Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1~3~43~
; The invention relates to a machine for inserting feed
and fertilizer into the ground.
The machine comprises a frame, a storage tank and a
pLurality of hoeing shares supported on the said frame when
the machine is in operation, the said hoeing shares being adapted
to move individually, in a vertical plane, by means of holding
devices, and being arranged in three rows spaced one behind the
other, and also being provided with laterally spaced cutting
surfaces which converge forwardly and form an acute angle of
attack towards the surface of the ground, as seen in the oper-
ating direction, the material to be discharged being fed to the
hoeing shares from the relevant storage tank, in adjustable
quantities, by a metering mechanism and through pipelines, the
attachment parts on the frame for the holding devices having a
large ground clearance.
A machine of the design described above is already
known. The advantage of this machine is that it allows the seed
or fertilizer to be applied to a poorly prepared seed bed or
even to a harvested field of stubble since, even when the rows
are narrow, the hoeing shares arranged in rows at right angles
to the direction of travel, and their holding devices, are so far
apart, and the attachment parts on the frame for the said holding
devices have such a large ground clearance, that it is highly
unlikely that the machine will be rendered unserviceable as a
result of the spaces between the shares being obstructed by
vegetable matter or clods of earth. Another advantage is that
the grains of material may be distributed under the hoeing shares,
and the lateral cutting surfaces thereof, within the wide furrows
formed by the shares, so that they are deposited in wide strips
at large distances apart. This so-called strip-sowing method
is preferred today in practice since, if properly applied, it
increases the harvest yield.
However, the d~sa3vantage of this machine is that the
depth of the share, and thus the depth at which the material is
deposited in the ground, cannot be maintained with the necessary
accuracy. This disadvantage is mainly attributable to the fact
that the holding devices have vertical carriers curved in the
operating direction, the hoeing shares being attached to the
lower ends of these carriers, whereas the upper ends thereof
are attached pivotably to the frame under variable spring load-
ing. If the spring loading is adjusted to such a high value
that the carriers pivot rearwardly only when the shares strike
hard clods, rocks, or other obstacles in the ground, then, under
normal conditions, all of the shares and the frame constitute a
rigid unit. This means that individual shares cannot adapt to
the surface of the ground, but run at a specific depth in rela-
tion to the treads of the tyres of the machine. Since the sur-
face of the ground is never level, especially in the case of
fields which have been harvested and not re-tilled, but have
unevenly distributed bumps and depressions, possibly arising
from the tracks of the harvesting machines, it is impossible to
prevent some of the shares from penetrating deeply into the ground,
while others emerge temporarily from the ground upon encountering
depressions. As a result of this, some of the seeds sprout at
widely diEfering times, which means that parts of the crop ripen
at different times. Furthermore, in the deep furrows there may
be gaps with no seeds. In both cases there is an inevitable
reduction in yield.
There is also the disadvantage that the average depth
of penetration of all shares varies frequently while the machine
is in use. For instance, if the storage tanks are full, the
tyres of the machine sink deeper into the ground and the treads
are compressed to a greater degree than when the storage tanks
are almost empty. Thus, as the amount of material in the storage
~36430
tanks decreases, the average depth of penetration of the shares
also decreases gradually and to a considerable degree, returning
once more to a maximum when the storage tanks are refilled.
Especially during dry weather, this causes a considerable varia-
tion in the times at which the seeds sprout, which means, espe-
cially in countries or regions where winter comes early, that
some of the grain must be harvested before it is ripe, in order
to avoid the risk of losing the entire crop by frost.
Even if the spring-loading of the carriers is substan-
tially reduced, so that the said carriers may pivot to the rear
and upwards to a greater or lesser extent, depending upon the
loads applied thereto, this does not adequately overcome the
problems mentioned above. This is attributable to the fact that
because of the almost vertical arrangement of the carrier pivot-
bolts above the tips of the hoeing shares, the said carrier must
pivot through a large distance before there is any effective
change in the depth of penetration of the shares. Furthermore,
the pressure applied to the shares varies, not only in relation
to the depth of penetration, but also as a result of variations
in soil density. Since soil is never fully homogeneous, espe-
cially in untilled fields, the shares are constantly being
pivoted back in different degrees against the tension of the
springs as the machine is being used. As a result of this, not
only is the depth of penetration of the shares into the ground
being constantly altered, even if only to a slight extent, but
there is also a considerable and constant variation in the angle
of attack of the cu-tting surfaces of the said shares. Thus, the
lumpier, heavier and the more overgrown the soil, the more appar-
ent the foregoing phenomena, and any increase in operating speed
adds to the effect.
