Abstract: A system for retaining a position of an architectural fin relative to a structure. The fin is generally planar and defines an edge. The system includes a first mounting bracket configured to retain the architectural fin. The first mounting bracket comprises a first element having laterally opposed surfaces configured to receive the architectural fin therebetween and to apply a compression force to the laterally opposed surfaces of the architectural fin. A second element connected to the first element so that the first element is rotatable relative to the second element about an axis of rotation of the first mounting bracket. The second element has a base for fixing the first mounting bracket relative to the structure. The first mounting bracket is configured to enable rotation of the architectural fin relative to the structure about the axis of rotation of the first mounting bracket.

Abstract: A plow may include a main plow body, a plurality of trip edges hinged to the main plow body, at least one spring sharer hinged to the main plow body, and a plurality of springs each of which is configured to resist rotation of one of the plurality of trip edges and/or the at least one spring sharer. The at least one spring sharer may be configured for engagement with at least two of the plurality of trip edges, and at least one of the plurality of springs may be configured to resist rotation of at least two of the plurality of trip edges via engagement with the at least one spring sharer.

Abstract: A frame for supporting an implement (e.g. a plow) on a vehicle is disclosed. The support frame extends longitudinally and generally comprises, at its rear end, a rear attachment mechanism for removably mounting the support frame to the underside of the vehicle, and at its front end, a front attachment assembly for supporting the implement. The frame comprises a rear section and a front section hingedly connected together such that the front section can pivot upwardly with respect to the rear section. The support frame also comprises a biasing assembly or mechanism, generally comprising a resilient member engaging the front and rear sections, such as to downwardly bias the front portion. By overcoming the downward bias of the biasing assembly, the front section can be further raised with respect to the ground surface, thereby providing greater clearance.

Abstract: A seed bed packer including a frame, a plurality of wheels connected to the frame, and a soil packing element. The packer also includes a spring shank for transferring weight from the frame to the soil packing element. The spring shank includes a first leg connected to the frame and a second leg connected to the soil packing element. When weight is transferred through the spring shank to the packing element, the first and second legs flex toward one another. The spring shanks are capable of distributing the weight of the frame between the wheels and the packing element, while concurrently providing sufficient flexibility to allow the packing element generally uniformly pack the soil, even over rough terrain.

Abstract: A disc mounting system includes the attachment of each disc to a disc gang bar via a dedicated leaf spring. Each of the leaf springs, which can be generally U shaped, are attached at a top end to the gang bar and at a lower leg to a disc spindle such that the disc is positioned at least partially alongside the spring lower leg. The mounting system allows the disc to deflect vertically, laterally or torsionally when the disc encounters an obstacle. An optional shield can be attached to the leaf spring to prevent soil and debris thrown out by adjacent discs from entering the spring. A disc scraper blade can also be attached to the shield.

Abstract: A ground leveler attachment for a ground working device comprises a bracket fastened to a shank supporting a ground breaking tool, a carrier arm connected to the bracket, a pair of leg supports in pivotal contact with the carrier arm, a pair of springs biasing the legs supports into pivotal contact with the carrier arm, a pair of leg members extending from the leg supports, and a pair of levelers rotatably mounted upon the leg members and biased into a ground engagement position by the springs. The levelers independently and resiliently retract upon contact with a relatively immoveable object or objects to avoid being broken off from the leg members or severely damaged beyond usefulness.

Abstract: A seed drill machine of the type having a plurality of disk assemblies, and a torsion spring joint for connection of the disk assemblies to the frame of the machine. The machine is conventionally mounted on a pair of wheels and the disk assemblies can be raised and lowered relative to the wheels for travel from place to place in the raised position and for ground working in the lowered position. In the lowered position, the torsion spring joint biases the disk blades in penetrating engagement with the soil to form a furrow. The torsion joints include flexible, resilient type spring elements. The disk assembly is carried by an arm connected to the joint. The spring elements are prone to develop a permanent deflection when they are left under load for a period of time. Means are provided for adjusting the angular relationship of the disk assembly arms to the connecting joints to compensate for such deformation.

