Soil cultivating implement

An implement has a row of soil working or cultivating members that are driven to rotate about upwardly extending axes. Adjacent cultivating members are rotated in relative opposite directions to work overlapping circular paths and depend from an elongated frame portion that extends transverse to the direction of travel. Between neighboring cultivating members, soil crumbling members are positioned to work the top soil adjacent the overlapping paths defined by tines of the cultivating members. Each cultivating member includes a substantially horizontal support with tines depending from that support. The crumbling members extend from a forward supporting structure, rearwardly to free ends that normally are located above or adjacent the cultivating member supports, but below the frame portion. The crumbling members are resilient and/or spring mounted and can be used in combination with forward soil working elements that also extend rearwardly to the ground during operation.

The invention relates to a soil cultivating implement comprising a 
plurality of cultivating members adapted to rotate about upwardly 
extending axes. 
In accordance with the invention the implement of the kind set forth 
comprises a crumbling member cooperating with the top sides of the 
cultivating members for crumbling up the earth between two cultivating 
members that is arranged at least partly above the paths described by said 
cultivating members.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, the soil 
cultivating implement that is illustrated therein has a supporting frame 
that is generally indicated by the reference 1, said frame including a 
pair of parallel and substantially horizontally disposed beams 2, said 
beams 2 being spaced apart from one another in the intended direction of 
operative travel of the implement which is indicated by an arrow A with 
both of them extending transverse, and usually substantially 
perpendicular, to the direction A. Each of the frame beams 2 is of hollow 
construction and has a polygonal cross-section which it is preferred 
should be square as can be seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Each beam 2 is 
arranged so that, with the preferred square cross-section or any other 
polygonal cross-section, at least one flat side thereof is horizontally or 
substantially horizontally disposed. The ends of the beams 2 are 
interconnected by substantially vertically disposed side plates 3 of the 
supporting frame 1, said side plates 3 being substantially parallel to one 
another and to the direction A and being dimensioned so that both of them 
project both forwardly beyond, and rearwardly behind, the two frame beams 
2 with respect to the direction A. A number, such as four, of 
strengthening strips 2A extend substantially horizontally parallel to the 
direction A in interconnecting relationship with the two frame beams 2. 
Bars 4 of L-shaped cross-section are secured to the two upright sides of 
the two square cross-section frame beams 2 that face one another, the 
permanent connections being effected by welding with the bars 4 located 
close to the tops of the two beams 2. Each bar 4 has its substantially 
vertical limb welded to the upright side of the corresponding beam 2 in 
such a way that the substantially horizontal limb thereof projects from 
the substantially vertical limb towards the other bar 4. As can be seen in 
FIG. 2 of the drawings, this arrangement disposes the two substantially 
horizontal limbs of the two bars 4 at a level just above that of the tops 
of the two beams 2 and in regularly spaced apart relationship, throughout 
their lengths, between said beams 2. 
Six gear boxes 5 are secured by substantially vertical bolts to the 
substantially horizontal limbs of the bars 4 in such a way that said six 
gear boxes 5 extend in a row in substantially regularly spaced apart 
relationship in a substantially horizontal direction that is perpendicular 
to the direction A, the spacings between the two end gear boxes 5 of the 
row and the corresponding adjacent side plates 3 of the supporting frame 1 
being substantially the same as is the distance between any two 
immediately neighbouring gear boxes 5 in the row (see FIG. 1). Each gear 
box 5 rotatably supports a corresponding upwardly extending shaft 6 whose 
longitudinal axis (axis of rotation) will usually be vertically or 
substantially vertically disposed. The lowermost ends of the six shafts 6 
project downwardly from beneath the bottoms of the six gear boxes 5 and 
are there externally splined for co-operation with hubs at the centers of 
supports 7, said hubs being internally splined to match the splines on the 
shafts 6. Axial disengagement of the supports 7 from the shafts 6 is 
prevented by the provision of washers (not shown) and nuts (not shown) the 
latter co-operating with screwthreads on short downward extensions (not 
shown) of the shafts 6. Each support 7 comprises two axially aligned arms 
that extend radially away from the corresponding hub in diametrically 
opposite directions, said arms being provided at, or very near to, their 
free ends with stub shafts 8 that are in parallel or substantially 
parallel relationship with the corresponding shafts 6. 
Each stub shaft 8 projects downwardly from beneath the bottom of the 
corresponding support 7, the downwardly projecting portion having the hub 
9 of a corresponding cultivating tool that is generally indicated by the 
reference 11 mounted thereon in a freely rotatable manner. Each hub 9 is 
located at the center of a corresponding support 12 which comprises three 
arms that project outwardly away from the hub 9 at 120.degree. intervals 
around the longitudinal axis (axis of rotation) of that hub. As can be 
seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, each arm of each support 12 is not 
strictly radially disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the 
corresponding hub 9 but is inclined obliquely downwardly towards the 
ground surface from the hub 9 concerned towards its outermost end. The 
outermost end of each arm of each support 12 has a corresponding tine 
holder 13 rigidly secured to it, said tine holders 13 being of sleeve-like 
formation and upwardly tapering substantially frusto-conical 
configuration. It will be appreciated that each cultivating tool 11 
comprises three of the tine holders 13 and it will be seen from the 
drawings that each tine holder 13 firmly but releasably receives an upper 
fastening portion of a corresponding rigid soil working tine 10. 
The interior of each tine holder 13 is preferably of square cross-section 
and, with this preferred cross-section, the fastening portion of each tine 
10 has a matching cross-section with the exception of a short 
screwthreaded uppermost part thereof that is arranged for co-operation 
with a corresponding fastening nut (see FIG. 2). Once the fastening 
portions of the tines 10 have been entered upwardly into the holders 13 
and the fastening nuts have been applied to said screwthreaded parts and 
subsequently tightened, the tines 10 cannot turn about the longitudinal 
axes of their fastening portions relative to the holders 13. The internal 
bores of the holders 13 and the parts of the tine fastening portions that 
co-operate therewith are, like the external profiles of the holders 13, of 
upwardly tapering configuration. The fastening portion of each tine 10 is 
integrally connected to a soil working portion of that tine in such a way 
that the longitudinal axes of the two straight portions are inclined to 
one another, at the integral junction between them, by an angle of not 
less than substantially 15.degree.. The soil working portion of each tine 
10 is of square or at least rectangular cross-section, as illustrated, or 
has some other polygonal cross-section and it tapers gently in a downward 
direction towards its lowermost free end or tip from its integral junction 
with the corresponding fastening portion. With the substantially square 
cross-section of each soil working portion and of the corresponding 
fastening portion (except the uppermost screwthreaded part thereof) that 
has been described, each tine 10 can be set in any one of four different 
angular positions around the longitudinal axis of the corresponding holder 
13. Clearly, all that is required to bring one of the tines 10 from one 
such angular setting to one of the other possible settings, is to release 
the co-operating nut, draw the fastening portion downwardly until it is 
clear of the interior of the co-operating holder 13, turn the tine through 
the required angle of 90.degree. or 180.degree. about the longitudinal 
axis of its fastening portion, enter the fastening portion upwardly in the 
new setting into the co-operating holder 13, and finally replace the 
retaining nut. It will be appreciated that the ability to re-position the 
tines 10 of each cultivating tool 11 enables the widths of the strips of 
soil that are worked by the three tines 10 of each tool 11, during 
operation of the implement, to be varied. Clearly, by giving the fastening 
portions of the tines 10 and the co-operating interiors of the holders 13 
other matching polygonal cross-section, numbers of angular settings, other 
than four, of the tines 10 could readily be provided. In the angular 
positions of the tines 10 that are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the 
drawings, the obliquely downwardly directed soil working portions of those 
tines are inclined rearwardly from top to bottom so as to trail with 
respect to the directions of rotation about the axes of the stub shafts 8 
which the tools 11 will normally follow during operation of the implement. 
These directions of rotation are indicated by small arrows in FIG. 1 of 
the drawings in respect of the pair of tools 11 that is at the foot of 
that Figure and in respect of the tool 11 which is uppermost in the same 
Figure. 
Each shaft 6, the corresponding support 7 and the corresponding pair of 
freely rotatable tined cultivating tools 11 affords a soil working or 
cultivating member that is generally indicated by the reference 14, there 
thus being six of the soil working or cultivating members 14 that are 
mechanically driven to revolve about the axes of the corresponding shafts 
6 during the operation of the implement. It will be noted that, in the 
embodiment which is being described, the distance between the longitudinal 
axes of the two stub shafts 8 of each member 14 is substantially 35 
centimeters so that the substantially parallel axes of rotation of the two 
tools 11 of each member 14 are spaced apart from one another by that 
distance. The downwardly directed soil working portions of the tines 10 
are of straight configuration and, when the fastening portions of the 
three tines 10 of each tool 11 are disposed in the angular settings in 
their holders 13 that are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 
the soil working portions of those three tines 10 work a strip of soil 
having a width of substantially 20 centimeters, said strip extending 
lengthwise in the direction A. 
