ROW CROP CULTIVATOR

• US 3,680,648 A
• Filed: 01/22/1970
• Issued: 08/01/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wayne S. Tonsfeldt
• Original Assignee: Wayne S. Tonsfeldt
• Inventors: Tonsfeldt, Wayne S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pulfrey, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hanor, C. W.
• Application Number:
  US05/005,056
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 172/192-196,286-287,388,417,397,311,507-513,671,675,676,619,642,654,446,447,451 280/411,413,412 306/1.5 287/54B,54.1
• US Class Current: 172/159
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 39/00 Other machines specially adapted for working soil on which crops are growing

Abstract

A row crop cultivator mounted on a three-point hitch of an agricultural tractor. The cultivator has a folding frame with a center beam assembly and side beams pivotally mounted on arms pivotally attached to the center beam. The arms selectively permit opposite ends of the side beams to be coupled to the center beam assembly so that the cultivator can be assembled in a wide, transverse working position and, alternatively, in a folded, narrow, transport position. The cultivator has transverse tool bars carrying a plurality of earth working dual discs. Mounted on the tool bars are pairs of row guide units having wheels that function to align the cultivator with furrows midway between the rows of crops. Each row guide unit has a furrowing tool associated with a shield to form a furrow midway between the rows of crops.

Claims

1. In an earth working implement having a frame means connectable to a tractor, tool bar means, linkage means connecting the tool bar means with the frame means, a plurality of spaced earth working tools mounted on the tool bar means for working the soil adjacent rows of crops, the improvement of:

means mounted on the tool bar means for making a lOngitudinal furrow in the soil between adjacent rows of crops, said means mounted on the tool bar means comprising furrowing tool means, and shield means having a pair of rearwardly converging generally upright members located between adjacent rows of crops, one of said members located adjacent one side of said furrowing tool means and the other of said members located adjacent the other side of said furrowing tool means, said furrowing tool means and upright members of the shield means forming on movement of the implement a longitudinal furrow in the soil between adjacent rows of crops.

2. The implement of claim 1 wherein:

said means mounted on the tool bar means includes a longitudinal member mounted on the tool bar means, said furrowing tool means having a generally upright standard mounted on the rear portion of the longitudinal member.

3. The implement of claim 2 wherein:

said shield means is mounted on the standard to confine the worked soil to the space between the adjacent rows of crops.

4. The implement of claim 1 wherein:

said shield means includes means to adjustably support the upright members whereby the converging relationship between the upright members can be changed.

5. The implement of claim 1 wherein:

said shield means has top members and means to adjustably mount the upright members on the top members whereby the converging relationship between the upright members can be changed.

6. The implement of claim 4 wherein:

the furrowing tool means includes a generally upright standard, said top members being mounted on said standard.

7. In an earth working implement having a frame means connectable to a tractor, tool bar means, linkage means connecting the tool bar means with the frame means, a plurality of spaced earth working tool means mounted on the tool bar means for working the soil adjacent rows of crops, the improvement of:

row guide assembly means mounted on the tool bar means for controlling the transverse position of the tool bar means to maintain the positions of the earth working tools adjacent the rows of crops;

said row guide assembly means comprising forward wheel means adapted to follow a longitudinal furrow located between adjacent rows of crops, a furrowing tool means longitudinally aligned behind the wheel means, and shield means having a pair of rearwardly converging members located between adjacent rows of crops;

one of said members of the shield means located adjacent one side of said furrowing tool means and the other of said members located adjacent the other side of said furrowing tool means;

said furrowing tool means and converging members of the shield means forming on movement of the implement a furrow in the soil longitudinally aligned with the wheel means.

8. The implement of claim 7 wherein:

said row guide assembly includes a longitudinal member mounted on the tool bar means, means mounting the wheel means on the forward portion of the member, said furrowing tool means having a generally upright standard mounted on the rear portion of the longitudinal member.

9. The implement of claim 7 wherein:

said shield means include means to adjustably support the upright members whereby the converging relationship between the upright members can be changed.

10. The implement of claim 7 wherein:

said shield means has top members and means to adjustably mount the upright members on the top members whereby the converging relationship between the upright members can be changed.

11. The implement of claim 10 wherein:

the furrowing tool means includes a generally upright standard, said top members being mounted on said standard.