An additional disadvantage of the foregoing phenomena
is that if the angle of attack of the cutting surfaces of the
~3643~
shares is increased, the soil is turned aside like the bow-wave
of a ship. In fact, if the speed is high enough, the soil may
even be projected, so that the wide furrows produced by the hoe-
ing shares, and therefore the material placed therein, are left
completely uncovered and must be covered over by special brushers
or harrows.
Now the known machine is equipped with the hoeing
shares described above mainly to make it possible to insert seed
and fertilizer into the ground in harvested fields of stubble or
.
fields overgrown with vegetation, without prior ploughing up or
other processing, i.e. without destroying soil capillarity, without
impairing the biological soil equilibrium indispensable for growth,
and with no danger of drying out -the ground, during cultivation,
in countries with extremely low rainfall. However, it is precise-
ly on such ground that the above-mentioned disadvantages have their
most serious effects, since the materials are not only deposited
at different depths, but the soil projected laterally, and held
together by the roots, cannot be properly restored to the furrows,
or even restored thereto at all, by brushers or seeding combs.
This makes re-harrowing, or the like, necessary, with the danger
of some of the seed or fertilizer grains being ripped out of the
furrows again and being distributed loosely and at random over
the surface of the ground, with insufficient contact for the seeds
to sprout and the fertilizer to dissolve.
Even if, as in the case of the sowing machine disclosed
in ~erman Disclosure Text 23 10 805`,, the hinge pins for the car-
riPrs are arranged well ahead of the tips of the shares, this
brings about scarcely any improvement, since the depth of penetra-
tion and angle of attack of the shares are still dependant upon
the nature of the ground, the growth thereon, and the operating
speed.
US Patent 3 901 169, August 28, 1975, Edmond André
-- 4 --
1~36~3~
Henri Ribouleau, discloses a machine for sowing individual grains,
in which the holding devices for the sowing unit as a w~lole, and
therefore for the shares, which resemble those used in snow-
ploughs, each have parallel guides in vertical planes. This
ensures that the angle of attack of the shares in reLation to the
surface of the g~ound does not alter when the sowing assemblies
move in vertical planes. Furthermore, in this machine each
share is connected to a guide roller running in front and a pres-
sure roller located at the rear, in order to control the depth
.
of penetration of the share in relation to the surface of the
ground and to press the seed into the furrows formed by the
shares. In this machine, however, even the shape of the share,
and the arrangement of the metering elements just above the
surface of the ground, means that single seeds can be sown in a
well prepared seed bed. ~2wever, it is precisely on such well
prepared and loosened soil that the total weight of the machine
affects the absolute depth of penetration of the share, and
-therefore the depth of the seed in the soil, in spite of the
guide rollers and compression rollers. Since in this machine
each share is rigidly connected to a storage tank, and since
the entire weight of the machine rests upon the two rollers,
the shares will penetrate further into the ground when the stor-
age tank is full than when it is empty.
~iFinally, US Patent 2 834 446 d~iscloses a design of
hoeing share for drill~ploughs, the said share consisting of a
ch~pping blade and attachment and being secured, by means of
bolts, detachably to the upright carrier of the holding device,
not shown. This share is also equipped with guide elements
designed to maintain a depth of penetration as uniform as pos-
sible, the said guide elements consisting of the cutting sur-
faces of the chopping blades which run flatly towards the rear.
A distributor is also arranged below the outlet aperture,
1036430
opening into the said attachment, in the pipe for the seed-supply
lines.
As may be gathered from the drawing, and from the
description of the example, in this prior publication, the share
is connected to the frame of the machine by means of a holding
device in the same way as in the first of the known machines
described above. This machine therefore also has the same
serious disadvantages, in spite of the guide elements provided.
Moreover, the distributor elements located below the outlet
apertures do not ensure that the s~ed is applied to the ground
in a broad strip, in fact they even prevent this, since their
upper impact surfaces are closed off at the rear and merge into
roof-shaped guide parts by means of which the seed may be sown
in the ground only in two rows.