Each shaft 6 is provided, inside the corresponding gear box 5, with a crown 
wheel or bevel pinion 15 whose teeth are in driven mesh with those of a 
smaller bevel pinion 16 mounted on a substantially horizontal driving 
shaft that extends through the gear boxes 5 and through tubular connecting 
members 17, arranged between the successive gear boxes 5, in a direction 
that is perpendicular to the direction A. It will be noted that the bevel 
pinions 16 are arranged on said driving shaft for co-operation with the 
crown wheels or bevel pinions 15 in such a way that, when the implement is 
in use, each shaft 6 and the corresponding soil working or cultivating 
member 14 will revolve in a direction that is opposite to the direction of 
rotation of the immediately neighbouring shaft 6 and member 14 in the 
single row thereof or to the directions of rotation of both the 
neighbouring pairs of those units in that row. In this connection, 
reference is directed to the arrows that appear in FIG. 1 of the drawings 
to indicate the intended directions of operative rotation of the shafts 6 
and the members 14 that are fastened to those shafts. The longitudinal 
axes (axes of rotation) of the successive shafts 6, and thus of the 
successive members 14, are spaced apart from one another by distances of 
substantially 50 centimeters in the embodiment that is illustrated in 
FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. In fact, the substantially horizontal 
driving shaft that is substantially perpendicular to the direction A is 
not a single unit but is provided in at least three sections. It will be 
noted from FIG. 1 that a central gear box 18 interconnects the two 
innermost gear boxes 5 of the row of six gear boxes 5 in place of one of 
the tubular connecting members 17 and has the same longitudinal extent in 
a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the direction A as does 
each of said connecting members 17. At least one innermost section of the 
substantially horizontal driving shaft that has just been mentioned is 
rotatably mounted in the central gear box 18 and projects from opposite 
sides of that gear box into the two immediately neighboring gear boxes 5. 
The opposite ends thereof are coaxially connected, in a manner which it is 
not necessary to describe nor illustrate for the purposes of the present 
invention, to two outer sections of the substantially horizontal driving 
shaft which transmit drive to the three shafts 6 that lie at opposite 
sides of the central gear box 18 when the implement is viewed in plan 
(FIG. 1). Depending upon the internal construction of the central gear box 
18, the central section of the substantially horizontal driving shaft may 
be a single section or two separate but coaxial sections. In either case, 
the central gear box 18 has a rotary input shaft 19 that projects 
substantially horizontally forwardly from the front thereof in 
substantially the direction A, the leading end of said shaft 19 being 
splined or otherwise keyed to enable it to be placed in driven connection 
with the power take-off shaft of an agricultural tractor or other 
operating vehicle by way of an intermediate telescopic transmission shaft, 
that is of a construction which is known per se, having universal joints 
at its opposite ends. The rotary input shaft 19 is provided, inside the 
central gear box 18, with a bevel pinion whose teeth are in driving mesh 
with one or two larger bevel pinions mounted on the central section or 
sections of the substantially horizontal driving shaft that extends 
substantially perpendicular to the direction A. It is, in fact preferred 
to provide the central section of that shaft as two separate but coaxial 
units in which case the bevel pinion carried by the rotary input shaft 19 
co-operates with two bevel pinions each one of which is mounted on a 
corresponding one of the two co-axial units of said central section. 
Substantially horizontally aligned stub shafts 20 are provided in central 
regions of the two side plates 3 and corresponding arms 21 are turnable 
upwardly and downwardly about those stub shafts 20 alongside the outer 
surfaces of the two side plates 3. The arms 21 extend rearwardly from the 
stub shafts 20 with respect to the direction A and project rearwardly 
beyond the side plates 3. Rear edge regions of the two side plates 3 are 
formed with curved rows of holes 23 in which each hole 23 is at the same 
distance from the axis defined by the two stub shafts 20. Each arm 21 is 
formed with a single hole at the same distance from said axis and that 
hole can be brought into register with any chosen one of the corresponding 
row of holes 23 by turning the arm 21 concerned to an appropriate angular 
position about the stub shaft 20 upon which it is mounted. Bolts 22 are 
provided for horizontal entry through the single holes in the arms 21 and 
through chosen holes 23 to fix the arms 21 releasably in corresponding 
angular settings about said axis. The rearmost ends of the arms 21 with 
respect to the direction A are provided with substantially horizontally 
aligned bearings 24 which receive horizontal stub shafts 25 at the 
opposite ends of a rotatable supporting member in the form of a ground 
roller 26. The roller 26 comprises a central axially disposed tubular 
support 27 to which seven substantially circular support plates 28 are 
secured at regularly spaced apart intervals with two of said plates 28 
located at the opposite ends of the support 27. The seven support plates 
28 are all substantially vertically disposed in parallel relationship with 
one another and substantially parallel relationship with the direction A. 
Each of the support plates 28 is formed close to its circumference with a 
number of holes that are regularly spaced apart from one another around 
the longitudinal axis of the central tubular support 27. In the case of 
each of the first, second, fourth, sixth and seventh of said plates 28 
counting from either end of the roller, there are eight of said holes that 
are spaced apart from one another at regular 45.degree. intervals around 
said axis whilst, in the case of each of the third and fifth plates 28 
counting from either end of the roller 26, there are sixteen of said holes 
that are spaced apart from one another at regular 221/2.degree. intervals 
around the longitudinal axis of the support 27. 
Three groups of elongated elements 29 of rod-like formation are entered 
through the various holes that are close to the peripheries of the support 
plates 28 and it will be seen from FIG. 1 of the drawings that, considered 
in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the central support 27 
of the roller 26, each element 29 has a length which is a little in excess 
of the distance between one of the support plates 28 and the plate 28 that 
is next but one along the roller 26 therefrom. Each element 29 is entered 
with some clearance through the holes in the three plates 28 with which it 
co-operates and transverse pins are entered through bores formed very 
close to its opposite ends to prevent unwanted axial disengagement of each 
element 29 from the corresponding plates 28. It can be seen from FIG. 1 of 
the drawings that the three groups of elements 29 are arranged in 
immediately succeeding relationship along the length of the roller 26 with 
said groups successively overlapping at the third and fifth plates 28 
counting from either end of the roller 26. It will be remembered that it 
is these plates that are each formed with sixteen, rather than eight, 
peripheral holes, said sixteen holes alternately receiving the ends of the 
eight elements 29 of each of the two groups of those elements that overlap 
at the plate 28 concerned. It will also be noted from FIG. 1 of the 
drawings that each element 29 is formed at substantially its midpoint with 
a sharp angular bend or "kink", said bends or kinks thus registering with 
the peripheral holes in the second, fourth and sixth support plates 28 
counting from either end of the roller 26 and said elements 29 being so 
disposed that the angular point which is defined by each bend or kink is 
orientated rearwardly with respect to the direction A when said bend or 
kink is in contact with, or very close to, the ground surface during the 
operation of the implement. Moreover, each group of eight bends or kinks 
and the support plate 28 with which they correspond is contained in a 
corresponding substantially vertical plane that is substantially parallel 
to the direction A and which passes midway between the axes of rotation of 
the shafts 6 of two co-operating rotary soil working or cultivating 
members 14. "Co-operating" means that the directions of positive rotation 
of the two members 14 concerned are such that parts of those members move 
rearwardly with respect to the direction A when in the proximity of the 
planes that have just been defined, reference being made to the arrows 
shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings that denote the directions of operative 
rotation of the members 14 about the longitudinal axes of the 
corresponding shafts 6. 
In addition to the stub shafts 20, the central regions of the two side 
plates 3 also carry substantially horizontally aligned stub shafts 30 that 
are quite close to the stub shafts 20 but that are located forwardly 
therefrom with respect to the direction A. Arms 31 are turnable upwardly 
and downwardly about the stub shafts 30 alongside the outer surfaces of 
the side plates 3, said arms 31 extending forwardly to locations beyond 
the leading edges of the side plates 3 with respect to the direction A, 
the leading ends of said arms 31 being inclined downwardly (see FIG. 2). 
Curved rows of holes 33 are formed close to the leading edges of the side 
plates 3 with each hole 33 at the same distance from the axis defined by 
the aligned stub shafts 30. The arms 31 are formed with single holes that 
are at the same distance from said axis and bolts 32 are provided for 
horizontal entry through the single holes in the arms 31 and chosen holes 
33 to secure the arms 31 releasably in corresponding angular positions 
about the substantially horizontal axis defined by the stub shafts 30. 
It will be evident from FIG. 1 of the drawings that the arms 31 extend 
horizontally, or substantially horizontally, forwardly from the stub 
shafts 30 to locations that substantially coincide with the single holes 
therein that are arranged to co-operate with the bolts 32 whereafter the 
aforementioned downwardly and forwardly inclined leading ends thereof, 
commence, said leading ends being of rectilinear configuration. 
