Abstract: In one aspect, a bushing for use in a pin assembly that includes a swinging housing and a stationary housing is provided. The bushing includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion extending between the first and second end portions and including a plurality of flexible fingers, each of said flexible fingers includes a retention feature configured to engage one of the swinging housing and the stationary housing in a snap-fit configuration.

Abstract: An ocean wave energy converter (WEC) uses one or more buoyant elongated float(s) mechanically linked to a motion-stabilized frame by either swing or lever arms or down-sloping tracks that define the motion of the floats relative to the frame to capture both heave and surge wave energy forces. The submerged depth of the frame and attached float(s) is adjusted for optimal wave energy capture or submerged sufficiently to fully submerge the float(s) during severe sea conditions. The elongated float's total submergence during severe sea states and the WEC's self-orienting capability, parallel to oncoming wave fronts, allows the WEC to intercept and capture maximum wave energy per unit of WEC volume, weight and cost.

Abstract: An improved multi drill cultivator which mainly consists of octagonal central drum (2), gear housing Assembly which further comprise of four big gears, four bevel gears and cover (3.i), teeth for big gears, chassis, drill Ploughing Assembly further comprises of projected portion and drills, bearing housing further comprises of bearing and collar for bearing, rear wheel Assembly further comprises of rear wheel and rear wheel axle, front wheel assembly further comprise of front wheel and front wheel bracket, front wheel bracket hub, one end of front wheel, other end of front wheel bracket, lock nut, A jack screw mechanism consists of lifting screw steering wheel, a guide bar being attached to the lifting screw steering wheel, drum lifting block and a ball wherein the said ball is fixed into the locking for ball, provided at the end of the said jack screw mechanism assembly.

Abstract: A retractable strake is disclosed that includes an assembly of flexible finger elements or flexible faces. The assembly, when coupled to a structure, deflect at wind speeds greater than approximately twenty mph or wind pressures greater than approximately one psf. Accordingly, the strakes' retractable or flexing feature does not contribute to the wind load when the wind load is overly severe, while providing vortex shedding benefits within a wind speed profile range.

Abstract: A cultivator sweep assembly having a sweep adapted for releasable attachment to a shank of a mobile agricultural apparatus. The sweep assembly includes a sweep having a more narrow profile, and a coupling attached to a tapered end portion of the shank and disposed between the sweep and the supporting shank. The sweep includes a stem portion that defines a housing configured to frictionally receive and engage the tapered end portion of the shank. The end portion of the shank having the coupling attached thereto is slidably received within the housing until a projection of the coupling is received through a top opening of the housing. The projection received through the top opening indicating that the end portion of the shank is sufficiently received within the housing of the sweep, and that the sweep is mounted to the shank with sufficient force.

Abstract: A direct harvester includes a cutting portion, a lifting portion and a feeding portion. The cutting portion typically includes a cutter rod for severing plant roots and a kicker rod for encouraging the plant to the soil surface. The lifting portion typically includes a rotating pickup head for lifting the plants off the soil and separating the plant from the soil, and a pair of rotating tubes to move the plants and encourage further separation of soil from the plants. The feeding portion includes an auger which receives the plants from the rotating tubes and channels the plants into the opening of a combine feeder housing. Preferably, the floor below the auger is screened to allow soil which is knocked free by the auger to fall back to the ground. Additionally the lifting portion and the feeding portion are preferably pivotably attached to one another to enable the harvester to adapt to differing contours in the soil.

Abstract: A multi-crop harvester/windrower farm implement may be pushed before a tractor or harvester, to harvest and/or windrow a crop. The implement includes a frame having a plurality of horizontal arms at ground level, which support and position a crop dissociating structure to uproot or sever the stalks of the crop. The implement may include a crop reel to move the uprooted or severed crop to a draper belt, which deposits the crop in a windrow outward of the tractor wheels. In one embodiment, the crop dissociating structure includes interchangeable rod weeder and sickle attachments, allowing a user to choose between uprooting the crop, or severing the stalks of the crop. A plurality of adjustment structure may be included to adjust the altitude of the crop dissociating structure with respect to the crop, facilitating use of the implement on multiple crops. The rod weeder, crop reel, sickle, and draper belt may be driven to rotate by hydraulic motors attached to the PTO system of the tractor or harvester.

