Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
I 2 3 0 8 6B
1 FURROW OPENER AND FOLLOWER BLADE
Proper depositing of materials into the
ground, particularly seeds, requires special care
within the furrow in order to orient the materials
within the furrow to the best advantage. Conven-
tionally, this has either been accomplished by use
of certain types of furrow-opening runners or
attempted, without success, by furrow-opening
disks. The disk approach has the disadvantage of
soil buildup therebetween, and is even more prob-
lematical because the disks produce conditions at
the bottom of the furrow which are wholly un-
acceptable. Suggestions for solving the long-
existing problems have included so-called balk
removers for use in conjunction with the disks in
an effort to press loose soil downwardly along the
bottom of the furrow, but the results have not
been satisfactory. Accordingly, there is a dire
need for permitting the use of furrow-opening
disks while, at the same time, forming the proper
furrow apex made possible by the aforementioned
furrow-opening runners.
In accordance with our present inven-
tion, the soil buildup problem is solved by a
scissors-like, shearing action wherein the cutter
disks are inclined forwardly and downwardly such
that they interengage at the angle of attack with
the ground and open sufficiently to clear the
furrow forming follower as well as the materials
discharge tube therebehind. Good results appear
by use of disks having equal diameters, with an
odd number of peripheral notches provided in each
disk and with one disk having a greater number of
notches with narrower islands therebetween than
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1 the other disk such that the notches do not nor-
mally align or become synchronized. Each disc
may, however, have an even number of notches.
The ground driven disks rotate simul-
taneously, freely about their respective axles and
at the save speed. By beveling one face of each
disk at its peripheral margin to present a sharp
cutting edge, the ground and crop residue or other
debris are adequately severed and pushed aside
laterally, such action increasing the frictional
pressure at the zone of interengagement. In one
form of our invention the flat inner faces of the
disks are in contact with each other at their
lower leading edges; in a modified form the disks
are offset, with the trailing disk reversed such
that a bevelled circumferential length thereof is
held in frictional engagement with the flat inner
face of the leading disk by squeezing pressure
against the sides of the furrow.
The interchangeable disks require no
scrapers therebetween, leave no balk to be removed
and form a series of unplowed scallops of various
sizes along the bottom of the furrow that are
split and pressed laterally by a slicer in the
form of a wedge-shaped follower blade disposed at
a depth greater than the maximum penetration of
the disks. The blade smoothes and firms up the
lower sidewalls of the furrow, eliminates accumu-
lation of loose soil therewithin and presents a
truly V-shaped furrow apex devoid of ridges such
that the discharged materials are deposited at
equal depths along the narrowest stretch of the
furrow. Elongated seeds are planted with their
longitudinal axes parallel with the furrow rather
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1 than falling at random unoriented and at differing
depths.
The seeds are deposited into the single,
deep, trash-free trench line at the bottom or apex
of the furrow immediately behind the blade, at
which moment the previously compressed sidewalls
spring back inwardly to tightly pack and encapsu-
late the seeds in almost total absence of air
pockets which would otherwise occur in the pres-
ence of loose, dry soil around the seeds.
The construction of the assembly is suchas to permit satisfactory operation under various
climatic conditions, narrow rows and deep, heavy
residues or other trash on and within the ground.
Good results can also be expected in all types of
soils, whether firm, heavy, wet and sticky as in
many loams, clays, silts and gumbos, or loose, and
oftentimes dry, sandy or rocky situations.
With the seeds embedded between the
moist, solid sidewall surfaces of the furrow, all
of the essential environmental conditions affect-
ing and stimulating early development are pre-
sented. The seeds germinate quickly and begin to
put out strong, healthy plant-anchoring rootstock
which immediately draws water and nourishment from
the soil and becomes fixed in the ground. The
young, hardy sprout growth is, therefore, properly
fed and promoted such that the resulting plant
continues to thrive in substantial resistance to
any of the adverse elements which otherwise ad-
versely affect proper growth.
