Soil conditioner implement

• US 6,497,294 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clark Equipment Company (Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Clark Equipment Company (Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Company Limited)
• Inventors: Vought, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US09/729,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20010027869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 172/123, 172/122, 172/518, 172/537, 172/539, 172/540, 172/551, 172/554
• US Class Current: 172/122
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 33/021 with rigid tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 43/005 Windrower-type machines
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 51/02 propelled by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 73/00 Means or arrangements to facilitate transportation of agricultural machines or implements, e.g. folding frames to reduce overall width arrangements of lifting devices for soil working implements A01B63/00; carriers for harvesters or mowers A01D75/002; arrangements or carriers for haymakers A01D78/1007, A01D80/005; vehicles adapted for load transportation or to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects B60P; motor vehicles, trailers B62D

Abstract

A soil conditioner implement designed for operation in cooperation with a supporting skid steer vehicle, the skid steer vehicle being moveable over the soil to be conditioned and having a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure for transmission to the soil conditioner implement for powering thereof and having a skid steer control system for providing a plurality of commands to the soil conditioner implement, the soil conditioner implement includes a drum member having a rotatable drum, the drum being selectively contactable with the soil to be conditioned. A bolster member is operably coupled to the drum member for supporting in part the drum member, the bolster member being shiftable between a soil engaging disposition and a flipped-up disposition, the bolster member being borne on the drum member when in the flipped-up disposition. A method of conditioning soil is further included.

Claims

1. A soil conditioner implement designed for operation in cooperation with a supporting skid steer vehicle, the skid steer vehicle being moveable over soil to be conditioned, the soil having an upper surface, and the vehicle having a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure for transmission to the soil conditioner implement for powering thereof and having a skid steer control system for providing a plurality of commands to the soil conditioner implement, the soil conditioner implement comprising:

a drum member having a rotatable drum, the drum being selectively contactable with the soil to be conditioned; and

a bolster member operably coupled to the drum member for selectively supporting in part the drum member, the bolster member being shiftable between a soil engaging disposition and a flipped-up disposition, the bolster member being supported on the drum member when the bolster member is arranged in the flipped-up disposition such that the bolster member is spaced above the soil upper surface while the drum is in contact with the soil.

2. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 wherein a length dimension is substantially reduced by shifting the bolster member from the soil engaging disposition to the flipped-up disposition.

3. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 wherein the drum member is the forwardmost implement component in a lengthwise dimension when the bolster member is in the flipped-up disposition.

4. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 wherein the drum member may be advanced for soil conditioning operations proximate an object when the bolster member is in the flipped-up disposition.

5. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 wherein operation of the soil conditioner implement in a reverse direction when the bolster member is in the flipped-up disposition acts to impart a conditioned appearance to the soil that is free of wheel imprints.

6. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 wherein the bolster member includes a beam axle supporting a pair of selectively ground engaging wheels, the axle being free to oscillate in a plane that is oriented substantially orthogonal to a bolster longitudinal axis.

7. The soil conditioner implement of claim 6 wherein the height of the bolster member wheels relative to the drum is adjustable at a single point.

8. The soil conditioner implement of claim 7 wherein decoupling the bolster member adjusting link from the drum member frees the bolster member for shifting between the soil engaging disposition and the flipped-up disposition.

9. The soil conditioner implement of claim 8 wherein the plurality of teeth are disposed on the drum of the drum member in a plurality of longitudinal rows, certain rows of the plurality of rows having a corresponding identical row and certain other rows of the plurality of rows being fee of a corresponding identical row.

10. The soil conditioner implement of claim 6 wherein the bolster member is operably coupled to the drum member in part by means of an adjusting link, the adjusting link having a selective length dimension, the length dimension effecting the height of the bolster member wheels relative to the drum.

11. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 wherein the drum of the drum member has a plurality of outward directed teeth disposed thereon, the teeth defining a crisscrossing pattern when viewed in a radial dimension of the drum.

12. The soil conditioner implement of claim 11 wherein the plurality of teeth are disposed on the drum of the drum member in ten longitudinal rows, four of the rows having a corresponding identical row and two of the rows being free of a corresponding identical row.

13. The soil conditioner implement of claim 12 wherein the shell is symmetrical with respect to a shell longitudinal dimension, the symmetry resulting in the shell being reversible on the axle.

14. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 wherein the drum of the drum member has an axle and a substantially cylindrical shell, the axle including drive components and being centrally disposable with respect to the shell and being readily removable from the shell.

15. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 wherein the drum of the drum member is rotatably powered by a motor, the motor being operably coupled to the drum in a direct drive configuration.

16. The soil conditioner implement of claim 15 further including a first selectively installable guard being operably coupled proximate a first end of the drum of the drum member and a second selectively installable guard being operably coupled proximate a second end of the drum of the drum member, the first and second guards being projectable only forward of the drum.

17. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 further including at least one selectively installable guard being operably coupled proximate an end of the drum of the drum member and being projectable only forward of the drum.

18. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 further including at least one deflector being mounted to the drum member in a fixed disposition generally above the drum and extending substantially coextensive with a drum longitudinal dimension.

19. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 further including a first deflector being mounted to the drum member in a fixed disposition generally above the drum and extending substantially coextensive with the drum longitudinal dimension and a second deflector being mounted to the drum member in a fixed disposition generally above the drum and extending substantially coextensive with the drum longitudinal dimension, the second deflector being spaced apart from and rearwardly disposed relative to the first deflector.

20. The soil conditioner implement of claim 19 further including a locking member, the locking member being selectively lockingly engagable with both the float assembly and the back plate, the locking engagement of the locking member acting to restrain the float of the float assembly relative to the back plate.

21. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 further including a float assembly being operably shiftably coupled to the drum member and being operably shiftably coupled to a back plate, the float assembly being selectively floatable relative to the back plate about a float axis that is substantially orthogonally disposed relative to an implement longitudinal axis.

22. The soil conditioner implement of claim 20 wherein the drum assembly is selectively shiftable relative to the float assembly about an axis that is orthogonally disposed with respect to both the implement longitudinal axis and the float axis.

23. The soil conditioner implement of claim 20 wherein tilting the back plate when the bolster member is in the soil engaging disposition acts to selectively raise or lower the drum relative to the soil to be conditioned.

24. The soil conditioner implement of claim 23 wherein the valve is fluidly coupled to a motor, the motor being directly coupled to the drum for imparting rotational motion to the drum.

25. The soil conditioner implement of claim 24 wherein fluid flow through is reversible without affecting a valve configuration, the flow reversal effecting a reversal of a motor direction of rotation resulting in reversal of the rotational motion of the drum.

26. The soil conditioner implement of claim 1 further including a hydraulic system, the hydraulic system being couplable to the skid steer source of hydraulic fluid under pressure and to the skid steer control system, the hydraulic system having a processor, the processor being in communication with a valve, the processor providing suitable commands to configure the valve to effect operation of selected soil conditioner components.

27. The soil conditioner implement of claim 24 wherein the valve is fluidly coupled to a hydraulic cylinder, the hydraulic cylinder being coupled to the drum member for imparting rotational motion to the drum member about a substantially vertical axis to advance a first end of the drum relative to a second end of the drum.

28. The soil conditioner implement of claim 27 wherein the valve is configurable responsive to a command from the processor to reverse a flow of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder, the reversal effecting a reversal of the drum member direction of rotation.

29. A soil conditioner implement designed for operation in cooperation with a supporting skid steer vehicle, the skid steer vehicle being moveable over the soil to be conditioned and having a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure for transmission to the soil conditioner implement for powering thereof and having a skid steer control system for providing a plurality of commands to the soil conditioner implement, the soil conditioner implement comprising:

a drum member being operably coupled to and supported at least in part by a back plate, the back plate being couplable to the skid steer vehicle, the drum member being firther operably coupled to a bolster member and being selectively supported by the back plate in cooperation with the bolster member.

30. The soil conditioner of claim 29 wherein the bolster member is shiftable between a soil engaging disposition and a flipped-up disposition, the bolster member being borne on the drum member when in the flipped-up disposition.

31. The soil conditioner implement of claim 30 wherein a length dimension is substantially reduced by shifting the bolster member from the soil engaging disposition to the flipped-up disposition.

32. The soil conditioner implement of claim 30 wherein the drum member is the forwardmost implement component in a lengthwise dimension when the bolster member is in the flipped-up disposition.

33. The soil conditioner implement of claim 30 wherein the drum member may be advanced for conducting soil conditioning operations proximate an object when the bolster member is in the flipped-up disposition.

34. The soil conditioner implement of claim 30 wherein operation of the soil conditioner implement in a reverse direction when the bolster member is in the flipped-up disposition acts to impart a conditioned appearance to the soil that is free of wheel imprints.

35. The soil conditioner implement of claim 29 wherein the bolster member includes a beam axle supporting a pair of selectively ground engaging wheels, the axle being free to oscillate in a plane that is oriented substantially orthogonal to a bolster longitudinal axis.

36. The soil conditioner implement of claim 35 wherein the height of the bolster member wheels relative to the drum is adjustable at a single point.

37. The soil conditioner implement of claim 36 wherein decoupling the bolster member adjusting link from the drum member frees the bolster member for shifting between the soil engaging disposition and the flipped-up disposition.

38. The soil conditioner implement of claim 37 wherein the plurality of teeth are disposed on the drum of the drum member in a plurality of longitudinal rows, certain rows of the plurality of rows having a corresponding identical row and certain other rows of the plurality of rows being fee of a corresponding identical row.

39. The soil conditioner implement of claim 35 wherein the bolster member is operably coupled to the drum member in part by means of an adjusting link, the adjusting link having a selective length dimension, the length dimension effecting the height of the bolster member wheels relative to the drum.

40. The soil conditioner implement of claim 29 wherein the drum of the drum member has a plurality of outward directed teeth disposed thereon, the teeth defining a crisscrossing pattern when viewed in a radial dimension of the drum.