Substantially horizontally aligned stub shafts 34 are carried near to the 
lowermost leading extremities of the end portions of the arms 31 and a 
support 35 is pivotally mounted between the two stub shafts 34 so as to be 
turnable about its own substantially horizontally extending longitudinal 
axis. The support 35 comprises a beam 36 of channel-shaped cross-section 
between the limbs of which a second beam 37 of channel-shaped 
cross-section is arranged, the second beam 37 having shorter limbs than 
the beam 36 and being arranged so that, as seen in cross-section (FIG. 2), 
the edges of the limbs of the second beam 37 lie alongside those of the 
limbs of the first beam 36 in mutually registering relationship. The four 
limbs of the two beams 36 and 37 are interconnected at substantially 
regular intervals along the support 35 by pairs of bolts 38. In addition 
to interconnecting the limbs of the beams 36 and 37, each pair of bolts 38 
also secures a corresponding pair of elongated elements 39 between the 
limbs of the second beam 37. The elongated elements 39 are in the form of 
rectangularly shaped spring steel strips and are made in integral pairs 
with the junctions between the two elements 39 of each pair being the 
parts thereof that lie between the limbs of the second beam 37 where they 
are retained by the corresponding pairs of bolts 38. It can be seen from 
the drawings that the elongated elements 39 are not all of the same length 
and the reason for this will be discussed below. Each element 39 has a 
substantially rectangular free end and it will be seen from the drawings 
that the elements 39 are inclined downwardly and rearwardly with respect 
to the direction A from the support 35 in such a way that their free ends 
are located close (as seen in plan view FIG. 1) to the circular paths that 
are traced by the tines 10 of the cultivating tools 11 of the successive 
soil working or cultivating members 14 during the positive rotation of 
those members about the axes of the shafts 6. Thus, those elements 39 that 
are disposed substantially directly in register with the shafts 6 in the 
direction A are the shortest while those that are located in register with 
positions midway between the pairs of shafts 6 are the longest, the other 
elements 39 being of progressively differing intermediate lengths. A 
careful study of FIG. 1 of the drawings will also show that those elements 
39 of each pair that are longest and substantially in register in the 
direction A with locations midway between two of the shafts 6 are closer 
to one another than are the two elements 39 of each pair that are 
substantially in register in the direction A with one of the shafts 6, the 
latter elements being shorter. This arrangement enables the longest 
elements 39 to extend rearwardly from the support 35 for a greater 
distance than would be possible if the two elements 39 of each longer pair 
were spaced apart from one another by the same distance as the two 
elements 39 of each shorter pair. 
The opposite ends of the support 35 are provided, adjacent the stub shafts 
34, with forwardly and downwardly projecting lugs 40 to which the 
lowermost ends of corresponding upright rods 42 are turnably connected by 
horizontal pivot pins 41. The rods 42 extend upwardly from their pivotal 
connections to the lugs through holes in brackets 43 that are secured to 
the arms 31. The uppermost end of each rod 42 is screwthreaded and carries 
a corresponding axially displaceable nut 45 and co-operating washer. Two 
helical compression springs 44 are wound around each rod 42, one spring 44 
bearing between the upper surface of the corresponding bracket 43 and the 
lower surface of the washer that co-operates with the corresponding nut 45 
and the other spring 44 bearing between the lower surface of the 
corresponding bracket 43 and an enlargement at the lower end of the rod 
which forms part of the pivotal connection of that rod to the 
corresponding lug 40 by way of the corresponding pin 41. With this 
arrangement, the support 35 and the elongated elements 39 will tend to 
occupy a substantially fixed angular position about the axis defined by 
the stub shafts 34 relative to the arms 31 but upward or downward pivotal 
movements about said axis are readily possible, away from the 
substantially fixed position, against the action of either the upper 
springs 44 or the lower springs 44. The substantially fixed angular 
position can be adjusted, as may be required, by moving the nuts 45 
upwardly or downwardly along the screwthreaded upper ends of the rods 42. 
Soil crumbling members 48 are connected to the leading frame beam 2 of the 
supporting frame 1 by clamping plates 46 and bolts 47 at locations which, 
as seen in plan view (FIG. 1), are midway between planes that contain the 
longitudinal axes of the shafts 6 and that are all parallel to the 
direction A. Each soil crumbling member 48 is in the form of a spring 
steel strip of substantially U-shaped configuration when seen in side 
elevation (FIG. 2), the limbs of the "U" being of dissimilar lengths. Each 
soil crumbling member 48 has an effective portion (i.e., that part thereof 
that is not clamped to the leading frame beam 2) which initially projects 
forwardly with respect to the direction A from the corresponding clamping 
plates 46 for a short distance whereafter it is bent downwardly and 
rearwardly through substantially 180.degree. to terminate in a much longer 
substantially flat and substantially horizontally disposed portion that is 
located immediately above the level of the tops of the cultivating tools 
11. As seen in side elevation (FIG. 2), the rearmost end of the lower and 
longer portion of each soil crumbling member 48 that has just been 
discussed is substantially in register with a plane containing the axes of 
rotation of the six shafts 6, said rearmost ends being tapered to rounded 
points (see FIG. 1). It is noted that the width of the spring steel strip 
which affords each soil crumbling member 48 is substantially the same as 
the maximum width of the region of overlap between the circular paths that 
are traced by the outermost extremities of two immediately neighbouring 
soil working or cultivating members 14 of the implement during its 
operation (see FIG. 1). 
Two shield plates 52 that are usually substantially vertically disposed are 
arranged near the side plates 3 of the supporting frame 1 immediately 
beyond the opposite ends of the row of six rotary soil working or 
cultivating members 14. The upper edge of each shield plate 52 is 
connected by a corresponding pair of arms to substantially horizontally 
aligned pivots which define axes that are substantially parallel to the 
direction A, said pivots being mounted on top of the frame beams 2 at 
short distances inwardly from the ends of those beams. The lower edges of 
the shield plates 52 are shaped to slide over the ground surface in the 
direction A during operation of the implement and the fact that said 
plates 52 are turnable upwardly and downwardly about the axes which are 
defined by the corresponding pairs of pivots enables said plates to match 
any undulations in the surface of the ground that may be met with during 
operation. The shield plates 52 minimise ridging at the opposite edges of 
the broad strip of soil that is worked by the implement and greatly reduce 
the number of stones and like potentially dangerous objects that are flung 
laterally of the path of travel by its rotating soil working or 
cultivating members 14. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings illustrate a construction in which the soil 
crumbling members 48 of FIGS. 1 and 2 are replaced by soil crumbling 
members 49 in the form of two integral pairs of spring steel or other 
resilient tines 51. The two pairs of tines 51 of each soil crumbling 
member 49 are secured by upright bolts to a corresponding horizontally 
disposed support plate 50 that is welded to the bottom of the leading 
frame beam 2 of the supporting frame 1 so as to project forwardly 
therefrom with respect to the direction A. The two tines 51 of each pair 
are formed integrally from spring steel or other resilient material of 
circular cross-section and are of dissimilar lengths, the outermost (at 
their root ends) two tines 51 of each soil crumbling member 49 being the 
longer. The inner two tines 51 of each member 49 have approximately half 
the lengths of the outermost two tines 51. The two tines 51 of each pair 
merge at their leading root ends into helical coils and those helical 
coils are integrally interconnected by a substantially hairpin-shaped 
fastening portion that is secured to the support plate 50 concerned by one 
of the aforementioned bolts. It will be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4 of the 
drawings that the effective substantially straight portions of the tines 
51 extend substantially horizontally rearwards, with respect to the 
direction A, from the corresponding helical coils with the two pairs of 
tines 51 of each member 49 arranged in rearwardly convergent relationship. 
In each member 49, the rearmost ends of the two longer tines 51 are 
disposed in very close proximity to one another as are also the rearmost 
ends of the two shorter tines 51. The effective portions of all of the 
tines 51 are located immediately above the tops of the cultivating tools 
11 and the rearmost free ends of the longer tines 51 of each member 49 
substantially coincide, as seen in plan view (FIG. 3), with a plane 
containing the longitudinal axes of all six of the shafts 6. 
In the use of the implement that has been described with reference to FIGS. 
1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings or with reference to that embodiment 
as modified by FIGS. 3 and 4 of those drawings, a coupling member or 
trestle 53 that is of generally triangular configuration when viewed in 
front or rear elevation is connected to the upper and lower lifting links 
of a three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural 
tractor or other operating vehicle and the rotary input shaft 19 of the 
central gear box 18 is placed in driven connection with the power take-off 
shaft of the same tractor or other vehicle through the intermediary of the 
aforementioned telescopic transmission shaft having universal joints at 
its opposite ends. Upon driving the rotary input shaft 19, the six shafts 
6 and the corresponding soil working or cultivating members 14 will be 
caused to revolve around the axes of those shafts 6 in the directions that 
are indicated by arrows in FIG. 1 of the drawings due to the substantially 
horizontal driving shaft that has been discussed above and the 
transmission members that are contained in the gear boxes 18 and 5. During 
the positive rotation of the members 14 about the axes of the shafts 6, 
the cultivating tools 11 will simultaneously revolve in a more or less 
regular manner around the axes of the corresponding stub shafts 8 in the 
directions that are indicated for only three of the tools 11 in FIG. 1 of 
the drawings. A more or less regular ground-driven rotation of the tools 
11 is produced as a result of the contact of the soil working portions of 
the tines 10 with the ground but it will be appreciated that, should one 
or more of the soil working tine portions meet an embedded stone or other 
substantially immovable obstacle, the rotation of the tool 11 concerned 
may be temporarily halted or even be momentarily reversed in direction. 