Abstract: An irrigation furrow and raised seed bed forming machine includes a main support frame, a hitch assembly, furrow and seed bed forming shovel assemblies, a seed bed mulching assembly, seed bed conditioning roller assemblies, and furrow side finishing slide assemblies. These assemblies of the furrow and bed forming machine are operable and cooperate to form irrigation furrows and raised seed beds in soil as the machine, being mounted to a tractor, is moved through a field. The hitch assembly is adapted for mounting the main support frame to the tractor to extend transversely to the direction of movement of the machine. The shovel assemblies are mounted to a forward portion of the main support frame in laterally spaced relation to one another. The mulching assembly is mounted at a middle portion of the main support frame rearwardly of the shovel assemblies and has an elongated rotatable mulching member extending transversely to the direction of movement of the machine through the field.

Abstract: A rock picker includes a picker grate having a plurality of picker bars extending in a curved path forwardly and downwardly to a forwardmost end for engaging the rocks and lifting them onto the picker grate. A conventional sweeping reel sweeps the rocks to a hopper. The forward end of each of the grate bars includes a portion consisting of a vertical plate parallel to the direction of movement together with a rotating rod which extends across the full width of the picker and is supported by the cup-shaped forward ends of the grate bars. The rod improves the rock picking action and also allows the clearing of trash between the rod and the vertical plate portions exposed at the front of the grate bars. A second embodiment includes a further roe positioned with a trip mechanism forwardly and downwardly of the first rod.

Abstract: An apparatus adaptable to be mounted on the tomato harvesters of various manufacturers for the purpose of removing tomato plants from the ground with their tomatoes attached for delivery onto a tomato harvester, which mechanically separates the tomato fruit from the balance of the plant. This apparatus also reduces the amount of agglomerated earth or clods that sticks to the root system upon removal from the ground. The apparatus utilizes a pair of spaced cutter bars which rotate counterclockwise. Upon impact of the forward lower bar with the plant, the plant is pulled from the ground. As the plant travels rearwardly, the upper bar knocks dirt loose from the roots.

Abstract: A rod weeder attachment including a clamp arrangement for mounting upon a tool bar of an agricultural implement, an arm which extends rearwardly from the clamp and is spring biased downwardly toward the ground, a ground wheel mounted upon the rear end of the arm which is a peripheral surface for running upon the ground and for defining the height of the arm above the ground, a pair of shanks which extend downwardly from the arm, a rod support on a lower end of the shanks in bearings which allow rotation of the rod about its axis and a drive arrangement which communicates drive from the ground wheel to the rod to rotate the rod as it moves through the ground. The arm is formed in two parts a rear part of which carries the ground wheel and is freely pivotal. The free pivot action of the rear part allows the ground wheel to move forwardly when inoperative so that its periphery is below the level of the rod.

Abstract: A rod weeder attachment for the tool bar of an agricultural implement comprises an arm portion extending rearwardly from a clamp on the tool bar defined by a pair of spaced parallel bars extending rearwardly to a transverse strut. From the strut to the ground is provided a rear arm portion the angle of which can be adjusted relative to the front arm portion. The rear arm portion carries on the lower end a ground wheel for running on the ground and providing drive therefrom. A pair of shanks at opposed ends of the strut extend down to the ground and carry at their lower ends a rod which is driven by a chain mechanism from the ground wheel. Springs allow the arm to lift relative to the tool bar.

