Abstract:
Apparatus comprising a frame carried by an elongated and laterally extending bar and having mounted thereon a first pair of rotatable trash wheels and a second pair of rotatable trash wheels longitudinally spaced behind the first pair of rotatable trash wheels and forward of a furrow opener. The first pair of rotatable trash wheels is angularly disposed toward each other forming a first angle therebetween and staggered such that one rotatable trash wheel contacts soil forward of the other rotatable trash wheel. The second pair of rotatable trash wheels is angularly disposed toward each other forming a second angle therebetween greater than the first angle. The apparatus cuts and clears trash from minimally and untilled soil.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a rotary, ground driven row cleaner for use in conservation tillage farming such as no-till or low-till and is particularly useful in conjunction with row planter units. Previous planter units using rotary row cleaner devices are illustrated in Martin U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,890, the Winterton U.S. Pat. 5,341,754 and the Winterton U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,995. 
     The row cleaners hereinbefore utilized consist generally of two toothed wheels which are angularly disposed so as to sweep residue, such as organic mulch, laterally away from the path followed by furrow opening means and frequently take the form of a pair of forwardly converging discs adapted to create a furrow in the soil. The toothed sweeper wheels traditionally are mounted on a rigid frame of the planter unit ahead of a pair of depth gauge wheels and are located at the position usually occupied by a rotatable coulter. When used, a coulter slices vertically into the soil ahead of the furrow openers and facilities formation of the furrow by the openers. 
     Various means have been suggested by which the sweeper wheels are urged toward or away from the ground and provided with adjustable mechanism, however, the previous devices have not provided a satisfactory answer to the trash buildup encountered in planting low-or no-till acreage. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which involves at least two pair of sweeper wheels with the forward-most pair acting as cutters while simultaneously moving the cut mulch or residue outwardly away from the associated furrow opening devices and another pair of wheels intermediate the first cutter pair and the furrow opening device further sweep residue or mulch away from the furrow opening devices. 
     Another object of the present invention is to independently spring the forward and rearward set of sweeper wheels so as to permit the sweeper wheels to cut mulch and other debris without unnecessarily disturbing the ground. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for use with a planter unit having an elongated and laterally extending bar by which the planter unit is pulled forwardly and a furrow opener for use in minimally tilled or untilled soil, the apparatus comprising a frame carried by the elongated and laterally extending bar and having mounted thereon a first pair of rotatable trash wheels and a second pair of rotatable trash wheels longitudinally spaced behind said first pair of rotatable trash wheels and forward of the furrow opener, the first pair of rotatable trash wheels being angularly disposed toward each other forming a first angle therebetween and staggered such that one rotatable trash wheel contacts soil forward of the other rotatable trash wheel, the second pair of rotatable trash wheels being angularly disposed toward each other forming a second angle therebetween greater than the first angle, the first pair of rotatable trash wheels and the second pair of rotatable trash wheels each being positioned in engagement with soil with the centers of rotation of the rotatable trash wheels forming each pair on opposite sides of a vertical plane in the path of travel of the furrow opener whereby forward movement of the planter unit rotatably drives the first and second pair of rotatable trash wheels to cause the first pair of rotatable trash wheels to cut trash and to pull residue in laterally opposite directions and the second pair of rotatable trash wheels further pulling trash away from the path of the advancing furrow opener. 