The free rotatability of the tools 11 considerably reduces the likelihood 
of breakage of, or serious damage to, the tines 10 upon meeting more or 
less immovable obstacles in the soil since, generally speaking, the tines 
10 are capable of circumnavigating such obstacles unless they are 
considerably greater in size than is usual in previously worked 
agricultural land. The axes about which the tools 11 are freely rotatable 
are parallel to the axes of the shafts 6 about which the members 14 are 
positively rotated. The support 35 that is arranged in front of the 
supporting frame 1 with respect to the direction A is set in such a 
position (by appropriate upward or downward adjustment of the arms 31 
about the axis defined by the stub shafts 30) that parts of lower edges of 
the elongated elements 39 will be drawn through the soil surface (see FIG. 
2), said elements 39 thus constituting means for cultivating soil. The 
general plane of each element 39 is substantially vertically disposed and 
is substantially parallel to the direction A and, with this construction 
and arrangement, a broad strip of land that substantially coincides with 
the strip of land that is worked by the six members 14 is preliminarily 
worked by the immediately foregoing elements 39. The elements 39 are 
formed from spring steel or from some other strip-shaped sheet material of 
more or less equivalent resilience and this enables them to deflect to 
avoid any obstacles that they may meet and to move through the soil in a 
somewhat vibratory manner, it being understood that the resistance to 
their progress through the soil that they will meet varies continuously 
and irregularly. The rearmost ends of the elements 39 with respect to the 
direction A are disposed so close to the circular paths of movement of the 
cultivating tools 11 that they are within the effective working area of 
those tools and the elements 39 thus act as means to counter act 
excessive, and therefore undersirable, lateral displacement of soil by the 
tools 11. Soil displaced forwardly with respect to the direction A by the 
tools 11 of the members 14 is engaged between the elements 39 and is 
gradually released rearwardly as the operative progress of the implement 
continues. 
If the lowermost edges of the elements 39 are formed as cutting edges, this 
makes them particularly suitable for employment with the implement in the 
cultivation of land that is heavily infested with weeds. The downward and 
rearward inclination of the elements 39 with respect to the direction A 
greatly facilitates the rapid shedding by those elements of any weed 
portions or other agricultural debris that may be picked up by the 
elements during forward progress in the direction A. In addition to the 
resilient construction of the elements 39 that allows them to deflect 
laterally to avoid stones or other obstacles, it will be remembered that 
the support 35, together with all of the elements 39, is upwardly and 
downwardly displaceable, against the resilient opposition of the springs 
44, about the axis defined by the stub shafts 34 and this upward and 
downward yieldability also enables the elements 39 to avoid damage. The 
nuts 45 can be adjusted lengthwise along the rods 42, as may be required, 
to increase or decrease the pressure by which the lower edges of the 
elements 39 bear penetratingly against the soil surface. 
During operation of the implement, an intensive co-operation exists between 
the effective portions of the resilient soil crumbling members 48 or 49 
and the immediately underlying freely rotatable cultivating tools 11 of 
the positively rotated soil working or cultivating members 14. This 
co-operation ensures that the worked soil becomes finely divided and the 
described and illustrated shaping of the rearmost ends of the members 48 
ensures that the finely crumbled soil is satisfactorily conducted away 
from the crumbling area, choking by weeds and/or jamming by stones or the 
like being extremely uncommon because of the resilient construction of the 
members 48. In the case of the members 49 of FIGS. 3 and 4 of the 
drawings, the resilient construction and arrangement of their tines 51, 
combined with the circular cross-section of the spring steel or other 
resilient material from which the tines are made is equally effective in 
conducting the crumbled soil away from the crumbling area and in making 
choking by weeds and/or jamming by stones a very infrequent occurrence. 
The level of the axis of rotation of the ground roller 26 that is appointed 
relative to the level of the supporting frame 1 by choosing appropriate 
holes 23 for co-operation with the bolts 22 is a principal factor in 
determining the maximum depth of penetration of the tines 10 into the soil 
which is possible during the operation of the implement and, generally 
speaking, this adjustment is made at the commencement of a cultivating 
operation before the previously described adjustment of the positions of 
the elongated elements 39 is undertaken. It will be noted from FIG. 1 of 
the drawings that the second, fourth and sixth support plates 28 of the 
roller 26, counting from either end of the roller, are in substantial 
register, in the direction A, with the regions of overlap between three 
corresponding pairs of the members 14 in which parts of the two members 14 
of each such pair move rearwardly with respect to the direction A through 
the regions of overlap towards the roller 26 when the implement is in 
operation. Generally speaking, it is in these three regions that a 
perponderance of the soil displaced by the six members 14 will be 
delivered so that there is some tendency for the crumbled soil to be 
formed into ridges that extend parallel to the direction A in register 
with the three regions of overlap that have just been discussed. Such 
ridging is greatly minimised, if not entirely eliminated, by the fact that 
the sharp angular bends or kinks in the elongated elements 29 of each of 
the three groups of those elements coincide with the second, fourth and 
sixth support plates 28 of the roller 26 so that said elements tend to 
spread soil laterally away from the sharp angular bends or kinks that are 
formed substantially midway therealong thus distributing any earth ridges 
that may have been formed more or less uniformly throughout the whole 
working width of the implement. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings illustrate an alternative form of soil 
cultivating implement in accordance with the invention which implement 
includes a number of parts that are similar, or identical, to parts of the 
two embodiments that have already been described with reference to FIGS. 1 
to 4 of the accompanying drawings. Such parts are indicated in FIGS. 5 and 
6 of the drawings by the same references as are used for the corresponding 
parts in FIGS. 1 to 4 and will not be described again in detail. The 
implement of FIGS. 5 and 6 has a frame in the form of a hollow frame 
portion 54 that extends substantially horizontally transverse, and usually 
substantially horizontally perpendicular, to the intended direction of 
operative travel of the implement that is again indicated by an arrow A. 
Six upwardly extending shafts 55 that will usually be vertically or 
substantially vertically disposed are rotatably mounted in the hollow 
frame portion 54 in such a way that their longitudinal axes (axes of 
rotation) are spaced apart from one another by distances of substantially 
50 centimeters. The lowermost end of each shaft 55 projects from beneath 
the bottom of the hollow frame portion 54 and is there provided with a 
corresponding tined soil working or cultivating member 56. Each member 56 
comprises two diametrically opposed rigid soil working tines 57 and each 
shaft 55 is rotatably supported in a lower trough 60 of the hollow frame 
portion 54 by bearings located in a corresponding bearing housing 58 which 
it is not necessary to described nor illustrate in detail for the purposes 
of the present invention. The hollow frame portion 54 is made from sheet 
steel and comprises, in addition to the lower trough 60, an upper chamber 
59. The longitudinal axes of the chamber 59 and trough 60 extend 
substantially horizontally perpendicualar to the direction A and are in 
parallel relationship with one another. The chamber 59 is of substantially 
rectangular cross-section whereas the underlying trough 60, when 
considered together with a lower wall of the chamber 59, is of 
substantially inverted trapezoidal cross-section. The chamber 59 has upper 
and lower walls that are both formed from sheet steel, the upper wall 
comprising a substantially horizontal portion that has obliquely 
downwardly divergent front and rear edges of symmetrically identical 
construction. Each of said front and rear edges is provided with a 
horizontally bent-over clamping rim 61 that extends throuhghout the length 
(transverse to the direction A) of the edge of the wall concerned. The 
lower wall is of inverted substantially symmetrically identical 
construction to the upper wall and thus comprises a substantially 
horizontal portion flanked by upwardly obliquely divergent front and rear 
edges that are both formed with horizontally bent-over clamping rims 62 
that, like the rims 61, extend throughout the transverse lengths of the 
front and rear edges of the lower wall. With this substantially 
symmetrically identical construction of the upper and lower walls, the 
rims 61 of the upper wall are spaced from the horizontal portion thereof 
by substantially the same distance as are the rims 62 from the 
substantially horizontal portion of the lower wall. The trough 60 has a 
substantially horizontally disposed central portion or base that is 
relatively narrow in the direction A, said central portion being a portion 
of a sheet metal wall of the trough which is bent over at the front and 
rear eges so as to form further symmetrically disposed upwardly divergent 
portion. The upper edges of these divergent portions are, in turn, bent 
over to form further less steeply divergent portions which bear against 
the outer surfaces of the upwardly divergent front and rear edges of the 
lower wall of the chamber 59, said less steeply divergent portions 
terminating in horizontally bent-over clamping rims 63 whose upper 
surfaces abut against the lower surfaces of the clamping rims 62 at the 
front and rear edges of the lower wall of the chamber 59. The clamping 
rims 61 and 62 of the upper and lower walls of the chamber 59 are secured 
to one another by vertically disposed bolts 64 with the interposition of a 
gasket 65A formed from a hard synthetic plastics material. The gasket 65A 
is strip-shaped and its opposite edges are formed with inner and outer 
rims of different shapes. The inner rims are of hollow tubular 
configuration and lie between the upwardly and downwardly inclined edges 
of the upper and lower walls of the chamber 59 whereas the outer rims are 
of solid formation and lie against the outermost extremities of the 
superposed clamping rims 61 and 62, the outer rim of the gasket 65A having 
a substantially flat inner surface which sealingly engages said 
extremities and a curved outwardly directed surface. The clamping rim 63 
of the trough 60 forms a support for the upper chamber 59 and can, if 
desired, be releasably secured to the superposed clamping rims 61 and 62 
of the upper and lower walls of the chamber 59 by further bolts (not 
illustrated) that are arranged in alternate relationship with the bolts 64 
under which circumstances such further bolts can be released to allow the 
removal of the trough 60 without having to loosen the bolts 64 and break 
the gasketed seal between the clamping rims 61 and 62 of the chamber 59. 