Abstract: An apparatus which can cultivate rice and other crops, comprising a frame having a plurality of transversely extending spaced cultivator bars, each of the bars having a plurality of spaced elongated soil working members extending generally vertically downward of said bars. The apparatus is pulled over the planted area to remove the weed plants.

Abstract: A seed drill including depending furrow openers having a lower shovel and a supporting seed boot. Each seed boot is pivotally supported on a longitudinal drag bar assembly connected to it about a transverse pivotal connection. The forwardly extending arm at the upper end of the seed boot selectively engages one end of a longitudinal leaf spring mounted to the drag arm assembly. A preselected planting position for the shovel and seed boot is defined by an overlying adjustable stop. An arcuate abutment surface is interposed between the seed boot arm and leaf spring. A stop is interposed between the drag arm assembly and leaf spring for limiting upward movement of the free spring end.

Abstract: A compact, leaf spring biased shank assembly with a shank bracket which clamps to a tube and leaves the upper portion of the tube relatively unobstructed to eliminate interference with the lift mechanism and/or implement frame. The shank bracket includes easily accessible down pressure and shank height pins for quick, effortless adjustments of the shank assembly. The leaf spring is C-shaped and is designed to approach a straightened condition as the shank moves.

Abstract: A seed drill for applying seed and/or fertilizer has a frame, reservoir, and sowing shares. The sowing shares are attached to the frame in such a way that they can move in an upright plane by means of superimposed and at least approximately parallel struts on parallelogram mounts. To essentially improve the share mounts, allowing them to be employed on direct-sowing seed drills and especially on soils thickly set with entrenched stones or other obstacles and preventing damage to the shares or share mounts when the shares are laterally overstressed, at least one strut on a parallelogram mount is elastic.

Abstract: Snow plow apparatus is described having segmented blade means comprising a plurality of bits. Each bit is connected to a vertically disposed shank having a triangular cross-section. The shank is slidably mounted in triangularly-shaped retention means carried by the plow moldboard. Bias means urges the shank and bit to its normal downward position. Each bit is independently mounted so that it can be vertically displaced when it encounters a high point in the roadway or an obstruction. The bias means urges the bit downwardly again when the obstruction is cleared.

Abstract: A cultivator particularly well adapted for use in vineyards and orchards because of its ability to cultivate the ground between successive plants in the same row includes a main frame that is continuously laterally expandable under control of the operator to accommodate variations in the spacing between rows; outriggers that flank the main frame and that contract laterally when collision with an object in their path becomes imminent; a spot sprayer mounted on each outrigger and activated by the lateral contraction and expansion of the outrigger to direct a spray of herbicide or other chemicals at the base of each plant but no where else; and a cultivator shank assembly that is castered-mounted to the outrigger or to the main frame so as to pivot to assume the direction of motion of the outrigger or main frame to which it is mounted.

Abstract: A spring tine for an agricultural implement for soil cultivation, composed of a bent spring blade having an upper end constituting a point of fastening for releasable attachment to the implement and having a lower end, and a carrier for the attachment of a working member for performing soil cultivation which causes a force to act on the tine along the line of action, the carrier being connected to the lower end of the spring blade and the spring blade having a cross section which varies over its length in such a manner that the axial area moment of inertia I of a cross-sectional plane, divided by one-half the blade thickness, is proportional to the linear distance of that cross-sectional plane from the line of action of the force acting on the tine.

Abstract: A no-till marker for multi-row planters characterized by a soil-engaging disc yieldably supported on the outer or distal end of a marker support arm and oriented so that the concave face of the disc is turned generally toward the direction of implement travel. The disc is rotatable on its principal axis.

Abstract: A rotary hoe has a tool bar mounted on a tractor and a plurality of individually pivoted arms carrying hoe wheels. Springs bias the arms in a downward direction to force the hoe wheels into the soil. A rotatable torsion tube supports the springs. An adjustable lock apparatus secured to the torsion tube is used to rotate the tube to adjust the biasing force of the springs.