     A final object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for use with a planter unit having an elongated and laterally extending bar by which the planter unit is pulled forwardly and a furrow opener for use in minimally tilled or untilled soil, the apparatus comprising a frame mounted below the elongated and laterally extending bar and having a first pair of rotatable trash wheels mounted on a first shaft and a second pair of rotatable trash wheels mounted on a second shaft carried by the frame and longitudinally spaced behind the first pair of rotatable trash wheels and forward of the furrow opener, the first pair of rotatable trash wheels being angularly disposed toward each other forming a first angle therebetween and staggered such that one rotatable trash wheel contacts soil forward of the other rotatable trash wheel, the second pair of rotatable trash wheels being angularly disposed toward each other forming a second angle therebetween greater than the first angle, each of the first pair of rotatable trash wheels being angularly disposed to the ground and each of the second pair of rotatable trash wheels being angularly disposed to the ground at an angle greater than the corresponding angle formed by each of the first pair of rotatable trash wheels, each of the first pair of rotatable trash wheels and the second pair of trash wheels being independently and continually urged toward the soil, the first pair of rotatable trash wheels and the second pair of rotatable trash wheels each being positioned in engagement with soil with the centers of rotation of the rotatable trash wheels forming each pair on opposite sides of a vertical plane in the path of travel of the furrow opener whereby forward movement of the planter unit rotatably drives the first and second pair of rotatable trash wheels to cause the first pair of rotatable trash wheels to cut trash and to pull residue in laterally opposite directions and the second pair of rotatable trash wheels further pulling trash away from the path of the advancing furrow opener. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention consists of certain novel features and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a planter row unit having the trash cleaning mechanism of the present invention positioned forward of the row unit; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the trash cleaning mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the mechanism seen in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the forward set of trash wheels; 
     FIG. 5 is a forward elevational view of the rear trash wheels; 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of the forward set of trash wheels; 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the forward set of trash wheels illustrated in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view of the forward set of trash wheels illustrated in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 is a top elevational view of the rear set of trash wheels; 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the rear set of trash wheels illustrated in FIG. 9; and 
     FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of the trash wheels illustrated in FIGS.  9  AND  10 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown a planter  10  which, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is in position to travel to the left pulled by a drive vehicle such as a tractor or the like. The planter  10  includes a elongated and laterally extending draft tube  15  to which are mounted a plurality of laterally spaced apart row units  20 . The spacing between the row units  20  varies depending upon the crop being planted; however, the row unit  20  illustrated herein is representative of a row unit commonly used. Each row unit  20  includes a bin  21  which may contain seed, fertilizer, herbicide or the like and is closed with a cover  22 . The bin  21  sits on an upper frame  25  which is connected to a lower frame  26  to which is attached a traditional opener  27 , scrapers  28 , gauge wheels  30  and closing mechanism  31 , all as standard in the art. Each row unit  20  is connected to the draft tube  15  by means of a vertical mounting plate  33  which may be removably or fixable mounted to the draft tube  15  and connected to the row unit  20  by means of parallel linkage  35 , each of the four links  35  being pivotally mounted as at  36  at both ends thereof. 
     Forwardly of the draft tube  15  is a smaller elongated and laterally extending bar or tube  40 . The tubular bar  40  may be positioned slightly forward of the draft tube  15  or more, but is generally connected to the draft tube in a variety of ways. Connected to the tubular bar  40  for each row unit  20  is trash frame  45  which includes a generally flat plate  46  having mounting apertures  47  therein, and forwardly and downwardly extending arms  48  which are parallel and extend from the lateral ends of the top plate  46 . A laterally extending shaft  50  passes through openings in each of the arms  48  and extends slightly there beyond. Connected to the shaft  50  is a stop arm  51  as particularly seen in FIGS. 2 and 9 having a stub shaft  52  thereon. In the center of the shaft  50  is an upward extending clevis  54  consisting of two spaced apart tabs each having an opening  106  therein for a purpose hereinafter described. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1-8, there is disclosed a front trash wheel assembly  60  which includes spaced apart forward arms  61 . As best seen in FIGS. 6 to  8 , each arm has an upper portion  62 , the inner surface of which is formed into a stop surface  63 , for a purpose hereinafter set forth, and a U-shaped portion  64 . As seen particularly in FIGS. 6-8, each of the upper portions  62  of the forward arms  61  has a small aperture  66  in the upper portion  62  thereof, also for a purpose hereinafter set forth, and an inwardly-extending portion  67  which joins the upper portion  62  to a forward extending portion  68  which is welded to the adjacent forward extending portion  68 . Each of the forward arms  61  includes an aperture  69  through which is mounted a shaft  55  and around which the arms  61  rotate, all as will be described hereafter. The forward extending portion  68  of the two arms  61  may be welded together or may be formed from a single piece. 
