Soil cultivating implements

A cultivator implement has two rows of freely rotatable, tined soil-working members connected to leading and rear transverse frame beams by respective brackets or plates. Each rotatable member is mounted for rotation on a corresponding stub shaft that defines its axis of rotation, which is inclined to the vertical. Pairs of downwardly extending tines that are secured in respective holders around the axis of rotation, contact the ground and rotate each member. A first row of rotatable members have axes inclined to one side of the vertical and a second row of rotatable members have axes inclined to the opposite side of the vertical. A fixed cultivator tine is deflectably secured to the beams via an integral spring coil assembly. The cultivator tines are positioned non centrally between adjacent rotary members and each tine is curved so that its lower tip extends forwardly. The cultivator tines of the first row work soil in advance of the rotatable members of the second row and the rotatable members of the first row work soil in advance of the cultivator tines of the second row to finely crumble and uniformly distribute soil. A further soil-working member is positioned to the rear of the rows and is vertically adjustable on arms connected to the ends of the beams.

This invention relates to soil cultivating implements of the kind which 
comprise a plurality of rotatable soil working or cultivating members that 
are arranged in at least one row which extends transverse to the intended 
direction of operative travel of the implement. 
According to the invention, there is provided a soil cultivating implement 
of the kind set forth, wherein two rows of the rotatable soil working or 
cultivating members are provided, and wherein one of said rows is located 
to the rear of the other with respect to said direction, the members of 
the rear row being disposed in positions in which, during operation, they 
can co-operate with a further soil working member that is rotatable about 
a horizontal or substantially horizontal axis.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the soil cultivating implement 
that is illustrated is in the form of a rotary harrow that comprises a 
frame portion 1 which includes two frame beams 2 and 3 that extend 
substantially horizontally parallel to one another in directions that are 
transverse, and usually perpendicular, to the intended direction of 
operative travel of the implement which is indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 
1 of the drawings, the rear beam 3 with respect to that direction being 
spaced behind the leading beam 2. The spacing is maintained by parallel 
and substantially vertically disposed opposite side plates 4 to which the 
corresponding ends of the beams 2 and 3 are welded or otherwise rigidly 
secured. Moreover, a plurality, such as three, of supports 3A rigidly 
interconnect the beams 2 and 3 at more or less regular intervals between 
the two side plates 4. The side plates 4 are in substantially parallel 
relationship with the direction A and the longitudinal axes of the 
supports 3A are also substantially parallel to that direction. Each of the 
frame beams 2 and 3 is of hollow formation and polygonal cross-section, a 
square cross-section, as illustrated, being preferred. Whether or not the 
polygonal cross-section that is chosen for each beam is square, the beam 
concerned is so arranged that at least one flat side thereof is 
substantially horizontally disposed (see FIG. 2). The two side plates 4 of 
the frame portion 1 both extend rearwardly with respect to the direction A 
beyond the rear frame beam 3, the rear portions of said plates 4 being 
substantially sector-shaped as seen in side elevation (FIG. 2), the 
rearmost regions thereof having greater vertical extents than the regions 
thereof which extend between the beams 2 and 3. 
A plurality of brackets 7 are firmly clamped to the lower substantially 
horizontal sides of the beams 2 and 3, said brackets 7 being regularly 
spaced apart from one another along the lengths of the beams 2 and 3 and 
each bracket 7 being firmly retained in its appointed position by four 
clamping bolts 5 that co-operate, at the top of the beam concerned, with 
two clamping plates 6 that both extend substantially parallel to the 
direction A in spaced apart relationship. It will be seen from FIG. 1 of 
the drawings that the leading beam 2 with respect to the direction A is 
provided with seven brackets 7 whereas the rear beam 3 has six brackets 7, 
the arrangement being such that, when the implement is viewed from the 
rear in the direction A, the brackets 7 that correspond to the beam 3 are 
located alternately between the brackets 7 that correspond to the leading 
beam 2 (see the right-hand side of FIG. 3 of the drawings). It can be seen 
from FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings that each bracket 7 has two limbs that 
both extend substantially parallel to the direction A at a short distance 
from one another. Each bracket 7 is of asymmetrical channel-shaped 
configuration with one limb thereof longer (from top to bottom) than the 
other so that the web interconnecting the two limbs has its general plane 
in inclined relationship with the horizontal. The web or base of each 
bracket 7 has the upper end of a corresponding strong stub shaft 8 welded 
or otherwise rigidly secured to it so that each stub shaft 8 projects 
downwardly from the corresponding web or base with its longitudinal axis a 
inclined at an angle of substantially 10.degree. to the strictly vertical 
as a result of the non-horizontal dispositions of the webs or bases of the 
brackets 7. 
