CROP RESIDUE CLEARING DEVICE

• US 20110247537A1
• Filed: 04/12/2010
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ag Focus LLC
• Original Assignee: Brian E. Freed
• Inventors: Freed, Brian E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,393,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/140
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 35/16 with rotating or circulating non-propelled tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 35/28 Rotating tools; Mounting rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/006 Minimum till seeding
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2

Abstract

Apparatus for clearing crop residue from a field is adapted for attachment to a tool bar of an agricultural implement or to a planter unit such that the apparatus is pulled through a field by the implement. The apparatus includes a support structure extending forward of the tool bar and at least one and preferably a pair of floating arms pivotally attached to a forward portion of the support structure and extending rearwardly, with a toothed wheel rotationally attached to an aft end of the arm(s). A coulter attached to the support structure is disposed between and extends forward of the soil-engaging toothed wheel(s) and in combination with the wheel(s) severs and removes residue in the seeding pathway. An adjustable biasing arrangement urges the toothed wheels, either in unison or independently, downwardly into engagement with the soil. Upper and lower stop limits are provided to limit vertical positioning of the toothed wheel(s).

Claims

1. An arrangement for clearing crop residue from a field traversed by an agricultural implement having a tool bar, said arrangement comprising:

a support structure having a first forward portion disposed in the direction of travel of the apparatus during operation and a second opposed aft portion;

a first mounting structure attaching the second aft portion of said support structure to the tool bar of the agricultural implement;

a crop residue clearing device engaging the soil; and

a second mounting structure attaching said crop residue clearing device to the first forward portion of said support structure for pulling said crop residue clearing device through the field.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said second mounting structure attaches said crop residue clearing device to the first forward portion of said support structure in a vertically movable manner.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a pivoting coupler connecting said crop residue clearing device to the first forward portion of said support structure for allowing said crop residue clearing device to move up and down in a generally vertical direction.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 further comprising a compression mechanism coupled to said second mounting structure for urging said crop residue clearing device in a downward direction to increase engagement with the soil.

5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein said compression mechanism is coupled between said support structure and said second mounting structure for urging said crop residue clearing device downwardly to increase engagement with the soil.

6. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein said crop residue clearing device includes first and second crop residue clearing members, and wherein said compression mechanism independently urges said first and second crop residue clearing members downwardly into engagement with the field.

7. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein said arrangement further includes first and second mounting members for coupling said first and second crop residue clearing members, respectively, to the first forward portion of said support structure.

8. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said compression mechanism is coupled to said first and second mounting members for urging said first and second crop residue clearing members in a downward direction to increase engagement with the soil.

9. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein said compression mechanism urges said first and second crop residue clearing members in a downward direction in unison and to the same extent.

10. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein said compression mechanism urges said first and second crop residue clearing members in a downward direction independently.

11. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein said compression mechanism includes a hydraulic system, a pneumatic system, an electric system or one or more springs.

12. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said first and second mounting members are respective first and second arms pivotally coupled to said support structure.

13. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein said first and second pivot arms are angled outwardly away from said support structure in proceeding rearwardly toward the aft portion of said support structure so as to provide said first and second crop residue members with respective inwardly directed forward portions.

14. The arrangement of said claim 13, wherein said crop residue clearing device includes first and second toothed wheels rotationally attached to respective aft portions of said first and second pivot arms.

15. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the compression applied to said crop residue clearing device increases with increasing downward movement of said crop residue clearing device.

16. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the compression applied to said crop residue clearing device decreases with increasing upward movement of said crop residue clearing device.

17. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the compression applied to said crop residue clearing device is substantially constant during downward or upward movement of said crop residue clearing device.

18. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said crop residue clearing device includes at least one wheel having plural teeth extending outwardly from the periphery thereof.

19. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein each of said plural teeth has a tapered distal end.

20. The arrangement of claim 19, wherein each tapered distal end forms a sharp edge on each of said plural teeth.

21. The arrangement of claim 19, wherein the distal end of each of said teeth is dual tapered to form a sharp edge on each of said plural teeth.

22. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein each of said teeth is linear or curvilinear in shape.

23. The arrangement of claim 22, wherein each of said linear teeth extends radially outward from a center of said wheel.

24. The arrangement of claim 22, wherein each of said linear teeth is angled rearwardly relative to the direction of rotation of the wheel during operation.

25. The arrangement of claim 19, wherein each of said plural teeth has a tapered distal end, and wherein the distal end of each tooth is inclined inwardly toward said wheel in the direction of rotation of said wheel.

26. The arrangement of claim 22, wherein each of said curvilinear teeth has curvilinear leading and/or trailing edges.

27. The arrangement of claim 26, wherein each leading edge is convex in shape and each trailing edge is concave in shape.

28. The arrangement of claim 22, wherein the distal end of each tooth is inclined radially inwardly toward the center of said wheel in proceeding from a trailing edge to a leading edge of the tooth relative to the direction of travel of said crop residue clearing device during operation.

29. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said crop residue device includes at least one wheel having a peripheral edge portion with plural spaced notches therein.

30. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said crop residue device comprises a tapered tooth spoke wheel.

31. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said crop residue clearing device includes a central hub and plural spaced tines extending outwardly from said hub.

32. The arrangement of claim 31, wherein said tines are resilient.

33. The arrangement of claim 32, wherein said tines extend generally radially outward from said hub.

34. The arrangement of claim 31, wherein said individual tines are generally linear or nonlinear in configuration.

35. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a residue cutting and soil penetration device attached to said support structure adjacent said crop residue clearing device.

36. The arrangement of claim 35, wherein said residue cutting and soil penetration device is disposed forward of said crop residue clearing device in the direction of travel of the apparatus during operation.

37. The arrangement of claim 36, wherein the agricultural implement includes a seed planting arrangement mounted to said tool bar, and wherein said crop residue clearing device and said residue cutting and soil penetration device are disposed forward of said seed planting arrangement in the direction of travel of the apparatus during operation.

38. The arrangement of claim 36, wherein said crop residue clearing device includes at least one wheel and said residue cutting and soil penetration device includes a coulter.

39. The arrangement of claim 38, wherein said at least one wheel includes plural spaced teeth disposed about the outer periphery thereof.

40. The arrangement of claim 38, wherein said coulter is generally flat.

41. The arrangement of claim 38, wherein said coulter is fluted.

42. The arrangement of claim 38, wherein said coulter has a notched outer peripheral portion.

43. The arrangement of claim 38, wherein said coulter has plural convex projections extending outwardly from its opposed generally flat surfaces adjacent its outer periphery.

44. The arrangement of claim 38, wherein said coulter has a tapered outer peripheral edge portion.

45. The arrangement of claim 38, wherein said coulter is less than approximately 0.25 inch in thickness.

46. The arrangement of claim 35, wherein said crop residue clearing device includes first and second laterally spaced crop residue clearing members.

47. The arrangement of claim 46, wherein said residue cutting and soil penetration device is disposed intermediate said first and second laterally spaced crop residue clearing members.

48. The arrangement of claim 35, wherein each of first and second crop residue clearing members includes a respective wheel and said residue cutting and soil penetration device includes a coulter.

49. The arrangement of claim 48, wherein each of said first and second crop residue clearing wheels includes respective plural spaced teeth disposed about the outer periphery thereof.

50. The arrangement of claim 48, wherein said coulter is less than approximately 0.25 inch in thickness.

51. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a stop arrangement for limiting vertical movement of said crop residue clearing device.

52. The arrangement of claim 51, wherein said crop residue clearing device includes first and second laterally spaced crop residue clearing members.

53. The arrangement of claim 52, further comprising first and second stop members for respectively limiting the lowest positions of said first and second crop residue clearing members, respectively.

54. The arrangement of claim 53, wherein said first and second stop members engage said second mounting structure in limiting the lowest positions of said first and second crop residue clearing members.