41. The soil conditioner implement of claim 39 wherein the plurality of teeth are disposed on the drum of the drum member in ten longitudinal rows, four of the rows having a corresponding identical row and two of the rows being free of a corresponding identical row.

42. The soil conditioner implement of claim 41 wherein the shell is symmetrical with respect to a shell longitudinal dimension, the symmetry resulting in the shell being reversible on the axle.

43. The soil conditioner implement of claim 29 wherein the drum of the drum member has an axle and a substantially cylindrical shell, the axle including drive components and being centrally disposable with respect to the shell and being readily removable from the shell.

44. The soil conditioner implement of claim 29 wherein the drum of the drum member is rotatably powered by a motor, the motor being operably coupled to the drum in a direct drive configuration.

45. The soil conditioner implement of claim 44 further including a first selectively installable guard being operably coupled proximate a first end of the drum of the drum member and a second selectively installable guard being operably coupled proximate a second end of the drum of the drum member, the first and second guards being projectable only forward of the drum.

46. The soil conditioner implement of claim 29 further including at least one selectively installable guard being operably coupled proximate an end of the drum of the drum member and being projectable only forward of the drum.

47. The soil conditioner implement of claim 29 further including at least one deflector being mounted to the drum member in a fixed disposition generally above the drum and extending substantially coextensive with a drum longitudinal dimension.

48. The soil conditioner implement of claim 29 further including a first deflector being mounted to the drum member in a fixed disposition generally above the drum and extending substantially coextensive with the drum longitudinal dimension and a second deflector being mounted to the drum member in a fixed disposition generally above the drum and extending substantially coextensive with the drum longitudinal dimension, the second deflector being spaced apart from and rearwardly disposed relative to the first deflector.

49. The soil conditioner implement of claim 48 further including a locking member, the locking member being selectively lockingly engagable with both the float assembly and the back plate, the locking engagement of the locking member acting to restrain the float of the float assembly relative to the back plate.

50. The soil conditioner implement of claim 49 wherein the locking member is selectively engagable the back plate when in a float engagement, the float engagement of the locking member acting to limit the downward inclination of the float assembly relative to the back plate.

51. The soil conditioner implement of claim 29 further including a float assembly being operably shiftably coupled to the drum member and being operably shiftably coupled to a back plate, the float assembly being selectively floatable relative to the back plate about a float axis that is substantially orthogonally disposed relative to an implement longitudinal axis.

52. The soil conditioner implement of claim 49 wherein the drum assembly is selectively shiftable relative to the float assembly about an axis that is orthogonally disposed with respect to both the implement longitudinal axis and the float axis.

53. The soil conditioner implement of claim 49 wherein tilting the back plate when the bolster member is in the soil engaging disposition acts to selectively raise or lower the drum relative to the soil to be conditioned.

54. The soil conditioner implement of claim 53 wherein the valve is fluidly coupled to a motor, the motor being directly coupled to the drum for imparting rotational motion to the drum.

55. The soil conditioner implement of claim 54 wherein hydraulic flow through the valve reversible without effecting a valve configuration change, the flow reversal effecting a reversal of a motor direction of rotation resulting in reversal of the rotational motion of the drum.

56. The soil conditioner implement of claim 29 further including a hydraulic system, the hydraulic system being couplable to the skid steer source of hydraulic fluid under pressure and to the skid steer control system, the hydraulic system having a processor, the processor being in communication with a valve, the processor providing suitable commands to configure the valve to effect operation of selected soil conditioner components.

57. The soil conditioner implement of claim 54 wherein the valve is fluidly coupled to a hydraulic cylinder, the hydraulic cylinder being coupled to the drum member for imparting rotational motion to the drum member about a substantially vertical axis to advance a first end of the drum relative to a second end of the drum.

58. The soil conditioner implement of claim 57 wherein the valve is configurable responsive to a command from the processor to reverse a flow of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder, the reversal effecting a reversal of the drum member direction of rotation.

59. A method of conditioning soil having the following steps:

imparting rotational motion to a drum;

bringing the drum into contact with the soil to be conditioned;

selectively freeing the drum to float relative to a supporting back plate and fixing the drum relative to the supporting back plate, and

controlling a depth of the drum relative to the soil to be conditioned with a bolster assembly.

60. The method of claim 59 including the step of supporting the drum in part by a leading bolster member.

61. The method of claim 60 including the step of shifting the bolster member from a leading soil engaging disposition to a flipped up disposition wherein the drum is leading.

62. The method of claim 61 including the step of advancing the drum proximate an object to effect soil conditioning when the bolster member is in the flipped up disposition.

63. The method of claim 61 including the step of adjusting the elevation of the drum relative to the soil being conditioned when the bolster member is in the leading soil engaging disposition by tilting the supporting back plate.

64. The method of claim 60 including the step of adjusting the height of the bolster member relative to the drum at a single point.

65. The method of claim 60 including the step of oscillating the bolster member about a longitudinal axis responsive to changes in elevation of the soil being conditioned.