     In use, a forward cutter wheel  70  is mounted on one of the arm portions  68  and is rotatable around a shaft  72 , the cutter wheel  70  having teeth on the periphery thereof. A second cutting wheel  75  is mounted on a portion  68  of the other arm  61  rearward of the adjacent arm  61 , the rear cutter wheel  75  being rotatably mounted on the shaft  77  and also being provided on the periphery thereof with teeth  76 . The cutter wheels  70  and  75  are, therefore, staggered fore and aft and also angularly disposed with respect to the ground (see FIG.  4 ), as will be explained. Also, the cutter wheels  70 ,  75  are angularly disposed with respect to a longitudinal axis extending along the center line of the trash frame  45 , which as seen in FIG. 2, illustrates that the forward trash cutter wheels  70  and  75  are angled 20° from a line extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the shafts  50  and  55 . Each of the cutter wheels  70  and  75  may be dish shaped and disposed at the same 20 degree angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of shaft  50 , and a line tangent to each of the dish-shaped cutter wheels  70 ,  75  or a 40 degree angle between the two wheels  70 ,  75 . The arms  61 , as seen in FIG. 6, are Y-shaped with wheels  70 ,  75  mounted on the stem of the Y and the diverging arms are mounted on the shaft  55 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1-3 and FIGS. 9-11, there is illustrated a rear trash wheel assembly  80 , the rear trash wheel assembly  80  including an arm  81  having a generally horizontal portion  82  and a downwardly angled portion  83 . The horizontal portion  82  has a lobe  84  near the front thereof through which an aperture  85  extends. Another aperture  89  is positioned forwardly and upwardly of the aperture  85 . As seen from FIG. 9, the horizontal portion  82  is a single piece of material, although it may be welded from a plurality of pieces and extends rearwardly until the angled portion  83  splits into the angularly spaced apart arms  87  and  88 . Each of the arms  87  and  88  has extending therefrom a shaft  91  on which is mounted a rear wheel  95  having teeth  96  on the periphery thereof. The wheels  95  have an inner hub  99  and an outer hub  98  so as rotatably to mount the wheels  95  on the arms  87 ,  88 . The arm  81  is also Y-shaped, but unlike the arms  61 , the wheels  95  are mounted on the diverging portions  87 ,  88  and the stem  82  is mounted on the shaft  50 . 
     As seen particularly in FIG. 2, the rear wheels  95  are angularly disposed  30  degrees from a line which perpendicularly intersects the shafts  50  and  55 . Since both wheels  95  are angularly disposed in the same manner, a 60 degree angle exists between the two wheels  95 . As illustrated in the drawing of FIG. 2, this 60° angle is a greater angle than the 40° angle formed by the forward cutter wheels  70  and  75 . The rear wheels  95  are inclined toward the ground such that an 85 degree angle is formed between the adjacent ground and the plane formed by the wheel  95 , see FIG.  5 . On the other hand, the angle formed by the front cutter wheels  70 ,  75  with the adjacent ground is 70 degrees, as seen in FIG.  4 . Therefore, the front cutter wheels  70  and  75  are closer to the ground or further from the vertical than the rear wheels  95 , all for a purpose hereinafter set forth. 
     Finally, the rear arm  81 , and more particularly the horizontal portion  82  thereof, has a bar  86  which extends transversely of the horizontal portion  82  and is firmly connected thereto, such as by welding. The bar  86  is located rearward of the trash frame  45  and preferably, but not necessarily, at approximately the meeting point of the two wheels  95 , although the wheels  95  do not actually touch. 
