Knife sled cultivator with weeder bar

A farm implement having a main frame; at least two carriage wheels for supporting the frame; a plurality of brackets mounted in pairs on the frame, each pair of brackets defining a sled; a plurality of knives mounted on each sled in a generally horizontal plane; a weeder bar rotatably supported by the brackets; and a hydraulic motor mounted on the frame for driving the weeder bar in a counter clockwise direction as the implement is moved in a direction whereby the carriage wheels rotate in a clockwise direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to a farm implement. More specifically, this 
invention provides a knife sled cultivator with a weeder bar. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,862,433, Dec. 2, 1958, M. W. Guyer, discloses a weeder bar 
and cultivator tool. U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,642, Oct. 29, 1963, G. D. Hunter, 
also discloses a cultivator tool with a rod weeder attachment. U.S. Pat. 
No. 1,521,503, Dec. 30, 1924, P. Bruinekool, discloses a machine for 
cutting weeds between rows of growing plants. None of these patents 
disclose a farm implement with a combination weeder bar and 
non-overlapping knives to effectively cultivate rowed feed. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a farm implement 
useful to cultivate field crops and to prepare soil. 
It is another object to provide a knife sled with weeder bar with 
non-overlapping knives to prevent weeds, trash, or the like, from balling 
up at a point where normally knives would overlap. 
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a farm implement that 
is effective in cultivating rowed feed in 30 to 40 inch rows, that helps 
keep the ground from blowing in real sandy soils and will keep that ground 
from blowing where the tractor tires run. 
Still other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the 
following description of this invention. 
The foregoing objects are achieved according to the practice of this 
invention. Broadly, this invention comprises a main frame; at least two 
carriage wheels for supporting the frame; a plurality of brackets mounted 
in pairs on the frame, each pair of brackets defining a sled; a plurality 
of knives mounted on each sled in a generally horizontal plane; a weeder 
bar rotatably supported by the brackets; and a hydraulic motor means 
mounted on the frame for driving the weeder bar in a counter clockwise 
direction as the implement is moved in a direction whereby the carriage 
wheels rotate in a clockwise direction. 
The advantages and objects of the invention will become evident from the 
following detailed description when read in conjunction with the 
accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments of the 
invention:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
With continuing reference to the drawings, wherein similar parts are 
represented by like reference numerals, there is seen a farm implement, 
generally represented as 10, having carriage wheels 12 for supporting a 
frame 14 which has a bar member 16 attached thereto by attachment members 
18 for connecting a tractor (not shown in the drawings) to pull the farm 
implement 10. A plurality of U-shaped brackets 20 are mounted in pairs on 
the frame 14; each pair of U-shaped brackets 20 define a sled, generally 
represented as 22. A plurality of knives 24 are mounted on each sled 22 in 
a generally horizontal plane. A weeder bar 26 is rotatably supported by 
the brackets 20 and is positioned above the knives 24. A hydraulic motor 
means, generally represented as 28, is mounted on the frame 14 for driving 
the weeder bar 26 in a counter clockwise direction as the implement 10 is 
moved in a direction whereby the carriage wheels 12 rotate in a clockwise 
direction. 
Knives 24 protrude and are mounted on each sled 22 in such a manner whereby 
protruding knives 24 from adjacent sleds 22 do not overlap to prevent the 
balling up of weeds, trash, or the like, between knives 24 from adjacent 
sleds 22. It has been discovered that by shortening the knives 24 to 
approximately 1/4 to 2/3 their original length which is normally fifty-one 
(51) inches to twenty (20) inches (depending on the size of the knife 
sled), weeds, trash, etc., will not accumulate between knives 24. 
Each U-shaped bracket 20 of sleds 22 has a base 30, a frame attachment arm 
32 attaching to frame 14, a free arm 34, a cross member 36 connecting to 
the free arm 34 of each U-shaped bracket 20, and a diagonal connecting 
support member 38 connecting to the base 30 and the frame attachment arm 
32 of each U-shaped bracket 20. Knife blades 24 connect to the base 30 
such as to be generally parallel to the ground and diverge with respect to 
the base 30, and the weeder bar 26 is rotatably supported by the base 30 
of each bracket 20. 
Each base 30 has an aperture 40 (as can be seen in FIG. 6). A spool bearing 
42 having a rectangular opening 44 for the weeder bar 26 to mate therewith 
is seated in the aperture 40. A retainer 46 mounted to the base 30 by 
bolts 48 and nuts 50 rotatably secures the bearing 42 in the aperture 40. 
FIG. 7 illustrates that hydraulic motor means 28 includes a variable speed 
hydraulic drive motor 52 having a power take off from a tractor (not shown 
in the drawings) which pulls the implement 10. A drive sprocket 54 
connects to the motor 52; a drive chain 56 engages the drive sprocket 54 
and a driven sprocket 56 which engages the weeder bar 26 for counter 
clockwise rotating of the weeder bar 26. An adjustable mounting bracket 58 
attaches to a drive chain housing 62 and the frame 10. A mounting bracket 
60 attaches to the housing 62 and a U-shaped bracket 20 of a sled 22. 
In operation of the invention, a tractor pulls the farm implement 10 such 
that the carriage wheels 12 rotate in a clockwise direction. The hydraulic 
drive motor 52 with power take off from the tractor turns the drive 
sprocket 54 causing the chain 56 to drive the driven sprocket 56, and the 
weeder bar engaging the driven sprocket, in a counter clockwise direction 
to knock down the stil weeds on stil ridges between stil rows. The weeder 
bar 26 runs underground through ridges. Simultaneous to the weeder bar 26 
operation, knives 24 on sleds 22 cut weeds next to milo rows on both 
sides. No weeds, or the like, accumulate between adjacent knives 24 
because they have been shortened as to not overlap. 
While the present invention has been described herein with reference to 
particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various 
changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, and it 
will be appreciated that in some instances some features of the invention 
will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without 
departing from the scope of the invention as set forth.