Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- 1091~
This invention relates to soil cultivating implements
of the kind which comprise a plurality of soil working members
that are rotatable about upwardly extending axes.
In known implements of this kind, the shafts that
embody the axes of rotation of the soil working members some-
times require temporary removal from, and subsequent replace-
ment in, frame portions of those implements. This is, in most
cases, a somewhat lengthy operation and it is, accordingly, one
of the objects of the present invention to provide a way of
mounting shafts for this purpose which is such that the operation
of removing and subsequently replacing any shaft can be carried
out both quickly and easily. Other objects of the invention
will become apparent below.
According to the invention there is provided a soil -
cultivating implement compr;sing an elongated frame portion and
a transverse row of rotatable soil working members mounted on
said frame portion, each soil working member having an upwardly -
extending shaft that defines a corresponding axis of rotation
for that member and driv;ng means engaging said shaft, said
driving means comprising a gear connection for the shaft and
said connection being supported by a respective bearing housing,
said frame comprising an assembly of three spaced apart plates
located above one another, said plates defining the walls of an
upper chamber and a lower trough, said gear connection being
positioned within said chamber, at least in part, and said
housing together with bearings being located within said trough,
said housing being releasably secured in openings of the lower
two plates, said member together with corresponding shaft,
housing and bearings being installable into and removable from
said trough.
~` ` -2-
10910'77
For a better understanding of the invention, and
to show how the same may be carried into effect, refer-
ence will now be made, by way of example, to the accom-
panying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a plan view of a soil cultivatingimplement in accordance with the invention connected
to the rear of an agricultural tractor,
Figure 2 i8 a part-sectional plan view, to an
enlarged scale, illustrating a central region of the
implement of Figure 1 in greater detail,
Figure 3 is a section taken on the line III-III
in Figure 2,
Figure 4 is a section taken on the line IV-IV in
Figure 2,
Figure 5 is a section taken on the line V-V in
Figure 3,
Figure 6 i8 a plan view illustrating in greater
detail the construction and arrangement of certain parts
that can be seen in Figure 5,
Figure 7 is a similar view to Figure 5 but il-
lustrates an alternative construction and arrangement
for some parts of the implement,
Figure 8 is a plan view of an alternative form
of soil cultivating implements in accordance with the
invention connected to the rear of an agricultural
tractor, and
Figure 9 is a section, to an enlarged scale,
taken on the line X-X in Figure 8,
Referring to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying
1091~7 7
drawings, the soil cultivating implement that is illus-
trated therein has a supporting frame that is general-
ly indicated by the reference 1, said frame including
a pair of parallel and substantially horizontally dis-
posed beams 2,said beams 2 being spaced apart from one
another in the intended direction of operative travel of
the implement which is indicated by an arrow A with both
of them extending trans~erse, and usually substantially
perpendicular, to the direction A. ~ach of the frame beams .
2 is of hollow construction and has a polygonal cross- -:
section which it is preferred should be squ~re as can
be seen in ~igure 4 of the drawings. Each beam 2 is
arranged so that, with the preferred square cross-section
or an~ other polygonal cross-section, at least one flat
side thereof is horizontally or substantially horizontal-
ly disposed~ ~he ends of the beams 2 are interconnected
by substantially vertically disposed side plates 3 of
the supporting frame 1,said side plates 3 being sub-
stantially parallel to one another and to the direction
A and being dimensioned so that both of them pro~ect
both forwardly beyond, and rearwardly behind, the two
frame beams 2 with respect to the direction A. A number,
such as four, of strengthening strips 2A extend sub-
stantially horizontally parallel to the direction A in
interconnecting relationship with the two frame beams
2. Bars 4 of ~-shaped cross-section are secured to the
two upright sides of the two square cross-section frame
beams 2 that face one another, the permanent connections
being effected by welding with the bars 4 located close
lO9iO77
to the tops of the two beams 2. Each bar 4 has its sub-
stantially vertical limb welded to the upright side of
the corresponding beam 2 in such a way that the sub-
stantially horizontal limb thereof projects from the
substantially vertical limb towards the other bar 4. As
can be seen in Figure 4 of the drawings, this arrange-
ment disposes the two substantially horizontal limbs of
the two beams 4 at a le~el just above that of the tops
of the two beams 2 and in regularly spaced apart relation-
ship, throughout their lengths, between said beams 2.
Six gear boxes 5 are secured by substantially
vertically disposed bolts 8 to the substantially
horizontal limbs of the bars 4 in such a way that said
six gear boxes 5 extend in a row in substantially
regularly spaced apart relationship in a substantially
horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the dir-
ection A, the spacings between the two end gear boxes
5 of the row and the corresponding adjacent side plates
3 of the ~upporting frame 1 being substantiall~ the same
as is the distance between any two immediately neighbour-
ing gear boxes 5 in the row (see ~igure 1). Each gear box
5 comprises an upper part 6 and a lower part 7, said
parts 6 and 7 being releasably secured to one another
by the same bolts 8 as are employed to secure the whole
gear box 5 concerned to the substantially horizontally
disposed limbs of the bars 4. ~he upper part 6 of each
gear box 5 has its greatest width in a direction parallel
to the direction A at its centre and tapers from this
central region in two opposite directions, that are both
lO~iO~7
perpendicular to the direction A, towards its opposite
ends. ~he lower part 7 of each gear box 5 incorporates
a substantially horizontally disposed upper flange from
the centre of which integrall~ depends a housing 9 for
corresponding axially aligned lower and upper ball
bearings 10 and 10A. ~he bearings 10 and 10A are vertical-
ly spaced apart from one another and rotatably carry a
corresponding upwardly extending shaft 11 whose longitu-
dinal axis a (axis of rotation) will usually be vertical-
1~ or substantially vertically disposed. The outer race
of each upper ball bearing 10A is supported from beneath
b~ an internal shoulder of the corresponding housing 9
whilst its inner race surrounds, and bears against a
shoulder of, the hub of a corresponding crown wheel or
bevel pinion 14 that is internall~ splined for mounting
on the corresponding externally splined upper end of the
shaft 11 concerned. Each crown wheel or bevel pinion 14
is disposed inside the upper part 6 of the corresponding
gear box 5.