     Accordingly, as may be seen, the rear trash wheel arm  81  with apertures  85  and  89  is mounted such that the shaft  50  carried by the trash frame arms  48  extends through the aperture  89  to rotatably mount the rear trash wheel assembly  80  thereon. The shaft  55  on which is mounted the forward trash wheel assembly  60  extends through the aperture  85  in the rear trash wheel arm  81  thereby pivoting both arms  61  on the shaft  55  carried by the rearward arm  81 . A suitable mechanism is provided so that all shafts and wheels remain in place. 
     A center spring  105  is connected to a spring mounting shaft  107  extending between the arms of the clevis  54  each with the aperture  106  and is connected to the underside of the trash frame top plate  46 . An adjustable mechanism such as a screw nut is used to provide adjustable tension to the spring  105 . A pair of springs  110  extend between the aperture  66  on each of the front trash wheel arms  61  and a tab  111  on each side of the rear trash wheel arm  81  so as to provide tension to each of the front trash wheel arms  61 . 
     Referring now principally to FIGS. 1-3, the operation of the planter  10  will be described. In minimum till or no till farming, a substantial amount of stubble or trash remains in the field prior to planting. With the apparatus of the present invention connected to the planter draft tube  15 , as illustrated, the front trash wheel assembly  60  is pivotally mounted to the shaft  55  which extends through the aperture  85  in the rear trash wheel assembly  80  and is urged forward and toward the ground by the action of the springs  110  which pull the top of each arm  61  rearwardly thereby causing the forward trash wheels  70  and  75  to move forwardly and downwardly toward the ground. The extent of this continual urging is not so great as to cause the wheels  70  and  75  to bite into the ground, but is sufficient to cut the trash in the path of the planter  10 . 
     As previously described, the front trash wheels  70  and  75  are not only staggered fore and aft as shown particularly in FIGS. 1-3 as well as FIGS. 6-8, but the front trash wheels  70  and  75  are also angled with respect to the ground as seen in FIG.  4 . These two wheels  70 ,  75 , therefore, provide substantial cutting action of any trash encountered and move the trash rearwardly and outwardly after it is cut along the angle formed by wheels  70 ,  75  with respect to a line perpendicular to the shaft  50 . This angle being 20° for each wheel as illustrated in FIG. 2, or 40° between the wheels  70 ,  75 . As the trash moves rearwardly, it encounters the rearward trash wheel assembly  80  and more particularly it encounters one of the wheels  95 . Because the wheels  95  are at a greater angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the shaft  50  than the front wheels  70 ,  75 ; trash which is cut by the front wheels is moved further outwardly by contact with the wheels  95 . 
     As seen, the wheels  95  are urged downwardly and toward the ground by the action of the adjustable spring  105  which is connected to the clevis  54 . Because the spring  105  is adjustable, the tension of spring  105  can be adjusted not only to adjust the downward and forward movement of the rear trash assembly  80 , but also the downward and front movement of the forward trash wheel assembly  60 . It should be noted that shaft  50  is forward of shaft  55  thereby providing the spring action previously described. It is also seen that preferably, but not necessarily, the wheels  95  are somewhat larger than the forward wheels  70 ,  75  and the wheels  70 ,  75  carry substantially more teeth and sharper teeth on the periphery than do the wheels  95 . 
     When the planter mechanism  10  is picked up at the end of the row in order to maneuver, the weight of the unit  20  along with the spring action will tend to move both pairs of wheels  70 ,  75  and  95  forwardly and downwardly. In order to limit this movement so as to preserve the springs and other mechanism, there are two stops provided. Stop mechanism  51  carrying the stub shaft  52  mounted on the shaft  50  contacts the forward extending frame arms  48  and thereby limits the rotational movement of the rear trash assembly  80 . Likewise, the inner stop surface  63  on the upper portion  62  of each of the spaced apart arms  61  contacts the shaft  50  and prevents further rotational movement of the front wheel assembly  60  from rotating too far in the counter clockwise direction. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes, modifications and improvements may be made, for example in the processing of the materials or in the electrode and/or cell design without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.