Each stub shaft 8 tapers downwardly away from the corresponding bracket 7 
and is formed with shoulders for the rotatable mounting of a corresponding 
soil working or cultivating member 9 whose axis of rotation is coincident 
with the longitudinal axis a of the stub shaft 8 concerned. The 
longitudinal axis of each of the two beams 2 and 3 and the longitudinal 
axes a of the corresponding six or seven (in this embodiment) stub shafts 
8 are contained in corresponding parallel vertical planes B--B that are 
both perpendicular to the intended direction of operative travel A. It 
will be noted from the drawings, and particularly from FIG. 3 thereof, 
that the longitudinal axes a of the stub shafts 8 that correspond to one 
of the two frame beams 2 or 3, which axes a are also the axes of rotation 
of the corresponding members 9, are all in substantially parallel 
relationship with one another, that is to say, they are all obliquely 
inclined downwardly from the corresponding beam 2 or 3 towards the ground 
surface in the same direction. However, the seven axes a that correspond 
to the leading frame beam 2 are all inclined to the vertical in one 
direction whereas the six axes a that correspond to the rear frame beam 3 
are all inclined to the vertical in the opposite direction. In fact, when 
the machine is seen from the rear in the direction A (FIG. 3), the axes a 
that correspond to the leading frame beam 2 are all inclined upwardly away 
from the ground to the right whereas those that correspond to the rear 
frame beam 3 are all inclined upwardly away from the ground to the left. 
Each soil working or cultivating member 9 comprises a support which 
includes upper and lower parallel plates 10 that are both of annular 
configuration and both of which are perpendicular to the corresponding 
axis a. The inner edges of the annular plates 10 are both welded or 
otherwise rigidly secured to the outer surface of a cylindrical hub 11 
which is freely rotatable around the corresponding stub shaft 8 with the 
aid of upper and lower ball bearings 12 whose inner races co-operate with 
the aforementioned shoulders on the tapering stub shaft 8. The inner races 
of the upper and lower ball bearings 12 are maintained in spaced apart 
relationship by an intervening sleeve 13, the inner race of the lower 
bearing 12 abutting against a circlip 14 that is engaged in a groove in 
the stub shaft 8 and the outer race of the upper ball bearing 12 abutting 
against a larger circlip 15 that is engaged in a groove in the inner wall 
of the cylindrical hub 11. As will be evident from a study of FIG. 4 of 
the drawings, the lower ends of the outer races of both the upper and 
lower ball bearings 12 are also lodged against supporting shoulders formed 
in the inner surface of the cylindrical hub 11. The upper surface of the 
upper larger circlip 15 supports, from beneath, an annular closure plate 
or seal 16 which is disposed just inside the upper end of the cylindrical 
hub 11 in surrounding relationship with the stub shaft 8. Small bolts 18 
secure a generally circular closure plate 17 to an inwardly directed lip 
of the hub 11 so that said closure plate 17 extends perpendicular to the 
corresponding axis a immediately beneath the lower end of the 
corresponding stub shaft 8 and thus seals the bearings 12 from 
contamination by dirt from the bottom of the hub 11. 
