Abstract: A disc assembly for an agricultural implement includes a mounting assembly having a housing and a rotatable shaft configured to be disposed within the housing. The mounting assembly includes a first end cap non-movably coupled to the rotatable shaft, in which the first end cap is configured to engage a longitudinally inward surface of a first disc blade. The mounting assembly also includes a second end cap having a first engagement feature configured to selectively engage a second engagement feature of the rotatable shaft to non-movably couple the second end cap to the rotatable shaft. The second end cap is configured to engage a longitudinally inward surface of a second disc blade, and the second end cap is selectively removable from the rotatable shaft via disengagement of the first and second engagement features to facilitate engagement and disengagement of the rotatable shaft with the longitudinal passage of the housing.

Abstract: A link assembly (3) and system (203) including a first link portion (7, 207) and a second link portion (9, 209). The first link portion (7, 207) includes a bulbous end (13). The second link portion (9, 209 a socket (15). To link adjacent link assemblies (3) or the first link portion (7, 207) to the second link portion (9, 209), the bulbous end (13) is received in the socket (15). In one example, the link assembly (3) is part of an agricultural ground engaging chain (1) having harrow member portions (5). In other examples, the link assembly and system (203) are used to link first element (204) and second elements (206) to one another. This may be used to join or anchor vehicles, structures and the like.

Abstract: A disk for use with a tillage machine includes a body portion rotatable about an axis of rotation. The body portion has a circumferential edge and a concavity with a first radius defined from a point on the axis of rotation. A hub portion is continuous with the body portion and presents an abutment face having a concavity with a second radius defined from a point on the axis of rotation. An aperture extends through the abutment face and is centered about the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A tilling implement for use with a farm vehicle includes a frame, a tilling element attached to the frame, a bearing assembly configured to allow the tilling element to rotate relative to the frame. The bearing assembly can include a first race, a second race spaced apart from the first race to define a gap therebetween, a bearing rotatably disposed within the gap to allow relative movement between the first race and the second race, a seal including a flexible protrusion having a distal end that presses against the first race to seal off the gap, and a stop positioned adjacent to the flexible protrusion configured to prevent the distal end of the protrusion from bending towards the bearing.

Abstract: An agricultural implement (10) has front and rear gangs (12, 13) of rotatable tillage tools arranged to follow each other along a line of travel. The front and rear gangs (12, 13) are mounted to a main frame (21F), which is mechanically linked to a hitch frame (22) by a self-leveling linkage system (32, 33). The linkage system (32, 33) includes a spring assembly (48) arranged to allow relative movement between the hitch frame (22) and the main frame (21F) when the implement (10) is in a lowered field working position. The linkage system (32, 33) has a pivoting cam (41) for changing the field working preload of the spring assembly (48) to provide multiple hitch operation modes. The linkage system (32, 33) is arranged to make the main frame (21F) level and the hitch frame (22) rigid relative to the main frame (21F) when the implement (10) is in a raised position.

Abstract: A coulter blade includes a plurality of teeth extending radially from a blade body. The teeth are shaped to efficiently cut crop stubble and aerate the soil. The teeth made include a flat side and a sabre-shaped side. The flat side and sabre-shaped side can be alternated on adjacent teeth. Inserts may be included on the blade to improve the function of the blade. Sets of blades having different teeth shapes and insert locations may be provided to permit a user to customize an implement depending on soil and stubble type.

Abstract: A tilling implement for use with a farm vehicle includes a frame, a tilling element attached to the frame, a bearing assembly configured to allow the tilling element to rotate relative to the frame. The bearing assembly can include a first race, a second race spaced apart from the first race to define a gap therebetween, a bearing rotatably disposed within the gap to allow relative movement between the first race and the second race, a seal including a flexible protrusion having a distal end that presses against the first race to seal off the gap, and a stop positioned adjacent to the flexible protrusion configured to prevent the distal end of the protrusion from bending towards the bearing.

