Abstract: An apparatus for the mechanized displacement of movable wires arranged on opposite sides of a row of plants, in particular grapevines, includes a frame suitable to be removably mounted on a farm vehicle, the frame being provided with a mover configured to move the movable wires. The apparatus is characterized in that the mover includes a pair of opposite gripping elements, each of which being suitable to slidingly receive one of the movable wires, the gripping elements being movable in a sequential and synchronized manner along at least two orthogonal axes so as to displace the movable wires from a first height to a second height.

Abstract: The residue manager deflects cover crop stalks and flattens cover crop residue during a no-till or minimum-till agricultural planting process. The residue manager apparatus comprises an “A” shaped frame. A leading portion of the frame is designed to deflect cover crop stalks. Press shoes attached to an intermediate portion of the frame depress cover crop residue that is not deflected by the leading portion. The trailing portion of the residue manager frame is configured to attach to existing planting mechanisms, such as seed drills. As the residue manager is propelled across a field of cover crops, the residue manager deflects cover crop stalks and depresses cover crop residue adjacent to the planting mechanism so that the planting process is not obstructed by the cover crop biomass on the surface of the field.

Abstract: A high clearance agricultural sprayer of the type including a ground wheel mounted on a vertical section of an axle with a hub having a hydraulic motor for driving the ground wheel has an accessory mounted on the ground wheel using an inner bracket attached to the bottom of the vertical section of the axle and an outer bracket attached on the cylindrical surface of the hub. The outer bracket includes a cylindrical sleeve having a shaft on an end face of the sleeve and the bearing surrounding the shaft. The system can be used to support a crop divider carried on the ground wheel by a pair of arms each extending forwardly from their respective brackets for pivotal movement about the axis of the wheel such that the crop divider comprises a pair of frames which extend forwardly each in a respective arm to a front apex where the frame is being covered by plastic cover sheets.

Abstract: A free-floating skirt assembly for attachment to the deck of a cultivator to protect adjacent vegetation from the blades of the cultivator includes a pair of elongate straps attached to the cultivator deck with shield supports projecting outwardly from the straps and slidingly receiving shield suspension rods to which are attached the shields so that the shields may float as they encounter terrain irregularities. The range of sliding movement of the suspension rods is adjusted and controlled by the provision of through bores in the rods and replaceable pins inserted into the bores above the shield supports which include short shafts extending outwardly from each strap and T-shaped connectors which receive the shafts and the suspension rods. Braces depend from the straps to engage the cultivator deck in instances where the deck has a downwardly tapering rear portion.

Abstract: A skirt assembly (20) for a rotor tiller (10) includes a pair of shields (21,22) positioned substantially vertically at the outer extremities of the tines; and a framework (23). The framework (23) includes a pair of strap members (24,24) mounted to the deck (17) of the rotor tiller (10) on either side of the motor (14), a plurality of cross members (26,26) operatively engaging the pair of strap members (24,24) and extending beyond the sides of the tiller (10), a plurality of suspension members (28,28) connected to the pair of shields (21,22), and a T-shaped connector (27) to operatively connect each suspension member (28) to at least one of the cross members (26).

Abstract: A seeder designed to seed all types of terrain including remote disrupted areas such as pipelines, oil wells, and the like. The seeder has a seeder box that is designed to be carried on the front of a vehicle and soil firming wheels on a drawbar that is pulled behind the vehicle. The seeder box has flexible discharge tubes that prevent influence from the wind on the seed being discharged and that are flexible and provide random, non-symmetrical planting. The seeder box can include more than one section, with each section having a hinged support providing positioning in horizontal or inclined planes. The press rings are associated with a mounting frame on the drawbar that allows each ring to adjust vertically according to the contour of the seeded ground. The drawbar supports a harrow ahead of the soil firming rings and also may support an auxiliary seeder.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a portable handheld edge cutter and especially an edge cutter for maintaining the edges of a lawn. The edge cutter includes a drive motor and a rotating knife as well as a drive shaft between the motor and the knife. The knife end of the drive shaft is mounted in a support which is structurally part of the housing. The housing overlaps the knife at a predetermined region. A wheel or roller supports the housing on the ground. A projection is provided on the housing which indicates to the operator the precise direction in which the rotating knife is moved and so acts as a direction device for the operator.