The inner race of each lower ball bearing 10
bears at its lower end against a shoulder 15A of the
corresponding shaft 11 whilst the upper end of its
outer race bears against an internal shoulder of the
corresponding housing 9. Each shoulder 15A i9 surrounded
by a sealing ring or the like which extends between that
shoulder and the internal wall of the corresponding
housing 9, the lowermost end of each housing 9 being
closed by a ring or washer 16 whose inner edge closel~
surrounds the shaft 11 concerned immediately beneath
-' 1091077
its shoulder 15A. The lowermost end of each housing 9
is thus closed to an extent sufficient to ensure
lubricant retention and the substantial e~clusion of
external dirt. The lower surface of each ring or washer
16 bears against the upper surface of a hub 17 of a cor-
responding rotary soil working member that is generally
indicated by the reference 12. The hubs 17 of the six
rotary 80il working members 12 are internally splined
for co-operation with external splines on lower portions
of the six shafts 11 that project downwardly from beneath
the botto~ of the six housings 9. The hubs 17 are
prevented from becoming axially detached from the shafts
11 by washers 13 and retain-ing nuts 19, the latter being
mounted on short screwthreaded stub shafts at the lower-
most ends of the shafts 11 and preferably being provided
with transverse split pins or the like so as positively
to prevent the retaining nuts 19 from working loose
during the operation of the implement.
Each hub 17 is disposed integrally at the centre
of a support 18 of the corresponding rotary 80il work-
ing member 12 and it will be seen from the drawings
that each support 18 comprises two arms that extend
in radially opposed relationship from the corresponding
hub 17, the outer ends of said two arms being bent over
downwardly through angles that are marginally greater
than 90. ~he lower ends of the bends that have ~st
been mentioned effectively coincide with flanges 20
and, beneath said flanges 20, integral stub shafts 21
are provided. The angular magnitudes of the bends in
,.................................. . .
:; . . . . .
10910~7
the arms of each support 18 are, in fact, such that the
longitudinal axis b of each stub shaft 21 is inclined
at not less than substantially 5 and not more than
substantially 10 to the longitudinal axis a of the
corresponding shaft 11, an inclination of substantial-
ly 6 being preferred. Since the bends in the arms of
each support 18 have magnitudes of marginally more than
90, the axes b are, of course, in downwardly converg-
ent relationship with the corresponding axes a and it
will be noted that, in fact , each axis a and the cor-
responding two axes b are contained in a common sub-
stantiall~ vertically disposed plane.
Each stub shaft 21 rotatably supports, by means
of axially spaced apart upper and lower ball bearings
22, a corresponding cultivating tool that is generally
indicated by the reference 24. ~he outer races of the
two bearings 22 that correspond to each tool 24 are
maintained in spaced apart relationship by internal
shoulders of a hub 2~, each hub 2~ being maintained in
its appointed axial position with respect to the cor-
responding stub shaft 21 by means which includes a
circlip 25, each circlip 25 also maintaining a lower
cap or cover 26 just inside the lower end of the cor-
responding hub 23 in dirt-excluding relationship with
the lower end of the stub shaft 21 concerned and its
bearings 22. ~ach hub 2~ forms part of a corresponding
tool support 27 having three straight arms that radiate
from said hub 2~ at 120 intervals around the axis b of
the corresponding stub shaft 21. ~he radially outer
1091077
end of each arm 27 carries a corresponding tine holder
28 which is of upwardly tapering configuration. Each
tine holder 28 receives the fastening portion 29 of a
corresponding rigid tine 30, the fastening portions
29 being retained in the holders 28 by fastening nuts
31 mounted on short screwthreaded parts of the fasten-
ing portions 29 that project upwardly above the upper
ends of the holders 28. Each upwardly tapering tine
holder 28 is of polygonal outer cross-section and it
will be seen from the drawings that this cross-section
is preferably a square one. The internal bore of each
h~lder 28 has a matching square or other polygonal
cross-section and the parts of the fastening portions
29 of the tines 30 that are received therein also have
the same cross-section so that said fastening portions
29 cannot turn about their longitudinal axes in the
holders 28 once they have ~een secured therein by the
nuts 31. ~he internal bores of the holders 28 and the
parts of the tine fastening portions 29 that co-operate
therewith are, like the external profiles of the holders
28, of upwardly taperi~g configuration.
The fastening portion 29 of each tine 30 is in-
tegrally connected to a soil working portio~ 32 of that
tine in such a way that the longitudinal axes of the two
straight portions 29 and 32 are inclined to one ano`ther,
at the integral junction between them, by an angle of
not less than substantially 15. ~he soil working por-
tion 32 of each tine 30 is of square or at least rect-
angular cross-section, as illustrated, or has some other
lO9iO7~
polygonal cross-section and it tapers gently in a down-
ward direction towards its lowermost free end or tip
from its integral ~unction with the correspo~ding fast-
ening portion 29. With the preferred substantially
square cross-section of each soil working portion 32
and of the corresponding fastening portion 29 (except
the uppermost screwthreaded part thereof), each tine
30 can be set in any one of four different angular
positions around the longitudinal axis of the corres-
ponding holder 28, reference being made, in this con-
nection, to Figure 6 of the drawings which illustrates
one such angular setting in full lines and the other
three possible angular settings in broken lines. Clear-
ly, all that is required to bring one of the tines 30
from one such angular setting to one of the other pos-
sible settings, i8 to release the co-opercting nut 31,
draw the fa~tening portion 29 downwardly until it is
clear of the interior of the co-operating holder 28,
turn the tine through the required angle of 90 or
180 about the longitudinal axis of its fastening por-
tion 29j e~ter that faste~ing portion 29 upwardly in
the new setting into the co-operating holder 28, and
finally r~place the retaining nut 31. It will be ap-
preciated that the ability to reposition the tines 30
of each cultivating tool 24 of each rotary soil wor~ing
member 12 enableg the widths of the strips of soil that
are worked by the three tines 30 of each tool 24, during
operation of the implement, to be varied.
