Abstract: A sprayer is readily demountable from its supporting vehicle to be replaced by another component such as a crop harvesting header or a granular spreader. The sprayer includes a common sprayer structure incorporating a tank, a boom with a plurality of spray nozzles arranged at spaced positions along the boom, a pump, and a plurality of hydraulic cylinders mounted on the common sprayer structure for effecting movement of the boom relative to the vehicle. The tank is attached to a ground engaging stand with a hydraulic lift system operable to raise the stand to a retracted position at the vehicle frame for transportation with the vehicle and to lower the stand to support the tank when demounted from the vehicle frame structure. A quick connect hydraulic coupling for a pressure line and a return line and an electrical control connection are arranged for quick connection to the vehicle by which a hydraulic control system on the sprayer can receive electrical control signals from the vehicle.

Abstract: A steering and suspension arrangement for agricultural vehicle includes a horizontal axle transverse to the direction of movement with the ground wheel mounted at each end of the axle. The length of the axle can be adjusted by extending and retracting end portions of the axle relative to a centre section of the axle. Each end of the axle carries a wheel hub on a suspension arrangement defined by an upper plate, a lower plate, a first channel member attached to the lower plate and a second channel member attached to the upper plate with the channel members facing each other and connected by two parallel pivoting links. Between the plates is mounted a gas bag spring. The frame is divided into a front portion and a rear portion which are held against steering movement but can pivot, each relative to the other about a horizontal axis along the direction of travel to accommodate twisting beyond the limited suspension movement.

Abstract: A pneumatic material spreader for distributing two types of particulate fertilizers at once including an outwardly extending boom having a plurality of pipes, a hopper with plural compartments and conveyor system. The conveyor system comprises two sets of stacked conveyors each set having one conveyor transporting material for one compartment to the pneumatic spray boom and a second conveyor transporting material from a second compartment to the same pneumatic spray boom. Guide ducts receive the material form the conveyors which become mixed as they pass through the separating guide ducts into the pipes and out to an outlet. The hopper is separated into two compartments by a divider wall that is adjustable to permit the relative size of the compartments to be varied.

Abstract: A suspension system for a boom of an agricultural particulate material distribution system comprises an inclined strut extending from the boom upwardly and inwardly to a suspension element at the tank. The suspension element comprises a plate attached to the rear wall of the tank and projecting outwardly to the side of the tank on which is mounted a pivot lever having a lower end attached to the plate and an upper end carrying a swivel for attachment to the strut. A gas bag spring is located in a hole in the plate so as to accommodate shock loads applied to the lever from the boom. A self leveling switch increases and decreases pressure in the gas bag spring to maintain a required orientation of the boom and to move the boom to a raised position for avoiding obstacles and for folding.

Abstract: An agricultural cultivator includes a single elongate tubular tool bar of circular cross section which is split into a center section and two wing sections interconnected with the center section at outer ends thereof through pivot couplings. The center section of the tool bar is mounted on two ground wheels and the outer end of each wing section is mounted on a respective one of a pair of ground wheels. Each ground wheel is connected to the tool bar by a respective brace. The ground wheels are aligned so that there axes of rotation lie on a common line forwardly of the tool bar. The braces are interconnected with a hitch frame for pivotal movement relative to the hitch frame about pivot pins defining a common pivot axis parallel to the tool bar and located between the tool bar and the common line of the ground wheels so that rotation of the braces causes the tool bar to move forwardly while the ground wheels move rearwardly under the toolbar. The rotation of the tool bar through approximately 90.degree.

Abstract: A threshing and separating apparatus particularly for use in a combine harvester includes a threshing rotor having a generally conical outer surface cooperating with a generally conical inner surface of a stator so that crop material fed to the narrower end of the rotor moves between the surfaces to provide a threshing action. At the discharge end of the annular channel between the rotor and stator is provided a separating sleeve which is rotated around the rotor separately from the rotor and stator. The sleeve is perforated to allow radial escape of seeds under a centrifugal force and a fan generates an air flow entering the sleeve from the feed end and pulled out of the sleeve from the discharge end so that lighter materials such as chaff are drawn through the space of the discharge end while the seeds escape outwardly.

Abstract: An agricultural cultivator includes a single elongate tubular tool bar of circular cross section which is split into a center section and two wing sections interconnected with the center section at outer ends thereof through pivot couplings. The center section of the tool bar is mounted on two ground wheels and the outer end of each wing section is mounted on a respective one of a pair of ground wheels. Each ground wheel is connected to the tool bar by a respective brace. The ground wheels are aligned so that there axes of rotation lie on a common line forwardly of the tool bar. The braces are interconnected with a hitch frame for pivotal movement relative to the hitch frame about pivot pins defining a common pivot axis parallel to the tool bar and located between the tool bar and the common line of the ground wheels so that rotation of the braces causes the tool bar to move forwardly while the ground wheels move rearwardly under the toolbar. The rotation of the tool bar through approximately 90.degree.