It is the purpose of the invention to improve the
first of the known machines mentioned above in such a manner
that the material is inserted into the ground as flatly as
possible, by the strip-sowing method, at a uniform depth, and
with simultaneous covering of the seed discharged onto the
`~0 ground, with the aid of a hoeing share, regardless of the type
of ground involved, the condition of the ground, and the nature
of the surface thereof, and the amount of overgrowth, at all
operating speeds of the machine, and regardless of the amount
- of material in the storage tanks.
According to the invention, this purpose is achieved
in that -the holding devices for the hoeing shares each comprise,
a parallel guide in a vertical plane, so that the acute angle
of attack of the cutting surfaces of the hoeing shares, in rela-
tion to the surface of the ground, remains unchanged when the
shares are moved in a vertical plane, the said hoeing shares also
being equipped with guide elements maintaining their depth in
the ground.
- 6 - `
`" . ~.
,: . ,
~1~)36430
This design, in conjunction with the angle of the cutting
surfaces in relation to the ground, and the effective size of
the guide surfaces, ensures a specific depth of penetration of
the hoeing shares into the ground. If, for instance, while the
machine is in operation, pressure is applied, in a direction
opposite to the operating direction, to the cutting surfaces
set at their acute angle of attack, this produces a force com-
ponent at right angles to the ground, and this allows the hoe-
ing share to penetrate into the ground until this force equals
the firmness of the soil acting upon the guide elements in the
opposite direction. Since this force component and the firmness
of the ground are less in the case of light soil than in the
case of heavy and/or wet soil, the depth of penetration will
be approximately the same for all types of soil, and will remain
constant while the machine is in use. For the same reason,
the depth of the hoeing share in relation to the surface of
the ground will also be sufficiently uniform when the surface
of the ground is uneven, since these forces acting upon the
cutting surfaces and the guide elements vary to the same extent
both in hollows and over mounds and, on the other hand, the
angle of attack of the cutting surfaces remains constant even
when the hoeing shares are moved in a vertical plane. Moreover,
since each share is associated with a holding device equipped
with a parallel guide in a vertical plane, whereas the weight
of the machine is supported, completely independently thereof,
by the chassis, it is possible to adapt each hoeing share to
the surface of the ground. For the same reason, -the hoeing
shares adjust themselves at all times to a specific depth of
penetration, regardless of the amount of material in the storage
tanks.
Now if under certain conditions, for example heavily
overgrown field surfaces or stubble, or at high operating speeds,
different relationships arise between the pressure acting upon
~a~364;~0
the cutting surfaces of the hoeing shares in a direction opposite
to the operating direction, and thus between the vertical force
component thereof and the ground firmness acting in the oppo-
site direction, although the share will penetrate into the
ground to a greater or lesser depth until these forces are in
equilibrium, this depth of penetration will again remain co~
stant for the same type of ground surface and the same operating
speed.
Keeping the acute angle of attack of the cutting sur-
faces of the share constant ensures that the share, travelling at
the appropriate depth, will merely lift the soil and replace it,
behind the share, upon the material placed in the furrows, thus
providing adequate coverage therefor. At the same time, roots
and vegetation covering the field will be cut through and further
growth thus prevented. This also ensures that the seed grains
introduced into the soil are not deprived, by the said vegetation,
of the nutrients and moisture required for growth, or stifled.
If the cutting surfaces projecting laterally from the
hoeing sharesare, as a whole, at least approximately flat sur-
faces, then the flow of the soil lifted by the shares over the
said cutting surfaces will be improved to such an extent that
adequate coverage of the material laid in the furrows will be
achieved even at high operating speeds, without any additional
aids.
According to one preferred example of embodiment, the
guide elements, in a manner known per se, are in the form of
rollers and are staggered laterally in relation to the hoeing
shares. This additionally relieves the shares of the weight of
the guide rollers, and they therefore tend to penetrate more
~30 deeply into the soil. This, however, is prevented by the guide
rollers which accurately sense the surface of the ground at the
side of the shares. Thus, as well as the additional advantage
:
~L~J36~30
of low frictional resistance of these guide elements, this ensures
accurate determination of the depth of penetration, and keeps
this depth constant. If the said guide rollers are also verti-
cally adjustable in relation to the hoeing shares, each type of
seed may be sown at the best depth for rapid sprouting. The
differences in depth required is generally between 2 and 5 cm,
but may reach 10 cm in exceptional cases.