Abstract: A drawbar apparatus for coupling an earth-working tool to a frame of an agricultural implement. The drawbar apparatus comprises a drawbar. The drawbar comprises a first portion coupled to the frame and a second portion. A joint comprises a first bracket comprising a protrusion. The protrusion defines a first aperture. The first bracket is coupled to one of the second portion of the drawbar and the earth-working tool. A second bracket defines a channel configured to receive the protrusion. The channel defines a second aperture on a first side of the channel and a third aperture on a second side of the channel. The second bracket is coupled to the other of the second portion of the drawbar and the earth-working tool. A fastener is positioned through the first aperture, the second aperture, and the third aperture. The protrusion is configured to move laterally in the channel.

Abstract: An attachment for agricultural implements which tills soil compacted by the wheels of the agricultural implement it is attached to. In one arrangement the power and force used to till the soil is gained from the torque of the machine pulling the agricultural implement it is attached to, alternatively the tilling device is independently powered. This arrangement reduces compaction caused by the wheels of row-crop planters through the use of a shank or rolling tines. The tilling device is mounted directly behind wheels of the agricultural implement. The tilling device has the ability to raise and lower into the soil with the engaging and disengaging of the implement. In addition, in its current form it can independently be disengaged from use by raising and locking it up out of the soil, even if the implement remains engaged.

Abstract: An agricultural disk gang includes an elongated disk gang bolt having a threaded end with an externally threaded surface. A plurality of cultivating disks are supported on the disk gang bolt. A nut is threadably engaged with the externally threaded surface. The nut has a first side facing the disks and a second side facing away from the disks. The nut is disposed to axially compress the disks together on the disk gang bolt when tightened. A tensioning structure is mounted on the disk gang bolt outside of the nut. The tensioning structure has a plurality of threaded through holes. A plurality of threaded fasteners are threadably engaged with the threaded through holes and are disposed to axially compress the disks when the plurality of threaded fasteners are tightened, thereby permitting the nut to be further tightened.

Abstract: A down pressure adjustment assembly for a disc opener of an agricultural implement includes a rockshaft to which one or more disc opener units are mounted and an actuator that rotates the rockshaft. Rotation of the rockshaft causes the disc opener units to be raised or lowered. When the disc opener units are lowered into a field engagement position, further rotation of the rockshaft will cause compression of down pressure springs for each of the disc opener units.

Abstract: A tillage implement has gang assemblies of rotatable tillage tools that can be angle-adjusted from the seat of the towing tractor using hydraulic actuators. The tillage tools may comprise generally flat, wavy coulter blades or the like so that the machine may be set up for vertical tillage with the coulters aligned at a zero degree angle with the path of travel of the implement or for residue management operations with the coulters maintained at an oblique angle of up to ten degrees relative to the path of travel. A six degree angle is preferred for the residue management position. A master-slave hydraulic flow arrangement for the actuators assures simultaneous actuation, while mechanical synchronizing apparatus between the two front gang assemblies on the center frame section of the machine assures synchronized movement of those assemblies. Mechanical motion-transmitting mechanism transmits the hydraulically powered adjusting movement of the front gang assemblies to the rear gang assemblies.

Abstract: A down pressure adjustment assembly for a disc opener of an agricultural implement includes a rockshaft to which one or more disc opener units are mounted and an actuator that rotates the rockshaft. Rotation of the rockshaft causes the disc opener units to be raised or lowered. When the disc opener units are lowered into a field engagement position, further rotation of the rockshaft will cause compression of down pressure springs for each of the disc opener units.

Abstract: A vertical tilling implement to be pulled behind and agricultural vehicle having a number of gangs of fluted-concave disc blades, rolling baskets, and wheels connected to a main frame. As the vertical tilling implement is pulled, the fluted-concave disc blades move the soil in a direction lateral to the side of the blades as well as up. Meanwhile, the rolling bars aid in leveling the seedbed and crushing the remaining large pieces of soil. The vertical tilling implement reduces the amount of subsoil compaction and cuts through heavy residue making it ideal for use in the fall or in the spring.

