Implement for preparing seedbeds

• US RE39,889 E1
• Filed: 12/04/2003
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Absolute Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Absolute Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Keigley, Kevin V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad; Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US10/728,220
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 172/445.1, 172/449, 172/450, 172/683, 172/684.5, 172196-200, 172/145
• US Class Current: 172/145
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/02 with two or more soil-working tools of different kind
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7622 Scraper equipment with the scraper blade mounted on a frame to be hitched to the tractor by bars, arms, chains or the like, the frame having no ground supporting means of its own, e.g. drag scrapers

Abstract

An implement for preparing seedbeds and lawns includes a main frame member upon which are mounted scarifying teeth to penetrate the soil and tines which work the soil and prepare the final grade after the soil has been scarified. A subframe is pivotally mounted on the main frame and carries a grading blade ahead of the scarifying teeth when the implement is move in the forward direction. The blade is allowed to float relative to the main frame on the subframe to thereby knock down vegetation, remove rocks and lightly grade the soil. The subframe can be moved relative the main frame to a position lifting the scarifying teeth and the tines off of the ground and allowing the blade to provide a deeper grading of the soil or the subframe may be moved to a position lifting the blade off of the soil so that the sold is contacted only by the scarifying teeth and the tines. The implement can also be used to transfer soil to fill in low places, as the main frame member upon which the tines and scarifying teeth are mounted have a pair of intersecting lips which with the tines define a scoop that is capable of picking up limited amounts of soil and transferring the soil to low places when the implement is moved in the backward direction.

Claims

1. Implement for working soil comprising a main frame, a hitch mounted on said main frame for attaching the main frame to a vehicle for towing the main frame along a path, said main frame extending substantially transverse to said path, scarifying teeth extending from said main frame for engaging the scarifying said soil, multiple tines extending from the main frame, said tines being spaced from one another along said main frame, said main frame being adjustable relative to the vehicle to move the scarifying teeth and tines into engagement with soil and an angle to work and grade soil, said main frame also being adjustable relative to the vehicle to move the scarifying teeth and tines out of engagement with said soil, a subframe mounted on said main frame by a pivot connection for pivoting along a substantially horizontal axis, a blade mounted on said subframe secured against movement relative to the subframe, said scarifying teeth located between said blade and said tines, said blade extending substantially parallel to said main frame whereby said blade is permitted to move relative to said tines, said subframe being movable about said axis from an upper position to a lowered position, and a manually releasable latching means for releasably latching said subframe in said upper position.

2. Implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main frame includes guides engaging said subframe for restraining said subframe against substantial movement transverse to said main frame.

3. Implement for working soil comprising a main frame including a pair of substantially parallel main frame members, a hitch mounted on one of said main frame members for attaching the frame to a vehicle for towing the frame along a path, said main frame members extending substantially transverse to said path, multiple tines extending from the outer main frame member, said tines being spaced from one another along said other main frame member, said main frame being adjustable relative to the vehicle to move the tines into engagement with soil at an angle to work and grade soil, said main frame also being adjustable relative to the vehicle to move the tines out of engagement with said soil, multiple rigid scarifying teeth rigidly mounted on said other main frame member, and a blade carried by said main frame between said main frame members, said blade being movable into a position engaging soil.

4. Implement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said blade is mounted on said frame through a connection permitting relative movement between the blade and the main frame to permit the blade to follow the contours of the soil as the main frame is moved along said path.

5. Implement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said connection is a pivoting connection.

6. Implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein latching means carried by said main frame is movable into a restraining position limiting pivoting of said blade relative to said main frame.

7. Implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein latching means carried by the main frame is movable to a suspending position locking the blade to a support carried by the mainframe in a position suspending the blade above the soil when the tines engage the soil.

8. Implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein latching means carried by the main frame is movable to a position locking the blade to a support carried by the mainframe in a position in which the blade is maintained in engagement with the soil and the tines are suspended from the soil.

9. Implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein said other main frame member is defined by a pair of lips extending transversely to said path, said tines being mounted on one of said lips, the other lip extending from said one lip and cooperating with the one lip and said tines to form a scoop for catching soil, whereby said tines grade and work soil when the vehicle moves the implement in one direction and the scoop catches soil when the vehicle is moved in the opposite direction.

16. The implement of claim 3 wherein said scarifying teeth are located between said blade and said tines.

10. Implement for working soil comprising a main frame, a hitch mounted on said main frame for attaching the main frame to a vehicle for towing the main frame along a path, said main frame extending substantially transverse to said path, multiple tines extending from the main frame, said tines being spaced from one anther along said main frame, said main frame being adjustable relative to the vehicle to move the tines into engagement with soil at an angle to work and grade soil, said main frame also being adjustable relative to the vehicle to move the tines out of engagement with said soil, a subframe mounted on said main frame by a pivot connection for pivoting along an axis, and a blade mounted on said subframe and extending substantially parallel to said main frame whereby said blade is permitted to move relative to said tines, said main frame including guides engaging said subframe for restraining said subframe against substantial movement transverse to said main frame, said guides including restraining members defining a channel therebetween, said subframe including a pair of subframe members spaced transversely relative to said path, each of said subframe members being attached to said main frame at said pivot connection and including an extension slidably received in a channel defined by a corresponding one of said guides.

11. Implement as claimed in claim 10, wherein latching means carried by said guides is movable into a restraining position extending across said channel to thereby limit pivoting movement of the subframe relative to the main frame.

12. Implement as claimed in claim 11, wherein said latching means is movable to a ground engaging position engaging said extensions to lock the latter to the guides to prevent relative movement of the subframe relative to the main frame in a position in which the blade is maintained in engagement with the soil and the tines are suspended from the soil.

13. Implement as claimed in claim 10, wherein latching means carried by said guides is movable to a suspending position engaging said extensions to lock the latter to the guides to prevent relative movement of the subframe relative to the main frame in a position suspending said blade above the soil when the tines engage the soil.

14. Implement as claimed in claim 10, wherein rigid scarifying teeth are rigidly secured to said main frame and extend from said main frame at a ground-penetrating angle when the tines are engaged with said soil at the angle to work and grade said soil, said scarifying teeth being mounted between said tines and said blade.

15. Implement as claimed in claim 10, wherein said main frame includes a member defined by a pair of lips extending transversely to said path, said tines being mounted on one of said lips, the other lip extending from said one lip and cooperating with the one lip and said tines to form a scoop for catching soil, whereby said tines grade and work soil when the vehicle moves the implement in one direction and the scoop catches soil when the vehicle is moved in the opposite direction.