~he distance between the longitudinal axes b of
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lO~iO77
the two stub shafts 21 of each member 12 is, at the
level o~ those stub shafts 21, not greater than sub-
stantially 50 centimetres, a spacing o~ substantially
35 centimetres being preferred. The distance between
the axes of rotation a of each pair of immediately neigh-
bouring shafts 11 is not more than substantiall~ 50 centi-
metres. Fi~ures 3 and 5 o~ the drawings show that, in
addition to the arms of the support 18, each soil work-
ing member hub 17 haæ two downwardly and outwardly dir-
ected, and diametrically opposed, arms of a further,
shorter, support 33 secured to it in such a way that,
as viewed lengthwise of the corresponding axis a, the
arms of the support 33 extend perpendicular to the arms
of the corresponding support 18. ~he outer ends of the
arms of the supports 33 have tine holders 28 that are
substantially identical to the previousl~ described
holders 28 secured to them and each holder 28 receives
the fastening portion of a corresponding rigid soil
working tine 34. ~he tines 34 are constructed and
mounted in the same way as the previously described
tines 28 except that they are of somewhat greater axial
length and that their straight soil working portions are
substantially coaxial with their straight fastening por-
tions instead of being inclined thereto at angles of not
less than substantially 15 as in the case o~ the tines
30.
~ he crown wheel or bevel pinion 14 that is carried
at the upper end of each shaft 11 inside the upper part
of the corresponding gear box 5 has its teeth in driven
- 11 -
1091077
mesh with those of a corresponding bevel pinion 15. In
the two ~ear boxes 5 that are located at the opposite
ends of the row of six such gear boxes, the correspond-
ing pinions 15 are mounted on substantially horizontally
disposed shafts 35. ~he shafts 35 extend along said row
inwardly towards the midpoint of that row through hori-
zontal bearings carried by the walls of the gear boxes 5
and through tubular connecting members 36 that inter-
connect the successive gear boxes 5. The opposite ends
of each tubular connecting member 36 are proviaed with
perpendicular flanges 37, a plurality of strengthening
ribs 38 being furnished between each flange 37 and the
neighbouring region of the exter al cylindrically cur-
ved surface of the connecting member 36 concerned, said
ribs 38 being contained in planes that are parallel to
the lengths of the corresponding me~bers 36. ~he ;nner
ends of the two rotarY shafts 35 are connected, inside
the upper parts 6 of the corresponding inner pair of
gear boxes 5, to substantially coaxial driving shafts
40, the ends of the shafts 35 and 40 being externally
splined and the connections between them being effect-
ed by surrounding internally splined sleeves 39. If
preferred, each sleeve 39 can be fixed to one of the
co-operating shafts 35 and 40 so as to function, in
effect, as an internally splined socket for the recept-
ion of the splined end of the other co-operating shaft.
A central gear box 41 is provided between the two
innermost gear boxes 5 in place of one of the tubular
connecting members 36, the two driving shafts 40 being
- 12 -
1091077
rotatably journalled in the central gear box 41 in such
a way that their outermost ends project therefrom into
the adjoining gear boxes 5. ~he hubs of two bevel pin-
ions 42 are mounted on the adjoining splined ends of the
two driving shafts 40 inside the central gear box 41 and
the teeth of a smaller bevel pinion 43 are in driving
engagement with the teeth of both bevel pinions 42 so
that, during operation, said pinions 42 and their driving
shafts 40 will revolve in opposite direction. ~he bevel
pinion 43 is secured to the inner end of a substantially
horizontal rotary input shaft 44 (Figure 2) of the central
gear box 41 that projects forwardly from the front of that
gear box in a direction parallel or substantially parallel
to the direction A~ The forwardly projecting splined or
otherwise keyed end of the input shaft 44 is intended to
be placed in driven connection with the power take-off
shaft at the rear of an ag-.ricultural tractor or other
operating vehicle by way of an intermediate telescopic
tra~smission shaft that is of a construction which is
known ~ se having universal joints at its opposite
ends. The longitudinal axis of the input shaft 44
perpendicularly intersects the common longitudinal ~xis
of the driving shafts 40 upon which the bevel pinions
42 are mounted. The two driving shafts 40 are provided,
inside the gear boxes 5 that are the immediate neighbours
of the central gear box 41, with further bevel pinions
15 that co-operate drivingly with the corresponding crown
wheels or bevel pinions 14 in the same manner as has
already been described for the bevel pinions or crown
- 13 -
lO9iU77
wheels 14 and co-operating bevel pinions 15 in the other
four gear boxes 5 of the row of six such gear boxes.
~ wo shield plates 45 that are usually substantial-
ly vertically disposed are arranged near the side plates
3 of the supporting frame 1 immediately beyond the oppo-
site ends of the row of six rotary soil working members
12. ~he upper edge of each shield plate 45 is connected
by a corresponding pair of arms 44A to su4stantially hori-
zontally aligned pivots 43A which define axes that are
substantially parallel to the direction A, said pivots
43A being mounted on top of the frame beams 2 at short
distances inwardly from the ends of those beams. The
lower edges of the shield plates 45 are shaped to slide
over the ground surface in the direction A during oper-
ation of the implement and the fact that said plates 45
are turnable upwardl~ and downwardly about the a~es
which are defined by the pairs of pivots 4~A enables
said plates to match any undulations in the surface of
the ground that may be met with during operation. The'
shield plates 45 minimise ridging at the opposite edges
of the broad strip of soil that is wor~ed by the implement
and greatly reduce the number of stones and like
potentially dangerous objects that are flung laterally
of the path of travel by its rotating soil working mem-
bers 12. Substantially horizontally aligned stub shafts
46 are provided in central regions of the two side plates
~ and corresponding arms 47 are turnable upwardly and
dow~wardl~ about those stub shafts 46 alongside the
outer surfaces of the two side plates ~. ~he arms 47
- 14 -
1091077
extend rearwardly from the stub shafts 46 with respect
to the direction A and project rearwardly beyond the
side plates 3. Rear edge regions o~ the two side plates
3 are formed with curved rows of holes 48A in which each
hole 48A is at the same distance from the axis defined
by the two stub shafts 46. Each arm47 is formed with
a single hole at the same distance from said axis and
that hole can be brought into register with any chosen
one of the corresponding row of holes 48A b~ turning
the arm 47 concerned to an appropriate angular position
about the stub shaft 56 upon which it is mounted. Bolts
48 are provided for horizontal entry through the single
holes in the arms 47 and through chosen holes 48A to fix
the arms 47 releasably in corresponding angular settings
about said axis. The rearmost ends of the arms 47 with
respect to the direction A are provided with su~sta~tial-
ly horizontally aligned bearings 49 which receive horizon-
tal stub shafts 50 at the opposite ends of a rotatable
supporting member in the form of a ground roller 51. ~he
roller 51 comprises a central axially disposed tubular
support 52 to which seven substantially c~rcular support
plates 52A are secured at regularly spaced apart inter-
vals with two of said plates 52A located at the opposite
ends of the support 52. ~he seven support plates 52A
are all su~stantially vertically disposed in parallel
relationship with one another and substantially parallel
relationship with the direction A. ~ach of the support
plates 52A is formed close to its circumference with a
number of holes that are regularly spaced apart from one
- 15 -
lOgl~77
another around the longitudinal axis of the central tub-
ular support 52. In the case of each of the first, second,
fourth, sixth and seventh of said plates 52A cou~ting from
either end of the roller, there are twelve of said holes
that are spaced apart from one another at re~;ular 30
intervals around said axis whilst, in the case of each
of the third and fifth plates 52A counting from either
end of the roller 51, there are twent;sr-four of said holes
that are spaced apart from one another at regular 15
intervals around the longitudinal a~is of the support 52.
