Furrow closing and leveling apparatus

• US 20080023207A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bourgault Industries Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Bourgault Industries Ltd.
• Inventors: Espheter, Nathan, Lung, Devin
• Granted Patent: US 7,410,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 172/518
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/066 Devices for covering drills or furrows

Abstract

An agricultural ground working apparatus includes a mounting bracket adapted for attachment to an implement frame. A shank is pivotally attached to the mounting bracket about a shank pivot axis and extends downward from the mounting bracket to a lower end thereof adapted for engaging the ground. Right and left disc arms are pivotally attached at upper portions thereof to the mounting bracket such that the disc arms pivot about arm pivot axes independent of the shank. The disc arms extend rearward and downward from the mounting bracket on each side of the shank, and right and left discs are rotatably attached to lower portions of the corresponding right and left disc arms

Claims

1. An agricultural ground working apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a mounting bracket adapted for attachment to an implement frame for movement along the ground in an operating travel direction;

a shank pivotally attached at an upper portion thereof to the mounting bracket about a shank pivot axis oriented transverse to the operating travel direction, the shank extending downward from the mounting bracket to a lower end thereof adapted for engaging the ground;

right and left disc arms pivotally attached at upper portions thereof to the mounting bracket about corresponding right and left arm pivot axes oriented transverse to the operating travel direction such that the disc arms pivot about the arm pivot axes independent of the shank, the disc arms extending rearward and downward from the mounting bracket on each side of the shank; and

right and left discs rotatably attached to lower portions of the corresponding right and left disc arms.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a rotational axis of at least one disc is inclined from a position perpendicular to the operating travel direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the rotational axis is inclined from a horizontal position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the at least one disc is rotatably mounted to a corresponding disc arm having a longitudinal arm axis oriented transverse to the corresponding arm pivot axis, and wherein the disc arm is configured to be rotated about a longitudinal arm axis thereof to a plurality of angular positions, and wherein the disc arm is secured in an angular position selected to provide a desired disc inclination.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 comprising:

a pivot block pivotally attached to the mounting bracket about the arm pivot axis, the pivot block defining a recess;

wherein a top end of the disc arm is engaged in the recess and is rotatable in the recess about the longitudinal arm axis; and

wherein the top end of the disc arm can be secured in the recess at a selected one of a plurality of available angular positions.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 comprising a plurality of notches in the recess, each notch corresponding to an angular position and wherein a lobe on the disc arm is adapted to engage a notch to secure the disc arm in the recess at a selected angular position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising an upper stop operative to prevent upward pivotal movement of a disc arm beyond an upper limit.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a lower stop operative to prevent downward pivotal movement of a disc arm beyond a lower limit.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the disc arm is attached to a pivot block pivotally attached to the mounting bracket about the arm pivot axis, and wherein the upper and lower stops are provided by a tab extending from the pivot block through a slot in the mounting bracket.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a lock mechanism operative to lock the disc arms in a raised idle position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the disc arms and mounting bracket define idle holes oriented such that the idle holes are aligned when the disc arms are in the raised idle position and wherein the lock mechanism comprises an idle pin adapted to be inserted into aligned idle holes on a disc arm and on the mounting bracket.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the right and left discs are located such that soil thrown laterally by the lower end of the shank when the shank moves through the ground contacts the discs.

13. An agricultural ground working apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a mounting bracket adapted for attachment to an implement frame for movement along the ground in an operating travel direction;

a shank pivotally attached at an upper portion thereof to the mounting bracket about a shank pivot axis oriented transverse to the operating travel direction, the shank extending downward from the mounting bracket to a lower end thereof adapted for engaging the ground;

right and left pivot blocks pivotally attached to right and left sides of the mounting bracket about an arm pivot axis oriented transverse to the operating travel direction such that the pivot blocks pivot about the arm pivot axis independent of the shank;

right and left disc arms attached at upper portions thereof to the corresponding right and left pivot blocks, the disc arms extending rearward and downward from the mounting bracket on each side of the shank; and

right and left discs rotatably attached to lower portions of the corresponding right and left disc arms.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the right and left discs are rotatably attached such that rotational axes of the discs are inclined from a position perpendicular to the operating travel direction.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the right and left discs are rotatably attached such that rotational axes of the discs are inclined from a horizontal position.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein a longitudinal axis of each disc arm is oriented transverse to the corresponding arm pivot axis, and wherein the disc arms are configured to be rotated with respect to the corresponding pivot blocks about longitudinal arm axes thereof to a plurality of angular positions, and wherein each disc arm is secured to the corresponding pivot block in an angular position selected to provide a desired disc inclination.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the pivot blocks define a recess and wherein a top end of each disc arm is engaged in a corresponding recess and is rotatable in the recess about the longitudinal axis thereof;

and wherein the disc arms can be secured in the recesses at a selected one of a plurality of available angular positions.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 comprising a plurality of notches in the recess, each notch corresponding to an angular position, and wherein a lobe on each disc arm is adapted to engage a notch to secure the disc arm in the recess at a selected angular position.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 comprising a tab extending from each pivot block into a corresponding slot in the mounting bracket such that the tab is operative to prevent upward pivotal movement of each disc arm beyond an upper limit and is operative to prevent downward pivotal movement of each disc arm beyond a lower limit.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the right and left discs are located such that soil thrown laterally by the lower end of the shank when the shank moves through the ground contacts the discs.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 comprising a lock mechanism operative to lock the disc arms in a raised idle position.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the disc arms and mounting bracket define idle holes oriented such that the idle holes are aligned when the disc arms are in the raised idle position and wherein the lock mechanism comprises an idle pin adapted to be inserted into aligned idle holes on a disc arm and on the mounting bracket.