Adjustable crop thinner

• US 6,182,770 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: River Valley Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: River Valley Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Pearson, Ryan, Pickett, J. Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Son T.
• Application Number:
  US09/315,290
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 47/1, 47/43, 171/5, 171/10, 171/13, 172/28, 172/31, 172/142, 172/149, 172/260, 172/177, 172/178, 172/172, 172/540, 172/391, 172/556, 172/546, 172/548, 172/549
• US Class Current: 172/177
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 35/28 Rotating tools; Mounting rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 41/04 with rotating tools

Abstract

An adjustable crop thinning device configured for mounting on an attachment frame for pulling behind an agricultural vehicle such as a tractor in a field of row crops. The attachment frame is oriented generally transverse to the direction of motion of the tractor, and comprises a plurality of generally upright rotating hubs disposed upon its rearward portion. Each hub has a plurality of elongate sweeps extending radially therefrom, each sweep having an elongate axis and a substantially planar end blade, and being configured to contact the ground with the end blade, such that the hub will rotate as the frame is pulled across the ground. The end blades are selectively rotatable about their elongate axes, whereby the aspect of their sweep through a row of crops may be adjusted. The rotating hubs are also angularly adjustable, being connected to the frame by a pivot mechanism allowing vertical and/or horizontal rotation of the orientation of the plane of the hub relative to the direction of motion of the machine. As the frame is pulled across the ground, the blades connected to the angled rotating hubs pass transversely through the row of crops, thereby periodically removing plants so as to thin the crop. The adjustable crop thinner may also be used for weeding and soil aeration in addition to thinning operations.

Claims

1. A crop thinning device configured for mounting on a frame for pulling behind a vehicle in a field of crops oriented in rows, said frame having a forward portion, a rearward portion, support wheels for supporting said frame upon the ground, and a hitch disposed on said forward portion for connecting to said vehicle, said crop thinning device comprising:

a rotatable hub configured to rotate in a generally upright plane;

a pivot connector for connecting said hub to said frame, such that the angular orientation of said hub may be adjusted so as to allow selective orientation of the plane of rotation of said hub relative to the motion of said frame;

a plurality of adjustable elongate sweeps extending radially from said hub, said sweeps having an elongate axis and a substantially planar end blade configured for contact with the ground, each of said plurality of sweeps and said substantially planar end blades being rotationally adjustable about said elongate axis; and

locking means coupled to the pivot connector, configured for securing said selective angular orientation of the hub in a fixed position such that the hub will be caused to rotate as said frame is pulled across the ground to cause said end blades to pass transversely through a row of crops as said hub rotates due to the motion of the frame.

2. The crop thinning device as described in claim 1 wherein said pivot connector is configured for allowing the plane of rotation of said hub to be angularly adjusted about a substantially vertical axis.

3. The crop thinning device as described in claim 2 wherein said pivot connector is selectively adjustable to allow said hub to rotate in a plane oriented at an angle of from approximately 10°

to approximately 70°

relative to the row of crops.

4. The crop thinning device as described in claim 1 wherein said pivot connector is configured for allowing the plane of rotation of said hub to be angularly adjusted about a substantially horizontal axis.

5. The crop thinning device as described in claim 1 wherein said pivot connector is configured for allowing the plane of rotation of said hub to be angularly adjusted about a substantially vertical axis and about a substantially horizontal axis.

6. The crop thinning device as described in claim 1 wherein said sweeps and said substantially planar end blades are rotationally adjustable about said elongate axis through an angle of from 0°

to 90°

relative to the plane of rotation of said hub.

7. The crop thinning device as described in claim 1, further comprising means for simultaneously angularly adjusting all of said plurality of sweeps and said substantially planar end blades about their elongate axes.

8. The crop thinning device as described in claim 7, wherein said means for simultaneously angularly adjusting all of said plurality of sweeps and said substantially planar end blades about their elongate axes comprises:

a slip plate connected to said hub and each of said plurality of elongate sweeps, whereby rotation of said slip plate relative to said hub causes uniform axial rotation of each of said plurality of elongate sweeps; and

fixation means for fixing the rotational location of said slip plate so as to fix the axial orientation of each of said sweeps.

9. The crop thinning device as described in claim 8, further comprising angular indicator means for indicating the angle of rotation of the end blades.

