Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 A TOOL FOR WORKING A MeDIUM
2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
3 Field of the Invention
4 This invention relates to tools Eor working media, such
as agricultural tools used to work soil.
6 Description of the Prior Art
7 A major problem associated with the use oP tool~ to
8 work media is wear. A particular e~ample can be seen in
9 the practice of deep drilling.
Deep drilling is a seeding operation in which
11 previously unworked rain-softened ground is worked to make
12 an opening in the soil for the deposit of seed therein.
13 Various types of tool design have been suggested for use in
14 such operations, but a major problem is wear. Some tools
lS have to be replaced daily due to wear, notwithstanding that
16 they are formed from expensive wear-resisting alloys.
17 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
18 It is an object of this invention to provide a tool
19 designed to wear less than equivalent prior art tools.
The inven~ion provides a tool for working a medium
21 wherein said tool is adapted to use part of the said medium
22 as a wearing surface or edge.
23 Preferably, the tool includes a portion which receives
24 material, and provides for the front surface, relative to
the intended direction of movement of the tool in the said
26 medium, of the tool to be at least in part constituted by
27 some of the said medium.
28 Preferably, the tool includes a recess adapted to
29 receive part of said medium as said tool is advanced through
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said medium.
Preferably, the recess is located in the leading edye
of said tool.
According to a sti.ll further broad aspect of the presen-t
invention there is provided a tool for working a medium and
wherein the tool has a leading edge. The leading edge has a
recess therein defined by a pair of spaced generally parallel
walls for collecting a portion of the medium when the tool
is advanced through the medium, such that the portion of the
medium forms a wearing edge.
According to a still further broad aspect of the present
invention there is provided a tool for working a medium and
wherein the tool comprises a leading edge portion. Means is
provided for positioning the leading edge portion within the
medium continuously during use and for advancing the leading
edge portion through the medium in a single direction during
use~ The leading edge has a recess therein for collecting a
portion of the medium when the tool is advanced through the
medium. The leading edge and the recess are configured so
as to advance part of the portion of the medium ahead o~ the
leading edge such that it forms a wearing surface which mini-
mizes wear on the leading edge.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of a
tool accordin~ to the invention;
Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section ~hrough the tool
of Figure l;
Figure 3 is an enlarged view in ~ross-section of the
front end of a second embodiment of the tool according to
the invention;
Figure 4 is an enlarged view in cross-section of a
third embodiment of the tool according to the invention;
Figure 5 is a perspective view from above o~ a fourth
embodiment of the tool according to the invention;
Figure 6 is a perspective view from beneath of the
embodiment of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross-section of the
embodiment of Figure 5;
Figure 8 is a perspective view from above o~ a fifth
embodiment of the tool according to the invention;
Figure 9 is a perspective view from above of a sixth
embodiment of the tool according to the invention; and
Figure 10 is a perspective view from above of a seventh
embodiment of the tool according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
All of the seven described embodiments of the invention
are tines for working soil in agriculture, but it is
stressed that the invention relates to tools or the like for
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1 working any medium for any purpose.
2 In Figure 1, an agricultural apparatus (not shown)
3 includes a support 10 which depends from a gang (not shown)
4 or the like, to which support lO is secured a ground ~or~ing
tool 12. The tool is moved through soil in the ~irection oP
6 the arrow.
7 In Figure 2, it can be seen that the tool 12 i9 hollow,
8 having side walls 14, 16, rear wall 18, and top an-l bottom
9 walls 20, 22 tFigure 1). Preferably, the tool is formed
from a metal~
11 The invention operates on the principal that as the
12 tool 12 is advanced in the direction of the right-hand arrow
13 in Figure 2, some oÇ the soil 24 through which the tool 12
14 is moving lodges in the hollow portion of the tool 12,
building up to a forward edge 26 which acts as a working
16 edge. Having the working edge formed from the soil itself
17 reduces wear on the metal parts of the tool, and thus the
18 need to replace the tool so often is also reduced.
19 Figures 3 and 4 show details of alternative leading
edges of walls 14, 16 (and of walls 20, 22) (not shown))
21 which may enhance the reduction of wear. Figure 3 shows
22 ang~ed leading edges, and Figure 4 shows leading edges
23 havin~ recesses. Of course, other end profiles could be
24 used, and it is also clear that any shape of tool could be
used, provided that the tool allowed for the build-up of a
26 cutting edge or surface using the material through which the
27 tool is to be or is being moved. Other examples of tool
28 shapes are shown in Figures 5 to 10 and described
29 hereinafter.
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In Figures 2 and 4, the relative movement of soil to
2and past the edge 26 is shown by the smaller arrows. It is
3considered that aspects of fluid ~low kheory may be used to
4explain the operation of the invention, as soil (and other
5media formed from solid particles) may under certain
6circumstances be seen as approximating a fluid.
7Turning now to Figures 5 to 7, there i8 illustrated a
8tine 110 including an attachment portion 112 (which may take
9any form, not jus~ the one illustrated, which has depending
10curved walls 114 for a press-fit to a tine holder (not
11shown)). ~n aperture 113 is pro~Jided for a more
12conventional attachment to a tine holder, by a bolt, pin or
13the like. Working body 116 is generally triangular in
14shape, with a curved structure providing a convex upper
15surface.
16Extending around the soil-working edge 118 of the body
17116 there is a recess 120, which may be of any suitable
18depth. Body 116 may be constructed by using an upper
19element and a lower element, welded or otherwise secured
20together so as to leave a space between the elements, at
21least at the working area 118, or may be formed in a single
22piece.
23As described earlier, the recess or the like 120, in
24use, fills with the soil being worked, thereby producing a
25wearing surface from the soil itself.
26The tool 200 of Figure 8 is similar to that of Figures
275 to 7, except that body 202 has a notcb 204 in the 'point'
28area. Recess 206 extends along the entire working edge.
29 Aperture 213 corresponds to aperture 113 in Figures 5 to 7.
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1 Figure 9 shows a tool 300 which is also similar to that
2 of Figures 5 to 7. Body 302 has a 'shovel' nose 304.
3 Again, a recess 306 runs along the worlcing area of the tool,
4 and an aperture 213 is provided, similar to aperture 113.
Flnally, the tool 400 of Figure 10 is also similar to
6 that of Figures 5 to 7, except that body 402 has portiorls
7 404, 406, in effect, cut out, leaving a leading portion 408
8 and 'wings' 410, 412. Recess 414 extends along the working
9 areas, and aperture 413 is used to attach the tine 400 to a
tine holder.
11 In each of the embodiments, the preferred material is
12 mild steel, it being discovered that the minimization of
13 wear allows a softer ma~erial to be used.
14 ~lthough the manner in which wear is minimized is not
well understood, it is a fact that in tests of the tools of
16 Figures 5 to 10, it has been demonstrated that wear is
17 significantly reduced, in comparison with conventional
18 tools.
19 It is to be understood that in working other media, the
tool or the like may be formed from other materials. For
21 example, for some softer media, the tool may be formed of a
22 plastics material.
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