The invention also provides for a pressure roller to
be connected to each hoeing share, in a manner known per se, the
said roller running upon the ground behind the share. This still
further improves the contact with the soil necessary to allow
the seeds to sprout and the fertilizer to dissolve. Furthermore,
this direct connection of a pressure roller to each share, in
contrast to the usual arrangement in machines having several rows
of shares one behind the other, where all of the pressure rollers
are arranged in a row behind all of the shares, has the advantage
that the machine remains exactly over the furrows both when it
is travelling around slight curves or across a slope. It is also
desirable for each pressure roller to be adjustable in height
in relation to the share, since this provides particularly satis-
factory adaptation of depth penetration to soil conditions.
Even when in the case of fields having widely varying soil condi-
tions, the depth penetration of the guide rollers, and thus of
the shares differ as a result of the weight of the complete hold-
ing devices, the set vertical distance between the tips of the
shares and the guide rollers, and the ground thickness between
the grains of the materials and the pressure rollers, remain
constant.
According to another preferred example of embodiment
of the invention, the angle of attack of the cuttlng surfaces of
the shares, in relation to the surface of the ground in the oper-
.
~ 3643~
ating direction, is adjustable. This provides for additional
adaptation of the work carried out by the shares under extremely
adverse operating conditions. Thus in the case of fields covered
with stubble and dense overgrowth, the cutting surfaces are
adjus-ted to a somewhat larger angle of attack, in order to achieve
rapid and certain penetration of the share, through the growth,
into the soil. This adjustment is also useful when fields of
stubble are left with deep wheel-ruts from the heavy harvesting
and harvest-salvaging machines used in the previous harvesting
operation, since the guide elements make it possible for the
shares to adapt quite quickly to ground irregularities. The
~-` danger that increasing the said angle of attack may leave theseed behind the shares inadequately covered is eliminated by the
fact that the top, heavily rooted, and therefore cohesive layer
of soil in a field of stubble is more difficult to project side-
ways than a layer of soil of a crumbly nature. Thus in the case
of looser soils, the flattest possible angle of attack will be
preferred for the cutting surfaces. It has been found in prac-
tice that a range of 8 - 25 is sufficient for the adjustment
of the angle of attack.
As claimed herein, the invention comprises a machine
for inserting seed and fertilizer into the ground, the said
machine comprising: a frame, a storage tank, and a plurality
of hoeing shares supported by the said frame when the machine
is in operation, the said hoeing shares being adapted to move
individually, in a vertical plane, by means of holding devices,
the hoeing shares being arranged in three rows spaced one behind
the other, and being provided with laterally spaced cutting
surfaces which converge forwardly and form an acute angle of
~:.
attack in relation to the surface of the ground, as seen in the
operating direction, the seed and fertilizer being fed to the
said hoeing shares, from the relevant storage tank, in adjustable
-- 10 --
~03643~
quantities, by a metering mechanism and through pipelines, the
attachment parts on the frame, for the said holding devices,
having a large ground clearance, characterized in that the hold-
ing devices for the hoeing shares each comprising, a parallel
guide in a vertical plane, so that the acute angle of attack
of the cutting surfaces of the hoeing shares, in relation to the
surface of the ground, remains unchanged when the said shares
are moved in a vertical plane, the said shares being also equipped
with guide elements maintaining their depth in the ground.
The guide elements may be formed by the rear ends of
the cutting surfaces each of which has a supporting surface
running parallel with the surface of the ground.
Laterally projecting cutting surfaces of the hoeing
shares are at least approximately flat surfaces. Each of the
parallel guides may have an upright guide part in which the
holding devices are arranged to move up and down. The holding
devices are preferably fitted with rotatably mounted rollers,
while the guide parts are tubular, the said rollers bearing
against the inner walls of the said tubular guide parts.
The parallel guides may be made, in the form of paral-
lelograms and have struts, in two rows one above the other,
connected by hinges, on the one hand to the holding devices and
on the other hand, to the connecting parts on the frame.