The plates 10 of each soil working or cultivating member support are 
provided, at regular 90.degree. intervals around the corresponding axis a, 
with four generally sleeve-shaped tine holders 19 whose outer surfaces are 
substantially frusto-conical in an upwardly tapering direction. The four 
holders 19 that correspond to each member 9 are arranged at substantially 
the peripheries of the corresponding plates 10 and each holder 19 receives 
a fastening portion of a corresponding rigid tine 20. The open lower end 
of each holder 19 is formed with a pair of diametrically opposed notches 
or recesses and those notches or recesses co-operate with similarly 
disposed lugs 21 that are integrally carried at opposite sides of the 
corresponding tine 20. This arrangement prevents the fastening portion of 
the tine 20 from turning about its own longitudinal axis in the holder 19 
once a frusto-conically faced fastening nut 22 which co-operates with a 
screw-threaded upper part of the fastening portion is securely tightened. 
In addition to its straight fastening portion, each tine 20 also comprises 
a straight soil working portion that extends downwardly away from an 
integral junction with the fastening portion in such a way that the 
longitudinal axes of said two portions are inclined to one another by a 
small angle which conveniently, but not essentially, has a magnitude of 
substantially 8.degree.. Small arrows appear in FIG. 1 of the drawings to 
indicate the directions in which the freely rotatable members 9 will 
normally revolve during the use of the implement and an examination of 
FIGS. 2 to 4 of the drawings will make it clear that the soil working 
portions of the tines 20 are inclined rearwardly from top to bottom 
relative to those directions so that said portions of the tines 20 may be 
considered as trailing to some extent with respect to the directions of 
rotation concerned. As will be further discussed below, rotation of the 
members 9 in the indicated directions is brought about, during operative 
travel of the implement in the direction A, because the soil working 
portions of the tines 20 which, at any instant, are located at one side of 
each corresponding axis a penetrate to a considerably greater depth into 
the soil than do the soil working portions which, at the same instant, are 
at the opposite sides of the corresponding axes a. 
The soil working portion at each tine 20 is of downwardly tapering 
configuration and commences, at substantially its integral junction with 
the corresponding fastening portion, with a substantially circular 
cross-section. Considered downwardly towards the free end or tip from that 
junction, the soil working portion gradually changes its cross-sectional 
shape until, near the lowermost free end or tip, that shape is basically, 
although not strictly, rectangular. In this lower region, the soil working 
portion is considerably flattened in such a way that a diagonal between 
those two opposite corners of the basically rectangular cross-section that 
are furthest apart is tangential to a circle centered upon the 
corresponding axis a. Again in a lowermost free end region of the soil 
working portion of each tine 20, the four what would otherwise be 
substantially flat sides of that portion are formed with recesses or 
grooves which extend upwardly along the corresponding soil working portion 
from its lowermost free end or tip to merge, at their upper ends, into the 
corresponding four substantially flat sides of the soil working portion 
concerned. It will be noted from FIG. 4 of the drawings that the two 
recesses or grooves that face generally forwardly from the soil working 
portion of each tine 20 with respect to the intended direction of 
operative rotation of the corresponding member 9 have substantially twice 
the upright length of those two recesses or grooves which face generally 
rearwardly with respect to the same direction. The recesses or grooves 
become progressively shallower as the distance from the lowermost free end 
or tip of the soil working portion of the corresponding tine 20 increases 
before, as mentioned above, said recesses or grooves finally merge into 
the substantially flat sides of the soil working portion concerned. 
Although it is greatly preferred that the lower region of the soil working 
portion of each tine 20 should be of basically rectangular cross-section, 
this is not absolutely essential and it is possible for other polygonal 
cross-sections to be employed in substitution. 