Abstract: A crop deflector for use with a self-propelled vehicle having a frame, a wheel, and a shock absorbing suspension assembly mounting the wheel to the frame. A deflector frame is coupled to the wheel such that the deflector frame steers with the wheel as the deflector frame pivots in a main support on the suspension assembly such that the deflector frame does not move directly with the wheel when the wheel is loaded by contact with rough ground surface. A deflector shield is attached to the deflector frame for interacting with the crop rows. In a preferred embodiment, the deflector frame is pivotally connected to the suspension assembly by a bushing such that the deflector frame pivots about the steering axis of the wheel so it turns with the wheel. A steering arm connected to the wheel support and to the deflector frame steers the crop deflector thereby causing the deflector frame to pivot about the steering axis.

Abstract: A towed type crop sprayer for spraying a liquid agricultural chemical upon a standing crop includes a frame having a tank mounted thereon and having a horizontal transversely extending boom assembly thereon for supporting a spray device. A centrally located cylinder and piston unit and cable tensioning mechanism are operable to produce ready vertical adjustment of the boom assembly and spray device carried thereby. The tractor which tows the crop sprayer, and the crop sprayer, are provided with belly pans to smoothly engage the standing crop to minimize damage thereto. The ground engaging wheels of the tractor and the crop sprayer are provided with grain dividers which progressively part the standing crops during movement of the tractor and crop sprayer and thereby minimize damage to the standing crop during the spraying operation.

Abstract: A disc cultivator shield which cooperates with standard disc cultivators to protect young corn plants during disc cultivating is provided. The preferred embodiment is adaptable to various disc cultivators and serves to guide the corn plants in between the discs of the disc cultivator and prevents the discs from rolling over the leaves of the corn plant and partially burying the plant. The disc cultivator shield is specifically designed for windy days when corn plants tend to be blown over, and it is removable to allow standard disc cultivating on calm days if desired.

Abstract: A plant protective fender for use with earth working machines such as rototillers comprises, in one embodiment for use with machines having rear-mounted tines, a support member fixedly attached at a selectable distance from the frame of the machine and a pair of guard members depending from the support member. The guard members extend from the support member to the housing of the earth working members of the machine, and are attached to the housing at a fixed selectable height. In another embodiment for use with machines having front-mounted tines, the guard members are attached at a fixed selectable point to an attachment member rotatably inserted into the tine shaft and extended forwardly the tines and rearwardly to attachment brackets for attachment to the machine depth gauge.

Abstract: A mechanism for clearing paths through a crop bed for the wheels of a tractor includes a pair of power driven vertically, parallelly disposed rotatable cylinders positioned forwardly of a wheel to be moved through a crop bed. The cylinders are rotated in opposite directions so as to engage and thereby displace a crop to either side of a path of a wheel. The speed of rotation of the cylinders is typically in excess of the speed of the tractor. A mounting for the cylinders is cantilevered forwardly of a wheel and includes a mounting for the cylinders which allows independent, limited rotation about an axis transverse to the motion of the tractor so as to permit the lower ends of the cylinders to pass over obstacles that may be present in the crop bed.

Abstract: A self-propelled implement is specially constructed to plant seeds such as beans between rows of a tall growing crop such as wheat. The frame members of the implement are supported above the growing crop on top of selectively spaced front and rear wheel assemblies which are narrow enough to pass between the rows of the growing crop. Each wheel is entirely covered and is provided with a fender that tapers to an inclined forward edge to facilitate passage of the implement through the field. An engine which powers the implement also operates seeding mechanisms which are associated with the wheels.

Abstract: A soil cultivator or harrow has a row of soil working members that are driven about upwardly extending axes to work the soil. A plant screen at each lateral side of the implement has a forward guide portion that is pivoted to the front of the frame and a rear, spring-biased portion that normally is held close to the implement's lateral sides. The guide portion of each screen is inclined with respect to the direction of travel to guide plants away from the soil working members during the forward travel of the implement. A pair of arms are pivoted adjacent their front ends to a forward portion of the main frame of the implement, and are connected at their rear ends by a transverse support. The arms are connected to the main frame intermediate their ends by a connection which permits angular adjustment of the arms about their pivots. Each end of the transverse support is connected to a further rearwardly and downwardly extending arm and a roller is supported between the further arms.

Abstract: A plant guard for a cultivator having cultivator elements mounted on a horizontal rotating shaft. The guard comprises a U-shaped member, as viewed in plan, having a vertical, plate-like base which extends transversely of the direction of travel and is connected to rearwardly extending side members which extend alongside and are pivotally connected to opposite ends of the shaft. Downward movement of the base member is limited with the base member being movable to selected vertical positions.