Opposed Plant Engagers Patents (Class 171/55)
  • Patent number: 9554496
    Abstract: A weed removal system includes a first handle integrally attached to an elongated hollow outer shaft; a second handle rotatably attached to the outer shaft; an inner shaft slidingly engaged within a cavity formed by the hollow outer shaft; and a tool secured to the inner shaft and configured to engage with a weed. The method includes adjusting the overall length of the outer shaft and the inner shaft; exerting a downward force such against the outer shaft and the inner shaft such that the tool applies pressure against the weed; and twisting the first handle relative to the second handle while the tool is in contact with the weed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Inventor: Thomas J. Sagehorn
  • Patent number: 5941316
    Abstract: A stalk puller and chopper assembly 10 drawn behind a tractor 11, the stalk puller and chopper assembly comprising a puller means in the form of a pair of contra-rotating rubber wheels 12 and 13 on a shaft 21. The wheels are located upstream of a feeder means comprising a pair of guide plates 14 and 15 and an array of toothed feeder blades 16 mounted on a feeder shaft 17. The guide plates co-operate with the wheels and the rotating feeder blades 16 to deliver stalks extracted by the wheels to a downstream chopper assembly 19 where chopper blades 18 on shaft 22 shred the stalks which are then discharged rearwardly at 20 in the form of mulch. As can be seen the stalks are controllably delivered sideways into the choppers. The clearance between the cutter blades 18 and the anvils of the toothed feeder blades is exaggerated in the drawings with the usual clearance being about 2 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Great Western Corporation Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Peter Lloyd Mansur
  • Patent number: 4633955
    Abstract: A digger for root crops, such as peanuts, includes two or more digger units depended from a frame drafted by a tractor. Each digger unit includes a screw conveyor, a guide pair helically wrapped 180.degree. around the screw conveyor, and a hydraulic motor to rotate the screw conveyor. Stem and leaf portions of the plants extending above the bed surface are engaged within and moved rearward by flights of the rotating screw conveyor. The stems slide within the helical guide slot, which lifts the peanuts from the soil, moves them outboard of the conveyor, and inverts the plants above the conveyor. The conveyors are angled to the direction of draft so that the inverted plants are discharged from the slots in a windrow on the center furrow between the dug beds. A roller between the conveyors forms a mound or hill in the center furrow to elevate the windrow above standing water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignees: Lenard L. Bigler, Marshall W. Baker
    Inventor: Tony R. Gresham
  • Patent number: 4232743
    Abstract: A device for digging up tuberous plants, for example beets, comprising pairs of lifting members formed by driven shafts slanting towards one another and being provided at the lower ends with lifting bodies, wherein each lifting body has a pressing face extending, viewed in an axial direction, along a helically curved line relative to the rotary axis, such, that the lifting body will gradually penetrate into the soil owing to the helical shape while the quantity of earth sticking to the beet is materially reduced and consequently the tare of the dug-up beet or tuber is considerably reduced as well as the cleaning expenses for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1980
    Assignee: Vandenende B.V.
    Inventor: Cornelis J. Steketee