The lower wall of the upper chamber 59 and the base of the trough 60 are 
formed with vertically registering circular holes that are spaced apart 
from one another at regular distances of substantially 50 centimeters. 
These holes receive the bearing housings 58 for the shafts of the 
corresponding soil working or cultivating members 56. Each bearing housing 
58 has a flange 65 at its lowermost end and the upper surface of this 
flange engages the lower surface of the base of the trough 60, vertically 
disposed bolts being provided to secure the flange 65 to the base of the 
trough 60. The upper end of each bearing housing 58 comprises a portion of 
reduced diameter and extends through the corresponding hole in the lower 
wall of the chamber 59 into the interior of that chamber. The portion of 
reduced diameter co-operates with a corresponding ring 66 that is bolted 
to the lower wall of the chamber 59 so as to lie principally on the upper 
surface of that wall in surrounding relationship with the hole therein. In 
fact, each ring 66 has a rim that extends into the corresponding hole in 
the lower wall of the chamber 59 said rim and/or the registering portion 
of the bearing housing 58 concerned being provided with at least one 
sealing ring so as substantially to prevent lubricant contained within the 
chamber 59 from penetrating downwardly into the trough 60. The upper end 
of each shaft 55 is located inside the chamber 59 and is there provided 
with a straight- or spur-toothed pinion 67, the six pinions 67 being so 
arranged that the teeth of each of them are in mesh with the teeth of the 
or each neighbouring pinion 67 of the row. 
A gear box 69 is mounted substantially centrally across the width of the 
frame portion 54 at the top and front thereof with respect to the 
direction A. The gear box 69 is provided with a substantially horizontally 
disposed rotary input shaft 72 whose leading splined or otherwise keyed 
end projects forwardly from the front of the gear box in substantially the 
direction A for driven connection with the power take-off shaft of an 
agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle with the aid of an 
intermediate telescopic transmission shaft (not shown in detail) that is 
of a construction which is known per se having universal joints at its 
opposite ends. The input shaft 72 carries, inside the gear box 69, a bevel 
pinion 71 whose teeth are in driving mesh with those of a larger bevel 
pinion 70. The bevel pinion 70 is secured to the uppermost end of a 
substantially vertically disposed splined shaft 68 which is provided, 
throughout most of its length, with the hub of internally splined 
straight- or spur-toothed pinion of much smaller size than the pinions 67. 
Upper and lower ends of the hub of the small pinion that has just been 
mentioned, and thus the shaft 68, are rotatably supported by axially 
aligned and vertically spaced apart ball bearings, said bearings being 
arranged in lower and upper bearing housings, respectively, which housings 
are arranged in openings in the lower and upper walls of the chamber 59. 
The lower bearing housing is also partly located in an opening in the 
leading upwardly divergent portion of the wall of the trough 60. The top 
of the upper bearing housing is located inside a lower region of the gear 
box 69. 
The opposite ends of the hollow frame portion 54 are closed by side plates 
73 that extend substantially vertically parallel to one another and to the 
direction A, said side plates 73 being equivalent to the previously 
described side plates 3 even though they are somewhat different in shape 
and extent to those side plates 3. Thus, they have the roller 26 that 
affords a rotatable supporting member of the implement connected to them 
by the arms 21 so as to be upwardly and downwardly adjustable in level 
relative to the frame portion 54 and also have the support 35 connected to 
them by arms 74. The arms 74, like the previously described arms 31, are 
upwardly and downwardly pivotable about the axis defined by the stub 
shafts 30 but, in this case, the support 35 is not turnably connected to 
the arms 74 and upward and downward displaceability is provided by 
allowing said arms 74 to turn upwardly and downwardly about the axis 
defined by the stub shafts 30 freely but within limits. Excessive downward 
displacement of the support 35 and the elements 39 which it carries is 
prevented by abutment of the leading ends of the arms 74 against stops 75 
(FIG. 6). 
In this embodiment, soil crumbling members 76 are connected to the front of 
the hollow frame portion 54, with respect to the direction A, at locations 
that are midway between planes which extend parallel to the direction A 
and which contain the axes of rotation of the shafts 55. Each soil 
crumbling member 76 is made from spring steel or other resilient material 
in strip-shaped form and it will be seen from FIG. 6 of the drawings that 
the members 76 are provided in pairs which extend away from the locations 
at which they are secured to the frame portion 54 by appropriately 
positioned ones of the previously mentioned bolts 64 in a substantially 
S-shaped configuration as seen in side elevation (FIG. 6). The S-shaped 
parts of the members 76 of each pair bear against one another and abut 
against a front portion of the trough 60. At the lowermost ends of the 
S-shaped parts of the two members 76 of each pair, those two members 
become spaced from one another and extend, by way of substantially 
180.degree. bends, into effective portions that are substantially 
horizontally disposed in vertically spaced apart relationship, each 
effective portion being rectilinearly parallel to the direction A. It can 
be seen from both FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings that both the upper and 
lower soil crumbling members 76 of each pair have the rearmost ends of 
their lower effective portions disposed rearwardly just beyond, and thus 
substantially in register with, a plane that containes the longitudinal 
axes of all six of the shafts 55. 
FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings illustrate an implement that is identical to 
the implement of FIGS. 5 and 6 except that the soil crumbling members 76 
are replaced by soil crumbling members 77 in the form of pairs of tines 78 
that are formed from spring steel rod or other material of substantially 
equivalent resilience, the spring steel rod or other material being of 
circular cross-section. The two tines 78 of each member 77 are formed 
integrally and comprise helical coils interconnected by a substantially 
hair-pin-shaped fastening portion which is secured to the hollow frame 
portion 54, at the front thereof with respect to the direction A, by a 
vertically disposed bolt that takes the place of one of the bolts 64, said 
replacing bolt being of greater length than the bolts 64. Each tine 78 has 
a substantially straight effective portion which is inclined downwardly 
and rearwardly away from its integral connection to the corresponding 
coil. The downward inclination is such that, as can be seen in FIG. 7 of 
the drawings, each such portion is in substantially parallel relationship 
with that portion of the front wall of the trough 60 which immediately 
adjoins the flat base thereof. The rearmost free ends of the tines 78 are 
disposed substantially midway between a plane containing the longitudinal 
axes of all six of the shafts 55 and a parallel plane containing the 
leading edge of the trough 60. 
In the use of the soil cultivating implement that has been described with 
reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, with or without the 
modification that has been described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 
thereof, the six soil working or cultivating members 56 are positively 
rotated in the directions that are indicated by arrows in FIG. 5 by the 
drive that is derived from the power take-off shaft of the agricultural 
tractor or other vehicle which moves and operates the implement. The tines 
57 of the members 56 are arranged to work overlapping strips of soil so 
that, in effect, the implement works a single broad strip of land. Once 
again, the resilient elongated elements 39 work the soil immediately in 
advance of the members 56 throughout the working width of those members 
and co-operate with them in greatly reducing, if not substantially 
completely preventing, undesired lateral displacement of the soil that is 
moved by the tines 57 of the members 56. The soil crumbling members 76 of 
FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, or the soil crumbling members 77 of FIGS. 7 
and 8 of the drawings, co-operate with the tops of the soil working or 
cultivating members 56 and bring the soil displaced by those members to a 
well crumbled condition. In the case of the soil crumbling members 76 that 
are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, those members 76 are 
provided in pairs in which the two members of each pair abut against one 
another throughout initial portions of their lengths commencing from their 
fastening points. This contruction and arrangement gives the spaced 
effective portions of the two members 76 of each pair a somewhat greater 
stiffness than would otherwise be obtained and this, particularly when 
heavy soil is being worked, results in an improved co-operation between 
the effective portions of the members 76 and the tops of the soil working 
or cultivating members 56. The effective portions of both the soil 
crumbling members 76 and 77 are of resilient construction and mounting and 
are thus capable of deflecting readily in the event of impacts against 
stones and the like thus making damage to them from such causes a very 
infrequent occurrence. 
The soil cultivating implement that is illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 20 
comprises a frame portion 81 of sheet material having a substantially 
U-shaped cross-section. The frame portion 81 supports a plurality of 
cultivating members 83 adapted to rotate about upwardly extending, 
preferably vertical shafts 82. The shafts 82 of the respective cultivating 
members 83 are supported in two upwardly spaced apart bearings 84 in a 
bearing housing 85. The two bearings 84 engage, on the bottom and top 
sides respectively, a collar 86 on the inner side of the bearing housing 
85. The top bearing 84 is held in place by a nut 87 screwed onto a 
screwthreaded part of the shaft 82. Sealing material is arranged between 
the nut 87 and the bearing 84. The lower bearing 84 co-operates with the 
lower side of a collar 88 on the shaft 82, said collar being held in place 
by means of a locking ring 89 and a hub 90 of a support 91 of a 
cultivating member 83. The locking ring 89 closes the bottom side of the 
bearing housing 85. The bearing housing 85 for a shaft 82 is supported by 
the frame portion 81 in a manner to be discussed hereinafter. The frame 
portion 81 comprises a chamber 92 and a trough 93 located beneath the 
former, whose longitudinal centre lines extend at least substantially in a 
horizontal direction and parallel to one another. The chamber 92 has a 
substantially rectangular cross-section, whereas the trough 93 has a 
substantially triangular cross-section, the broadest part facing the 
chamber. The chamber 92 comprises an upper and a bottom wall of sheet 
material. The upper wall comprises a horizontal portion merging at the 
front and at the rear into identical longitudinal sides bent over 
downwardly. Each of these longitudinal sides terminate in an at least 
substantially horizontal clamping rim 94 covering the whole length of the 
frame portion. The bottom wall of the chamber 92 comprises an at least 
substantially horizontal portion merging at the front and at the rear into 
upward, identical longitudinal sides covering a distance substantially 
equal to the distance covered by the longitudinal sides of the upper wall. 