Examples of the highly successful run-
ners above mentioned are disclosed in the fol]ow-
ing U.S. patents:
t 2~64
3,154,030 l~illiams 10/1964
3,217,674 Williams 11/1965
3,509,947 Garst 5/1970
Examples of efforts to resolve the
problems incident to double disk furrow openers
are set forth in the following U.S. patents:
- 3,380,411 OrendQrff 4/1968
3,380,412 Connor et al 4/1968
3 r 658~018 Connor 4/1972
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of
one embodiment of a furrow opener and follower
blade made pursuant to our present invention
showing the proximal disk in dotted lines;
Fig. 2 is a front elevational view
thereof;
2~ Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view there-
of absent the discharge tube;
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional
view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. l;
Fig. 5 i5 a partial side elevational
2~ view thereof showing the same in the ground during
use;
Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary cross-
sectional views taken along lone 6-6 and 7-7
respectively of Figv 5;
i4 .
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1 2~ 1 868
1 Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1 on a
smaller scale of a modified form of our present
invention showing the side opposite to Fig. l;
Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional
view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8;
Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8
showing another embodiment of our present inven-
tion;
Fig. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional
view taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 is a view showing one angle of
inclination of the axles of Figs. 10 and 11;
Fig. 13 is a view showing another angle
of inclination of the axles of Figs. 10-12;
Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12
showing a further embodiment of the instant inven-
tion;
Fig. 15 is a view showing another angle
of inclination of the axles of Fig. 14; and
Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing
the casting and one axle of the embodiment of
Figs. 14 and 15;
Fig. 17 is a view similar to Figs. 8 and
10 showing a linkage arrangement for attaching the
opener-blade embodiments of the instant invention
to a farm implement; and
Fig. 18 is a top plan view of the assem-
bly shown in Fig. 17.
In the embodiment of Figs. 1-7, a furrow
opener 10 includes a pair of disks 12 and 14 of
fifteen inch diameters having circular peripheries
interrupted by a series of equally spaced notches
16 and 18 respectively. The disks 12 and 14 are
freely rotatable as a unit about corresponding
! 1 8 68
1stub axles 20 and 22 carried by spaced, upstanding
plates 24 and 26 respectively, in turn capable of
suspension from a farm implement frame (not
shown).
5As shown eleven notches are provided in
the disk 16 and fifteen notches are provided in
the disk 18. While the diameters of the disks ~2
and 14 are not aboslutely critical, best results
are obtained if they range from about 12 to 20
10inches. Also, while the sizes and numbers of the
notches 16 and 18 may be varied for best results,
there should be an odd number of notches 16 and 18
in the disks 12 and 14. The disks 12 and 14 have
a series of islands 28 and 30 alternating with the
15notches 16 and 18 and it is preferred that the
islands 28 be wider than the islands 30.
While the inner faces of the disks 16
and 18 are flat and smooth, they are bevelled
throughout their outer peripheral margins to
20present sharp circumferential cutting edges along
all ox the notches 16, 18 and along all the is-
lands 28, 30.
The axles 20 and 22 are directly opposed
but angled oppositely in two directions so as to
25orient the disks 12 and 14 such that they converge
forwardly and downwardly, with their inner faces
coming into tight frictional interengagement at
their angle of attack with the ground at the lower
leading extremities of the disks 12 and 14. That
30is to say, during simultaneous rotation of the
disks 12 and 14 together as a unit, they are
clamped together as they enter the soil and com-
mence separation prior to leaving the soil with
the maximum spacing disposed diametrically oppo-
35site the zone of relative contact located at the
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`
1 upper trailing extremities of the disks 12 and 14.
The spacing is such as to clear a slicer blade 32
(hereinafter described in detail) and a tube 34
disposed for discharge of seeds or other materials
into the furrow directly behind the blade 32.
The axles 20 and 22 are arranged to
cause the disks 12 and 14 at the time of assembly
to interengage, presenting a face-to-face contact
rather than a mere line or point contact there-
between. As the disks 12 and 14 are placed in use
to open the initial furrow, the sidewalls of the
furrow will tend to exert pressure on the disks 12
and 14 with a tightness of interengagement such as
to prevent substantial relative rotation as they
are ground driven through the field.