Each stub shaft 8 has a corresponding protective hood or cover 23 of 
annular shape welded or otherwise rigidly secured to it at a short 
distance below the corresponding bracket 7 and immediately above the upper 
end of the corresponding rotatable hub 11. The hood or cover 23 protects 
the upper end of the hub 11 concerned and also the upper ends of the 
corresponding four tine holders 19 together with the corresponding 
fastening nuts 22 and the screw-threaded parts of the tine fastening 
portions with which those nuts cooperate. Each hood or cover 23 is, 
however, formed with a single hole 24A (FIGS. 1 and 2) through which 
access can be obtained to any one of the four fastening nuts 22 merely by 
turning the member 9 concerned about its axis of rotation a until the 
required nut is in register with the access hole 24A. In the foremost row 
of members 9 that corresponds to the leading frame beam 2, the brackets 7 
which correspond to those two soil working or cultivating members 9 which 
are at the opposite ends of that row are spaced from the corresponding 
ends of the beam 2 by distances which are substantially half the distance 
between each bracket 7 and its neighbour, or one of its neighbours, along 
the row. However, in the rear row of members 9 that corresponds to the 
rear frame beam 3, the distances between the brackets 7 that support the 
opposite end members 9 of said row and the neighbouring ends of the beam 3 
are equal to, or greater than, the distance between each bracket 7 along 
said row and its neighbour, or one of its neighbours, in that row. It is 
preferred that, in each row, the distance between one axis of rotation a 
and its immediate neighbour along the same row should be substantially 
twice the width of the strip of land that is worked by each member 9 
during the operation of the implement, the latter magnitude preferably 
having a value of substantially 30 entimeters. It is preferred that the 
distances between successive axes of rotation a in each row should be the 
same and that the perpendicular distance between the two planes B--B, that 
contain the corresponding rows of axes a, should be the same as the 
spacings between the successive axes of rotation a in each row. 
A plurality of cultivator tines 27, of which there is a total of fifteen in 
the example that is being described, are arranged at intervals across the 
width of the implement, there being one of the tines 27 close to each 
opposite end of each of the two beams 2 and 3 and one tine 27 between each 
successive pair of soil working or cultivating members 9 in each of the 
two rows thereof. Each cultivator tine 27 comprises a substantially 
horizontally disposed fastening portion 26 that is clamped firmly, but 
releasably, against the top of the corresponding hollow beam 2 or 3 by a 
corresponding upper clamping plate 24, a corresponding lower clamping 
plate 24 and a group of three bolts 25. The rearmost bolt 25, with respect 
to the direction A, of each group is entered downwardly through a hole 
near the rear end of the corresponding tine fastening portion 26 so that 
the tine 27 concerned shall still remain connected to the corresponding 
beam 2 or 3 even if its three bolts 25 should become loose. It will be 
noted from FIG. 1 of the drawings and from the right-hand side of FIG. 3 
thereof, that each of the cultivator tines 27 that is fastened to the rear 
frame beam 3 is located substantially exactly in register, in the 
direction A, with the fastening region (7) of a corresponding soil working 
or cultivating member 9 of the leading row thereof. 
Each cultivator tine 27 is preferably formed integrally with its fastening 
portion 26 and with an intervening helical coil 28 that preferably 
comprises not less than two complete 360.degree. turns. The integral 
assembly of parts 26, 27 and 28 may conveniently be formed from a single 
length of spring steel or other resilient material which has a polygonal 
cross-section that it is preferred, as illustrated, should be square. Each 
coil 28 affords a resilient support for the corresponding cultivator tine 
27 and it will be seen from FIG. 2 of the drawings that each tine 27 is 
initially inclined downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the direction 
A from its junction with the corresponding coil 28 whereafter it is 
arcuately curved in a regular manner in such a way that a lower region 
thereof is inclined downwardly and forwardly with respect to the direction 
A. The downwardly and forwardly extending region is gently tapered towards 
its free end or tip and is provided with a replaceable blade 29 which is 
retained in its operative position on the tine 27 by at least one 
countersunk machine screw or the like. If desired, the blades 29 can be 
formed in such a way that they are reversible, end-for-end, so that, when 
the initial cutting edge becomes blunt, reversal can be effected to 
present a fresh sharp cutting edge thus effectively doubling the life of 
each blade 29 before inevitable wear eventually makes complete replacement 
necessary. It will be noted from the drawings that, with respect to the 
direction A, the coil 28 that corresponds to each cultivator tine 27 is 
located wholly or principally behind at least upper and lower end regions 
of that tine 27. 
Reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings will show that, in plan view, the 
fastening portions 26 are not located midway between the successive pairs 
of soil working or cultivating members 9 along the corresponding rows. The 
arrangement is, in fact, such that, in the leading row of members 9 that 
corresponds to the frame beam 2, the cultivator tines 27 are nearer to the 
members 9 which are to the left thereof when the implement is viewed from 
the rear in the direction A (see FIG. 3). This applies to all of the 
cultivator tine fastening portions 26 except, of course, that one which is 
very close to the extreme left-hand end of the frame beam 2 when the 
implement is viewed in the manner just indicated. Similarly, in the rear 
row that corresponds to the frame bear 3, the fastening portions 26 of the 
successive cultivator tines 27 are nearer to the members 9 which are to 
the left thereof when the implement is viewed from the rear in the 
direction A. Once again, the cultivator tine 27 that is closest to the 
left-hand end of the beam 3 when the implement is viewed in the direction 
that has just been mentioned does not have a soil working or cultivating 
member 9 beyond it to the left. It will be remembered that the cultivator 
tines 27 of the rear row are located substantially exactly in register 
with the soil working or cultivating members 9 of the leading row when the 
implement is viewed from the rear in the direction A. 
Horizontally aligned pivot bolts 30, or equivalent stub shafts, turnably 
connect two arms 31 to the side plates 4 of the frame portion 1 in such a 
way that said arms 31 are turnable upwardly and downwardly about the axis 
defined by the pivot bolts 30 alongside the relatively remote surfaces of 
the two side plates 4. The sector-shaped region of each side plate 4 is 
formed, close to its rearmost edge, with a row of holes 30A that are 
equidistant from the axis defined by the pivot bolts 30 and each arm 31 is 
formed with at least one hole at the same distance from said axis. The 
arms 31 can thus be retained in chosen angular positions about the axis 
defined by the pivot bolts 30 by entering horizontal bolts 32A through 
chosen holes 30A and through the registering holes, or chosen registering 
holes, in the arms 31. Once the bolts 32A are tightened, a rigid 
disposition of the arms 31 relative to the frame portion 1 is attained. 
The arms 31 project rearwardly with respect to the direction A beyond the 
side plates 4 and, between their rearmost ends, substantially horizontally 
aligned bearings rotatably carry an open-formation ground roller 32 that 
is arranged to be rotated freely by ground contact during operative 
progress of the implement in the direction A. The axis of rotation that is 
defined by the horizontally aligned bearings is substantially parallel to 
the lengths of the hollow beams 2 and 3 and thus substantially 
perpendicular to the direction A. The roller 32 comprises a central 
axially disposed tubular support 35 to which a plurality, such as eleven, 
of vertical plates 34 of circular formation are secured at regular 
intervals so that all of them are parallel to the direction A. A 
plurality, such as eight, of holes are formed close to the periphery of 
each plate 34 and elongated elements 33 which may be of solid rod 
formation, or of tubular formation as illustrated, are entered through the 
holes in the successive plates 34 so as to extend helically around the 
axis of rotation of the roller 32 at regular intervals around that axis. 