Abstract: A separable drive assembly including first and second shafts, the shafts being normally aligned axially in an end to end relationship, a coupling portion operatively connecting adjacent ends of the first and second shafts, the coupling portion including a resilient section extending between the adjacent ends of the first and second shafts, a connector section extending from one end of the resilient section, the connector section including an axial opening, the adjacent end of the first shaft engaging and being affixed within the connector section opening, a guide section extending from the opposite end of the resilient section, the guide section including an enlarged end section, an axial bore extending through the guide section, the bore being capable of slidably engaging the adjacent end of the second shaft, the axial bore through the guide section having a cross-section substantially the same as the cross-sectional configuration of the second shaft end but slightly larger; whereby moving the adjacent first

Abstract: A wing section equipped rod weeder implement is provided wherein the implement includes a center section and a pair of opposite side wing sections which may be swung upwardly to retracted positions for moving along roadways or through narrow fence openings. The center section rod weeder shaft is driven by a reversible variable speed hydraulic motor and the opposite ends of the center section rod weeder shaft include universal joints removably supported therefrom for selective reversed mounting on the center section rod weeder shaft ends and each universal joint defines a swivelly supported inwardly tapering threaded socket. The adjacent ends of the wing section rod weeder shafts include tapered threaded male ends removably threaded within the sockets. The threaded connections are of the non-jamming type wherein they may be readily unthreaded.

Abstract: A drive assembly including first and second shafts, the shafts being normally aligned axially in an end to end relationship, a connector portion operatively connecting adjacent ends of the first and second shafts, the connector portion including a resilient section extending between the adjacent ends of the first and second shafts, a first end section extending from one end of the resilient section, the first end section including an axial opening, the adjacent end of the first shaft engaging and being affixed within the first end section opening, a second end section extending from the opposite end of the resilient section, the second end section including an axial opening, the adjacent end of the second shaft engaging and being affixed within the second end section opening; whereby the connector portion provides a flexible positive drive connection between the first and second shafts.

Abstract: A generally conventional seeder is provided including a main frame supporting a plurality of laterally spaced rear seeder units and equipped with a forwardly projecting tractor attachable hitch assembly including dependingly supported ground wheel structure. The hitch assembly includes mounting frame structure intermediate the main frame and the forward extremity of the hitch assembly and a pair of elongated, generally aligned and axially spaced transversely extending opposite side tool bars are disposed on opposite sides of the ground wheel structure. A pair of laterally spaced upstanding guide and support members project upwardly from adjacent ends of the tool bars and the mounting frame structure includes guide structure from which the guide and support members are guidingly supported for vertical shifting.

Abstract: An upstanding housing is provided having upper and lower ends and first support structure supports the upper and lower ends of the housing from a first depending tool shank of one gang section of a cultivator assembly for limited vertical shifting of the housing relative to the first tool shank. Powered output shaft structure is journaled from the lower end of the housing for rotation about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the gang section and a rod weeder shaft has one end supported from and driven by the powered output shaft. Journal structure is mounted on the rod weeder shaft at a point spaced therealong from the powered output shaft and second support means supports the journal structure from a second tool shank of the cultivator gang section for limited vertical shifting relative thereto.

Abstract: An upstanding housing is provided and mounted in trailing relation to a depending tool shank by generally horizontal upper and lower pivot links having their forward ends pivotally supported from the tool shank and their rear ends pivotally supported from the housing. A driven power shaft is journaled in the upper portion of the housing and an output shaft is journaled in the lower portion of the housing. A chain is trained about sprocket wheels mounted on the shafts and has a spring biased idler sprocket wheel is engaged with one reach thereof for tensioning the chain. A rod weeder shaft has one end supported from the output shaft and additional laterally spaced depending tool shanks include trailing journal structures mounted for limited vertical shifting relative thereto and the rod weeder shaft has longitudinally spaced portions thereof journaled by the journal structures.