Abstract: A vertical tilling implement to be pulled behind and agricultural vehicle having a number of gangs of fluted-concave disc blades, rolling baskets, and wheels connected to a main frame. As the vertical tilling implement is pulled, the fluted-concave disc blades move the soil in a direction lateral to the side of the blades as well as up. Meanwhile, the rolling bars aid in leveling the seedbed and crushing the remaining large pieces of soil. The vertical tilling implement reduces the amount of subsoil compaction and cuts through heavy residue making it ideal for use in the fall or in the spring.

Abstract: A down pressure adjustment assembly for a disc opener of an agricultural implement includes a rockshaft to which one or more disc opener units are mounted and an actuator that rotates the rockshaft. Rotation of the rockshaft causes the disc opener units to be raised or lowered. When the disc opener units are lowered into a field engagement position, further rotation of the rockshaft will cause compression of down pressure springs for each of the disc opener units.

Abstract: A tilling implement has a front row of concave disc blades having a front right portion and a front left portion symmetrically disposed about a centerline of the implement. A rear row of concave disc blades has a rear right portion and a rear left portion symmetrically disposed about the centerline of the implement. The rear right portion follows behind the front right portion in a right path and the rear left portion follows the front left portion in a left path when the implement is displaced through a field. The implement includes no ground engaging tool in the right path between the front right portion and the rear right portion, and no ground engaging tool in the left path between the front left portion and the rear left portion. A ground engaging tool is disposed generally along the centerline of the implement between the right and left paths.

Abstract: A tilling implement has a front row of shallow concave disc blades having a front right portion and a front left portion symmetrically disposed about a centerline of the implement. A rear row of shallow concave disc blades has a rear right portion and a rear left portion symmetrically disposed about the centerline of the implement. The rear right portion following behind the front right portion in a right path and the rear left portion following the front left portion in a left path when the implement is displaced through a field. The implement includes no ground engaging tool in the right path between the front right portion and the rear right portion, and no ground engaging tool in the left path between the front left portion and the rear left portion. The shallow concave disc blades have a concavity of between approximately 1.25 and 1.69 inches over an outer diameter of approximately 20 inches.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides systems for adjusting tension and positioning of a harrowing chain. Systems may include a tension adjustment assembly, and the tension adjustment assembly may include a pivot assembly and/or a cylinder hydraulic assembly. Modifications also may be made to the frame of an agricultural implement to address transport issues related to harrowing chains. Further modifications to exterior harrowing chains may be made to reduce the number of small ditches formed in a field due to digging by harrow disks of the chains.

Abstract: Disclosed are mounting means for agricultural tools, for example tillage assemblies, that comprise a resilient element and a horizontal pivot axis. This allows upward and rearward deflection of a tillage blade of the assembly in response to impact with obstacles. Tillage implements comprising the foregoing assemblies are also disclosed. In certain embodiments, the assemblies advantageously allow lateral deflection of at least a support arm of the assembly in response to impact with obstacles, which may be enhanced by providing a pivot means of the assembly with a resilient bushing. The resilient element and/or the resilient bushing may comprise elastomeric materials.

Abstract: An outboard tine device for soil-aerating equipment is disclosed comprising a hub having an aperture, a rotatable shaft within the aperture and mounted on the soil-aerating equipment, an outboard tine assembly comprising a plurality of outwardly protruding tines, and a securing member adjacent an outboard side of the outboard tine assembly removably securing the outboard tine assembly to the hub, wherein the securing member and hub are respectively positioned on opposing sides of and adjacent to the outboard tine assembly, wherein the outboard tine assembly, hub and securing member are positioned outboard of the mounting assembly resulting in the outboard tine assembly being cantilevered from the shaft. A dual outboard tine device is also disclosed. The outboard tine device is directed to uniform aerating and enabling easier replacement of damaged tines.