Each of said longitudinal sides terminates in a horizontal clamping rim 
95. The wall of the trough 93 has a horizontal central portion changing at 
the front and at the rear into an upward, inclined portion bent over at 
the level of the bottom wall of the chamber 92 by a portion engaging the 
longitudinal side of the bottom wall. The bent-over portion terminates in 
a clamping rim 96. The rims 94 and 95 the upper and bottom walls of the 
chamber 92 are clamped together by means of bolts 97. Sealing material 98A 
of a hard synthetic material is interposed between the rims 94 and 95. 
Said material has the shaped of a strip with rims afforded by thickened 
parts. The inner rim of a strip is hollow and engages the inner side of 
the longitudinal sides of the upper and bottom walls of the chamber, 
whereas the outer rim of the strip is solid and engages the outer side of 
the rims 94 and 95. On the engaging side the outer rim of the strip is 
flat, while it is rounded off on the outer side. The rim 96 of the bottom 
wall of the trough 93 constitutes a support for the chamber 92 and can be 
secured to the rims 94 and 95 by means of bolts alternating with the bolts 
97. For passing the bolts 97 the rim 96 has apertures receiving nuts 
co-operating with the bolts. The bottom wall of the chamber 92 and the 
wall of the trough 93 have circular openings facing each other, so that 
the centers of said openings are at a distance of about 37.5 cms from one 
another. In the registering openings the bearing housings 85 with the 
shafts 82 of the respective cultivating members 83 are brought by slipping 
them from below into the frame portion 81. By means of a flange 98 on the 
bottom side each bearing housing 85 engages the bottom side of the 
straight portion of the trough 93, to which it can be secured by means of 
bolts 99, the bolts 99 are arranged on a ring 100 surrounding the bearing 
housing 85. The top side of the bearing housing 85 extends into the 
chamber 92 and it has a narrowed portion near the top, which is adapted to 
co-operate with a ring 101 fitting around said part and having, on the 
side of the bearing housing 85, a rim extending into the opening and being 
fastened to the bottom wall of the chamber 92 by means of bolts 102. 
Sealing material is provided between the ring 101 and the bottom wall of 
the chamber 92. Further sealing material is arranged in an uninterrupted 
recess in the narrowed part of the bearing housing 85 so that an effective 
seal is obtained for the lubricant in the chamber 92. The top end of each 
shaft 82 in the chamber 92 is provided with a gear wheel 104 having a 
diameter of about 37.5 cms. The gear wheels 104 on the shafts 82 of two 
adjacent cultivating members 83 are drivably in mesh with one another. 
From FIG. 10 it will be seen that at the level of the ends of the shafts 
the upper wall of the chamber 92 has a depression 105 extending to near 
the upper end of a shaft 82 and the upper end of the hub of the gear wheel 
104 arranged at the upper end of the shaft. This depression 105 
constitutes a stop for the bearing housings 85 and the shafts 82 when 
these are slipped from below into the trough 93. The end of each shaft 82 
projecting from the bottom side of the trough is provided with a support 
91 of a cultivating member 83. The support 91 comprises a central hub 90, 
which is splined to the end of the shaft 82, said hub being surrounded at 
its upper end by a ring 106, which is located, when the support is secured 
in place, within a bent-over rim 107 of the flange 98. On the bottom side 
the hub 90 has a recess joined by a downwardly extending rim 108 and 
receiving a locking ring 109, which is held in place by means of a bolt 
110, screwed into the end of the shaft 82. The ends of the support 91 are 
bent over downwardly and constitute a stub shaft 112 located beneath a 
collar 111. A support 113 of a cultivating tool 114 is freely rotatable 
about the stub shaft 112. The support 113 comprises three arms tapering 
away from a hub 115 towards their ends, where they are provided with an 
upwardly tapering holder 116 for a downwardly extending tine 117. The hub 
115 of each support 113 is freely rotatable about a stub shaft 112 by 
means of two relatively spaced bearings 118. The bearings 118 are 
supported from a collar 119 on the inner side of the hub 115. Sealing 
material is arranged between the upper bearing 118 and the collar 119 
above the stub shaft 112. The hub 115 of a support is held in place by 
means of a fitting piece 120, a narrowed portion of which engages the 
lower bearing 118, while it closes the bottom side of the hub by a widened 
portion. The fitting piece 120 is held in place by a bolt 121, which is 
screwed into the lower side of the stub shaft 112, its head being located 
in a countersunk part of the fitting piece 120. From FIG. 10 it will be 
seen that the upper side of the hub 115 of the support 113 surrounds the 
collar 111 located above the stub shaft 112. Each of the holders 116 
receives the fastening portion 122 of a downwardly extending tine 117. The 
fastening portion 122 has, from its junction with the operative portion 
123, a tapering portion 124 terminating in a srewthreaded, cylindrical 
portion 125. The tapering portion 124 has a quadrangular, preferably 
square cross-section and is provided between the sides of the 
cross-section with uniform, shallow hollowed parts. In fastening the tine 
117 the quadrangular, upwardly tapering fastening portion 122 cooperates 
with the correspondingly shaped inner side of the holder 116 and by means 
of a nut 126 screwed onto the screwthreaded portion 125 it is secured in 
place. The lower side of the nut 126 co-operates with a slightly conical, 
inwardly extending top side of the holder 116. The operative portion 123 
of a tine 117 has a restricted portion extending away from the junction 
with the fastening portion 122 and initially having a square cross-section 
changing into a portion having at least substantially a circular 
cross-section (FIG. 17) changing towards the free end into an angular 
cross-section so that towards the free end the operative portion assumes 
the shape of a wedge. Away from the circular section portion a ridge 127 
is initially provided and further away there is an opposite ridge 127A, 
the corners of the cross-section located near the end between the ridges 
being rounded off. The sides between the rounded-off corners and the 
ridges 127 and 127A have a cavity 128, which extends from the free end 
upwardly. 
The longitudinal center line of the operative portion 123 of a tine 117 is 
at angle of preferably 8.degree. to the longitudinal center line of the 
fastening portion 122. The line of connection between opposite ridges 127 
and 127A of the operative portion is at least substantially tangential to 
the rotary axis of a cultivating tool 114 formed by the longitudinal 
center line of a stub shaft 112. At the free end of the operative portion 
123 the distance between two ridges 127 and 127A is about twice the radial 
distance between the rounded-off corners. Each holder 116 is provided at 
the top with a circular protective member 129 covering about 180.degree. 
and extending at least to near the tops side of a nut 126, which is thus 
protected in operation against stones and the like. 
The sides of the frame portion 81 are provided with upwardly extending 
plates 130, extending in the direction of movement A. The plates 130 are 
provided near the front with a stub shaft 131, about which is pivotable an 
arm 132 that extends rearwardly along the plates. Between their ends the 
arms 132 hold by means of stub shafts 133 a supporting member 134, 
extending transversely of the direction of travel A and formed by a 
roller. The roller 134 comprises in between plate-shaped supports 135 with 
the respective stub shafts 133, equidistant plate-shaped supports 136. The 
plate-shaped supports 135 and 136 are welded to eight tubular elongated 
elements 137. The elongated elements 137 constitute the sole connection 
between the supports 135 and 136. The arms 132 for the supporting member 
134 can be set in a plurality of positions by means of a bolt 138, which 
can be passed through a hole in an arm and through one of a plurality of 
holes in the rear parts of the plates 131. On the upper side the frame 
portion 81 is provided with supports 139 extending in the direction of 
travel A and being secured by means of ears 140 to the rims 94 of the 
upper wall of the chamber 92 with the aid of the bolts 97, which also 
secure the rims 94 and 95. On the distal sides the supports are provided 
with tags 141, between which are arranged arms 143, by means of pins 142 
whose longitudinal center lines are in line with one another and extend in 
the direction of travel A. The arms 143 are bent over downwardly beyond 
the frame portion 81 and are secured to the upper side of a plate 144A, 
which extends in the direction of travel A. From FIG. 9 it will be 
apparent that the arms 143 are slightly coverging away from their pivotal 
joints. The arms 143 are each secured to a bent-over upper rim of the 
plate 144A, which slides over the ground during operation by a bent-over 
lower rim. At the front the bent-over rim of the plate extends at least 
substantially vertically over a given distance and changes into the lower 
rim via a downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion. On the rear side of 
the lower rim initially rises upwardly and changes via an at least 
substantially vertical portion into the upper rim of the plate. 