The angle of attack of the cutting surfaces of the
hoeing shares is preferably variable in relation to the surface
of the ground, as seen in the operating direction with an adjust-
ment range of 8 to 25 is provided for the angle of attack. Each
.
holding device may be equipped with an upright carrier at the
lower end of which is located the hoeing share, the said carrier
extending, when the said share is in the operative condition, for
some distance freely, in a downard direction, out of the parallel
guide and having a flat surface upon its front side, and in that
~36~30
the part of the carrier close above the cutting surfaces of the
said hoeing share, forms, in the operative condition, al~d at
least approximate right angle with the surface of the ground.
Each hoeing share may also consist, of a chopping blade and an
attachment part fitted detachably and having a flat surface on
its front side, and in that this flat surface forms, when the
said hoeing share is in its operative position, and approximate
right angle with the surface of the ground.
~ The chopping blade ~ay also be secured detachably to
the attachment part. The attachment part can have an extension
plate projecting rearwardly behind each cutting surface of the
chopping blade, the angle of attack of the said extenslon plates
being substantially smaller than the ang~le of attack of the cut-
ting surfaces of the chopping blade in relation to the ground,
as seen in the operating direction The carriers may be of a
tubular design and of elongated cross section, and in that the
plpelines open into the said carriers. A lower outlet aperture
of each tubular carrier is preferahly located within the hoeing
share and merges into rear wall aperture arranged in the rear
wall of the carrier, the said rear wall aperture extending in the
area above the cutting surfaces of the hoeing.
The invention will now be described with reference to
the accompanying drawings which show a preferred form thereof
and wherein:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine according
to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a rear view of the hoeing share of this machine,
to an enlarged scale,
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the same share,
Fig. ~ is a plan view of the same share
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the holding
device for the machine according to Fig~ 1, with a different
10369L30
hoeing share,
Fig. 6 is a section of the holding device in Fig. 5
along the line A - B and in plan view;
Fig. 7 is another design of holding device for the
machine according to Fig. 1, in side elevation,
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through the lower
part of the carrier, with its hoeing share, of the holding device
according to Fig. 7, to an enlarged scale,
Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the adjustable hinge of
the holding device, also to an enlarged scale, and
Fig. 10 is a plan view of the hinge according to Fig. 9.
Referring to Fig. 1, the machine is equipped with a
frame 1 running on two front castoring wheeLs 2 and one rear
castoring wheel 3 on the ground 4, the said rear castoring wheel
... .
being adapted to be locked in the operating direction 5 and at
right angles thereto. A traction towing device 6 is connected
detachably to the front of frame 1. Also secured to frame 1
are two storage tanks 7,8 combined into a unit. Located below
frame 1 are hoeing shares 9 arranged in three rows one behind
the other and spaced apart, each share being fitted to a holding
device lO adapt~d to move up and down in a parallel guide 11,
these parallel guides being detachably secured to connecting
parts 12 welded to frame 1. For transporting travel, holding
devices 10, with shares 9, are raised by means of cables 13 and
hydraulic cylinders 14 until they bear against the said parallel
guides 11.
Storage tanks 7,8 are each equipped with a number of
outlet apertures 16 arranged side by side and adapted to be closed
off by means of slides 15, each tank having a metering mechanism
17 consisting essentially of delivery wheels 18 located external-
ly of outlet apertures 16 and adapted to be driven, in a manner
known per se, at varying r.p.m.. In order to spread the fer-ti-
- 13 -
103643a~
lizer necessary for the satisfactory development of the growing
plants, and the seed, in a single operation, one of the s-torage
tanks is filled with fertilizer and the other with seed. The
materials 19, supplied in the required amounts by delivery
wheels 18, pass to divided collecting trough 20, whence they
reach the ground through hoselines 21 and hoeing shares 9.
As shown quite clearly in Figs. 2 to 4, hoeing shares 9
have two laterally projecting cutting surfaces 22~which enclose
an obtuse angle ~ in the downward direction. These cutting sur-
faces also converge forwardly to a tip 23 and form an acute angle
of attac~ ~ in relation to the surface of the ground, as seen in
the operating direction 5. For use under special conditions,
cutting surfaces 22 may also enclose an obtuse angle ~ in the
upward direction, or this angle may be 180. It is furthermore
often desirable for the front of the share to-have a straight
or curved cutting edge instead of the tip 23. The rear ends of
cutting surfaces 23 are extended as guide elements 24, each
having a flat supporting surface 25 running parallel with the
surface 4 of the ground. This makes it easy to keep share 9 at
a uniform depth in the ground.
