Abstract: A hand held garden implement (FIG. 1) for refilling a furrow, requiring only one hand for operation, and allowing the operator to stand and walk fully erect. A handle (11) is attached into a receptacle (12) on a cover plate (13) which is connected to an inclined and converging scraper (14) which is connected to a bottom plate (15). Dirt is lifted up and into the tool as well as being pushed by it. Dirt then traverses the scraper towards the centerline of the tool, and is deposited into the furrow. The bottom plate then smoothes out and levels the deposited dirt.

Abstract: A power hitch relief system for a three-point hitch used in tractors and similar vehicles. The power hitch relief system includes an inclination detector in the form of a weight pivotally mounted to the tractor frame. The weight is also coupled to a relief valve of a hydraulic circuit which supplies power to the hitch. The weight pivots when the tractor pitches backwardly to open the relief valve and relieve fluid pressure in the hydraulic circuit. This prevents the tractor from overturning backwardly. A catch keeps the relief valve open to prevent oscillations until reset.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for introducing a particulate matter along with a driving liquid, such as water, into a ground surface. The apparatus is also highly effective for perforating and thereby aerating the ground surface. The particulate matter may preferably adopt the form of a powder like substance often referred to as "polymer" and which is injected into the ground for purposes of acting as a plant food or a plant additive in various agricultural operations. The apparatus utilizes an injector device for mixing the polymer or other particulate matter with the driving liquid, such as water, at a point in close proximity to the ground surface so that there is no pre-mixing of the particulate matter and the driving liquid. The driving liquid is pumped to the injector at a high pressure and introduced into a high pressure chamber of the injector. The liquid is then forced through a very small diameter nipple opening leading to a low-pressure chamber.

Abstract: A seedbed preparation apparatus attachable to existing seed planting devices comprising a coulter cart. The apparatus is designed to lessen the number of passes required to prepare and plant a field. Fertilizer delivery is provided to the soil raised by the coulter wheels. The fertilizer injector nozzles are secured to flexible mounting devices to permit the nozzle to move in accordance with the terrain preventing clogging or stoppage of the nozzles.

Abstract: A carrier is described that adapts an excavator with an dozer blade to a tote bucket or scoop. The excavator carrier rests on the blade at its bottom with the blade serving as the back of the carrier. Dumping capability is provided by pivoting the carrier on mounting pins between a mounting bracket added to the back of the blade at its top and a corresponding mounting bracket on the carrier. A backhoe on the excavator can be used to lift the front of the carrier causing the carrier to pivot on the mounting pin and dump material through the separation of the the carrier and the blade at its bottom. Side plates of the carrier extend beyond the back of the blade in a shearing action to maintain self alignment. Quick separation of the carrier from the excavator blade is obtained by simply removing mounting pins on which the carrier pivots and using the backhoe to move the carrier conversion away from the excavator or backing the excavator away from the carrier.

Abstract: A dragline bucket rigging includes at least one pair of components removably secured together by a connector pin assembly including a U-shaped spring retainer clip. The clip removably snap-fits beneath a protective cap secured to the outside face of one of the components and within an open-ended channel defined between the cap and the component face. Legs of the retainer clip abut the sides of the channel and nest within a pair of diverging slots formed one on each side of a retainer pin when the latter telescoped through an opening formed within the cap and into a connector pin hole in the component. The legs thereby act to prevent the pin from rotating or being removed axially from the hole and yet the clip can be easily removed allowing the pin to be removed axially to disconnect the rigging components.

Abstract: An implement depth control system includes a rotating link pivotally connected to the frame adjacent the depth control cylinder. A cylinder pin contacts and rotates the link when the implement is lowered toward the field operating position. One end of an adjustable length member is threaded through a turnbuckle mounted on the link and contacts an actuator to limit cylinder retraction and set operating depth. The opposite end of the member extends to an easily accessed location on the implement and includes a crank handle for turning the member and thereby adjusting the length between the turnbuckle and actuator to vary the depth setting. An indicator near the crank handle provides an accurate depth indication at any depth setting, and relative depth adjustments may be made quickly while the implement is in the lowered field working position.