At the front, at the level midway between two shafts of cultivating members 
83 which move rearwardly on their proximal sides during operation, the rim 
96 of the trough 93 is provided with supports 144, which extend along the 
part of the trough 93 engaging the rim 96 in downward direction and are 
then bent over rearwardly at the level of the bottom side of the trough, 
while bearing on the bottom side. The foremost, downwardly extending part 
of the supports 144 is provided by means of bolts 145 with plate-shaped 
crumbling members 146 of spring material, preferably spring steel. The 
crumbling members 146 are tapering towards their free ends and initially 
extend in line with the front side of the support 144, after which they 
terminate in a straight, downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion 
extending up to a plane through the rotary axes of the cultivating members 
83. Said member has a straight end, which is at least substantially 
parallel to the plane through the rotary axes of the cultivating members 
83 (see FIG. 9). 
FIG. 10 shows that the free end of the plate-shaped crumbling member 146 is 
located on level with the end of a shaft 82 of a cultivating member 83 and 
on level with a support 113 of a rotor 114. 
Near the center the frame portion 81 is provided with a gear box 147 by 
means of bolts 147A and ears 147B on supports 138 extending in the 
direction of travel A and having a U-shaped cross-section and arraged 
between angle-section irons 169A and 150A secured to the front and rear 
sides of the rims 114 of the upper wall of the trough 93, the upwardly 
extending limbs thereof inclined to the rear (see FIG. 10). The gear box 
147 comprises a housing formed from two portions 149 and 150. The lower 
portion 150 is directly secured to the upper side of the chamber 92. On 
the upper side the portion 150 is open and along the rim it is provided 
with an uninterrupted flange 151 supporting the upper portion 149 by means 
of a flange 148A, the connection being established by bolts 152. The 
portion 149 of the gear box is closed on its upper side and partly open on 
the bottom side so that an open communication is established between the 
portions 149 and 150. The portion 149 has a bearing housing 153 on the 
front side, viewed in the direction of travel A, said housing 
accommodating two relatively spaced bearings 154 and 155, whose inner 
rings support an input shaft 156. The shaft 156 has splines at the front 
outside the bearing housing 153 and fitting to splines at one end of an 
auxiliary shaft, which can be coupled with the power take-off shaft of a 
tractor. At the rear end the shaft 156 also has splines located inside the 
gear box 147 and serving for fixing a bevel gear wheel 157. The upper side 
of the portion 149 of the gear box 147 is formed by a wall joining at the 
front the bearing housing 153 and terminating at the rear in a wall 
portion rearwardly and downwardly inclined at an angle of about 60.degree. 
to the horizontal plane, the lower side joining the flange 148A. 
The open bottom side of the portion 149 includes two circular holes 158 and 
159, whose center lines are parallel to the center lines of the rotor 
shafts 82. The edges of the two holes 158 and 159 constitute holders for 
bearings 160 and 161 located one behind the other, viewed in the direction 
of travel A. The foremost bearing 160 supports a driving shaft 162, whose 
center line coincides with the center line of the foremost hole 158. The 
driving shaft 162 projects over part of its length above the bearing 160 
and has along said part external, splines for fastening a bevel gear wheel 
163 on the shaft. The center line thereof intersects the center line of 
the input shaft 156 at right angles. The bevel gear wheel 163 is directly 
in mesh with the bevel gear wheel 157 on the input shaft 156. The driving 
shaft 162 projects by about 60% of its overall length beneath the bearing 
160 and has over part thereof an external toothing 162A around the 
circumference in the axial direction. Between the splines securing bevel 
gear wheel 163 on the shaft 162 and the external toothing 162A the shaft 
162 has a smooth outer surface. This part bears on the inner ring of the 
bearing 160. Beneath the external toothing 162A the shaft 162 has an end 
portion serving as a stub shaft also having a smooth outer surface. This 
stub shaft is located in a bearing 164 in a bearing housing 165 arranged 
in the lower wall of the lower portion 150 of the gear box 147. With the 
aid of the external toothing 162A three straight gear wheels 166, 167 and 
168 are fastened one above the other to the driving shaft 162. The central 
gear wheel 167 has pitch circle exceeding that of the upper gear wheel 
166, whereas the lower gear wheel 168 has a pitch circle exceeding that of 
the central gear wheel 167. The thicknesses of the respective gear wheel 
166 to 168 decreases from the top to bottom. The diameter of the pitch 
circle of the upper gear wheel 166 amounts to 60 to 70% of that of the 
central gear wheel 167, whereas the diameter of the pitch circle of the 
lower gear wheel 168 is 150 to 160% of that of the upper gear wheel 166. 
The gear wheels 166 to 168 have a hole at the center, bounded by inner 
toothing in axial directions, fitting to the external toothing 162A of the 
shaft 162. Between the respective gear wheels 166 to 168 are arranged 
spacer rings 169 also fitting to the toothing 162A. Behind the driving 
shaft 162 a side shaft 170 is supported near its top end by a bearing 161 
and furthermore by bearings 171 and 171A surrounding the lower part of the 
shaft. The central bearing 171 is arranged in a bearing housing 172, which 
is secured in the top wall of the chamber 92. The central bearing 171 is 
located just beneath the bearing 164. The distance between the bearings 
171 and 171A is about 15 to 20% of the overall length of the shaft 170. 
The bearing 171A is arranged in a bearing housing 173, which is supported 
from the bottom wall of the trough 93. The bearing 171A is located at the 
level of the bottom wall of the chamber 92. The overall length of the 
shaft 170 is about 1/16-th times that of the shaft 162 and the top head 
faces of said shafts are located approximately at the same level. A top 
portion 174 of the shaft 170, serving as a stub shaft, is surrounded by an 
annular setting member, the bore of which intimately holds the stub shaft 
174, said member having on the outer side unintterupted flanges 176, which 
are spaced apart in an axial direction. The setting member 175 is secured 
to the shaft 170 by means of a pin 176A passing through said setting 
member and the stub shaft 174. A side of the portion 149 of the gear box 
147 is provided with a pivotal shaft 177, to which is secured a lever 178 
located outside the gear box, said shaft holding in addition an arm 179 
located inside the gear box 147. The arm 179 is provided at its end remote 
from the pivotal shaft 177 with a lug or roller 180, which is located 
inside the groove formed by the two annular flanges 176 of the setting 
member 175. The lever 178 is adapted to move along a locking plate 181 
located outside the box 147 and having the shape of a part of the arc of a 
circle, said plate having a plurality of notches for receiving the lever. 
The lever 178 is held by spring pressure in a manner not shown in the 
selected notch. This spring pressure may be obtained by fastening the 
whole locking plate in a resilient manner to the gear box 147 or by using 
a resilient lever. The portion of the side shaft 170 joining the setting 
member 175 and the bearing 161 is surrounded by three straight gear 
wheels, 182, 183 and 184 so that the gear wheel 182 is constantly in mesh 
with the gear wheel 166, the gear wheel 183 with the gear wheel 167 and 
the gear wheel 184 with the gear wheel 168. The diameter of the pitch 
circle of the gear wheel 184 is equal to that of the gear wheel 166, that 
of the gear wheel 183 is equal to that of the gear wheel 167 and that of 
the gear wheel 182 is equal to that of the gear wheel 168. The thicknesses 
of the gear wheels 166, 182, 167, 183 and 168, 184 respectively, measured 
parallel to the center lines, are substantially equal. The gear wheels 182 
and 183 have on the bottom side and near the shaft 170 an annular bulging 
part, the lower head face of which is in supporting engagement with the 
lower gear wheel 183 and 184 respectively. The gear wheel 184 not having 
such a bulging part engages by its bottom surface a lug 185 forming part 
of a bottom portion of the portion 150 of the gear box 147. The set of 
three gear wheels 182 to 184 is enclosed in the direction of the shaft 170 
via the lug 185 and the rings 186 located between a circlip 187 and the 
top surface of the gear wheel 182 by the top portion 149 of the gear box 
147. The gear wheels 182 to 184 have each an inner toothing surrounding 
the shaft 170. These toothings extend parallel to the center line of the 
shaft 170. The inner toothing of the gear wheel 182 covers, however, only 
part of the thickness of the gear wheel, so that part of the central bore 
of the gear wheel 182 is free of inner toothing. At this place the gear 
wheel 182 has a bore receiving the side shaft 170 with ample clearance. In 
a similar manner the gear wheel 183 has inner toothing over part of its 
thickness, the further part not having inner toothing and surrounding the 
side shaft 170 with ample clearance. The gear wheel 184 also has inner 
toothing over part of the bore receiving the side shaft 170, the further 
part of the bore not having toothing and surrounding the shaft 170 with 
ample clearance. The inner toothing of the gear wheels 182 to 184 are 
identical and the dimensions of the portions without toothing are also the 
same, the height corresponding approximately with the height of the inner 
toothing and of the gear wheels. The portion of the gear wheel 182 without 
toothing is located between the rings 186 and the inner toothing. The part 
of the gear wheel 183 without inner toothing is located between the inner 
toothing of the gear wheel 182 and the inner toothing of the gear wheel 
183, whereas the part of the gear wheel 184 without inner toothing is 
located between the inner toothing of the gear wheel 183 and the inner 
toothing of the gear wheel 184 itself. The heights of the parts without 
inner toothing, measured in an axial direction, are the same. The side 
shaft 170 has an outer toothing 188 extending in an axial direction. The 
height of the toothing 188 of the side shaft 170, measured in an axial 
direction, is at the most equal to the height of the parts of the gear 
wheels 182 to 184 without toothing. The external toothing 188 is located 
in an axial direction at such an area of the side shaft 170 that it is in 
mesh with the inner toothing of the lower gear wheel 184, when the lower 
part of the setting member 175 engages the top side of the bearing 161. 