Abstract: A tillage member in the shape of a disc which has large notches which cause the disc to turn at the same speed as the forward speed of an implement to which it is attached, thereby mixing the soil instead of merely turning over the soil. In order to achieve this mixing and pulling up of the soil for incorporation purposes, the disc has an outer periphery with a concave side and a convex side. An opening in the center of the disc is provided for adapting the disc to be mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis. The disc has a plurality of notches in the outer periphery thereof and a plurality of projections disposed respectively between adjacent ones of the notches. The number of notches is no less than six and no more than nine and the number of projections is no less than six and no more than nine. Each of the notches also has a width at the outer periphery of the disc which is between ten and fifteen percent of the diameter of the disc.

Abstract: This invention relates to a plow disk intended to be mounted with several others free in rotation around a shaft integral with the frame of a plow, the shaft being inclined in relation to the direction of advance of the plow so as to impart a rotation of movement to the disks.

Abstract: Cultivating apparatus for leveling, cultivating, and resowing lawns or fields. The cultivating apparatus includes: a row of ripping tines arrayed across the front of the apparatus, which are arranged to freely pivot forward and upward in use, to release clogged soil or other material by reversing, when necessary. A levelling plate is provided immediately behind the tines. An adjustment system is provided for an elongated horizontal rack of cultivating discs, by which the rack may be raised and lowered accurately and evenly at both ends, so as to maintain a correct, horizontal orientation. A corresponding adjustment system on an array of outlets from an elongated seedbox allows all the outlets to be opened or closed equally.

Abstract: A surface conditioning attachment for a motor grader or the like for use in maintenance operations on gravel roadways comprises a gang of harrow disks carried on a support shaft, there being a support structure for deploying said disks laterally outwardly of the grader at an angle to the direction of travel and with the concave sides of the disks facing forwardly. In use the gang of disks engages the surface of the road shoulder and cuts up and moves gravel and vegetation thereon laterally towards the roadway.

Abstract: A disk bearing standard which may be utilized with support tubes of different cross sections by simply changing a low cost U-bolt which clamps the standard to the tube. The standard includes front and lower locating surfaces formed at an angle of ninety degrees with respect to each other. A bolt-receiving member angles upwardly from the forward surface at an angle of about forty-five degrees and receives an angled leg of the U-bolt. The rear leg of the U-bolt extends downwardly through an elongated slot at the aft end of the lower locating surface. The size of the U-bolt is selected according to the size of the mounting tube, and the U-bolt clamps the standard in two planes perpendicular to each other to prevent misalignment of the standard when loads are applied. A rearwardly extending appendage provides a scraper tube mounting which is fixed with respect to the center line of the disk blades regardless of the selected size of the mounting tube.

Abstract: A disc ridger having an arrangement of disc gangs that substantially eliminates sidewise draft or clogging tendencies found in previous disc ridgers, also incorporating additional discs located for completing the tillage of the area swept by the disc ridger is described.

Abstract: End-to-end disc spools are mounted on a shaft and each spool includes an annular recess around one end thereof into which disc segments are engaged by the inner ends thereof nesting into said recess and being held by recessed bolts. Lugs on the other end of each spool engage recesses on the one end of the next adjacent spool for centralizing same and ensuring mutual rotation. In one embodiment, spaced apart spools include bearing carriers for mounting the assembly for rotation within the implement.

Abstract: In a disc harrow implement, each of a plurality of disc blades is provided with a conical hub having a center aperture through which an arbor bolt is inserted along the length of the implement. First and second sections of a spool, or hub, positioned on the arbor bolt include respective facing, complementary, conical end portions positioned immediately adjacent opposite faces of the conical hub of the disc. The end portion of the first spool section is provided with a plurality of spool spacer pins around the periphery thereof. Similarly, the hub portion of the disc is provided with a plurality of peripheral apertures around the center aperture through which the spacer pins are inserted so as to abut the end portion of the second spool section when the disc is positioned between the respective spool sections. First and second resilient spacer members are respectively positioned between the respective conical portions of the disc and the first and second spool sections.