By means of its attachment part 26, share 9 is secured
detachably to upright, tubular carrier 27 of holding device 10,
into which pipelines 21 open as shown in Fig~ 5. Both carrier
27 and attachment part 26 of share 9 have on their forward sides
flat surfaces 28,29 forming an at least approximate right angle
yin relation to the surface of the ground, in the operating
position shown. The soil building up on these flat surfaces
when the machine is in operation can thus form an angle to oper-
ating direction 5 correspondjllg to their condition, as a result
of which the soil is pushed only slightly sideways, depending
upon the ability of the said soil to flow, and then falls back
onto furrow 30 formed by cutting surfaces 22. This also prevents
_ lDr --
~J369~30
earth and vegetation sliding upwardly upon the carrier and falling
back on each side of furrow 30 onto the surface 4 of the ground.
Furthermore, tubular carrier 27 has an elongated cross
section, as seen in operating direction 5, so that although it
provides an adequate free passage for the materials from the
storage tanks, it does not spread the soil lifted by cutting
surfaces 22 widely apart. It also allows any vegetation in the
upper layer of the soil to slide easily away.
Located at the lower end of tubular carrier 27, termi-
nating inside share 9, is an outlet aperture 31 which merges
into an opening 33 arranged in rear wall 32 of carrier 27. This
prevents any interruption of the flow material from carrier 27,
even under unfavourable operating conditions, for instance a
large amount of residual straw lying upon the surface 4 of the
ground.
Distributor element 34 is secured to the front wall of
carrier 27 in the vicinity of outlet aperture 31, impact surface
35 of the said distributor element projecting rearwardly into
the free space formed by cutting surfaces 22, outlet aperture 31,
and aperture 33. Here again, any interruption in the flow of
material is prevented, even in the case of wet, highly cohesive
soil, since particles of soil, building up from below onto the
distributing element, can form only a cone corresponding to their
condition, even under the most adverse conditions, and this will
still leave the upper part of aperture 33 free. Now in order
to achieve optimal distribution of the particles 19 of material
descending through tubular carrier 27, over the entire width
of furrow 30 formed by cutting surface 22, rear wall 32 is bent
slightly, above aperture 33, towards the front side 28 of carrier
27.
Figs~ 5 and 6 show details of holding device 10 of the
machine illustrated in Fig. 1. According to this, holding device
~6~36~3(1
10 consists of a tubular carrier 27, a guide plate 36 welded tothe upper part thereof, and four rollers 37 mounted rotatably
thereon. Parallel guide 11 also has an upright guide part 38
of tubular design, rollers 37 bearing against inner wall 39 there-
of. This design is characterized by particularly easy access
and in that rollers 37, the mountings thereof, and inner wall 39
serving as a guide, are very simply protected against damage.
The said guide parts could obviously also be in the form of
open sliding rails, not shown, the holding devices being equipped
with smooth sliding surfaces bearing externally or internally
against the sliding rails.
Located at the upper end of tubular carrier 27 are two
inlet connections 40, the one pointing obliquely forwardly and
upwardly and the other obliquely rearwardly and upwardly. The
purpose of this arrangement is to make it possible to connect
pipelines 21 to one of inlet connections 40 from the front or
from the back, depending upon the position of carrier 27, thus
avoiding any sharp bends in pipelines 21. Also connected to the
upper end of carrier 27 is cable 13 for raising and lowering the
hoeing shares.
In this example of embodiment, hoeing share 41 is fitted
to the lower end of carrier 27, the said share consisting of a
chopping blade 42 and an attachment part 43, the said blade being
secured detachably -to the said attachment part, in a manner to be
described hereinafter, and the said attachment part being secured
detachably to carrier 27. This design has the advantage that,
when chopping blade 42 becomes worn, it may be replaced by a simi-
lar blade or by a blade of a different configuration, should it
be desired to vary the width of the strlp of material applied to
the ground. In principle, chopping blade 42 is of exactly the
same design as hoeing share 9, except that the two lateral cutting
surfaces 44 of chopping blade 42 are designed, as a whole, as
- 16 -
~36~;~0
flat areas. Moreover, upright carrier 27 and attachment part 43
each have a flat 28 on their front sides, the said flat forming
an approximate right angle y~in relation to the ground when hoe-
ing share 41 is in its operative position.