Abstract: An agricultural tractor comprises a front frame section, a rear frame section carrying the engine and cab and a horizontal beam connecting the front frame section to the rear frame section leaving a space between the front and rear wheels and underneath the beam for receiving the implement in a belly mount position. The rear frame section includes auxiliary wheels which are simple non steering wheels movable vertically and braced against rearward movement which can be lowered by a ram to a position to lift the front wheels away from the ground to a height to move over the implement. The front wheels are steerable by a worm and wheel arrangement to a position at right angles to the normal forward direction to allow manouverability. The tractor can be used for the various operations in growing row crops with the implement attached on a three point hitch rearwardly of the front frame section.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle is convertible to a first mode for broadcasting liquid agricultural material and to a second mode for broadcasting dry agricultural material. The vehicle includes a single main tank which is used in the first mode to transport liquid and in the second mode to transport dry material. The tank converges to an apex at the base and an auger is positioned within the tank extending upwardly from the apex to emerge from the tank at the top of the front wall. When filled with liquid, the auger is plugged at its discharge end allowing the auger tube to be filled with the liquid. When working in the second mode, the plug is opened and the auger extracts the dry material from the main tank and deposits it onto a pair of conveyor chains each forming a curtain of material which divides into separate receptacles for transportation to separate material supply tubes of a pair of booms extending outward to each side of the vehicle.

Abstract: A pneumatic spreading system for particulate material such as granular fertilizer includes a tank and a pair of booms extending outwardly from the tank for transportation across the ground. A pair of parallel belts lie in the same horizontal plane and carry a metered layers of the material out of one end of the tank adjacent the booms for discharge as a curtain of the material at a discharge end of the belt. The booms each include a plurality of pipes with all of the pipes lying side by side in the same horizontal plane and each pipe including two distribution nozzles forming a split pipe arrangement. A manifold for airflow is positioned between the two booms injecting air into each pipe of both booms. Each pipe includes a feed opening into which the material falls from the discharge end.

Abstract: A field sprayer is self propelled and includes a frame with an engine mounted on the frame, four wheels hydraulically driven, a tank and a boom supported by the frame and extending outwardly to the sides. The frame includes a longitudinally beam, a front transverse channel and a rear transverse channel. Each of the channels supports a pair of axle members separately pivotal about axis adjacent the center line of the frame. Each axle member includes a horizontal portion which can be extended on-the-go and a vertical portion which is attached to the wheel. A gas spring is connected between the channel and the upper surface of the axle member. Articulated steering is provided by a vertical pin connecting the front portion of the frame relative to the rear portion of the frame with the pin being arranged just rearward of the front axle. The boom is adjustable in height to accommodate both fully grown crops and ground spraying conditions.

Abstract: The temperature of liquid in a tank and of the environment adjacent the tank are measured and a heater in the tank is controlled to heat the liquid if its temperature is sufficiently below that of the environment to cause water vapor in the atmosphere to condense on the outer surface of the tank.

Abstract: A pneumatic distribution system for particulate material includes a tank and a plurality of pipes extending outwardly from the tank to respective sides thereof. Each of the pipes forms part of the duct from a metering system and carries the particular material in an air stream to a spreader nozzle at the end of the pipe. At a position before the end of the pipe, and extraction nozzle is mounted in the pipe formed by a curved plate having a leading edge transversed to the pipe with a curved plate mounted in an opening in the pipe so as to extract the material and direct it outwardly onto a guide plate which forms a spread pattern.

Abstract: A roller metering device comprises a roller, which has continuous elongate grooves longitudinally thereof spaced angularly around the periphery thereof, mounted in a hopper so that it grasps and forwards a volume of the particulate material within the hopper for each movement of a recess past a metering edge into a plurality of cups and venturis arranged along the length of the roller. A cleaning device for the roller is provided which is driven by the roller and comprises a plurality rods carried in angularly spaced arrangement around an axis of rotation of the cleaning device with each rod extending along the length of the roller. In one arrangement there are twelve recesses in the roller and six rods on the cleaning device with the cleaning device driven at a 2:1 ratio in speed relative to the roller.

Abstract: A pneumatic distributing device which can be used for broadcasting particulate fertilizer, herbicide or the like includes a tank, a slot across the tank with a metering roller in the slot for metering the particulate material into a number of receptacles arranged along the slot. A first venturi at the bottom of the receptacle transports the material in the receptacle through a first portion of the duct to a junction provided by a second venturi and a second duct. The second duct extends outwardly along a boom with a number of such ducts arranged in a vertically stacked arrangement which is selfsupporting. The second ducts incline slightly downwardly and are straight from the feed end to an open mouth at the outer end. A deflector attached to the open mouth has a first and then a second surface for spreading and then deflecting the material from the open mouth to the ground with the spread taking place along the length of the boom.

Abstract: The invention is a pneumatic granular or seed applicator for fertilizer, herbicides or seeds and it includes a vertically situated auger assembly which is connected to the source of the material to be distributed. A distribution casing surrounds the upper discharge end of the auger assembly and blades or vanes are secured to the upper end of the auger shaft to radially distribute the material augered by the auger assembly, outwardly of the distribution casing. Discharge collars are situated around the base of the distribution casing and convey the material to discharge conduits which are conventional and which lead to the normal distribution heads and discharge devices. Air under pressure passes through venturi and assists in picking up the material from the discharge collars and conveys it to the various discharge conduits and thence to the individual ground engaging applicators, which are conventional.