Ihree groups of elongated elements 53 of rod-
like formation are entered through the various holes
that are close to the peripheries of the support plates 52A
and it will be seen from Figure 1 of the drawings that,
considered in a direction parallel to the longitudinal
axis of the central support 52 of the roller 51, each
element 53 has a length which is a little in excess of
the distance between one of the support plates 52A and
the plate 52A that is next but one along the roller 51
therefrom. Each element 53 is entered with some clearance
through the holes in the three plates 52A with which it
co-operates and transverse pins are entered through bores
formed very close to its opposite ends to prevent u~-
wa~Lted axial disengagement of each element 53 from the
corresponding plates 521~. It can be seen from Figure 1
of the drawings that the three groups o~ elements 5
are arranged in immediatel;y succeeding relationship
along the length of the roller 51 with said groups
successively overlapping at the third and fifth plates
- 16 -
10 9 i~r7
52A counting from either end of the roller 51. It
will be remembered that it are these plates that are
each formed with twent~-four, rather than twelve,
peripheral holes, said twent~-four holes alternately
receiving the ends of the twelve elements 5~ of each
of the two groups of those elements that overlap at
the plate 52Aconcerned. It will also be noted from
Figure 1 of the drawings that each eleme~t 53 is
formed at substantially its midpoint with a sharp
angular bend or "kink", said bends or kinks thus regis-
tering with the peripheral holes in the second, fourth
and sixth support plates 52A cou~ting from either end
of the roller 51 and said elements 53 being so disposed
that the angular point which is defined b~ each bend or
kink is orientated rearwardly with respect to the direc-
tion A when said bend or kink is in contact with or
ver~ close to, the ground surface during the operation
of the implement. Moreover, each group of twelve bends
or kinks and the support plate 52A with which the~ cor-
respond is contained in a corresponding substantially
vertical plane that is substantiall~ parallel to the
direction A and which passes midway between the axes of
rotation a of the shafts 11 of two co-oprating rotary
soil working members 12. "Co-operating" means that the
directions of positive rotation of the two members 12
concerned are such that parts of those members move
rearwardl~ with respect to the direction A when in the
proximit~ of the planes that have just bee~ defined,
reference being made to the arrows shown in ~igures 1
- 17 -
10~
and 5 of the drawings thatdenote the directions of oper- .
ative rotation of the members 12 about the longitudinal
axes a of the corresponding shafts 11.
In addition to the stub shafts 46, the central
regions of the two side plates ~ also carry substantial-
ly horizontally aligned stub shafts 54 that are quite
close to the stub shafts 46 but that are located forward-
ly therefrom with reference to the direction A. Arms 55
are turnable upwardly and downwardly about the stub shafts
54 alongside the outer surfaces of the side plates 3, said
arms 55 extending forwardly to locations beyond the leading
edges of the side plates 3 with respect to the direction
A, the leading ends of said arms 55 being inclined steeply
downwardly (see Figure 4). Curved rows of holes 56A are
formed close to the leading edges of the side plates 3
with each hole 56A at the same distance from the axis
defined by the aligned stub shafts 54. ~he arms 55 are
formed with single holes tha~ are at the same distance
from said axis and bolts 56 are provided for horizontal
entry tbrough the single holes in the arms 55 and
chosen holes 56A to secure the arms 55 releasably in
corresponding angular positions about the substantially
horizontal axis defined by the stub shafts 54. ~he leading
lower ends of the arms 55 are perpendicularly interconnected
by a substantially horizontally disposed levelling member
which comprises a hollow beam 57 having a pol~gonal cross-
section which, as illustrated, is preferably square, the
dispostion of said square cross-section beam 57 being
such that one diagonal between two opposite corner thereof,
- 18 -
1091077
as seen in ~igure 4, is substantially vertically dis-
posed. ~he levelling member also comprises a bar 57A
of ~-shaped cross-section that is secured to the beam
57 and/or to the arms 55 in such a way that one of its
limbs is substantially coplanar with that side wall of
the beam 57 which is at the front of the beam with
respect to the direction A and in upwardl~ and forwardly
oblique relationship with the ground surface from its
lower to its upper edge, the "forward" direction again
being relative to the direction A. ~he leading frame
beam 2 is provided, midway between the general planes of
the two side plates 3 of the supporting frame 1, with
a coupling member or trestle 58 that is of generally
triangular configuration as seen in front or rear ele-
vation. ~he construction and mode of use of the coupling
member or trestle 58 are known ~ se but it will be not-
ed that the co~nection of the coupling member or trestle
58 to the supporting frame 1 is strengthened by the pro-
vision of two tie beams 59 which interco~nect the apex
of said member or trestle 58 and two horizontall~ spaced
apart locations at the top of the rear frame beam 2.
~he two tie beams 59 are steeply divergent in both down-
ward ana rearward directions from the a.pex of the coupling
member or trestle 58 with respect to the direction A.
