Abstract:
A stalk and root eliminator for efficiently cutting, uprooting, and lifting vegetation from the soil. The stalk and root eliminator is able to accomplish each of these functions in a single pass, greatly reducing the time it takes to clear a field. The stalk and root eliminator includes a front hitch mount for coupling the chassis of the stalk and root eliminator to a tractor, a cutting device, a series of plows, and a rotary picker aligned with each of the plows.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Application No. 60/958,032 which names the same inventor. This application was filed on Jul. 2, 2007. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable 
       MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    This invention relates to the field of farm equipment. More specifically, the present invention comprises a stalk and root eliminator capable of efficiently cutting, uprooting, and lifting vegetation out of the soil. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0007]    Various harvesting equipment are known in the prior art for harvesting crops and other vegetation. In some cases, it is desirable to separate the vegetation completely (roots and stalk) from the soil. Conventionally, this has required different harvesting tools to be employed in successive “passes” across the field. For example, a tractor operator may first utilize a cutting implement to remove the top of a stalk. The operator may then unhitch the cutting implement from the tractor and attach a plow in place of the cutting implement. The operator may then make another pass across the field with the plow to uproot the remainder of the stalk. The operator may then attach yet another implement to the tractor to harvest or remove the vegetation from the field. Thus, three or more passes are usually required to clear a field of vegetation. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention comprises a stalk and root eliminator for efficiently cutting, uprooting, and lifting vegetation from the soil. The stalk and root eliminator is able to accomplish each of these functions in a single pass, greatly reducing the time it takes to clear a field. The stalk and root eliminator includes a front hitch mount for coupling the chassis of the stalk and root eliminator to a tractor. One or more adjustable front wheels and rear wheels are provided on the chassis. A cutter housing is attached beneath the chassis. The cutter housing contains a blade drive shaft and a plurality of cutting blades attached thereto. The blade drive shaft has a central axis which is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the stalk and root eliminator. The blade drive shaft may be driven by the tractor&#39;s power take-off or a separate motor. 
         [0009]    Multiple plows are attached to the chassis rearward of the cutter housing. Each plow is attached to the chassis by a mounting bracket. Each plow has a beam extending beneath the chassis of the stalk and root eliminator and a plow bottom adapted to penetrate and till a layer of soil. Various plow bottoms may be used including chisel or mouldboard varieties. 
         [0010]    A series of rotary pickers are attached to the chassis rearward of the plows. Each rotary picker has a plurality of pick fingers which comb through the plowed soil and lift the vegetation to the surface. Each rotary picker is mounted on a shaft. This allows the rotary picker to naturally rotate as it is pulled through the top layer of soil. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, illustrating the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a front view, illustrating the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view, illustrating the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a rear view, illustrating the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a detail view, illustrating a rotary picker 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a detail view, illustrating a cutting blade. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side view, illustrating a cutting blade. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a side view, illustrating the operation of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view, illustrating a cutting blade. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a detail view, illustrating a harrow. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
       [0021]      
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 10 
                 stalk and root eliminator 
                 12 
                 chassis 
               
               
                 14 
                 3-point linkage 
                 16 
                 cutting manifold 
               
               
                 18 
                 drive shaft 
                 20 
                 opening 
               
               
                 22 
                 gearbox 
                 24 
                 wheel 
               
               
                 26 
                 post 
                 28 
                 plow 
               
               
                 30 
                 beam 
                 32 
                 rotary picker 
               
               
                 34 
                 extender arm 
                 36 
                 wheel 
               
               
                 38 
                 post 
                 40 
                 cutting blade 
               
               
                 42 
                 gearbox 
                 44 
                 cut vegetation 
               
               
                 46 
                 plowed vegetation 
                 48 
                 separated vegetation 
               
               
                 50 
                 uncut vegetation 
                 52 
                 shaft 
               
               
                 54 
                 shaft 
                 56 
                 transmission 
               
               
                 58 
                 blade shaft 
                 60 
                 flaps 
               
               
                 62 
                 swivel shaft 
                 64 
                 pick fingers 
               
               
                 66 
                 shaft 
                 68 
                 L-shaped blades 
               
               
                 70 
                 bolts 
                 72 
                 mounting bore 
               
               
                 74 
                 mounting plate 
                 76 
                 flanges 
               
               
                 78 
                 nuts 
                 80 
                 post receiver 
               
               
                 82 
                 harrow 
                 84 
                 harrow disks 
               
               
                 86 
                 plate 
                 88 
                 collar 
               
               
                 90 
                 cutting blade 
                 92 
                 keyway 
               
               
                 94 
                 blade 
                 96 
                 bolts 
               
               
                 98 
                 leading edge 
                 100 
                 trailing edge 
               