Abstract: A disk gang assembly constructed in such fashion as to eliminate the long center tie bolt. An arrangement is provided comprising a plurality of like disks spaced axially apart on a common axis and held in spaced apart relation by a plurality of interspaced spacers. Each spacer is provided at opposite ends with radial flanges to receive and sandwich disks respectively therebetween. The disks and flanges have notching bolt holes through which sets of bolts or the like are passed to secure the disks and spacers together as a rigid axial unit. The spacers are mutually axially piloted on each other and opposite ends to maintain the coaxial status and each pilot includes an annular shoulder for receiving a complementary central circular opening in each disk. End spools are also provided for carrying bearings for mounting the assembly in a supporting frame.

Abstract: A yieldable disc blade assembly for individual disc blades which prevents structural damage of the disc blades when such blades contact a rock or other obstruction in the field. Once the disc blade is tripped by the force of the blade encountering an obstruction, the assembly requires a decreased force to move the disc blade from the normal working position to the yielding position away from the obstruction.

Abstract: The depending struts on a tool beam have "floating" bearings at their lowermost ends which can be displaced in a horizontal direction generally parallel to the beam between relatively closely spaced, fixed limits. The bearings in turn journal a disc gang assembly for rotation of the latter during ground engagement, yet the bearings are secured against axial displacement relative to the assembly so that the assembly and the bearings can move together through said displacement between the fixed limits. Adjustment of the struts along the beam during installation until they are positioned between such limits so as to permit displacement in either direction thereby avoids axial pre-loading of the bearings.

Abstract: The subject bearing assembly is characterized by bearing structure for axially supporting the disc blade arrangement while simultaneously providing optimum support against the lateral or thrust forces acting upon the disc blade arrangement, i.e., thrust forces normally brought about as the disc blades obliquely attack and prepare the soil. The bearing structure includes a rotatable axle having at least one radial ball-bearing sub-assembly circumposed thereabout for taking the axle load, and at least one thrust ball-bearing sub-assembly circumposed about the rotatable axle and having a pair of lateral races for taking the lateral load. A spacer sleeve member is also incorporated for establishing an optimum non-binding relationship between the lateral races irrespective of lateral compression forces which are developed in frictionally urging the sub-assemblies and the spacer sleeve member together in attaching the disc members to the rotatable axle.

Abstract: A disc harrow having a pair of spaced support wheels each having its own operating mechanism including a hydraulic actuator for raising and lowering the respective wheel, but wherein the mechanisms are mechanically linked together to ensure substantially simultaneous raising and lowering of the wheels. The interconnecting link includes a spring biased lost motion device whereby one of the hydraulic actuators can be adjusted to permit the wheels to assume different positions of elevation, while, nonetheless, preserving the substantially simultaneous operation feature.

Abstract: A combination implement has a leading cultivator with fixed tines and a rear rotary harrow with driven soil working tined members. The cultivator has side ground wheels with vertical adjusting means that controls the working depths of the fixed tines. The harrow has a trailing roller that is interconnected to the harrow frame with arms that also have an adjustment feature so that the working depths of the harrow's tined members can be regulated. The cultivator and harrow are linked to one another by a parallelogram linkage so that they can be disconnected from one another and individually connected to the three point lift of a prime mover. When the combination is assembled, a suspended drive shaft of the harrow's driving system is passed through the cultivator and connected to the p.t.o. of the prime mover.

Abstract: A surface conditioning attachment for a motor grader or the like for use in maintenance operations on gravel roadways comprises a gang of harrow disks carried on a support shaft, there being a support structure for deploying said disks laterally outwardly of the grader at an angle to the direction of travel and with the concave sides of the disks facing forwardly. In use the gang of disks engages the surface of the road shoulder and cuts up and moves gravel and vegetation thereon laterally towards the roadway.