In the use of the soil cultivating implement that
has been described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the
drawings, its coupling member or trestle 58 is co~nected to
the f,ree ends of the lifting links of a three-point
lifting device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural
- 1~ -
10 9 1~r7
tractor or other operating vehicle in the generally known
manner which can be seen in outline in ~igure 1 of the
drawings and the rotary input shaft 44 of the central
gear box 41 is placed in driven connection with the power
take-off shaft of the same tractor or other operating veh-
icle by wa~ of the aformentioned intermediate telescopic
transmission shaft (not shown), of known construction,
which has universal joints at its opposite ends. The
maximum depth of penetration of the tines 30 and ~4 into
the soil which is possible is dictated by the level of
the axis of rotation of the roller 51 relative to that of
the remainder of the implement and this level is set by
bringing the arms 47 to appropriate angular positions
about the axis afforded by the stub shafts 46 and subse-
quently entering the bolts 48 through corresponding holes
48A and tightening those bolts, ~he levelling member
which comprises the parts 57 and 57A is also ad~usted
in position before work commences so that said position
will substantially correspond in height, relative to the
supporting frame 1, to the position chosen for the roller
51. ~he bevel pinions 15 are so disposed on the shafts
35 and 40 relative to the crown wheels or bevel pinions
14 with which the~ drivingly co-operate that immediately
neighbouring soil working members 12 are positively ro-
tated about the corresponding axes a in the directions
that are indicated by arrows in ~igures 1 and S of the
drawings, it being noted that each member 12 revolves
about the corresponding axis a in a direction which is
opposite to that of its neighbour, or both of its neigh-
- 20 -
1~910'77
bours, in the single row of six members 12. During the
positive rotation of the members 12 about the axes a,
the cultivating tools 24 will simultaneously revolve
in a more or less regular m~nner around the corresponding
axes b in the directions that are indicated by small ar-
rows in Figure 5. It will be remembered that the axes b
are inclined to the corresponding axes a at angles of be-
tween substantially 5 and substantially 10, preferably
substantially 6, the two axes b that correspond to each
member 12 being in downwardly convergent coplanar rela-
tionship with one another and with the axis a concerned.
~he disposition of the axes b relative to the axes a en-
sures that the soil working portions 32 of those tines
30 which, at any instant, are further from the axis a
concerned than is their own axis of rotation b, penetrate
into the soil more deeply than do the portions 32 of
the tines ~0 of the same tool 24 that, at the same in-
stant, are nearer to the axis of rotation a than is
their own axis of rotation b. ~his arrangement, together
with the inclined relationship of the soil working por-
tions 32 to the vertical, produces the more or less
regular rotation of the tools 24 about the a~es b in the
directions that are indicated by small arrows in Figure 5,
such rotation being ground-driven rotation as the result
of the contact of the soil working portlons 32 of the
tines 30 with the ground. It will be appreciated that,
should one or more of the soil working tine portions 32
meet a~ embedded stone or other substantially immovable
obstacle, the rotation of the tool 24 concerned a~bout
- 21 -
10~ ll)'77
its axis b may be temporarily halted or even be momen-
tarily reversed in direction. ~he free rotatability of
the tools 24 about the axes b considerably reduces the
likelihood of breakage of, or serious damage to, the
tines 30 upon meeting more or less immovable obstacles
in the soil since, generally speaking, the tines 30 are
capable of circumnavigating such obstacles unless they
are considerably greater in size than is usual in
previously worked agricultural land.
Each rotary soil working member 12, which includes
the tines 34 as well as the tined tools 24, works a strip
Gf land having a width of between substantially 55 centi-
metres and substantially 60 centimetres, the working width
of each individual tool 24 being substantially 20 centi-
metresS In addition to performing its supporting and con-
sequent depth-controlling function, the roller 51 that
immediately follows the members 12 over the OEound will
tend to crush any unbroken lumps of soil that may be left
upon the ground surface by the tines 30 and 34 of the
members 12. The levelling member which comprises the
parts 57 and 57A at the front of the implement brings the
soil that is to be worked by the members 12 to a sub-
stantially level condition before being engaged by the
tines 30 and 34. ~he use of the levelling member is
particularly advantageous when the implement is to deal
with previously ploughed land. ~he shield plates 45 that
are disposed beyond the opposite ends of the row of
fixed soil working members 12 prevent, or considerably
minimise, the formation of soil ridges at the margins of
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lO9iO77
the broad strip of land that is worked by the implement,
such soil ridges tending to contain soil that is crumbled
to a different extent from the soil that is located be-
tween the margins of said strip of land.
It has already been mentioned, with particular
reference to ~igure 6 of the drawings, that each tine
30 can occupy any chosen one of four different angular
positions about the upwardly extending axis of the holder
28 with which its fastening portion 29 co-operates, the
different angular positions of the tines 30 which are
possible being such as to vary the speed of rotation of
the tools 24 about the axes b and to vary the working
widths of the tools 24 and thus of the members 12. ~he
tines 30 are shown in Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, and
in full lines in Figure 6 thereof, as occupying positions
in which their soil working portions 32 are trailing with
respect to the directions in which the tools 24 will be
rotated about the axes b, by ground contact, during
operation of the implement. Referring to Figure 6 of the
drawings, it will be seen that each tine 30 can be
angularly displaced through 90 to a position in which
the working width of the corresponding tool 24 is either
increased, or decreased, as compared with the position
of the ti~e ~0 that is shown in full lines in Figure 6,
or can be displaced angularly through 180 to a position
in which the wor~ing width of the tool 24 remains substan-
tially unaltered but in which the soil working portion ~2
of the tine is inclined forwardly so as to lead, rather
than trail, with respect to the intended direction of
- 2~ -
1091077
ground-driven rotation of the tool 24 about its axis b.
Although the tines 34 are illustrated as being straight
tines, they may, in fact, have substantially the same
formation as the tines 30 in which case each such tine
34 will be capable of occupying any chosen one of four
different angular positions relative to its holder 28
in much the same way as is illustrated in ~igure 6 of
the drawings for the ti~es 30. The soil working members
12 of the implement produce a thorough and effective
cultivation of the soil since the axes of rotation b of
the two tools 24 o~ each member 12 are spaced apart from
one another, at the level of the stub shaft 21, by a dis-
tance which is not greater, and is preferably less, tha~
50 centimetres whilst the axes of rotation a of immediate-
ly neighbouring members 12 are spaced apart from one ano-
ther by a distance which has a magnitude of not more than
substa~tially 50 centimetres.