The blade 32 has a web 36 releasably
suspended from the plates 24, 26 therebetween by
fasteners 38. The disks 12, 14 partially straddle
the blade 32 at their lower rear extremities and
the rear end of upper, inclined edge 40 of the
blade 32 terminates just above the lower discharge
outlet 42 of the tube 34.
Beneath the web 36, the replaceable
blade 32 has an essentially wedge-shaped slicer 44
integral with the web 36, presenting slightly
concave sides 46 that taper toward a sharp, convex
cutting edge 48 which extends forwardly from a
rearmost, flat upright end 50 of the slicer 44,
such end 50 being immediately ahead of the outlet
42. The sides 46 also converge forwardly such as
to present a sharp, leading continuation 48a of
the edge 48.
The rear end of the upper face 52 of the
slicer 44 abuts the plates 24, 26. An elongated,
leading soil deflector 54 between the disks 12, 14
1 23 1 ~68
extends upwardly and forwardly from the convex
cutting edge 48. The deflector 54 terminates
above ground level and is integral with the web 36
rendering the latter T-shaped. An arcuate, some-
what V-shaped, leading debris deflector 56 is
supported by the plates 20, 22 forwardly of the
upper leading extremities of the disks 12, 14.
In operation, as the implement advances
through the field, with the deflector 56 leading,
an initial furrow 58 is formed by the opener 105
the disks 12, 14 operating to part the soil below
ground level 60 to a preselected depth. The
cutting edges of the disks 12, 14 not only sever
the soil but slice through all crop residue and
other debris, pushing it aside and leaving it in
place as mulch in the form of mounds 62 above
ground level 60 on each side of the furrow 58.
The furrow 58 is, therefore, free of all such
extraneous material ahead of the blade 32.
Inasmuch as the disks 12, 14 are in
relatively tight interengagement when in the soil,
dirt and debris cannot enter between the disks 12,
14 at the zone of intercontact, but as the disks
12, 14 flex apart, all soil which may tend to
collect therebetween before they leave the ground
is sheared away in the scissors-like action, aug-
mented by the deflector 54.
As the disks 12, 14 "walk" along they
leave a series of unplowed scallops 64 of differ-
ing sizes along the bottom of the furrow 58,
keeping in mind the fact that the notches 16
seldom or almost never align directly and fully
with notches 18. Those scallops 64 are then split
by the slicer 44 whose maximum penetration is from
1 2 3 ~68
_ 9 _
1 3/8" to 1" or more deeper than the depth of pene-
tration of the disks 12, 14.
As a result, no balk or "W" shaped
configuration is left in the furrow 58; instead, a
truly V-shaped apex is formed having sidewalls
that are firmed and smoothed by the sides 46 of
the slicer 48 and compressed laterally by the
action of the latter. The very bottom 66 of the
furrow apex forms a straight line free of loose
soil as is best suited for reception of material
(such as seeds, fertilizer, herbicides, insecti-
cides, etc.) from the tube 34, as noted in Fig. 5,
in the case of seeds 68.
The materials are dropped behind the end
50 of the slicer 44 while the walls of the furrow
58 are still parted at its apex, and as such
compressed furrow walls spring back5 the materials
are gripped and encapsulated by the firm, moist
ground, free of air pockets. In the case of
elongated seeds 68, the V-shaped furrow configura-
tion orients such seeds so that their longitudinal
axes align with the bottom 66, resulting in a
uniform growth pattern of the plants subsequently
developing above the ground level 60.
In Figs. 8 and 9, an opener 100 and a
corresponding blade 132, as well as all other
components, are much the same as the embodiment of
jigs. 1-8. The differences include offsetting of
the disks 170 and 172 such as to dispose the disk
170 ahead of the disk 172 and reversing the disk
172 such that its flat surface 174 faces outward-
ly. This places a flat, beveled area 176 of the
disk 172 into engagement with flat inner surface
178 of the disk 170 during each cycle of revolu-
tion of the disks 170 and 172. Whether the disk
1 2 B 68
- 10 --
1 having the greater or the lesser number of notches
leads the other disk is of no consequence, but
better results are usually expected when the
leading disk 170 has the greater number of not-
ches. Hence, the disc 172 may be placed ahead ofthe disc 170, as distinguished from the arrange-
ment shown in Figs. 8 and 9.