The lower end of the side shaft 170 is surrounded by a sleeve 189 
journalled by the bearings 171 and 171A and being provided between said 
bearings with an external toothing 190, which is constantly in mesh with 
one of the two adjacent gear wheels 104 in the chamber 92. The sleeve 189 
has inner toothing throughout its height, which is constantly in mesh with 
a straight, external toothing 191 on the circumference of the side shaft 
170. The part of the circumference of the shaft 170 with the toothing 191 
is located at such a distance from the area of the external toothing 188 
that, when the toothing 188 is moved to the part of the gear wheel 182 
without toothing the toothing 191 is still in mesh with the top part of 
the inner toothing of the sleeve 189. The height of the external toothing 
191, measured in an axial direction, is approximately equal to the height 
of each of the parts of the gear wheels 182 to 184 without toothing, also 
measured in an axial direction. On either side of the gear box 147 the top 
side of the trough 93 is provided by means of ears 192 fastened to the 
respective rims with supports 193 extending in the direction of travel A. 
At the front a hitch 194 is secured to the supports 193, the top side of 
said hitch being connected with the rear sides of the supports 193 by 
means of downwardly inclined, rearwardly diverging struts 195. 
During operation the machine is coupled by means of the hitch 194 with the 
three-point lift of a tractor and the front end of the shaft 156 
projecting from the front of the gear box 147 is connected through an 
auxiliary shaft with the power take-of shaft of the tractor. During the 
movement in the direction of the arrow A the respective cultivating 
members 83 are driven in the directions indicated by the arrows in FIG. 9 
through the transmission gear described above. During the rotation of the 
cultivating members 83 the respective cultivating tools 114 of the 
cultivating members are caused to move by the contact of the tines 137 
with the ground in the directions indicated by arrows in FIG. 9. The 
operative portions 123 of the tines 117 are in a trailing position with 
respect to said rotation. The tines 117 of the cultivating tools 114 work 
overlapping strips of soil of a width of about 30 cms with a distance 
between the respective shafts of the cultivating members of about 37.5 cms 
so that an uninterrupted strip of soil is tilled. With the aid of the 
protective or screening members 129 on the holders 116 the nut connections 
of the tines can be protected against stones and similar hard objects, 
while the ring 106 on the top side of the hub 90 of each rotor arm 91 and 
the downwardly extending rim 107 of the flange 98 on the lower side of the 
bearing housing 85 prevent material from winding around the fastening 
bolts 100 of the bearing housing. During the movement of the machine an 
intensive co-operation is ensured between the respective plate-shaped 
crumbling members 146 of spring material located in between the 
cultivating members and the upper sides of the cultivating tools 114, so 
that the soil thrown up by the cultivating tools is drastically crumbled 
up, the earth being conducted to the rear along the plate-shaped members 
146 between the relatively co-operating cultivating members 83. The plates 
146 of resilient material constitute, in addition, flexible guides for any 
stones, which are pushed away along the plates in a downwardly inclined 
direction, so that they can disappear between the cultivating members 83 
into the subsoil. Instead of using separate supports 144, a single support 
may be employed, which covers the whole length of the frame portion, said 
support being preferably strip-shaped so that it constitutes during 
operation in addition an ideal guide member for the earth and the hard 
objects contained therein, while it provides also a given degree of 
levelling. With the aid of the supporting member 134 in the form of a 
roller held by the arms 132 and adapted to be set in a plurality of 
positions the working dept of the tools 114 of the respective cultivating 
members 83 can be adjusted in operation, while said supporting member 
provides a further crumbling and a uniform distribution of the earth 
worked by the respective cultivating tools. As stated above the respective 
cultivating members 83 are driven through the transmission described 
above. The auxiliary shaft is connected with the key ways of the input 
shaft 156. The rotary movement of the shaft 156 is transferred by means of 
the bevel gear wheels 157 and 163 of identical structure into a rotary 
movement of the driving shaft 162. Since the gear wheels 166, to 168 are 
in mesh with the external toothing 162A of the shaft 162 these three gear 
wheels constantly rotate with the shaft 162 so that the three gear wheels 
182 to 184, being constantly in mesh with the gear wheels 166 to 168 are 
also constantly driven. However, in the position shown in FIG. 10, one of 
the gear wheels i.e., the gear wheel 184 is coupled with the side shaft 
170, since the external toothing 188 of the side shaft 170 is in mesh with 
the inner toothing of the gear wheel 184. The driving torque transmitted 
by the gear wheels 167 and 168 to the side shaft 170 is transmitted to the 
rotary shaft 82 of a cultivating member 83 by means of the external 
toothing 191 of the shaft 170, the inner toothing of the sleeve 189, the 
external toothing of the sleeve 189 and the toothing of one of the 
adjacent gear wheels 104 in mesh herewith. With regard to a different kind 
of soil or to other conditions it may be desirable to impart a different 
speed of rotation to the respective cultivating members 83. On heavy soil 
a satisfactory crumbling can be obtained by driving the cultivating 
members with a higher speed, whereas on a light soil a lower speed may 
have a favourable effect. In this case the lever 178 is moved downwards 
along the locking plate 181 so that the roller 180 moves upwards and the 
force exerted on the flange 176 of the setting member 95 displaces the 
shaft 170 upwardly in an axial direction. In this case the external 
toothing 188 is disengaged from the inner toothing of the gear wheel 184, 
while the external toothing 188 gets at the part of the gear wheel 184 
without inner toothing. In this case a free run is obtained, in which the 
cultivating members 83 are standing still, while the input shaft 156 is 
driven. When the lever 178 is further moved downwards along the locking 
plate 181, the toothing 188 comes into mesh with the inner toothing of the 
gear wheel 183 so that the gear wheel 183 is fixed for rotation with the 
shaft 170. In this case the driving torque is transferred through the 
driving shaft 162 and the gear wheel 167 to the gear wheel 183, the shaft 
170 thus rotating with a different speed, while the number of revolutions 
of the input shaft 156 remains the same. The gear wheels 182 and 184 are 
in this case not connected with the shaft 170 and are driven by the gear 
wheels 166 and 168 respectively, while they freely rotate about the shaft 
170. The contact face between the gear wheels freely rotating about the 
shaft 170 is formed by the furthest inner boundary faces of the inner 
toothings of the gear wheels concerned, said boundary faces intimately 
fitting around the locally smooth outer surface of the shaft 170. When the 
lever 178 is further moved downwards, the external toothing 188 arrives at 
the portion of the gear wheel 183 without toothing, so that it can run 
freely, while upon a further displacement of the shaft 170 in an upward 
direction the external toothing 188 engages the inner toothing of the gear 
wheel 182, which then transfers the driving torque to the shaft 170, the 
gear wheels 183 and 184 rotating loosely about the shaft 170. Upon a 
further upward displacement of the shaft 170, the external toothing 188 
will engage the part of the gear wheel 182 without toothing so that again 
a free run is obtained. In the latter position the external toothing 191 
is still in mesh with the inner toothing of the sleeve 189, that is to say 
with the upper part of said toothing. The presence of the parts without 
inner toothings prevents the external toothing 188 from simultaneously 
engaging the inner toothings of two different gear wheels. If the driving 
torque is transferred through the gear wheels 166 and 182, the shaft 170 
of this embodiment rotates with a speed of about 0.64 times the speed of 
the shaft 162. If the gear wheels 167 and 183 transfer the torque, the 
speeds of the shafts 162 and 170 are the same, whereas at a transfer of 
the torque by the gear wheels 168 and 184 the shaft 170 of this embodiment 
is driven with a speed equal to about 1.57 times that of the shaft 162. If 
the shaft 170 is driven with a higher speed, while the speeds of the 
shafts 156 and 162 remain the same, the transmitted torque is smaller for 
the same power so that the gear wheels 167, 183, 168, 184 respectively may 
be thinner than the upper gear wheels. With the construction described the 
number of required parts for the adjustment of different rotor speeds is 
minimized, while in contrast to relatively displaceable gear wheels each 
of the teeth is not likely to be damaged during a change-over, such 
damages becoming every time more serious in operation, since the teeth 
have to move constantly with respect to co-operating teeth. 
The construction described above provides a very effective soil cultivating 
implement, which with a minimum of cultivating members has a maximum 
working width while the co-operation of the pairs of cultivating tools 
with the intermediate crumbling members 146 of resilient material ensures 
an intensive crumbling even of heavy soil. The side plates 144A movable in 
a direction of height prevent at the ends of the strip of soil that the 
earth is crumbled up in a different manner than further to the center, 
while accumulations of earth in the direction of movement are avoided. 
The invention is not limited to the foregoing but also relates to all 
details of the Figures, whether described or not described.