Abstract: A double, transverse, parallel tool bar is attached to the three-point hitch of a tractor. A depending shank is welded to each tool bar extension for mounting the rod weeder. Each shank has a forwardly and downwardly extending hard faced chisel tooth and a rearwardly extending skid which controls depth of penetration of the rod weeder. A chain and sprocket drive assembly is connected to the center shank and driven through the PTO of the tractor. The other shanks each have contained therein a bearing having a spare aperture through which a square rod weeder bar is disposed. The outermost shanks each have a strap which is bolted over the ends of the rod weeder bars to hold them in place and provide for easy replacement thereof. A plurality of cleaner bars are disposed 1/16th of an inch behind the high cam position of the rod weeder and fixedly connected between the shanks for both cleaning the rod and providing lateral support for the shanks. An additional bar is mounted in an offset position behind each shank.

Abstract: A farm implement having a main frame; at least two carriage wheels for supporting the frame; a plurality of brackets mounted in pairs on the frame, each pair of brackets defining a sled; a plurality of knives mounted on each sled in a generally horizontal plane; a weeder bar rotatably supported by the brackets; and a hydraulic motor mounted on the frame for driving the weeder bar in a counter clockwise direction as the implement is moved in a direction whereby the carriage wheels rotate in a clockwise direction.

Abstract: Crop uprooting and cultivating apparatus which includes at least one bar having at least one angled edge thereon that extends from a support at least partially across a row to be cultivated or from which crops and/or foliage are to be uprooted. The bar is rotatably supported by a support structure in cantilever fashion, leaving an outer end of the bar free. The bar may extend across a crop row in a direction generally transverse to the direction of movement of the apparatus along the row, or may be angled rearwardly with respect thereto to provide a self-cleaning action. The bar rotates beneath the surface of the soil and uproots crops and foliage as it moves along, the direction of rotation being in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the apparatus. A pair of bars may be provided, one being located on each side of a row being cultivated or where crops are to be uprooted with at least one of the bars extending a distance of more than 50 percent of the width of the row.

Abstract: An elongated bar soil working apparatus constructed so that a plurality of bars are supported in a parallel relationship for rotation in one or more horizontal planes and positioned closely adjacent each other whereby the corners of one bar will cooperate with the corners of an adjacent bar to effect a severing action on vines or other foliage moving therebetween whereby the bars are self-cleaning. Power drives are operatively associated with the bars for syncronous rotation of the bars whereby the corners of the bars will be simultaneously advanced through a common plane in closely positioned relationship to effect the severing action on the vines and other foliage located therebetween and prevent vine and foliage build up on the bars. The present apparatus includes a frame which will allow the apparatus to be removably supported by conventional tractor operable tool bar whereby the bars can be advanced through the soil to perform plant uprooting or other soil working operations.

Abstract: A cultivating machine having a body, at least one wheel supporting the body during normal use, and one or more soil-working blades. The blade(s) may be either serrated or generally V-shaped so that it can penetrate the soil and loosen it. The blade(s) is preferably rounded, so that it loosens the soil and pulls weeds out by the roots rather than cutting the tops of the weeds off and leaving the bottoms of the weeds in the ground to regrow, and the blade or at least one of the blades preferably projects laterally beyond the body of the cultivator on at least one side so that the cultivator may be used to loosen the soil and to pull out weeds underneath overhanging leaves of desirable plants without damaging the desirable plants by contact with moving parts of the cultivator. A motor may be mounted on the body and operatively connected to either or both of the wheel and the blades.

Abstract: A rod weeder attachment for the tool bar of an agricultural implement comprises an arm portion extending rearwardly from a clamp on the tool bar defined by a pair of spaced parallel bars extending rearwardly to a transvese strut. From the strut to the ground is provided a rear arm portion the angle of which can be adjusted relative to the front arm portion. The rear arm portion carries on the lower end a ground wheel for running on the ground and providing drive therefrom. A pair of shanks at opposed ends of the strut extend down to the ground and carry at their lower ends a rod which is driven by a chain mechanism from the ground wheel. Springs allow the arm to lift relative to the tool bar.