Patent ID: 6125943
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
A device including a frame for digging a groove in a section of land, said device comprising:(a) means for moving said device over said section of land into which said groove is to be dug, said moving means having a left side and a right side, and a front section and a rear section;(b) a swing arm being pivotably connected to one side of said moving means, said swing arm having a first end and a second end, said swing arm being positioned a spaced distance away from said moving means;(c) a blade for cutting said groove in said section of said land;(d) said blade being rotatably mounted on said first end of said swing arm a spaced distance away from the pivot point of said swing arm, said swing arm pivotably biased from its second end to its first end in a downward direction;(e) a counter-weight positionable along the length of said swing arms said counter-weight securable to said swing arm at any position there along as determined by the user, whereby the user is able to purposely adjust the downward force exerted by said blade upon the land with which it is in contact, said downward force sufficient to overcome the soil resistance experienced by the blade in digging the groove as said device moves over the land;(f) means for adjusting the depth of said groove in said land when said groove is dug in said land; and(g) means for automatically rotating said blade at said first end of said swing arm so that when said depth adjusting means has been adjusted to a predetermined groove depth by an operator of said device, and with said blade being in contact with said land due to gravity, turning on said means for automatically rotating said blade causes said blade to rotate at said first end of said swing arm and thereby create said groove in said section of said land when said means for moving said device causes said device to move over said section of land, said swing arm being free to pivot upwards and away from said land, such that when said blade encounters high soil resistance in said groove or objects, said high soil resistance or object results in a force exerted on said swing arm and said blade, said force sufficient to overcome the effect of the downward force exerted by said blade such that said swing arm and said blade are rotatably thrust upward a distance about the pivotable connection of said swing arm to said one side of said moving means, said distance a function of the soil resistance or object encountered and said downward force, said swing arm and said blade capable of then falling down into said groove under the influence of said downward force, and repeating said up and down movements until said high soil resistance or object is overcome to thus provide substantially smooth, jolt free grooving of the land.