~ he angular bends or kinks in the elements 53 of
the roller 51 are located in register, in the direction
A, with the regions between the two members 12 of each
of the three pairs of those members in which a majority
of the soil displaced by the tines 30 and 34 during the
operation of the implement is actually delivered rear-
wardly and it will be remembered that, at substantially
ground le~el, each element 53 extends rearwardly from
its angular bend or kink in two different directions
that are ~ot diametrically opposite directions. ~his
arrangement tends to spread the displaced soil which
reaches the central regions o~ the three groups of
- 24 -
lO9iO77
elements 53 of the roller 51 laterally so as to produce
an even and substantially unridged broad strip of worked
soil. Distributing members that are generall~ indicated
by the reference 61 may be provided, as illustrated, to
initiate and improve the sprading effect of the roller
51 that has just been described and thatleads to a sub-
stantially uniform distribution o* the worked soil
throughout the width of the broad strip of land that is
cultivated by the implement. Each distributing member
61 is turnable about a corresponding upwardly extending
axis and is located, with respect to the direction A,
between the soil working members 12 and the roller 51.
Each member 61 comprises two rearwardl~ bent-over, and
rearwardly divergent, with respect to the direction A,
displacing portions 62 that are substantially in register,
in the direction A, with the regions between the co-op-
ating pairs of members 12 in which the soil that is worked
by those members 12 is delivered rearwardly. ~ach displa-
cing portion 62 has a corresponding upright rim 60A and
each member 61 is carried at the lowermost end of a
corresponding arm 61A, said arms 61A being substantially
vertically disposed and being entred turnably through
holes in upper and lower lugs 62A that are secured to
the back wall of the rear frame beam 2 close to the
upper and lowermost edges of that wall. Moreover, in
addition ~o being turnably mounted in the holes in the
lugs 62A, each arm 61A is upwardly and downwardly ad~ust-
able in level relative to the supporting frame 1 to which
end it is provided with a vertical row of transverse holes
- 25 -
10~ 7 7
63B and with a pair of retaining pins 63A that can be
entered through any chosen holes 63B at positions
immediately above, and below, one of the lugs 62A. This
arrangementmaintains a substantially constant chosen
level of each arm 61A and the corresponding distributing
member 61 whilst allowing that arm and member to be
turnable about the substantially vertical, or at least
upwardly extending, axis of the arm 61A concerned. ~he
construction that has just been described is illustrated
in detail in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings.
Since the roller 51 is provided with three groups
of the elongated elements 5~, said groups being angular-
ly staggered about the longitudinal axis of the central
tubular support 52, and since each element 5~ is movable
to a very limited extent relative to the support plates
52A (the limitation as to movement being dictated by the
positions of the transverse retaining pins at the ends of
the elements 5~ and the sizes and positions of the holes
in the support plates 52A), the roller 51 will rotate
smoothly and steadily during operative progress of the
implement in the direction A, the elements 53 in each
of the three successively ad~oining groups thereof being
effective in working the soil in co-operation with the
foregoing positively rotated members 12.
The construction and disposition of the gear
boxes 5 and 41 are such that the drive tr~nsmission that
is accommodated therein is readily accessible for partial
or complete dismantling and installation purposes~ ~or
example, it is only necessary to remove the appropriate
- 26 -
~091~77
bolts 8 to enable the lower part 7 of one of the gear
boxes 5 to be removed downwardly together with the cor-
responding bearing housing 9, crown wheel or bevel pinion
14 and shaft 11. Obviously, replacement is effected in an
equall;y simple manner merely b;sr introducing the removed
assembl~ upwardly into position from beneath the supporting
frame 1. The upper parts 6 of the gear boxes 5 remain in
their appointed positions since they are laterally inter-
connected b;y the tubular members 36. It is noted that, ~
in the central gear box 41, drive is transmitted from the "'!
rotary input shaft 44 to the coaxial driving shafts 40
b;y two separate bevel pinions 42 rather than by wa~sr of a
single bevel pinion. This arrangement enables the bevel
pinions 42 to be of considerably lighter construction
than would be necessary if a single bevel pinion were to
be employed.
Figure 7 of the drawings illustrates a modigica-
tion of the implement of Figures 1 to 6 in which the soil
working members 12 are replaced b;y rotary soil working
members 12A each of which members 12A comprises a support
18A having three arms which radiate from the correspond-
ing hub 17 at 120 intervals around the axis a concern-
ed. The tines 34 and their supports 33 are not provided
in the embodiment of Figure 7 and, instead, the free end
of each arm of each support 18A i8 provided with a cor-
responding stub shaft 21 upon which a rotar;y ground-dri-
ven cultivating tool 24 is rotatabl;sr mounted in the same
manner as has already been described with reference to
Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings. In the case of the em-
-- 27 --
~91077
bodiment of Figure 7 of the drawings, the three axes ofrotation b of the three cultivating tools 24 of each mem-
ber 12A are all inclined to the corresponding axis a by
the same angles as in the case of the embodiment of Fig-
ures 1 to 6 of the drawings and, in fact, are contained
in a downwardly tapering imaginary conical surface whose
imaginary apex, where the three axes b intersect, is also
coincident with the corresponding axis a, the latter af-
fording the central axis of the imaginary cone.
~ igures 8 and 9 of the drawings illustrate a soil
cultivating implement in accordance with the invention
which is similar, or identical, in many respects, to the
implement that has already been described with reference
to Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings. The similar or identi-
cal parts of the implement of ~igures 8 and 9 of the draw- --
ings are denoted by the same references as have already
been employed in Figures 1 to 6 and will not be described
again in detail. In the embodiment of Figures 8 and 9 of
the drawings, each rotary soil working member 12 is mount-
ed on a lower end region of a correæponding substantially
vertical, or at least upwardly extending,shaft 63. Each
shaft 63 is rotatably supported by axially spaced apart
upper and lower ball bearings 64 that are mounted intern-
all~ of a surrounding bearing housing 65, the outer races
of the two ball bearings 64 abutting against internal
shoulders of the housing 6~. The inner race of each upper
bearing 64 surrounds a collar of the corresponding shaft
63 and, immediately above that collar, the shaft 63 is
formed with a short screwthreaded portion. A nut 66 is
109iO77
mounted on the screwthreaded portion to bear downwardly
against the upper surface of the inner race of the cor-
responding upper ball bearing 64, a sealing ring or other
stuffing material being interposed between the nut 66 and
the bearing 64. The lower surface of the inner race of
each lower ball bearing 64 abuts against the top of a
further collar 68 of the corresponding shaft 63 and the :
hub 17 of the corresponding soil working member support
18 is secured against axial displacement along the splined
portion of the corresponding shaft 63 that projects from
beneath the bottom of the bearing housing 65 concerned by
the retaining nut 19, a co-operating washer at the lower
end of the hub 17 and a sealing washer 69 at the upper
end thereof. Moreover, as can be seen in Figure 9 of the
drawings, each collar 6~ is surrounded, above the corres-
ponding sealing washer 69, by a sealing ring, the sealing
mem~ers being arranged to retain a lubricant supply for
the bearings 64 and to exclude external dirt from that
lubricant supply. It will be noted that each sealing
washer 69 closes the bottom of the corresponding bearing
housing 65. ~ach bearing housing 65 is sustained by a
sheet steel part of a frame portion that is generally
indicated by the reference 70, the longitudinal axis of
the hollow frame portion 70 extending substa~tially hori-
zontally transverse, and usually substantially horizontal-
ly perpendicular, to the intended direction of operative
trave1 A of the implement. The longitudinal axis of the
hollow frame portion 70 is also contained in a substantial-
ly vertical, or at least upwardly extending, plane that
- ?9 -
1091077
contains the axes of rotation a of the six central shafts
63 of the six soil working members 12, said plane being
disposed transverse, and usually substantially perpendic-
ular, to the direction A.