Abstract: A disk harrow has a frame adapted to be pulled along the ground in a normal travel direction and having at least one frame member, a mount on this frame adapted to secure same to a three-point tractor hitch, and a plurality of disk assemblies. Each of these disk assemblies in turn includes an inner pivot part fixed on the frame and forming lower, middle, and upper horizontal axes transverse to said direction, an outer pivot part spaced in the normal travel direction from the inner part and having respective lower, middle, and upper horizontal axes transverse to the travel direction. Respective rigid lower and middle links are pivoted on the parts between the respective lower and middle axes with the middle link shorter than the lower link. An upper leaf spring is pivoted on the parts between the upper axes, and a harrow disk is rotatable about a harrow axis transverse to the travel direction on the outer pivot part below the respective axes.

Abstract: A yielding mount assembly connecting a movable arm to a support. The arm is adapted to be attached to a number of structures including an earthworking tool, a rotary hoe wheel, a belt tightener roller, and a wheel supporting a vehicle. The mount assembly has a first member clamped onto the support with a U-bolt. A second member is pivoted on the first member and connected to the arm. A split ring spring mounted on the first and second members holds the arm in a first position. The arm is movable from the first position to a second position against the biasing force of the split ring spring. Expansion of the split ring spring in response to pivotal movement of the arm decreases the spring torque arm so that the biasing force applied to the arm is maintained substantially constant during movement of the arm.

Abstract: An earthworking tool having a biased trip assembly for yieldably holding the tool in a ground working position, allowing the tool to move over an obstacle, and return the tool to its earthworking position. The trip assembly has a stationary hinge member mounted to a support and a movable hinge member pivoted to the stationary member. A split sleeve spring surrounding the stationary and movable hinge members biases the members and earthworking tool to a ground working position. A modified trip assembly has a pair of split ring springs surrounding a stationary hinge member and movable hinge member to bias the movable member and earthworking tool attached thereto to a ground working position. An arm connected to the movable member rotatably supports a rotary hoe wheel.

Abstract: A mounting bracket for fastening replaceable earth engaging tools such as rotary hoe blades or trench digger teeth in which the shaft of the tool fits within a recess in the bracket and a spring biased pin is arranged to pass through both the shaft and the bracket at right angles to the longitudinal dimension of the shaft. This arrangement does away with the need to use bolts.

Abstract: An implement shank is pivotally attached to the frame of the implement and normally is maintained in the soil by a heavy duty coil spring reacting between the shank and a support extending from the frame. The spring mount and shank holder are connected together so that if the shank trips due to striking an obstruction, the connection moves towards an over center line and if the obstruction is maintained, the connection moves over the over center line. When it passes over center, it engages a leaf spring extending from the frame which returns the connection back over center when the obstruction is passed whereupon the coil spring returns the implement into the ground. The coil spring is attached to a resilient member extending from the frame so that the shock load is absorbed as the implement returns to the ground engaging position, particularly when this return is somewhat rapid due to the heavy duty nature of the coil spring.

Abstract: A land plane for leveling or grading the surface of a land area including a frame having front and rear wheel assemblies, a center section and two end sections. A plurality of grader blades are supported below the center section which in turn may be raised away from and lowered towards the ground surface by pivoting the end sections of the frame with respect to the center section. Adjustable braces correct warps and distortion in the frame and permit accurate setting of the alignment and angular disposition of the blades with respect to the ground surface. Steering of the plane is controlled through a fluid system which coordinates the steering actions of the front and rear wheel assemblies and, alternatively, permits the rear wheel assembly to be steered independent of the front wheel assembly.

Abstract: An implement has one or more rows of tines fixed to frame beams and the lateral sides of the frame have adjustable ground wheels to control the working depths of the tines. A further soil working member is connected at the rear of the frame by parallelogram linkages and a driven eccentric on the further member imparts up and down vibratory movements to that member. Each linkage includes a bracket, the lower front portion of which is pivoted to a rear frame beam and rearwardly extending arms that are pivoted to vertical support arms that carry and move the further member. Above the pivot connection to the frame, the bracket has connection points for a tie arm that extends forward to a leading frame beam. A fixing mechanism interconnects the upper linkage arm with the front of the bracket at two spaced apart locations and springs in the mechanism bias the arm and further member to an equilibrium position.