As the result of such modifications, a
greater surface area of interengagement is pre-
sented, thereby avoiding grooving and other dis-
figurement of the inner faces of the disks.
Otherwise, the operation and end results are the
same as hereinabove described.
In both embodiments, differing portions
of the disks constantly interengage during rota-
tion so that such wear as takes place is circum-
ferentially uniform throughout their inner faces.
Moreover, in both forms the flexing action between
the disks to continuously prevent dirt buildup
therebetween occurs both as the disks come to-
gether and as they begin to separate.
The free rotation and proper penetration
of the disks as promoted by their notches, are not
impeded as in instances where a scraper blade is
needed therebetween, and the "finger action' of
the notches operates to either depress or push
aside all trash out of the path of the trailing
slicer blade. The resulting mounds 62 minimize
erosion and maximize moisture retention, allowing
more moisture to enter the soil with less evapora-
tion.
In the embodiments of our invention
shown in Figs. 10-16 the disks, as above ex-
plained, converge both forwardly and downwardly,
although separate stub axles 20 and 22 are not
1 2 3 1 68
1 employed, Hence, axles 20a and 22a in Figs. 10-13
as well as axles 20b and 22b in Figs. 14-16 are
angled oppositely in two directions the same as
above described with respect to axles 20 and 22.
Here again, the disk 172b may lead the disk 172A
if desired.
~lowever, the axles 20a and 22a are
rigidly connected to a block 134a therebetween.
The block 134a may span the distance between the
plates 24a and 2~a and be welded to the latter
within slots 136a provided in plates 24a and 26a.
In Figs. 14-16 the axles 20b and 22b are
integral with a casting 134b welded in an opening
136b of a suspension member thereof
Thus, disks 170a and 172a on axles 20a
and 22a converge forwardly and downwardly, and
disks snot shown) on axles 20b and 22b also con-
verge forwardly and downwardly. The same arrange-
ments of Figs. 10-16 may be employed with disks 12
and 14.
It is to be understood that the arrange-
ment of the stub axles as shown in Figs. 9 and 11
may also be preferred in the embodiment of Fig. 4
in lieu of the disposition of axles 20 and 22 as
shown in Fig. 4.
In Figs. 17 and 18 a furrow opener 238
with its blade 240 and its upstanding plates 242
may be essentially the same as any one of the
embodiments above described, and incorporated
therewith is a parallel linkage arrangement 244
together with a pair ox springs 246 associated
with the linkage 244. The linkage 244 is inter-
posed between a triangular mount 248 having an
upstanding suspending post 250 (which may be
rotatable about a vertical axis, if desired and a
1 2 3 8~8
- 12 -
1 somewhat L-shaped arm 252. The arm 252 is clamped
by bolts 254 between the plates 252 and extends
downwardly and forwardly above front deflector
256.
The linkage 244 includes a pair of upper
links 258 and a pair of lower links 260 all pivot-
ally connected to the mount 248 and to the arm 252
for up and down swinging movement but yieldably
biased downwardly by the springs 246. Each link
260 has one of the springs 246 connected thereto
intermediate the ends of the links 260. The
opposited ends of the springs 246 are connected to
a cross bar 262 having end lugs 264 overlying the
links 258. Each link 260 is provided with a plate
266 having notches 268 for receiving the lugs 264.
The linkage 244 assures an up and down
movement of the unit 238 over uneven terrain that
is essentially vertical with the upper edges of
the plates 242, the arm 252 and the mount 248
remaining horizontal whenever the upright axis of
the post 250 is vertical. After the unit 238
rises above normal a short distance, e.g. 1 1/2
inches, there is a decreasing moment arm wherein
the resistance to upward movement by the springs
246 no longer increases, at least until the rise
is about 8 inches above normal. It is contem-
plated, for example, that the total vertical
travel of the unit 238 be about 10 inches. Mani-
festly, the force exerted by the springs 246 may
be varied by selection of the notches 268 within
which the lugs 264 are seated.
