Crust fracturing implement

• US 20070175644A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trygve Skolness
• Original Assignee: Trygve Skolness
• Inventors: Skolness, Trygve
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 172/540
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 35/16 with rotating or circulating non-propelled tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 39/08 with rotating tools such as weeding machines

Abstract

An apparatus for fracturing a crust on an agricultural field includes a tool bar and a support attached to the tool bar. A plurality of discs are non-rotatably attached to an axle that is rotatably supported by the support. Each of the plurality of discs include a plurality of spaced apart teeth about the perimeter of each disc. The teeth comprise convex surfaces and concave surfaces that converge at distal ends where the plurality of discs rotate about the support such that the convex surfaces penetrate and fracture the crust and that any debris or trash picked up by the teeth is ejected by the angles of the teeth and angles of the support brackets preventing plugging and destruction of the rowed crop.

Claims

1. An apparatus for fracturing a crust on an agricultural field comprising:

a tool bar;

a support for attaching to the tool bar;

an axle rotatably supported by the support proximate a distal end thereof; and

a plurality of discs non-rotatably attached to the axle and wherein each disc comprises a plurality of spaced apart teeth about a perimeter of each disc and wherein the teeth comprise convex surfaces and concave surfaces that converge to distal ends and wherein as the plurality of discs rotate about the support at the convex surfaces penetrates and fractures the crust.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 and wherein the support comprises a plurality of arms having distal ends that rotatably support the axle and where the plurality of arms are positioned between the plurality of discs.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising a coil engaging the support for urging the plurality of discs into the crust.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 and wherein the axle comprises at least one flat surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 and wherein each of the plurality of discs comprises a substantially centrally located aperture having a perimeter with at least one flat surface that engages the flat surface of the axle to prevent the plurality of discs from rotating on the axle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 and wherein the axle comprises a plurality of flat surfaces.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 and wherein the each of the plurality of discs comprises a substantially centrally located aperture having a perimeter with a plurality of flat surfaces that engage the plurality of flat surfaces on the axle to prevent the plurality of discs from rotating on the axle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 and wherein the plurality of discs are attached to the axle such that only one tooth penetrates the crust at a time.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 and wherein the plurality of disc comprises more than four discs.

10. A method of converting a row crop cultivator into an apparatus for fracturing a crust on a field planted in rows, the method comprising:

providing a row crop cultivator having a main beam having a plurality of gangs attached thereto and wherein the gangs comprise a plurality of spring shanks and a plurality of disc openers attached to the cultivator and having a tilling shovel attached to each spring shank and comprising a tool bar attached to the main beam;

removing the plurality of disc openers and the plurality of spring shanks with the tilling shovels from each gang; and

attaching a plurality of crust penetrating units to the tool bar wherein each of the crust penetrating units comprises a plurality of discs non-rotatably attached to an axle that is supported by a support of the crust penetrating unit and wherein each disc comprises a plurality of spaced apart teeth about a perimeter of each disc and wherein the teeth comprise convex surfaces and concave surfaces that converge to distal ends and wherein as the plurality of discs rotate the distal ends and the convex surfaces of the teeth and penetrate the crust to fracture the crust between the rows of the planted crops.

11. The method of claim 10 and further comprising frictionally securing a shank of the support structure of each unit to the tool bar.

12. The method of claim 11 and further comprising positioning a plurality of arms between the plurality of discs to engage and dislodge debris carried by the discs and thereby allow the discs to freely rotate.

13. The method of claim 10 and further comprising biasing the plurality of discs into the ground with a coil spring engaging the support.

14. The method of claim 10 and further comprising positioning the plurality of discs on the axle such that only one tooth penetrates the crust at a time.