12. An earth working implement mountable on a tractor comprising:

main frame means connectable to a tractor, tool bar means, linkage means connecting the tool bar means with the main frame means, a plurality of spaced earth working tools mounted on the tool bar means for working the soil adjacent rows of crops, and row guide assembly means mounted on the tool bar means for controlling the transverSe position of the tool bar means to locate the earth working tools adjacent the rows of crops, said row guide assembly means having a forward wheel means adapted to follow a longitudinal furrow located between adjacent rows of crops, a rear furrowing tool means longitudinally aligned with the wheel means, and shield means having a pair of rearwardly converging generally upright members located between adjacent rows of crops, one of said members located adjacent one side of said furrowing tool means and the other of said members located adjacent the other side of said furrowing tool means, said furrowing tool means and upright members of the shield means forming on movement of the implement a furrow in the soil longitudinally aligned with the wheel means.

13. The implement of claim 1 wherein:

said row guide assembly means includes a longitudinal member mounted on the tool bar means, means mounting the wheel means on the forward portion of the member, said furrowing tool means having an upright standard mounted on the rear portion of the member, and a shovel mounted on the lower portion of the standard.

14. The implement of claim 13 wherein:

said shield means is mounted on the standard to confine the worked soil to the space between adjacent rows of crops.

15. The implement of claim 13 including:

adjustable means connecting the standard to the longitudinal member, said adjustable means comprising a block means having an upright convex face and an upright flat edge opposite the face, means on the longitudinal member engageable with the convex face, said standard engageable with the flat edge of the block means, sand holding means engageable with the standard to hold the standard in engagement with the block means and to hold the block means in engagement with the means on the longitudinal member.

16. The implement of claim 15 wherein:

the means on the longitudinal member comprise vertically spaced cylindrical members and the holding means comprise vertically spaced bolts engaging vertically spaced portions of the standard.

17. The implement of claim 1 wherein:

the main frame means has a section mountable on the tractor, a beam adjacent an end of the section, arm means pivotally mounting the beam to the section and holding means releasably connecting an end of the beam to the center section, second tool bar means, linkage means connecting the second tool bar means to said beam, a plurality of spaced earth working tools mounted on the second tool bar means for working the soil adjacent rows of crops, and row guide assembly means mounted on the second tool bar means for controlling the transverse position of the second tool bar means to locate the earth working tools adjacent the rows of crops, said row guide assembly means having a forward wheel means adapted to follow a longitudinal furrow located between adjacent rows of crops, a rear furrowing tool means longitudinally aligned with the wheel means, and shield means having a pair of rearwardly converging generally upright members located between adjacent rows of crops, one of said members located adjacent one side of said furrowing tool means and the other of said members located adjacent the other side of said furrowing tool means, said furrowing tool means and upright members of the shield means forming on movement of the implement a furrow in the soil longitudinally aligned with the wheel means.

18. The implement of claim 17 wherein:

the arm means comprise an upper arm and a lower arm, first means pivotally connecting the upper arm and lower arm to a midportion of the beam, and second means pivotally mounting the upper arm and lower arm to the section.

19. The implement of claim 17 including:

a second beam located adjacent the opposite end of the section, second arm means pivotally mounting the second beam to the section, and second holding means releasably connecting an end of the second beam to the section, third tool bar means, linkage means connecting the third tool bar means to said second beam, a Plurality of spaced earth working tools mounted on the third tool bar means for working the soil adjacent rows of crops, and row guide assembly means mounted on the third tool bar means for controlling the transverse position of the third tool bar means to locate the earth working tools adjacent the rows of crops, said row guide assembly means having a forward wheel means adapted to follow a longitudinal furrow located between adjacent rows of crops, a rear furrowing tool means longitudinally aligned with the wheel means, and shield means having a pair or rearwardly converging generally upright members located between adjacent rows of crops, one of said members located adjacent one side of said furrowing tool means and the other of said members located adjacent the other side of said furrowing tool means, said furrowing tool means and upright members of the shield means forming on movement of the implement a furrow in the soil longitudinally aligned with the wheel means.

20. The implement of claim 17 including:

pivot means connecting the arm means to a midportion of the beam, whereby the outer end of the beam can be moved adjacent the end of the section and connected thereto with the holding means.

21. The implement of claim 1 wherein:

said shield means include means to adjustably support the upright members whereby the converging relationship between the upright members can be changed.

22. The implement of claim 1 wherein:

said shield means has top members and means to adjustably mount the upright members on the top members whereby the converging relationship between the upright members can be changed.

23. The implement of claim 22 wherein:

the furrowing tool means includes a generally upright standard, said top members being mounted on said standard.