Also located on carrier 27, above aperture 33, is a
rearwardly_projecting, offset holder 45, on which is arranyed,
by means of an attachment plate 46, the shaft 47 upon which
pressure roller 48 and guide roller 49 are mounted rotatably.
Both rollers are made in one piece, pressure roller 48 being
located immediately behind hoeing share 41, whereas yuide roller
49 rolls, when in use, upon the surface 4 of the ground at the
side of furrow 30. In this case, pressure roller 48 may be
narrower, but not wider, than furrow 30. Moreover the diameter
of pressure roller 48 is larger than that of yuide roller 49,
thus improving the pressing of the strip of seed. This form of
execution is noted for the great simplicity of its design.
In order to make it possible to alter the depth of
penetration of share 41 and cutting surfaces 44 into the ground,
attachment plate 46 lS arranged to pivot upon holder 45 about
pin 50, the range of pivoting being determined by the length of
hole 52 at upper attachment point 51. In order to make it possi-
ble to lock attachment plate 46 to holder 45, without any special
tools, in any desired position, upper attachment point 51 is in
the form of a screw with a win~ nut 53.
For the purpose of altering the angle of attack ~ of
cutting surfaces 44, guide part 38 of parallel guide 11 is arranged
to pivot on connecting part 12 by means of pin 54. The degree of
pivot is restricted by the elongated hole in lower link,s 55,
through which screw 57 is passed, the said screw carrying a wing
'30 nut 56.
In the example of embodiment illustrated in Figs. 7 to
10, connecting parts 58 secured to frame 1 each have two sheet-
,
~036430
metal plates 59, upon which the parallelogram-type guides 60
are arranged to pivot, each of the said guides consisting of
two upper stn1ts 61 and two lower struts 62, the said struts
being arranged pivotably, by hinges 63,64, on the one hand to
the two sheet-metal plates 59 and, on the other hand, to the
holding device 65. In order to improve the lateral guidance,
plates 59 run rearwardly from hinges 63,64, on both sides,
with little clearance, along the length of struts 61,62.
Holding device 65 has a tubular carrier 66, to the lower, bent
part 67 of which attachment part 69 of hoeing share 69 is
secured by means of bolts 70. Again secured to this attachment-
part 68, by means of countersunk screws 71, is the same chop-
ping blade 42 used in the example of embodiment according to
; Figs. 5 and 6, cutting surfaces 44 thereof also enclosing an
acute angle l3 with the surface 4 of the ground~ as seen in
operating direction 5.
In addition to distributor element 34 arranged below
outlet aperture 31 in the lower part 67 of the carrier and
having its impact surface 35 open towards the rear, attachment
part 68 also has an extension plate 72 projecting rearwardly
beyond each of the cutting surfaces 44 of chopping blade 42,
angle of attack ~ thereof, in relation to surface 4 of the
ground, being substantially less than that of cutting surfaces
44. mese extension plates extend rearwardly the cavity 73 formed
by chopping blades 42 below outlet aperture 31 in lower part
67 of the carrier, so that, at any operating speed, particles
19 of material may be distributed reliably and uniformly over
the entire width of the said cavity, without first being covered
with earth and having their distribution impeded. The flatter
angle of attack ~ of extension plates 72 in turn prevents the
earth lifted by cutting surfaces 44 from sliding away laterally
and thus covering part cles 19 inadequately. Finally, as in the
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~l~1364;~
case of the examples of embodiment previously described, lower
part 67 of carrier 66 is provided with a flat surface 2,3, and
- attachment part 68 is provided with a flat surface 29, on their
front faces forming an at least approximate right angle ~ with
surface 4 of the ground when hoeing share 69 is in its operative
position.
In contrast to holding device 10 illustrated in Fig.
