Cultivator row unit with ridger/bedder implement

• US 4,560,011 A
• Filed: 06/22/1984
• Issued: 12/24/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hiniker Co.
• Original Assignee: Hiniker Co.
• Inventors: Johnson, James A., Peterson, Richard L., Scheurer, Roger J., Steinberg, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Richard J.
• Application Number:
  US06/623,789
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 172/155, 172/156, 172/624.5, 172/744, 172/722, 172/724, 172/736, 172/740, 172/720, 172/700, 172/730, 172/253, 172/254, 172/193, 172/194, 172/250, 172/251, 172/252 , 172/245, 172/246, 172/734, 111/6, 111/7
• US Class Current: 172/194
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 39/14 for working ridges , e.g. for rows of plants and/or furrows

Abstract

An inter-row crop cultivator for use particularly in severe residue conditions such as in minimum tillage conservation applications is disclosed. A leading gauge wheel providing support and soil surface tracking is immediately trailed by two laterally displaced discs which cut away from the row. Aft of the two cutaway discs and directly to the rear of the gauge wheel is a stabilizing and cutting coulter which prevents side to side sway while cutting and reducing residue ahead of a sweep shank which directly trails the cutting coulter. By severing and dividing the residue, the cutting coulter permits the residue to flow over the sweep and around the shank. The shank is adapted to receive an anhydrous ammonia applicator and knife assembly which may be easily and securely mounted to the shank. A plurality of such inter-row crop cultivators may be mounted on a tool bar. A winged ridger/bedder may be either positioned in a non-use or storage position above the soil on the shank or slid down the shank to a use position in contact with the soil for forming the loosened soil and residue into parallel ridges over the newly formed rows in preparing a seed bed for later planting. Various selectively adjustable controls are provided for setting gauge wheel height, stabilizing and cutting coulter height, cutaway disc separation and height, the downward pressure applied to the working implements, and implement deflection cushion tension permitting implement deflection upon impact with an obstruction.

Claims

1. In an inter-row crop cultivator for use in conservation tillage applications and having a frame adapted to be pulled by a traction vehicle, the combination comprising:

a plurality of sweeps carried by said frame, each sweep located between adjacent crop rows and including a shank for mounting said sweep to said frame;

a ridger/bedder attachment for each sweep and movable along the shank thereof between a raised non-use position and a lowered use position, said ridger/bedder attachment having a pair of wings extending from the center thereof in an upward, laterally outward and rearward direction such that when said attachment is in said use position it is located immediately behind its associated sweep and cooperate with said sweep to raise and laterally deflect soil and trash worked by said sweep, and when said attachment is raised to the non-use position, it is out of substantial contact with soil worked by said sweep; and

means carried by each attachment for selectively securing said attachment to the shank of its associated sweep either in said use or said non-use position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said ridger/bedder attachment is positioned immediately above its associated sweep when in the use position.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said wings of ridger/bedder attachment form two sides of an equilateral triangle and are inclined inwardly toward one another in the direction of travel of said frame when pulled by a traction vehicle.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the lower edge portions of said wings are aligned generally parallel to and slightly above its associated sweep when in the use position, and wherein the configuration of said wings is tapered upward with the base of said ridger/bedder attachment larger than the upper portion thereof.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for selectively securing said attachment to a shank comprises the combination of a mounting collar positioned around said shank and a set screw inserted through said mounting collar for engaging said shank for selectively positioning said ridger/bedder attachment along said shank.