Including Tool Rotatable About Vertical Axis Patents (Class 172/169)
  • Patent number: 11730078
    Abstract: A row unit for a work vehicle includes a row unit frame with a closer frame. The closer frame defines a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis. The closer frame is supported for rotational movement about a substantially vertical steering axis to vary a turning angle between the longitudinal axis the vehicle longitudinal axis. The row unit includes a closer implement assembly with first and second closer implements and a walking beam construction. The first and second closer implements are attached to opposite areas of the walking beam construction. The walking beam construction is rotationally attached to the closer frame to support rotation of the closer implement assembly about the transverse axis. The first and second closer implements are configured to move ground material into a ground opening from opposites sides as the work vehicle moves across the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark E. Barker, Cole L. Murray, Grant J. Wonderlich, Michael E. Frasier, Nathan A. Mariman
  • Patent number: 11382258
    Abstract: A planting system including a plurality of seeding row assemblies, each having components maintained at a controlled elevation. The seeding row assembly includes a tillage row unit controlled to maintain a desired elevation relative to a seeding row unit, the seeding row unit being configured to passively follow the local terrain. Each seeding row assembly can include two position sensors that generate signals corresponding to the elevation of the seeding row unit and the ground engagement attachment, respectively, or a differential positon sensor that generates signals corresponding to the difference in the elevations. Various embodiments include a local closed loop controller that adjusts elevation of the tillage row unit relative to the seeding row unit to a desired set point. In some embodiments, the down force of the seeding row unit is actively controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventor: Shane Houck
  • Patent number: 7975631
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combine agricultural machine (1) comprising a planting device (3), in particular a potato planting device, provided with at least one storage container (10), an extraction device associated thereto, a setting plow (7) and an downstream mounted end damming device (4). A loosening tool (2) for preparing a seedbed is arranged upstream of the planting device (3) in a travelling direction and one or several wheels (18) for disintegrating soil and supporting the machine are mounted upstream of said loosening tool (2) in said travelling direction. The invention also relates to a method for mechanically planting seeds comprising a stage for preparing the seedbed, a sowing stage and a final damming stage which are simultaneously carried out by means of tools mounted on the agricultural machine (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Inventor: Andreas Heiss, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4753297
    Abstract: An agricultural tool assembly includes a rotary disk mounted on a lower end of a rotary spindle. A mount for the spindle includes a shank adapted to be received in the vertical slot of a clamp and a sleeve for rotatably supporting the spindle. The sleeve is connected to the shank by spaced side plates connected to the sleeve with a lower pivot member and an upper fastener extending through arcuate slots in the spaced plates. A cultivator implement has front and rear disk gangs and a rear centered tool assembly. An onion undercutting implement has a front tool bar with front tool assemblies clamped thereto and a rear tool bar with rear tool assemblies clamped thereto.A tool assembly for material distribution has a spindle with a through hole, a swivel fitting at the inlet and a flared section at the outlet. Crop cutting and windrowing apparatus has pairs of tool assemblies tilted in and down toward the crop row and forwardly and down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: The Eversman Mfg. Company
    Inventors: Bruce H. Mayeda, Robert R. Owen
  • Patent number: 4660653
    Abstract: An agricultural tool assembly (21) disclosed is used with a planter attachment. Assembly (21) includes a rotary disk (23) mounted on a lower end of a rotary spindle (25). An offset mount for the spindle includes a shank (41) adapted to be received in the vertical slot of a clamp (22) and a sleeve (45) offset from the shank for rotatably supporting the spindle. The sleeve is connected to the shank, using a bifurcated portion comprised of spaced plates (47, 48) connected to the sleeve with a lower pivot member (52) and an upper fastener (58) extending through arcuate slots (61 and 62) in the space plates. The planter attachment has a support frame that disposes the tool assembly (21) ahead of the planter (230) to cut the old crop prior to having the planter deposit the seed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1987
    Assignee: The Eversman Mfg. Company
    Inventors: Bruce H. Mayeda, Robert R. Owen
  • Patent number: 4585073
    Abstract: An agricultural tool assembly (21) disclosed is usable on a variety of implements in place of shovels, blades, tines or sweeps and on novel cultivating or crop root undercutting implements and the like. Assembly (21) includes a rotary disk (23) mounted on a lower end of a rotary spindle (25). An offset mount for the spindle includes a shank (41) adapted to be received in the vertical slot of a clamp (22) and a sleeve (45) offset from the shank for rotatably supporting the spindle. The sleeve is connected to the shank, using a bifurcated portion comprised of spaced plates (47, 48) connected to the sleeve with a lower pivot member (52) and an upper fastener (58) extending through arcuate slots (61 and 62) in the spaced plates. The disk may be tilted at a selected angle or set horizontally and for some applications may be set to release in the event the blade strikes an obstruction. A cultivator implement has front and rear disk gangs (108, 109, 114, 115) and a rear centered tool assembly (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Assignee: The Eversman Mfg. Company
    Inventors: Bruce H. Mayeda, Robert R. Owen
  • Patent number: 4562780