10. The crop thinning device as described in claim 1 wherein said substantially planar end blades are formed in a shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular, trapezoidal, pyramidal, T-shaped, and arced.

11. The crop thinning device as described in claim 1 wherein the number of elongate sweeps is selectively adjustable so as to provide variable spacing of sweeps about the perimeter of said hub.

12. The crop thinning device as described in claim 1, further comprising power drive means associated with said rotating hub, so as to cause said sweeps to pass transversely through the row of crops at a speed that is not dependent upon the speed of motion of said elongate frame and said vehicle.

13. A crop thinning device configured for mounting on an elongate frame for pulling behind a vehicle in a field of crops oriented in rows, said frame being oriented transverse to the direction of motion of said vehicle, and having a forward portion, a rearward portion, support wheels for supporting said frame upon the ground, and a hitch disposed on said forward portion for connecting to said vehicle, said crop thinning device comprising:

a rotating hub configured to rotate in a generally upright plane;

pivot connector for connecting said hub to said frame, such that the orientation of said hub may be angularly adjusted about a substantially vertical axis, so as to allow selective orientation of the plane of rotation of said hub relative to the motion of said frame;

a plurality of elongate sweeps, each sweep having an elongate axis extending radially from the perimeter of said hub and a substantially planar end blade that is angularly adjustable about said elongate axis, said sweeps configured to contact the ground with said blades such that said hub will be caused to rotate as said frame is pulled across the ground;

a slip plate connected to said hub and each of said plurality of elongate sweeps, whereby rotation of said slip plate relative to said hub causes uniform axial rotation of each of said plurality of elongate sweeps;

angular indicator means for indicating the angle of orientation of said end blades; and

fixation means for fixing the rotational location of said slip plate so as to fix the axial orientation of each of said sweeps, whereby said blades may be caused to pass transversely through a row of crops as said hub rotates due to the motion of said frame, to thereby thin said crop.

14. The crop thinning device as described in claim 13 wherein said sweeps and said substantially planar end blades are angularly adjustable about said radial axis through an angle of from 0°

to 90°

relative to the plane of rotation of said hub.

15. The crop thinning device as described in claim 13 wherein said pivot connector is selectively adjustable to allow said hub to rotate in a plane oriented at an angle of from approximately 10°

to approximately 70°

relative to the row of crops.

16. The crop thinning device as described in claim 13 wherein said substantially planar end blades are formed in a shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular, trapezoidal, pyramidal, T-shaped, and arced.

17. The crop thinning device as described in claim 13 wherein the number of elongate sweeps is selectively adjustable so as to provide variable spacing of sweeps about the perimeter of said hub.

18. A method of thinning crops, comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a crop thinning device having a rotatable hub and a plurality of sweeps extending radially therefrom, said sweeps having elongate axes and substantially planar end blades, in alignment with a row of crops to be thinned;

(b) orienting said hub and attached sweeps in a generally upright plane of rotation and about a generally inclined axis such that the end blades of said sweeps contact the ground approximately at the location of said row;

(c) adjusting the angular orientation of the plane of rotation of said hub relative to the row of crops to allow adjustment of the degree of thinning;

(d) rotationally adjusting each of said plurality of sweeps about their elongate axes, so as to change the aspect ratio of the end blades of the sweeps relative to the crop row, to thereby adjust the magnitude of thinning; and

(e) pulling said crop thinning device forwardly through said row of crops in line with said row such that the hub will rotate as a result of contact with the ground, causing the end blades of said sweeps to pass transversely through the row of crops, to thereby thin the crop.

19. The method as described in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

(f) simultaneously rotationally adjusting all of said plurality of sweeps about their elongate axes, so as to uniformly change the aspect ratio of the end blades of the sweeps relative to the crop row, to thereby adjust the magnitude of thinning.

20. The method as described in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

(g) removing some of the plurality of sweeps from the hub so as to adjust the spacing at which the end blades of the sweeps will pass transversely through the row of crops.

21. The method as described in claim 18, further comprising the end blades of the step of:

(h) driving said hub in rotational movement, whereby the sweeps pass transversely through the row of crops at a speed that is not dependent upon the speed of motion of said crop thinning device through said row.

22. The method as described in claim 21, further comprising the step of:

(i) adjusting the speed of driving said hub so as to change the frequency at which the end blades of the sweeps will pass transversely through the row of crops, to thereby adjust the magnitude of thinning.