Abstract: A vehicle for snow removal has a conveyor belt for transporting shovelled snow from a front end shovel up to a collection load box, above which the snow is melted by a plurality of heat sources for deposit into the collection load box. A pump recirculates melted snow water through a pair of parallel conduit pipes, which pipes are adjacent to the plurality of heat sources. As a result the recirculated water is reheated and the resulting warm water is discharged upon the front end shovel to commence the melting of the incoming, shovelled snow.

Abstract: A pair of grain drills are positional for side by side operation in the field and connected to a towing tractor by weight transfer hitch having a rear end portion connected to the grain drills and a forward tongue portion having its front end connectable to the tractor drawbar and its rearward end totally connected to the forward end of the rear hitch portion for swinging about a transverse horizontal pivot. A hydraulic cylinder has its ends respectively connected to the tongue and the rear hitch portion and pressure to the cylinder is controlled by an adjustable pressure control valve that delivers pressurized fluid from the tractor hydraulic system to the cylinder at a pre-selected pressure below the tractor system pressure, whereby the force exerted by the cylinder on the tongue transfers a portion of the weight of the machine to the tractor drawbar.

Abstract: A control device for controlling the position of a snowplow mounted on the front of a vehicle is disposed in the cab of the vehicle and is selectively mountable in any one of a plurality of locations in the cab to facilitate access to the control device in accordance with the preference of the vehicle and snowplow operator. The control device includes a housing supporting manually operable pushbutton switches which control the selectable plow positions. The housing is provided with one component of a two component separable fastening arrangement, the second component of which is mounted in the cab in one or more of a plurality of selectable positions, such as on the dashboard, armrest, console, gearshift lever or clothing worn by the vehicle operator, whereby the control device can be positioned in a location most convenient to the operator.

Abstract: A locking pin (100) for use captively retaining a tooth (14) on an adapter portion (12) of an excavating tooth and adapter assembly has a primary wedge member (110) with an integral spring (120) extending upward from the member's distal end (116). A first positive stop means (130) extends from the wedge member (110) while an opposing second positive stop means (122) extends from the integral spring (12). After insertion, the locking pin (100) prevents separation of tooth (14) from adapter portion (12) while the first and second positive stop means (130, 122) prevent accidental loss of the locking pin (100) from the assembly. To remove the locking pin, a force sufficient to separate the first positive stop means (130) from the pin (100) is exerted to drive the pin (100) from the assembly. In another embodiment, the integral spring extends from a lateral surface of the locking pin (700, 800).

Abstract: The invention relates to a side strut (6) for the lower steering arm of a three-point hitch of a tractor. Locking catches (24, 25) are provided to cancel the floating position which the two telescopic members (14, 15) of the side strut 6 may assume relative to each other. The catches (24, 25) lock the members via locking contours (29, 30) of a locking recess 28, which surround and secure to a locking journal (31). The two locking catches (24, 25) are arranged at the sides of the telescopic members (14, 15). The locking catches have their pivot axis of the articulated journal (27) the points of contact between the locking contours (29, 30) and the locking journals (31), in a locked position, positioned on a connecting line. The line extends parallel to the sliding axis (16) and through the pivot axis of the ball eye (13). In this way, it is ensured that the locking catches (24, 25) and also the side strut (6), together, are not subject to any bending moments resulting from any tensile or compressive forces.

Abstract: A gardening tool for digging around weeds, vegetables, bushes, etc., and in particular, a gardening tool having a handle, two laterally mounted straight prongs extending parallel to one another, and a medially mounted pair of diverging prongs which extend in a gradually diverging manner from one another to define a V-shaped member.

