MIXING HEAD FOR SOIL TILLAGE

DISPOSITIF DE MELANGE POUR LE LABOURAGE

English Abstract

"MIXING HEAD FOR SOIL TILLAGE"

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The mixing head comprises a pair of opposed, spaced apart,
generally vertical discs that are generally aligned with the
direction of travel, although they are slightly angled so as to
be wider apart at their front ends than at their rear ends. The
discs are rotatably mounted to a free floating frame. Each disc
has a plurality of radially extending, elongated, broad, rigid,
chisel-like teeth which extend from the disc central portion out
beyond its circumferential rim. The discs are driven to rotate
against the direction of travel. When rotating, the disc and
teeth formations operate to cut down into the soil and excavate
it in portions carried by the teeth. The portions are moved
inwardly by the angled formations and then thrown and dropped
to the rear. The furrow formed has a flat-topped ridge
overtopped with a loose mix of excavated soil and humus. The
furrow is a good growing site for implanted seedlings.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A mixing head for tilling behind a pulling unit,
comprising:
a frame adapted to be pivotally connected at its
forward end to the pulling unit, for pivoting about a
substantially horizontal axis;
a pair of laterally spaced apart, substantially
vertical, opposed discs rotatably mounted on the frame, said
discs being acutely angled, whereby they are further apart at
their forward ends than at their rear ends, said discs being
generally aligned with the direction of travel;
each disc carrying a plurality of broad, rigid,
elongated, chisel-like teeth, projecting substantially
perpendicularly and inwardly from the inner face of the disc,
said teeth extending generally radially from the central portion
of the disc and projecting beyond the disc rim, each disc and its
teeth forming a formation;
said formations being laterally spaced apart;
motor and gear means, carried by the frame, for
rotating each disc in a direction against the direction of
travel; and
means, carried by the frame, for bearing against the
undisturbed soil to the sides of the mixing head and limiting the
depth of penetration of the disc and teeth formations.

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Description

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1 FI~LD OF THE INVENTION
2 The present invention relates to a tooth disc-type mixing
3 head for tilling and mixing soil and urface debris, to provide
4 a furrow useful for the growth of seedlings.

S B~CKGROUN~ OF ~HE INVEN~IQ~
6 The invantion was developed in connection with a research
7 project established to enhance forest renewal techniques.
8 The problem addressed was the need for a relatively high-
9 speed mixer which could be pulled by a prime mover over the
forest floor in an area that had undergone harvesting or fire.
11 The mixer had to be able to cope with residual "slash" or
12 partæ of trees, decomposing layers of tree parts ("duff"), and
13 dense underground roots.
14 The ob~ectlve was to create a furrow adapted to foster the
growth of seedlings planted ln it.

16 SUMM~Ry-ol ~ IO~
17 The lnvention involves a mixing head adapted for use with
18 a tractor or other prime mover, comprising in combination:
19 - a frame that has means, at its forward end, for
establlshing a pivot connection with the main frame of
21 the pulling unit, whereby the frame may pivot about a
22 generally horlzontal axis and is preferably "free-
23 floating";
24 - a pair of laterally spaced apart, opposed,
substantially vertical disas, said discs being
26 rotatably mounted on the frame; ~
qP

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1 - ~aid frame carrylng motor and gear means for rotating
2 the disc~ simultaneously against the direction of
3 travel;
4 - each disc carrying a plurality of inwardly protruding
elongated, broad, rigid, chisel-like teeth. More
6 particularly, the teeth are preferably radially
7 arranged, project inwardly perpendicularly from the
8 disc face and extend radially outward from the central
9 portion of the disc~to beyond its circumferential rim;
- the discs are preferably angled slightly so as to be
11 wider apart at the front end than at the rear end; and
12 - the frame carries means, projecting laterally
13 outwardly, for bearing against the undisturbed ground
14 ~urface, to limit the extent of penetration of the
free-floating disc and teeth formations into the soil.
16 In operation, the teeth enter the debris-laden soil and
17 sweep through it in a forward direction to lift free a portion
18 of excavated material. The succe~sively excavated portions are
19 moved inwardly by the angled formation~ of disc and teeth and are
then thrown and dropped rearwardly, to oollectively form an
21 elongated mound of loose mixed soil and humus overtopping a flat-
22 topped ridge of undisturbed soil. Slmultaneously, parallel
23 trenches are being formed, running along the two side edges of
24 the mound-covered ridge.
The mound-covered ridge has been found to be effective as
26 a growing site for implanted seedlings.

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1 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
2 Figure 1 is a rear view of the mixing head;
3 Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the
4 mixing head in operation;
Figure 3 is a simplified ~ide view showing the mixing
6 head mounted to a tractor;
7 Figure 4 is a fanciful cross-sectional profile of the
8 composite furrow created by the head;
9 Figure 5 is a side view showing one disc/teeth
formation in operation;
11 Figure 6 is a simplified top plan view showing the
12 discs prior to entering the soil; and
13 Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure 6, showing
14 the discs working in the 80il.

DESCRIPTION OF ~HE PREFERR~ EMBODIMENT
16 The mixing head 1 has a frame 2 comprislng a
17 horizontally extending box section 3 having a pair of downwardly
18 extending, laterally spaced apart legs 4. The box section 3 is
19 pivotally connected at its forward end by a horizontal pin 5 with
the main frame 6 of a pulling unit 7, for plvotlng about a
21 generally horlzontal axls.
22 Each leg 4 carrles at its lower end, on lts outslde
23 surface 8, a hydraulic motor 9 driving a planetary gear box 10.
24 The output shaft (not shown) of the motor and gear assembly
extends through the leg 4 and aarries and drives a diso 11. Thus
26 there is provided a discrete motor and gear means for rotating
27 each disc 11.

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1 The legs 4 are adjustably mounted with bolts to the box
2 Rection 3 so that they can be swivelled ~lightly and locked- ln
3 place to adjust the relative angularity of the two discs 11. The
4 discs 11, although generally vertical, are positioned 80 as to
S be slightly (or acutely) angled, whereby they are further apart
6 at their front edges than at their rear edges. The discs 11,
7 although slightly angled, are generally aligned with the
8 direction of travel.
9 Each disc 11 carries a plurality of radially extending teeth
12 which are broad, rigid and chisel-like in configuration. The
11 teeth 12 extend from the central portion of the disc 11 and
12 protrude beyond its rim 13. The teeth 12 project inwardly and
13 perpendicularly from its inside surface 14. Each disc 11 and its
14 teeth 12 combine to form a separately driven cutting formation
or assembly.
16 A concave housing 15 extend6 laterally and outwardly from
17 the outslde surface 8 of eaoh leg 4. The housing 15 extends
18 close to the bottom portion of the disc rlm 13. The housing 15
19 acts as a gage, by bearing agalnst the undlsturbed 8011 and
limiting the depth of penetration of the dlsc and teeth
21 formatlons 17.
22 The frame 2, disc and teeth formations 17, and housings lS
23 are all formed of thlck steel to oreate a heavy and rugged
24 as~embly that can penetrate and till the log-strewn forest soil.
The method of operation of the assembly has already been
26 desoribed. The dlso and teeth formations 17 funotion to form a
27 furrow 20 oomprising a flat-topped ridge 21 of undisturbed soil
28 overlain by a mound 22 of loose soil and humus. Two trenohes 23
29 run along the sides of the ridge 21.

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1 ~he saope of the invention iB set forth by the following
2 claims.

Representative Drawing