Machine for laying agricultural plastic film

• US 5,226,376 A
• Filed: 10/25/1991
• Issued: 07/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ellsworth Shaw
• Original Assignee: Ellsworth Shaw
• Inventors: Shaw, Ellsworth
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WARNICK IV, SPENCER K
• Application Number:
  US07/782,656
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 111/102, 111/144, 111/145, 111/146, 47/9 M
• US Class Current: 111/144
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/0287 Devices for laying-out or removing ground coverings

Abstract

An improvement in machines for laying agricultural plastic film is disclosed which provides means forcing the plastic film against the seed bed and inclined sides and bottom of oppositely situated furrows utilizing a forced air fan to blow air downwardly upon the plastic film to secure it in place against disturbing forces, such as winds, in order that the longitudinal side edges of the plastic sheet may be properly covered with a layer of soil thrown up by rearwardly located covering discs. In an alternate embodiment, a fluid, such as air or water, is forcibly directed against the plastic film overlying the inclined side and bottom of the oppositely situated furrows to hold the film in place for covering by soil thrown up by the covering discs.

Claims

1. An improvement to machines for laying agricultural plastic film of the type having a pair of front located openings discs to form furrows on opposite sides of an elongated seed bed, a roll of plastic film providing film for placement atop the seed bed and into the furrows, a weighted roller situated proximate the seed bed, the weighted roller receiving the film to lay the film upon the seed bed, and a pair of rear located closing discs located distal from the weighted roller throwing up soil upon the longitudinal side edges of the plastic film laying in the furrow to anchor the plastic film over the seed bed, the improvement comprising:

means forcing a fluid against the plastic film while the plastic film is laying atop the seed bed and in the spaced apart furrows to hold the longitudinal side edges of the plastic film in place against disturbing forces to permit the longitudinal side edges to be covered and secured with soil by the closing discs.

2. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 1 wherein said means forcing said fluid against the plastic film includes means to propel said fluid against the plastic film.

3. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 2 wherein said means propelling said fluid against the plastic film includes at least one fan positioned above the plastic film overlaying the seed bed and in the furrows to propel said fluid against the plastic film to hold it in place for its longitudinal side edges to be covered with soil.

4. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 3 wherein said means propelling said fluid against the plastic film includes a plurality of fans situated above the plastic film overlaying the seed bed and furrows.

5. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 2 wherein said means propelling said fluid defines pump means, said pump means pumping said fluid against the plastic film overlaying the seed bed and furrows.

6. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 5 wherein said pump means includes means to direct said fluid pumped by said pump, said fluid directing means selectively directing said fluid against the plastic film to hold it in place.

7. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 6 wherein said fluid directing means includes at least one fluid conducting duct with outlet.

8. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 7 wherein said means directing said fluid includes a plurality of fluid conducting ducts with outlets.

9. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid defines air.

10. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid defines a liquid.

11. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid defines air and a liquid in a mixture.

12. The improvement in plastic film laying machines as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid directed against the plastic film may be in intermittent blasts.

13. A method of holding plastic film in place atop an elongated seed bed and to the bottom of furrows on opposite sides of the seed bed against disturbing forces in order that the longitudinal side edges of the plastic film be covered by soil thrown up by closing discs to anchor the film in place, the method comprising the step of:

forcing a fluid against the plastic film while laying atop the seed bed and in the furrows to hold the plastic film in place while covering its longitudinal side edges with soil by the closing discs.

14. The method of holding plastic film onto a seed bed and in the furrows as defined in claim 13 wherein said step of forcing a fluid against the plastic film includes the step of propelling said fluid against the plastic film by at least one fan positioned above the plastic film overlaying the seed bed and furrows.

15. The method of holding plastic film onto a seed bed and in the furrows as defined in claim 14 wherein said step of forcing a fluid against the plastic film includes the step of propelling said fluid against the plastic film by a plurality of fans situated above the plastic film overlaying the seed bed and furrows.

16. The method of holding plastic film onto a seed bed and in the furrows as defined in claim 13 wherein said step of forcing a fluid against the plastic film includes the step of pumping said fluid against the plastic film overlaying the seed bed and furrows.

17. The method of holding plastic film onto a seed bed and in the furrows as defined in claim 16 wherein said step of pumping said fluid against the plastic film includes the step of directing said pumped fluid against the plastic film.

18. The method of holding plastic film onto a seed bed and in the furrows as defined in claim 17 wherein said step of directing said pumped fluid includes the step of directing said pumped fluid with fluid conducting ducts having outlets.

19. The method of holding plastic film onto a seed bed and in the furrows as defined in claim 14 wherein said step of propelling a fluid against the plastic film includes the step of propelling air against the plastic film.

20. The method of holding plastic film onto a seed bed and in the furrows as defined in claim 16 wherein said step of pumping said fluid against the plastic film includes the step of pumping air against the plastic film overlaying the seed bed and furrows.

21. The method of holding plastic film onto a seed bed and in the furrows as defined in claim 16 wherein said step of pumping said fluid against the plastic film overlaying the seed bed and furrows includes the step of pumping a liquid against the plastic film.