    Abstract: A trash farming implement is provided with a plurality of tillage assemblies on an implement, each tillage assembly having a tillage disc arranged to rotate about an axis which is inclined slightly from the vertical both in end elevation and in side elevation so that it slopes upwardly and forwardly in the direction of travel, and also a soil replacing disc which has an axis of rotation which is nearly horizontal but slopes upwardly towards the tillage disc to which it is adjacent, the disc being so located that a furrow cut by the tillage disc will be filled by replacement of the lifted soil to its original position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1986
    Inventor: Gordon F. Leiblich
  • Patent number: 4294181
    Abstract: A subsoil implement is disclosed that utilizes a horizontally rotatable disc that is moved beneath the surface of the ground for the purpose of cultivating or for producing a sub-surface bed for placing flowable material such as seed or soil treating gas along the prepared bed. A hollow delivery tube or rigid shaft leads to the disc and rotates about an axis defined by a bearing directly adjacent the disc. Seed or chemicals may be directed through the hollow tube form to the ground surface below the cultivator disc. Therefore, cultivating, planting or soil treatment can be accomplished with minimal effort. Trash clearing elements are provided on the rotating tube or shaft to eliminate trash build-up and minimize disruption of the soil surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1981
    Inventor: Franklin Smith
  • Patent number: 4291637
    Abstract: A cultivating implement has rows of tined soil working members that are freely rotatable about upwardly extending shafts. Each soil working member has tines positioned around the shaft which defines its axis of rotation. At the lower end of the shaft, a channelled feed member is attached and the shaft is hollow. Material from a container is dispensed from the container through the shaft and the feed member via a port to the ground being worked by the tines. The feed member is elongated and extends down, generally parallel to the tines of the corresponding soil working member which are mounted on circular plate supports. A further soil working member, preferably a supporting roller, is mounted behind the rows of soil working members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1981
    Inventor: Cornelis van der Lely
  • Patent number: 4126186
    Abstract: A cultivating implement has rows of rotatable soil working cultivating members that are mounted on beams extending transverse to the direction of travel, one behind the other. The members rotate about upwardly extending axes and can be positioned along the beams to cooperate with one another and work soil between rows of plants. Assemblies of crumbler-rollers are secured to the frame and positioned to engage soil worked by the cultivating members but avoid the plant rows. Each assembly is secured by a support arm adjustably settable along the length of a beam at the rear of the frame. Each assembly is a pair or two rollers journalled on a common shaft and each roller has two supports, one of which is movable along the shaft to and from the other to adjust the width of the roller. Each support mounts bars that form the periphery of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1978
    Inventor: Cornelis van der Lely
  • Patent number: 4090571
    Abstract: An implement preferably has elongated, stationary beams that extend horizontally transverse to the normal direction of travel. Staggered soil cultivating rotors are fastened to the beams at spaced apart locations and are ground driven to work closely adjacent strips of soil or a single broad path. Each rotor is freely rotatable about an upwardly extending shaft and has downwardly extending soil working members, such as tines, with lower active portions. Each active portion can have a lower outwardly directed part that, during rotation, describes a circle having a radius about equal to or less than the length of the active portion. The outwardly directed tine part increases ground contact and improves rotation. The rotors can be mounted in pairs; the rotors of each pair being angled from the vertical so that they rotate in opposite directions from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1978
    Inventor: Cornelis van der Lely
  • Patent number: 4088196
    Abstract: A cultivator implement has a row of freely rotatable soil working members connected to a transverse frame beam by brackets. The members each have a stub shaft secured to an inclined web of a corresponding bracket so that the axis of rotation of each member is inclined to the vertical. Pairs of downwardly extending tines on support plates contact the ground and rotate the members. Between adjacent rotatable members, a cultivator tine is deflectably secured to the beam via an integral spring coil assembly. The cultivator tine is located non-centrally between rotary members and each tine is curved so that its lower tip extends forwardly. A soil working roller is positioned to the rear of the rotary members and is vertically adjustable on arms connected to the ends of the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Inventor: Cornelis van der Lely
  • Patent number: 4086965
    Abstract: A cultivator implement has two rows of freely rotatable, tined soil-working members connected to leading and rear transverse frame beams by respective brackets or plates. Each rotatable member is mounted for rotation on a corresponding stub shaft that defines its axis of rotation, which is inclined to the vertical. Pairs of downwardly extending tines that are secured in respective holders around the axis of rotation, contact the ground and rotate each member. A first row of rotatable members have axes inclined to one side of the vertical and a second row of rotatable members have axes inclined to the opposite side of the vertical. A fixed cultivator tine is deflectably secured to the beams via an integral spring coil assembly. The cultivator tines are positioned non centrally between adjacent rotary members and each tine is curved so that its lower tip extends forwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1978
    Inventor: Cornelis van der Lely
  • Patent number: 3983943
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1974
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1976
    Inventor: Cornelis van der Lely