               
                 102 
                 flange 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The present invention, stalk and root eliminator  10 , is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Stalk and root eliminator  10  generally includes chassis  12  which may be attached behind a tractor by 3-point linkage  14 . One or more front wheels  24  and rear wheels  36  are attached to chassis  12 . The height of chassis  12  may be adjusted relative to front wheels  24  and rear wheels  36  to set a maximum plow depth. Front wheel  24  is attached to chassis  12  by post  26  which is height-adjustably mounted within post receiver  80 . Similarly, rear wheel  36  is attached to chassis by post  38  which is also situated within a height-adjustable receiver. 
         [0023]    Cutting manifold  16  is attached beneath chassis  12 . Cutting manifold  16  houses a cutting device for cutting vegetation such as cotton stalks. The cutting device may be driven by the power take-off of the tractor via drive shaft  18  or by a separate motor. A series of plows  28  are attached to chassis  12  rearward of cutting manifold  16 . Each plow  28  is attached to beam  30  which extends beneath chassis  12 . Rotary picker  32  is attached rearward of plow  28  on chassis  12  by extender arm  34 . As shown more clearly in the rear view of stalk and root eliminator  10  in  FIG. 4 , each plow  28  has a corresponding rotary picker  32 . The purpose of this linear arrangement of the cutting device, plows, and rotary pickers will be described in greater detail subsequently. 
         [0024]    A front view of stalk and root eliminator  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Flaps  60  cover the front of cutting manifold  16  and prevent cut vegetation and other objects from being kicked-back toward the operator of the tractor. Flaps  60  are made of a flexible material, however, to permit vegetation to pass between and under flaps  60  to be cut. Opening  20  is provided in the middle of cutting manifold  16  for receiving drive shaft  18  (see  FIG. 1 ). Referring back to  FIG. 2 , drive shaft  18  engages transmission  56  which transfers the torque from drive shaft  18  to shafts  52  and  54 . Shafts  52  and  54  transmit power to blade shaft  58  via gearboxes  22  and  42 . This powertrain is illustrated more clearly in  FIG. 3 . The reader will note that a series of cutting blades  40  are attached to blade shaft  58 . Each cutting blade  40  rotates with blade shaft  58  along a horizontal axis of rotation which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the tractor. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a detail view of rotary picker  32 . Each rotary picker  32  is attached to chassis  12  by extender arm  34 . Rotary picker  32  is attached below extender arm  34  by swivel shaft  62  and includes a plurality of pick fingers  64  which freely rotate about shaft  66 . Rotary picker  32  separates stalks and roots from the soil after plow  28  passes through the soil ahead of rotary picker  32 . Pick fingers  64  roll and “comb” through the plowed soil and separate the vegetation from the soil. Although not shown in  FIG. 5 , extender arm  34  may be removably attached to chassis  12 , so that rotary pickers  32  may be removed from chassis  12  when desired. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  illustrate cutting blade  40  which may be used with stalk and root eliminator  10 . Four L-shaped blades  68  are attached to mounting plate  74  by bolts  70 .  FIG. 7  shows the opposite side of cutting blade  40 . Each L-shaped blade  68  has flange  76  that wraps around mounting plate  74 . Bolts  70  pass through mounting plate  74  and flange  76  and the assembly is secured together with nuts  78 . If one of L-shaped blades  68  is bent or otherwise damaged during cutting, it is only necessary to replace the part that is bent—which can be easily unbolted from mounting plate  74 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 8  illustrates the operation of stalk and root eliminator  10 . Stalk and root eliminator  10  is pulled behind a tractor across uncut vegetation  50 . The top portion of the vegetation passes into cutting manifold  16  where it is chopped off by cutting blades  40  leaving cut vegetation  44 . Plow  28  passes through the soil behind cutting manifold  16  and loosens the roots of cut vegetation  44  leaving behind an area of plowed vegetation  46 . Rotary pickers  32  then comb through plowed vegetations  46  and lift the vegetation to the surface of the soil, leaving behind an area of separated vegetation  48 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 9  illustrates how a harrow may be substituted for the rotary picker. Harrow  82  is attached to chassis  12  like—rotary picker  32 —via extender arm  34  and swivel shaft  62 . Harrow disks  84  rotate about shaft  66  when harrow  82  is allowed to roll on the ground. Those that are skilled in the art will appreciate that harrow disks  84  will break up clods and lumps of soil created by the plows, thus providing a finer soil finish that is more suitable for seeding and planting operations. 
         [0029]      FIG. 10  illustrates yet another cutting blade that may be employed on stalk and root eliminator  10 . Cutting blade  90  includes plate  86  having collar  88  for receiving the blade drive shaft. Keyway  92  is provided to allow cutting blade  90  to be locked in place on the blade drive shaft. Blades  94  are attached to flanges  102  with bolts  96  or other fasteners. Blades  94  extend from plate  86  parallel to the blade drive shaft. As such, blades  94  extend in both the positive and negative z direction when plate  86  lies in the x-y plane. Each blade  94  includes both two cutting edges—leading edge  98  and trailing edge  100 . When oriented as shown in  FIG. 9 , only leading edge  98  cuts the vegetation. Cutting blade  90  may be reversed on the blade drive shaft from time to time such that trailing edge  100  may be used to cut the vegetation. Thus, if collar  88  normally extends in the positive z direction relative to plate  86 , cutting blade  90  may be turned such that collar  88  extends in the negative z direction. This may be useful when leading edge  98  begins to dull after extended use. When leading edge  98  and trailing edge  100  are both dull, the user can replace blade  94  or sharpen the cutting edges. 
         [0030]    With the present invention now more thoroughly described, the reader may now appreciate the various features of the present invention which allows stalk and root eliminator  10  to transform a field of rooted vegetation into a field of “separated” vegetation in a single pass. Referring back to  FIG. 5 , the reader will now appreciate that swivel shaft  62  allows rotary picker  32  to turn with the tractor (such as when executing a U-turn) so as not to stress pick fingers  64 . Pick fingers  64  are curved to induce angular rotation of rotary picker  32  when rolled through the plowed soil. The direction of angular rotation is preferably the same direction as the rotation of the wheels of the tractor. The curvature also helps lift the vegetation as each pick finger  64  rotates out of the soil. 
         [0031]    The preceding description contains significant detail regarding the novel aspects of the present invention. It should not be construed, however, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims, rather than by the examples given.