Abstract: An adjustable spring loaded agricultural tool mounting accommodating pivotal movement of the tool relative to a normal operative relation to an implement frame when said tool encounters an obstacle. The tool includes a part projecting upwardly and rearwardly from the tool pivot and a longitudinally extensible and adjustable strut is pivoted in upwardly and rearwardly spaced relation to the tool pivot and bears against the upper free end portion of said upwardly and rearwardly extending tool part. At least one of said strut and said upwardly and rearwardly projecting tool part includes a spring portion.

Abstract: Disk gangs are resiliently suspended from an implement frame by retroverted flat spring members. Flat surfaces of the springs are oriented perpendicularly to the disk blade shaft to thereby permit vertical and fore-and-aft flexing of the disk gangs as obstacles are encountered and yet minimize lateral movement of the gangs to retain gang blade alignment between front and rearwardly positioned disk gangs.

Abstract: A soil-cultivating implement has soil-working members mounted for rotation about corresponding upwardly extending axes. A soil-working tool, preferably one or more tines, is connected to a support of the soil-working member by at least one quick release fastener. The tool or tine can be a torsioned spring steel strip or a rod that has a spring coil. Each tine can have one or more operative soil-contacting ends that are spaced apart from one another. When the operative ends are located one above the other, the soil-working member can work deep in the soil. The fastener can be a pin that extends horizontal and at right angles to the axis of rotation of the soil-working member so that the operative ends can pivot to some extend about the fastener. The ends of each tool or tine can extend in different directions from one another and tines in pairs can be mounted on the same support.

Abstract: A cultivating implement has side-by-side soil working members journalled in a hollow frame portion. Each member includes a support with hub that is connected to the lower end of a corresponding shaft. The shafts of the soil working members have meshed pinions on their upper ends that are housed in an upper chamber of the frame portion. The support and hub are housed substantially in their entireties within the frame portion and the lower side of each hub has apertured tags with pins that comprise quick release fastenings for downwardly extending tines.

Abstract: A cultivator or harrow has a row of soil working members and each of these members is a rotatable support on a shaft that is driven to rotate about an upwardly extending axis. Each support is comprised by two similar diametrically opposed portions and each portion has a lower tine and an upper tool that differs in shape and form from the lower tine. The upper tool can be a pair of different tines or a tine-like extension of the support portion that functions as a rigid tine. The lower more resilient tine works the sub-soil and the upper tool works the topsoil. The lower tines of the two portions can be a single element of spring steel that is retained by quick release pins in lower support recesses and the fastening portions of the lower tines can bear on the heads of further pins that retain upper tines in their corresponding recesses so that one release means retains all of the tools on each support portion.

Abstract: A movable cable plow for dredging an underwater cable groove in a sea bed is disclosed wherein the plow is attached to a main body adapted to be pulled across the sea bed, such that it is adjustable vertically and angularly with respect to the main body. This allows the acurate control of the depth of the dredge groove. Also, a cable guide is pivotably attached to the plow, by way of a torsion spring hinge pin, so as to swing laterally with respect to the plow. This minimizes the lateral forces transmitted to the main body during the turning of the apparatus and, thereby, reduces the chances of the main body tipping over during the turning operation.

Abstract: A rotary hoe implement, having hoe support arms independent of adjacent hoe support arms, and a selectively adjustable means for varying the downward pressure exerted by the leaf spring biasing means acting on each support arm.

Abstract: A disc mounting system includes the attachment of each disc to a disc gang bar via a dedicated leaf spring. Each of the leaf springs, which can be generally U shaped, are attached at a top end to the gang bar and at a lower leg to a disc spindle such that the disc is positioned at least partially alongside the spring lower leg. The mounting system allows the disc to deflect vertically, laterally or torsionally when the disc encounters an obstacle. An optional shield can be attached to the leaf spring to prevent soil and debris thrown out by adjacent discs from entering the spring. A disc scraper blade can also be attached to the shield.