Ground engaging agricultural tine and associated mounting and indexing system

• US 7,172,032 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bambauer Equipment, Co.
• Original Assignee: Genesis Tillage Incorporated
• Inventors: Bailey, Gary, McKinley, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BATSON, VICTOR D
• Application Number:
  US10/943,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20050077060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 172/21, 172/22, 172 55- 58, 172121-123, 172/540, 172/554, 172548-550
• US Class Current: 172/21
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 35/16 with rotating or circulating non-propelled tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 35/28 Rotating tools; Mounting rotating tools

Abstract

An agricultural implement has gangs of soil aerator tools. Each gang includes a set of integral multi-tine units mounted on a frame for rotation in unison. Each tine unit has a hub with tines. The hub has a first surface defining a first set of indexing receivers and a second surface defining a second set of indexing receivers. At least one indexing spacer separates each tine unit from the next tine unit. Keys of the indexing spacers assemble with selected ones of the first set of indexing receivers or the second set of indexing receivers to establish and maintain a predetermined pattern of rotational index positions among tine units in a group and groups in a gang.

A method of rotationally indexing agricultural tools in an assembly. One method includes providing a shaft, tine units, and indexing spacers. Assembly involves sliding a tine unit and an indexing spacer onto the shaft, and assembling in series the tine unit and the indexing spacer on the shaft, such that the indexing spacer orients the tine unit to form an assembly.

Claims

1. A method of indexing tools in an agricultural machine, comprising:

providing a shaft, a plurality of tine units, and a plurality of indexing spacers;

sliding one of said plurality of tine units and one of said plurality of indexing spacers onto said shaft for rotation about a rotational axis of said shaft;

assembling on said shaft in series alternately said tine units and said indexing spacers, wherein said spacers maintain said tine units in predetermined rotational index orientations to form an assembly; and

interfitting indexing means on said tine units with indexing means on said spacers to establish different rotational index orientations of said tine units.

2. The method of claim 1 which further comprises mounting said assembly onto a frame in a forwardly inclined direction;

and converging said assembly toward a centerline of said frame in a direction of intended travel of the machine.

3. The method of claim 2 and further comprising:

mounting a second assembly of tine units and indexing spacers onto said frame; and

offsetting said first assembly a distance, in said direction of travel, from said second assembly.

4. The method of claim 1 which further comprises dis-assembling said assembly to separate said shaft, said plurality of tine units, and said plurality of indexing spacers.

5. An apparatus for working soil, comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of fine units rotatably mounted to said frame in series for rotation in unison, each of said tine units having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub;

wherein said hub has a first surface defining a first set of indexing receivers and a second surface defining a second set of indexing receivers;

a plurality of indexing spacers having lugs thereon, at least one indexing spacer of said plurality of indexing spacers separating each tine unit from the next tine unit in said series of tine units, and for assembling said tine units and said spacers on said frame with said lugs of said indexing spacers mated with selected ones of said first set of indexing receivers or said second set of indexing receivers;

wherein each of said indexing spacers includes a first face and a second face, said first face being adapted to assemble with either one of said first set of indexing receivers or said second set of indexing receivers, and said second face being adapted to assemble with the other one of said first set of indexing receivers or said second set of indexing receivers; and

said first face includes a first plurality of lugs for assembling with either one of said first set of indexing receivers or said second set of indexing receivers, and said second face includes a second plurality of lugs for assembling with the other one of said first set of indexing receivers or said second set of indexing receivers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said plurality of tine units establish and maintain a predetermined angular orientation of said tines.

7. An apparatus for working soil comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of tine units mounted on said frame for rotation, each tine unit of said plurality of tine units having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub;

a plurality of indexing spacers for separating each tine unit of said plurality of tine units from the next adjacent tine unit of said plurality of tine units, each of said indexing spacers having a first face and a second face;

said first face having a set of indexing features configured to repeatedly assemble with and repeatedly dis-assemble from one of said plurality of tine units;

said second face having a second set of indexing features, said second set of indexing features being different than said first set of indexing features, said second set of indexing features configured to repeatedly assemble with and repeatedly dis-assemble from another of said plurality of tine units;

wherein said hub has a first surface defining a first set of indexing receivers and a second surface defining a second set of indexing receivers; and

wherein said first set of indexing features of said indexing spacers includes a first plurality of lugs for repeatedly assembling with and repeatedly dis-assembling from either said first set of indexing receivers or said second set of indexing receivers, and said second set of indexing features of said indexing spacers includes a second plurality of lugs for repeatedly assembling with and repeatedly dis-assembling from the other one of said first set of indexing receivers or said second set of indexing receivers.

8. An apparatus for working soil comprising:

a frame;

a pair of tine units mounted on said frame for rotation, each tine unit of said pair of tine units having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub;

an indexing spacer for separating two of said tine units, one side of said indexing spacer having a first indexing feature in interlocking contact with the hub of a first one of said tine units and a second side of said indexing spacer having a second indexing feature in interlocking contact with the hub of a second one of said tine units, wherein the first indexing feature is different than the second indexing feature; and

wherein said first indexing feature includes a plurality of lugs having a rectangular shape and said second indexing feature includes a plurality of lugs having a circular shape.

9. An apparatus for working soil comprising:

a frame;

a pair of tine units mounted on said frame for rotation, each tine unit of said pair of tine units having hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub;

an indexing spacer for separating two of said tine units, one side of said indexing spacer having a first indexing feature in interlocking contact with the hub of a first one of said tine units and a second side of said indexing spacer having a second indexing feature in interlocking contact with the hub of a second one of said tine units, wherein the first indexing feature is different than the second indexing feature; and

wherein said first indexing feature includes a plurality of projections in a first circumferential pattern and said second indexing feature includes a plurality of projections in a second circumferential pattern, said first pattern being different than said second pattern.

10. An apparatus for working soil comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of tine units rotatably supported by said frame for rotation about an axis, each said tine unit having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub, a first side of each said hub extending about the axis on one side of the corresponding plurality of tines a second side of each said hub extending about the axis on the other side of the corresponding plurality of tines;

wherein each first side has a first indexing feature and each second side has a second indexing feature, said first indexing feature being different than said second indexing feature;

wherein either of said first indexing feature or said second indexing feature defines at least one indexing receiver; and

wherein the other of said first indexing feature or said second indexing feature includes at least one lug.

11. An apparatus for working soil comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of tine units rotatably supported by said frame for rotation about an axis, each said tine unit having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub, a first side of each said hub extending about the axis on one side of the corresponding plurality of tines, a second side of each said hub extending about the axis on the other side of the corresponding plurality of tines;

wherein each first side has a first indexing feature and each second side has a second indexing feature, said first indexing feature being different than said second indexing feature; and

wherein said first indexing feature includes a first plurality of lugs and said second indexing feature includes a second plurality of lugs, wherein said first plurality of lugs is different than said second plurality of jugs.