5, the upper part of carrier 66 constitutes a forwardly sloping
inlet connection, whereas rearwardly sloping inlet connection
74 is welded to lower part 67 of the carrier above rear aperture
33 and above forwardly bent rear wall 32. Pipelines 21 may open
either, as shown, into the upper part of carrier 66, or into
inlet connection i4. Also secured to inlet connection 74 is an
offset holder 75 for shaft 47, which again carries pressure rol-
ler 48 and guide roller 49 integral therewith.
As shown clearly in Fig. 7, struts 61 and 62 assume
a slightly sloping position in relation to operating direction
5 when hoeing share 69 is engaged in the ground in its operative
position. Moreover, lower struts 62 project beyond pin 76 in
hinge 64, as seen in Fig. 9, the front ends of the said struts
being united by cross-piece 77. Arranged between cross-piece
77 and hinge pin 76 is a resilient element in the form of a
rubber buffer 78. On this side, struts 62 also have elongated
holes 79, through which hinge pin 76 is passed.
This design provides double protection against damage
for hoeing share 69, holding device 65, parallel guide 60, and
connecting parts 58, should the said share strike a rock or some
other obstacle in the ground. In the first place, rubber buffer
78 allows share 69 to deflect to the rear. Furthermore, the
impact produces, in sloping struts 61,62, an upwardly directed
force component which is enough to lift the share briefly out
of the ground in order to pass over the obstacle. On the other
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11)3643~
hand, the slight slope of struts 61,62 prevents the increasing
soil resistance at hlgh operating speeds from reducing the depth
of penetration of share 69 against the downwardly directed forces
produced by the angle of attack ~ of cutting surfaces 44 and the
weight of holding devices 65, pressure rollers 48, and guide
rollers 49. Rubber buffer 78, or some other resilient element,
may o~ course also be arranged at one of the other hinges 63.
Now in this example of embodiment, in order to be able
to vary both the depth of penetration of share 69 into the ground
and the angle of attack ~ of cutting surfaces 44 in relation to
the surface of the ground, to cope with special conditions, hinges
64 in sheet-metal plates 79 are provided with elongated holes
80 pointing downwardly, hinge pins 76 passing through these holes.
Hinge pins 76 are also connected, by means of linkage 81, to
shaft 82 and eccentric arm 83, the latter being arranged to
pivot upon frame 1 about pin 84 and being connected to actuating
lever 85. Each linkage 81 consists of a fork 86 pivoting about
hinge pin 76, and has a threaded bolt 87, a turnbuckle 88, and
a threaded part 89 mounted rotatably upon shaft 82 and connected
by means of turnbuckle 88 to threaded bolt 87. Located at the
upper end of actuating lever 85 is a handle 90 connected, by
means of a wire 91, with a locking pin 93 enyaging in adjustment
segment 92~
Now if the locking pin is lifted off segment 92 by
moving handle 90 in the direction of arrow 94, and actuating
lever 84 is pivoted in a forward direction, hinge pin 76 in
elongated holes 80 moves obliquely downwards to the rear. This
displaces lower strut 62 in a direction opposite to operating
direction 5, and holding device 65, with share 69 and guide
roller 49, are also pivoted to the rear through a corresponding
angle. The result of this pivoting motion is that angle of
attack ~ of cutting surfaces 44 in relation to the surface of
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~i;3643~
the ground and, in view of the distance between hoeing share
69 and guide roller 49, the depth of penetration of the said
share into the ground also, is increased. Since all parallel
guides 60 are connected to actuating lever 85 by shaft 82, all
shares 69 of the machine undergo the same changes. In -this
connection, turnbuckles 88 make it possible to compensate for
any differences in the basic settings of shares 69.
Now the intentional and adjustable increase in angle
of attack ~ and, simultaneously, of the depth of penetration
of share 69 into the ground, in no way impair the operation of
the machine since, if share 69 penetrates more deeply, the layer
of earth above cutting surfaces 44 is deeper. This earth coheres
to a large degree and therefore falls back again, behind the
share onto furrow 30 produced by cutting surfaces 44, thus cover-
ing particles 19 of material.
In the case of the example of embodiment illustrated
in Figs. 7 to 10, in order to make it possible to lift share
69, pressure roller 48, and guide roller 49 from the ground,
holding devices 65 are connected by a cable 13, according to
Fig. 1, to hydraulic cylinder 14 on the machine.
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