The roller 32 primarily serves two functions; firstly, it acts as a 
further soil working member which will crush any large lumps of soil left 
on the ground surface by the foregoing cultivator tines 27 and members 9 
with a concurrent gentle smoothing and compressing effect upon the already 
worked soil and, secondly, it serves a depth control function inasmuch as 
the level of its axis of rotation that is chosen relative to the level of 
the frame portion 1 substantially determines the maximum depth to which 
the tines 20 of the members 9 and the cultivator tines 27 can penetrate 
into the ground (see particularly FIG. 2). The frame portion 1 is 
provided, centrally across the width of the implement and at the front 
thereof with respect to the direction A, with a coupling member or trestle 
36 that is arranged for pivotal connection to the three ends of the upper 
and lower lifting links of a three-point lifting device or hitch carried 
at the rear of an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle in a 
manner which is generally known per se and which can be seen, in outline, 
in FIG. 1 of the drawings. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings illustrate an alternative construction in 
which the brackets 7 are replaced by a plurality of flat plates 38 from 
the lower surfaces of which corresponding stub shafts 39 project obliquely 
downwards towards the ground surface at an inclination to the vertical 
which, as in the first embodiment, may have a magnitude of substantially 
10.degree.. Each stub shaft 39 tapers downwardly in a stepped or 
shouldered manner towards its lowermost free end, its longitudinal axis b 
also being the axis of rotation of a corresponding soil working or 
cultivating member 37 that is rotatably mounted thereon. The axis b that 
correspond to each of the two rows of stub shafts 39 and members 37 are 
contained in a corresponding plane B--B as has already been described with 
reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings, said planes B--B being 
indicated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Each stub shaft 39 is provided with 
corresponding upper and lower ball bearings 40 whose inner races surround 
corresponding steps or shoulders of said stub shaft, the two ball bearings 
40 being of different sizes. The outer races of the two ball bearings 40 
are maintained in axially spaced relationship by an internal shoulder 41 
of a cylindrical hub 42 of the corresponding member 37. An upper circlip 
43 engages in a groove in the inner wall of the hub 42 immediately above 
the outer race of the upper ball bearing 40 and, immediately above said 
upper circlip 43, a closure plate or seal 44 of annular formation extends 
between the inner curved surface of the upper end of the hub 42 and the 
outer curved surface of the corresponding stub shaft 39 so as to prevent 
ingress or dirt from the upper end of the hub 42. The previously described 
lower circlip 14 has its inner edge entered in a groove formed very close 
to the lowermost end of the stub shaft 39 and maintains the inner race of 
the lower ball bearing 40 in its appointed position on the lowermost step 
or shoulder of that stub shaft. A closure plate 45A is arranged just 
inside the lowermost end of the hub 42 and prevents dirt from entering the 
internal bearing area of the hub 42 from the lower end of the latter. A 
lower circlip 43 has its outer edge engaged in an internal groove of the 
hub 42 and maintains both a lip of the closure plate 45A and the outer 
race of the lower ball bearing 40 in their appointed positions in said hub 
42. 
A circular aperture in the middle of a substantially square plate 45 is 
welded or otherwise rigidly secured to an external shoulder of the hub 42 
of each member 37 in such a way that the general plane of said plate 45 is 
perpendicular, or substantially perpendicular, to the corresponding axis 
b. Each of the four corners of each plate 45 is provided with a 
corresponding sleeve-like tine holder 46 which receives the fastening 
portion of a corresponding rigid tine 47. In this embodiment, each holder 
46 is of substantially, although not exactly, right circular cylindrical 
configuration and is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to one of the 
corners of the corresponding plate 45 in such a way that its longitudinal 
axis is in upwardly convergent relationship with the corresponding axis b. 
The tines 47 may be identical to the previously described tines 20 and 
their fastening portions are secured in their appointed positions in the 
corresponding holders 46 in an identical manner. In order to strengthen 
the connection of each tine holder 46 to the remainder of the 
corresponding member 37, substantially radially disposed stiffening ribs 
48 are arranged on top of the plates 45 so as to extend rigidly between 
each hub 42 and upper ends of the four holders 46 that correspond to that 
hub. 