The hollow frame portion 70 comprises an upper
chamber 71 and a lower trough 72 located immediately be-
neath the chamber 71, the longitudinal axes of said
chamber 71 and trough 72 being parallel to one another
and substantially horizontally disposed. As can be seen
in Figure 9 of the drawings, the chamber 71 is of substan-
tially oblong cross-section whilst the trough 72 has a sub-
stantially isosceles triangular cross-section, the broad
base of said triangle ~ing located uppermost to coincide
with the bottom of the chamber 71. The chamber 71 has
upper and lower walls 73 and 74 that are both formed from
sheet material, the upper wall 73 comprising a substan-
tially horizo~tal portion that has obliquely downwardly
divergent front and rear edges of symmetrically identical
construction. ~ach of said front and rear edges is pro-
vided with a horizontally bent-over clamping rim 75 that
extends throughout the length (transverse to the direction
A) of the ~ge of the wall 73 concerned. ~he lower wall
74 is of inverted substantially symmetrically identical
construction to the upper wall 73 and thus comprises a sub-
stantially hoD~ontal portion flanked by upwardly oblique-
ly divergent front and rear edges that are both ~ormed with
horizontally bent-over clamping rims 76 that, like the
rims 75, extend throughoutthe transverse lengths of the
front and rear edges of the wall 74. With this substan-
- 30 -
1~910'~7
tially symmetrically identical construction of the walls
73 and 74, the rims 75 of the wall 73 are spaced from the
horizontal portion thereof by substantiall;y the same dis-
tance as are the rims 76 from the substantially horizontal
portion of the wall 74. The trough 72 has a substantially
horizontally disposed central portion that is relatively
narrow in the direction A, said central portion being a
portion of a sheet metal wall 77 which is bent over at the
front and rear edges of said portion so as to form further
symmetrically disposed upwardly divergent portions. The
upper edges of these divergent portions are, in turn, bent
over to form further less steeply divergent portions which
bear against the outer surfaces of the upwardly divergent
front and rear edges of the lower wall 74 of the chamber
71, said less steeply divergent portions te~minating in
horizontally bent-over clamping rims 78 whose upper sur-
faces abut against the lower surfaces of the clamping
rims 76 at the front and rear edges of said lower wall 74.
~he clamping rims 75 and 76 of the upper a~d lower walls
73 and 74 of the chamber 71 are secured to one another by
vertically disposed bolts 79 with the interposition of a
gasket 80 formed from a hard synthetic plastics material.
~he gasket 80 is strip-shaped and its opposite edges are
formed with inner and outer rims 81 and 82 of different
shapes. ~he inner rims 81 a~e of hollow tubular configur-
ation and lie between the upwardly and downwardly in-
clined edges of the walls 73 and 74 whereas the outer
rims 82 are of solid formation and lie agaillst the outer-
most extremities of the superposed clamping rims 75 and
- 31 -
- iO~1~7 7
76, each rim 82 having a substantiall~ flat inner surface
which sealingly engages said extremities and a curved out-
wardly directed surface.
~ he rims 78 of the sheet metal wall 77 of the lower
trough 72 strengtheningly support the upper chamber 71 and
are secured to the clamping rims 75 and 76 of the chamber
by bolts 83A arranged in alternate relationship with the
bolts 79. As can be seen in Figure 9 of the drawings, the
rims 78 are formed with large holes that receive nuts 79A
co-operating with the shanks of the bolts 79 whereas smal-
ler holes receive the shanks of the bolts 83A so that,
when their nuts are tightened, the rims 78 are clamped to
bhe rims 75 and 76 and intervening gaskets 80. Substantial-
ly vertically registering holes are formed in the lower wall
74 of the chamber 71 and in the substantially horizontally
disposed central portion of the wall 77 of the trough 72,
said holes being circular and being so disposed that imag-
inary lines joining their centres are spaced apart from
one another by distances of not more than substantially 50
centimetres, said imaginary lines coinciding with the axes
of rotation a of the shafts 63. The lowermost end of each
bearing housing 6S has an outwardly directed fl`ange 83 and
this flange is releasably secured to the margin of a cor- -
responding lower hole in the wall 77 by substantially verti-
cally disposed bolts 84. The corresponding upper hole in
the wall 74 has a ring 85 securely mounted in it by sub-
stantially vertically disposed bolts 86 which are enter-
ed through openings in the material of the wall 74 which
surrounds the hole. ~he ring 85 has a downwardly direct-
- 32 -
10~1~7
ed rim which extends throughout substantiall~ the whole
of the thickness of the material of the wall 74 and co-
operates in accurately surrounding relationship with a
reduced diameter upper extremity of the corresponding
bearing housing 65. A ubricant seal 88 is arranged in
a groove in the reduced diameter portion of the bearing
housing 65 that co-operates with the inner surface of
the corresponding ring 85 and, if desired, a further
lubricant seal may be arranged in the inner cylindrical
wall of the ring 85 to ensure that there is an effective
seal against oil or other lubricant leaking downwardly in-
to the trough 72 from the interior of the chamber 71. It
is noted that, with this construction, the bearing hous-
ings 65, together with their shafts 63 and bearings 64,
can be entered upwardly into their appointed positions
from beneath the frame portion 70, only installation and
tightening, or temporary removal, of the bolts 84 being .
necessar~ to effect rapid installation, or removal when
required.