Abstract: An adaptor to allow a farm implement guide system to be used with a pull-type implement to keep a row-crop planter or cultivator properly in the desired row even though the pulling tractor becomes somewhat misaligned. The adaptor is inserted between the tongue of the implement which normally is elongated to allow clearance for tractor wheels when the implement is turned sharply and the machine itself so that relatively large misalignment may be corrected. The distance between the implement and the adaptor is kept as short as possible.

Abstract: A spring tooth harrow comprising an elongated tool bar having a plurality of harrow sections cured thereto by adjustable mounting brackets to enable the harrow section to be raised or lowered with respect to the draw bar. Each harrow section includes a pair of longitudinally extending arms which are pivotally secured to the mounting brackets and which are urged downwardly with respect thereto by pairs of springs. Fork pipes are rotatably mounted on the arms and extend therebetween and have spring teeth secured thereto. The pipes may be rotatably moved in unison to change the angle of attack of the spring teeth or the forwardmost pipe may be independently rotated with respect to the remaining pipes so that the angle of attack of the forwardmost spring teeth may be varied with respect to the trailing spring teeth.

Abstract: A transversely elongated planter is provided for connection with and elevated support from the lift hitch mechanism of a heavy duty farm tractor and includes a large volume sugar cane billet storage bin (approximately 10,000 pound capacity) shiftable between front and rear transport and planting positions, respectively. Planter bin has variably openable access openings in the front wall of the bin forward of which rearward facing work persons are seated when the bin is in the rearward planting position and each workmen seat is supported immediately above and to the front of a downwardly tapering chute for receiving sugar cane billets, the lower ends of the chutes being preceded and followed by furrow opening and furrow closing structure, respectively.

Abstract: A partial width seeding attachment includes electronically controlled solenoids which activate hydraulic flow control valves connected to the hydraulic cylinders on respective implement sections. Switches in the tractor cab control the rockshaft of one or more selected sections independently of the other sections to raise the openers on the selected section or sections from contact with the soil. An electronically activated flow reversing valve is connected between the source of hydraulic fluid under pressure and the lift cylinder for each of the sections. Activation of a selected valve after the selective control valve on the tractor is moved to the normal field working position pressurizes the side of the cylinder that raises the openers on the section. The remaining cylinders operate normally to maintain preselected down pressure on the other openers. A master raise switch provides implement lift independent of the position of the individual rockshaft control switches.

Abstract: A device for digging a trench having a vertical face and a sloping face. The device includes a rotor configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and means for moving the device in a direction of travel substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The rotor includes a longitudinal rotor member and angled end portions coupled to the longitudinal rotor member. The rotor may also include a plurality of teeth-like elements coupled to the angled end portions.

Abstract: A closed-loop fertilizer application system capable of determining a soil prescription in near real-time, and dispensing fertilizer to the soil scene as a function of the soil prescription. The closed loop application system does not require the use of maps or navigation systems, but rather, ascertains a soil type and chemical composition on the go. In the preferred embodiment, the application system implements a spectrograph implementing the technology of spectroradiometry to determine soil type and present fertilizer composition in near real-time. An expert system determines the soil prescription based on the soil type and current fertilizer levels, and controls the dispensing rate of the fertilizer as a function of the vehicle speed. The soil analyzer is disposed a pre-determined distance forward of the vehicle such that there is adequate time to perform soil analysis, determine a soil prescription, and then dispense the fertilizer at the rear portion of the vehicle.

Abstract: The invention includes a frame, to which is mounted a handle, an engine, drive wheels and an auger. The engine drives the drive wheels, making the apparatus self-propelled and also rotates the auger. Control levers are located on the handle to selectively control the on-off engagement of the drive wheels and the auger to the engine and to control the speed of the drive wheels. As the apparatus propels itself along a trench, the rotating auger moves dirt from the sides of the ground around the trench to inside of the trench. A packer wheel on the handle packs the dirt in the filled trench. The height of the auger relative to the ground is adjustable so as to minimize lawn damage. The auger has a double row of flighting and guide wheels positioned adjacent to the auger to enable the apparatus to be easily steered.