In the use of the soil cultivating implement that has been described, its 
coupling member or trestle 36 is connected to the three-point lifting 
device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural tractor or other operating 
vehicle and is supported from the ground by the lifting device or hitch, 
by the ground roller 32 and by the tines 20 or 47 and 27, said tines 
penetrating into the soil to a depth that is dictated principally by the 
angular positions in which the arms 31 have been set by the bolts 32A 
about the axis defined by the pivot bolts 30. As the implement moves 
forwardly in the direction A, its cultivator tines 27 are dragged through 
the soil while the members 9 or 37 rotate more or less regularly and more 
or less continuously in the directions that are indicated by small arrows 
in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the direction of rotation for all the members 9 
or 37 of the leading row being the same and the directions of rotation of 
all of the members 9 or 37 of the rear row being the same but opposite to 
those of the first row. As briefly discussed above, the rotation of the 
members 9 or 37 is caused by ground contact alone and results from the 
fact that, as seen in FIG. 3, the soil working portions of those tines 20 
or 47 which, at any instant, are to the right of the corresponding axes a 
or b in the leading row and to the left of the corresponding axes a or b 
in the rear row, penetrate into the ground to a significantly greater 
extent than do the soil working portions of those tines 20 or 47 which, at 
the same instant, are at the opposite sides of the corresponding axes a or 
b. Thus, the resistance to dragging motion through the soil at one side of 
each axis a or b is greater than it is at the opposite side thereof and 
the members 9 or 37 consequently revolve about the axes a or b. Clearly, 
should the soil working portion of one of the tines 20 or 47 that is at 
the side of the corresponding axis a or b where it penetrates less deeply 
into the soil meet a substantially immovable obstacle, such as a firmly 
embedded stone, the direction of rotation of the member 9 or 37 concerned 
will be temporarily reversed until the obstacle has been avoided, this 
being conducive to non-breakage of the tines 20 and 47 and to a long 
working life of each member 9 or 37. The members 9 or 37 work the strips 
of land that are located between the cultivator tines 27, coarse lumps of 
soil that are displaced by those tines 27 onto said strips being crumbled 
up by the members 9 or 37 so that the cultivator tines 27 co-operate 
effectively with the rotary ground-actuated soil working or cultivating 
members 9 or 37. 
Strips of soil that are located in between the rotary cultivating members 9 
or 37 of the leading row and that are treated by the corresponding 
cultivator tines 27 are additionally worked by the rotary members 9 or 37 
of the rear row, those members rotating in an opposite direction to the 
members 9 or 37 of the leading row. The arrangement of the two rows of 
rotary members 9 or 37 in relationship to the interposed cultivator tines 
27 is such as to provide a substantially homogeneous crumbling and 
substantially uniform distribution of the worked soil since earth that is 
displaced slightly to the right by the members 9 or 37 and cultivator 
tines 27 of the leading row is slightly displaced back towards the left by 
the rotary members 9 or 37 and cultivator tines 27 of the rear row. This 
is conducive to a smooth and regular distribution of the displaced soil. 
It will be realised that, if required, the cultivator tines 27 can readily 
be removed from the implement merely by undoing the bolts 25. When the 
cultivator tines 27 are provided, as illustrated in the accompanying 
drawings, the implement is particularly useful for the cultivation of land 
that is badly infested with weeds and/or grass and/or that is contaminated 
with refuse from previous crops. The long roots of invasive grasses and 
other wholly or partially buried redundant material are torn out by the 
cultivator tines 27 and tend to be scraped off those tines 27 by the 
cooperating tines 20 or 47 of the neighbouring members 9 or 37 and the 
members 9 or 37 of the rear row pass them rearwardly towards the 
co-operating roller 32. The uprooted and crushed weeds and grass are left 
lying mainly on the soil surface to the rear of the implement to die off 
prior to any further work that may be required in preparation for the next 
crop that is to be grown on the land. The hoods or covers 23 effectively 
prevent any significant quantities of crop debris, grass, weeds and so on 
from becoming tightly wound around the tops of the members 9 in the 
embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings to such an extent as to 
interfere significantly with the effective operation of those members 9. 
Where particularly difficult soil conditions and/or heavy weed 
infestations are likely to be met with, the even more intensive working of 
the soil that is possible by the use of the members 37 that have been 
described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings may be 
preferable. Under many circumstances, a single traverse of the land by the 
soil cultivating implement that has been described is sufficient to bring 
that land to a condition suitable for use, without further treatment, as a 
seed bed or as a bed for the reception of young plants. 
Although certain features of the soil cultivating implement that have been 
described and/or that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings will be 
set forth in the following claims as inventive features, it is emphasised 
that the invention is not necessarily limited to those features and that 
it includes within its scope each of the parts of each embodiment of the 
soil cultivating implement that has been described, and/or that is 
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, both individually and in various 
combinations.