55. The arrangement of claim 53, wherein said first and second stop members are attached to said support structure.

56. The arrangement of claim 52 further comprising a compression mechanism for engaging and urging said crop residue clearing members in a downward direction.

57. The arrangement of claim 56, wherein said compression mechanism urges said crop residue clearing members downward into engagement with the field.

58. The arrangement of claim 57, wherein a downward force exerted by said compression mechanism on said crop residue clearing device is variable.

59. The arrangement of claim 58, wherein a downward force exerted by said compression mechanism on said crop residue clearing device increases as the extent of engagement of said crop residue clearing device with the soil increases.

60. The arrangement of claim 57, wherein downward force exerted by said compression mechanism on said crop residue clearing device is adjustable in magnitude.

61. The arrangement of claim 51, wherein said crop residue clearing device includes first and second crop residue clearing members, and wherein said compression mechanism independently urges said first and second crop residue members in a downward direction.

62. The arrangement of claim 61, wherein downward forces exerted by said compression mechanism on said first and second crop residue clearing members are variable and independently adjustable.

63. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein said compression mechanism includes a coil compression spring.

64. The arrangement of claim 63, wherein said coil compression spring is coupled to said second mounting structure by a mounting bolt and nut combination.

65. The arrangement of claim 64 further comprising a pivoting connection arrangement for coupling said compression spring and bolt and nut combination to said second mounting structure.

66. The arrangement of claim 65 further comprising a mounting plate for coupling said compression spring and bolt and nut combination to said second mounting structure.

67. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein said compression mechanism includes a torsion spring coupled between said support structure and said second mounting structure for urging said crop residue clearing device in a downward direction.

68. A crop residue clearing arrangement attached to a tool bar of an agricultural implement, said crop residue clearing arrangement comprising:

a support structure having a forward portion and an aft portion, wherein said forward portion is disposed in the direction of travel of the agricultural implement during use in a field and said aft portion is attached to and extends forward of the tool bar;

at least one pivoting arm attached to the forward portion of said support structure and having at least one rotatable soil engaging wheel attached thereto for reducing and clearing crop residue, wherein said at least one pivoting arm and said at least one rotatable wheel are pulled by said support structure through a field;

a stop arrangement attached to said support structure for limiting the uppermost and lowest positions of said at least one soil engaging wheel; and

a biasing structure for urging said at least one pivoting arm downward for increasing the extent of engagement of said at least one rotatable wheel with the soil and wherein the extent of engagement may be reduced by reducing the extent of downward urging by said biasing structure.

69. Apparatus for clearing crop residue from a field traversed by an agricultural implement, said apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a coupling arrangement for attaching said housing to a structural member of the agricultural implement such that at least a forward portion of said housing extends forward of said structural member;

a first crop residue clearing device;

a first pivoting coupler attaching said first crop residue clearing device to said housing such that said first crop residue clearing device is pulled through a field by the agricultural implement and is adapted for vertical displacement in traversing irregularities in the field.

70. The apparatus of claim 69 further comprising a coulter suspended from said housing and extending forward of said crop residue clearing device.

71. The apparatus of claim 70 further comprising a second pivoting coupler attaching said coulter to the forward portion of said housing such that said coulter is adapted for vertical displacement in traversing irregularities in the field.

72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein said first and second pivoting couplers have a common axis of rotation and a common pivot pin.

73. The apparatus of claim 72 further comprising a first arm coupling said coulter to said second pivoting coupler.

74. The apparatus of claim 73 further comprising a resilient compression member engaging said first arm for limiting the uppermost and lowest positions of said coulter.

75. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein said resilient compression member is comprised of urethane.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the forward portion of said housing and a forward portion of said first arm each include at least one aperture, wherein said at least one aperture of said housing and said at least one aperture of said first arm are aligned so as to receive said pivot pin in coupling said first arm to said housing.

77. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein said resilient compression member increases the value of a force required to lower said coulter as the distance of the coulter from an equilibrium position increases.

78. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein said coupling arrangement is adapted for coupling said housing to a tool bar of an agricultural implement.

79. The arrangement of claim 78, wherein said coupling arrangement includes at least one U-clamp.

80. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein said coupling arrangement is adapted for coupling to a planter of an agricultural implement.

81. The apparatus of claim 73 further comprising a second crop residue clearing device and a third pivoting coupling connecting said second crop residue clearing device to said housing, and wherein said second crop residue clearing device is adapted for vertical displacement in traversing irregularities in the field.

82. The apparatus of claim 81 further comprising first and second stop arrangements for limiting the uppermost and lowest positions of said first and second crop residue clearing devices, respectively.

83. The apparatus of claim 82, wherein said first and third pivoting couplings respectively include second and third pivoting arms respectively coupling said first and second crop residue clearing devices to said housing.

84. The apparatus of claim 83, wherein said first and second stop arrangements respectively engage said second and third pivoting arms in limiting the uppermost and lowest positions of said first and second crop residue clearing devices.

85. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein said first and second stop arrangements respectively include first and second structural members fixedly attached to said housing and adapted for engaging said second and third pivoting arms.

86. The apparatus of claim 85, wherein said first and second crop residue clearing devices include respective first and second wheels rotationally attached to respective distal ends of said second and third pivoting arms.

87. The apparatus of claim 86, wherein each of said first and second wheels includes plural spaced teeth extending outwardly from there respectively peripheries.

88. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein aft portions of each of said second and third pivoting arms extend outwardly away from said housing in an angled manner in proceeding rearwardly toward an aft portion of said housing.

89. The apparatus of claim 88, further comprising first and second biasing arrangements for urging said first and second wheels downwardly for increased engagement with the soil.

90. The apparatus of claim 89, wherein said first and second biasing arrangements urge said first and second wheels downwardly into increased engagement with the soil in an independent manner.

91. For use with an agricultural implement including a planter for depositing seeds along a seeding pathway, apparatus for removing crop debris from the seed pathway prior to deposit of seeds, said apparatus comprising:

a support structure having a first forward portion disposed in the direction of travel of the planter during operation and a second opposed aft portion;

a first connecting structure attaching the second aft portion of said support structure to a forward portion of the planter;

a crop residue clearing device engaging the soil and positioned in alignment with the seeding pathway; and

a second connecting structure pivotally attaching the forward portion of said support structure to said crop residue clearing device for pulling said crop residue clearing device through a field, wherein said crop residue clearing device reduces the size of the crop debris and discharges the reduced crop debris away from the seeding pathway.

92. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein said crop residue clearing device includes a first component configured to engage and retain a uniquely configured second component.

93. The apparatus of claim 92, wherein said first component is a pivoting arm attached to said support structure and said second component is an axle of a ground engaging wheel.

94. The apparatus of claim 93, wherein said axle is generally circular in cross section and includes a projection extending over a portion of the length of said axle and said pivoting arm includes a generally cylindrical opening adapted to receive said axle and including an elongated recessed portion adapted to receive the projection on said axle in a tight fitting manner.

95. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein said crop residue clearing device includes at least one coupling assembly including first and second rotationally connected members, and wherein said apparatus further includes a structural member adapted for engaging said first member and contacting a portion of said crop residue clearing device in a fixed manner to prevent rotation of said first member when said second member is rotated during connection or disconnection of the first and second members.

96. The apparatus of claim 95, wherein said structural member includes a first portion for receiving said first or second member and a second portion for contacting a portion of said crop residue clearing device in a fixed manner.

97. The apparatus of claim 96, wherein said first portion includes an aperture for receiving and fixedly engaging said first or second member and preventing the rotation thereof during rotation of the other member.

98. The apparatus of claim 97, wherein said first and second portions of said structural member are each generally flat and are aligned generally transverse to one another.

99. The apparatus of claim 98, wherein said first and second portions form a generally unitary structure.

100. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein said structural member is comprised of a high strength metal or synthetic material.