An upper splined portion of each shaft 63 is pro-
vided, inside the upper chamber 71, with a straight- or
spur-toothed pinion 89, there thus being a total of six
of the pinions 89 (see Figure 8) arranged with the teeth
of each pinion in mesh with those of its neighbour, or
each of its neighbours, in the single row thereof. ~he
upper wall 73 of the chamber 71 is provided with six de-
pressions 89A (Figure 9) and these depressions are in
register with the upper ends of the six shafts 63 and
the hubs of the corresponding six pinions 89. ~he de-
1091077
pressions 89A serve effectively as stops, particularlyfor the hubs of the pinions 89, during the insertion of
the bearing houslngs 65 and their shafts 63 and other
associated parts from the bottom of the trough 72. ~ur-
ing such insertion, the upper splined end of the shaft
63 concerned makes sliding engagement with the internal
splines of the hub of the corresponding pinion 89 and
that pinion is prevented from being pushed upwardly to
any significant extent by the registering depression 89A.
The lubricant seal 88 co-operates with the ring 85 in
preventing downward leakage of lubricant from the cham-
ber 71 into the trough 7~ and installation of the bolts
84, whose co-operating nuts are already fixed in place,
is all that is necessary to retain the housing 65 and
the parts which it carries in its appointed position.
A gear box 95 is mounted substantially centrally across
the width of the frame portion 70 at the top and front
thereof with respect to the direction A. The gear box
95 is provided with a substantially horizontall~ disposed
rotary input shaft 98 whose leading splined or otherwise
keyed end projects forwardly from the front of the gear
box in substantially the direction A for driven connection
to the power take-off shaft of an agricultural tractor or
other operating vehicle with the aid of an intermediate
telescopic transmission shaft (not shown) that is of a
construction which is known ~er se having universal ~oints
at its opposite ends. The input shaft 98 carries, inside
the gear box 95, a bevel pinion 97 whose teeth are in driv-
ing mesh with those of a larger bevel pinion 96. ~he bevel
- 34 -
lO9il~'7 7
pinion 96 is secured to the uppermost end of a substant-
ially vertically disposed splined shaft 90 which is
provided, throughout most of its length, with the hub
of an internally splined straight- or spur-toothed pinion
91 of smaller size than the pinions 89. Upper and lower
ends of the hub of the pinion 91, and thus the shaft 90,
are rotatably supported by axially aligned and vertically
spaced apart ball bearings 92, said bearings 92 being
arranged in lower and upper bearing housings 93 and 94,
respectively, which housings are arranged in openings in
the lower and upper walls 74 and 73 of the chamber 71.
~he lower bearing housing 93 is also partly located in an
opening in the leading upwardl~ divergent portion of the
wall 77 of the trough 72. ~he top of the upper bearing
housing 94 i8 located inside a lower region of the gear
box 95.
~ he opposite ends of the frame portion 70 are
closed by side plates 99 that extend substantially ver-
tically parallel to one another and to the direction A,
said side plates being equivalent to the previously des-
cribed side plates 3 even though they are somewhat dif-
ferent in shape and extent to the side plates 3. ~hus,
they have the ~ller 51 that affords a rotatable support-
ing member of the implement connected to them by the arms
47 so as to be upwardly and downwardly ad~ustable in level
relative to the frame portion 70 and also have the level-
ling member that is afforded by the parts 57 and 57A ad-
~ustably connected to them in a similar manner. ~he pre-
viously described coupling member or trestle 58 of ge~er-
lO 9 iO 7 7
ally triangular configuration is fastened to the frontof the frame portion 70 midway between the general planes
of its two side plates 99 and the apex of the coupling
member or trestle 58 is connected to an anchorage plate
at the top and rear of the frame portion 70 by the two
tie beams 59 which are in steeply downwardly and rearward-
ly divergent re~tionship with one another, with respect
to the direction A, from said coupling member or trestle
58 to the anchorage plate.
Teh operation of the implement that has been des-
cribed with reference to Figure 8 and 9 of the drawings
is very similar to that of the implement previously des-
cribed with reference to ~igures 1 to 6 of the drawings.
However, in this case, major components of the positive
drive transmission to the soil working members 12 are -
contained within the upper chamber 71 of the frame p~r-
tion 70 which chamber 71 is effectively sustained, from
beneath, by the trough 7~. Each straight- or spur-toothed
pinion 89 has an effective diameter of substantially 50
centimetres and the chamber 71 within which said pinions
89 are disposed in constructed and arranged to contain a
supply of oil or ~her lubricant without significant leak-
age. The six bearing housings 65 are located principally
inside t~e trough 72 and an~ one, or more, of them can be
readily removed and replaced, together with the correspond-
ing shaft 63 and bearing 64, by releasing, or rep~acing,
the bolts 84 and moving the assembly in question either
downwardly or upwardly in a direction perpe~dicular to the
longitudinal axis of the frame portion 70. It is noted
- 36 -
1091~
that, with this arrangement, it is not necessary to remove
any of the pinions 89 from the chamber 71. If access to
the pinions 89 is required to enable one or more of them
to be replaced, or for any other purpose, it is necessary
to undo the bolts 79 and 83A and to remove temporarily
the upper wall 73 of the chamber 71. Althouth not
illustrated in the accompanying drawings in respect of
either of the basic embodiments that have been described,
it is noted that the drive transmission to the soil work-
ing members 12 or 12A may include a simple change-speed
gear constructed and arranged to enable the shafts 11 or
6~, and thus the members 12 or 12A, to be rotated at any
chosen one of a number of different speeds in response to
a single more or less standard input speed of rotation
applied to the shaft 44 or 98. It will be appreciated that
different speeds of rotation of the members 12 or 12A are
appropriate to soils of different natures and co~sistencies,
to the operating conditions such as the moisture content
of the soil, and to the degree of fineness of the soil
that is desired at the end of the operation. It is noted
that, since alternate holes in the rims 78 of the trough
72 are large enough to accommodate the nuts 79A that co-
operate with the bolts 79 without said rims 78 themselves
being restrained by those nuts and bolts 79/79A. it is
possible to remove the trough 72 from the chamber 71,
b;y releasing only the bolts 83A, so that the upper and
lower walls 7~ a~d 74 of the chamber 71 remain united b;sr
the bolts 79 and nuts 79A thus preventing the loss of any
lubricant from the interior of the chamber 71.
