigid frame, by the stationary deflector such that the two roller device receive cleared residual plant matter by the stationary deflector;

a fertilizer opener disk attached to the rigid frame in a trailing position relative to the stationary deflector and configured to prepare, at least in part, the furrow for receiving a fertilizer, the fertilizer opener disk being in a trailing position relative to the at least one furrow opener disk; and

a fertilizer injector attached to the rigid frame and being configured to deposit the fertilizer into the furrow in a trailing position relative to the fertilizer opener disk, the fertilizer being deposited in the same pass on the field during which the furrow is formed and the standing residual plant matter is crushed.

15. The agricultural system of claim 14, wherein the roller devices are generally aligned with the fertilizer opener disk.

16. The agricultural system of claim 14, wherein the roller devices are concentric with the fertilizer opener disk.

17. The agricultural system of claim 14, wherein the roller devices are in a leading position relative to the fertilizer opener disk.

18. The agricultural system of claim 14, wherein the stationary deflector is mounted along a centerline of the rigid frame.

19. The agricultural system of claim 14, wherein the stationary deflector has at least one element with a triangular profile.