PIT FORMING IMPLEMENT

Abstract: A pit forming implement comprising a support frame (11) carrying pivoting arms (15) with tynes (16) mounted on the arms (15). Cam controlled hydraulic cylinders (18) activate the arms (15) to cause the tynes (16) to move cyclically between a position in engagement with the soil and position above the soil. A seeding drum (30) in engagement with ground wheels (13) may be mounted on pivoting arms (31) supported on the frame (11).

Description: PITFORMINGIMPLEMENT THIS INVENTION relates to pit forming implements and to pit forming implements associated with a seeding means. In arid areas, it is difficult to establish pastures and plants and in order to establish such, it is necessary to optimise the collection of the limited rainfall available. In addition, such areas can often suffer from serious water erosion due to heavy downfalls of rain due to the lack of ground cover to retain the top soil. Therefore, in providing means of optimising the collection of water under low rainfall conditions is also desirable to reduce the possibility of soil erosion under heavy rainfall cond¬ itions which may be produced by such optimising means. It is an object of this invention to provide an implement capable of forming a series of separate pits which are capable of collecting surface water. In one form the invention resides in a pit forming implem¬ ent comprising a support frame, a tyne mounted to said frame and having a cultivating point thereon, said tyne being movable on said frame, the movement of said tyne being -controlled by a hydraulic control such that with movement of the implement, the tyne is caused to move cyclically between a position in engagement with the soil and a position above the soil. In another form the invention resides in a pit forming implement comprising a support frame, a plurality of later¬ ally spaced- tynes mounted to said frame, and having culti¬ vating points thereon, said tynes being movable on said support frame, the movement of said tynes being controlled by a hydraulic control such that with movement of the implement, the tynes are caused to move cyclically between a position in engagement with the soil and a position above the soil, the tynes being divided into a plurality of sets of tynes wherein the cycle of movement of each of tynes is out of phase with the cycle of movement of the other set of tynes. According to a preferred feature of the invention, the support frame is at least partially supported by a support wheel, the rotation of which operates the hydraulic control. According to a further preferred feature of the invention, the phase relationship between the cycles of movement of each set of tynes can be varied. According to a further preferred feature of the invention, the periodicity of each cycle of movement can be varied. According to a further preferred feature, the amplitude of movement of each tyne can be varied. According to a further preferred feature, the dwell period of the movement of the tynes at any point in each cycle of movement can be varied. According to a further preferred feature of the invention, there are several pairs of tynes and the cycle of movement of one tyne of each pair is out of phase with the cycle of movement of the other tyne of each pair. According to a further preferred feature, the hydraulic control comprises a cam driven from a ground engaging wheel and a cam follower in engagement with the cam and associated with a hydraulic valve wherein said valve controls a periodic flow of hydraulic fluid to and from the hydraulic cylinder associated with each tyne. According to a further preferred feature of the invention, each tyne is mounted to the free end of an arm pivotally mounted to the support frame and extending rearwardly therefrom and a hydraulic cylinder is mounted between the frame and the arm. ,.- -, ■ ■ ~ ~ -- According to a preferred feature of the invention, the mounting of each tyne is such as to permit disengagement of the tyne from a cultivating position on the loading thereon exceeding a predetermined limit. According to a preferred feature of the invention, a seeding deposition means is mounted to the frame and is adapted to deposit seed into the pit formed in the ground as a result of the engagement of each tyne with the ground. According to a further preferred feature, said seeding means comprises a seed storage drum rotatably mounted to the said frame rearwardly of the tynes and having an outlet aperture in the walls thereof in alignment with each tyne. According to a further preferred feature, said drum is rotatably driven by frictional engagement with said wheel. According to a further preferred feature of the invention, said drum supports an agitator freely rototable on a single axis within said drum. According to a further preferred feature, said drum is divided transversly into several compartments. According to a further preferred feature of the invention, the dimensions of said outlet apertures are variable. The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of one specific embodiment. The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a pitting and seeding imple¬ ment according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the embodiment of figure l; Figure 3 is a fragementary elevation of a tyne support¬ ing arm of the embodiment showing its mounting to the frame of the embodiment; Figure 4 is the hydraulic circuit for the embodiment; Figure 5 is a part isometric view of the embodiment showing the seeding means; and Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the pitting pattern achieved by the embodiment. The embodiment shown in the drawings relates to a pitting implement associated with a seed deposition means whereby seed can be deposited into pits formed by the tynes of the pitting implement and where the pits serve to provide a catchment for surface run-off water to furnish an extra supply of water to the seed within the pit and increase the chances of survival of the germinating seed and plant. The pitting implement comprises a frame 11 having a sub¬ stantially U-shaped configuration and having a removable draw-bar 12 mounted to its central portion 14. The free ends of the arms of the frame 11 are supported by wheels 13. The diverging arms of the frame 11 are interconnected by the transverse central portion which pivotally supports four rearwardly extending arms 15 pivotally mounted to the frame member 11 about an axis parallel with the longi¬ tudinal axis of said central portion. The free end of each arm 15 pivotally supports a downwardly extending tyne 16 having a cultivating point 17 mounted to its lower most end. The pivotal movement of the arms 15 are controlled by a set of first hydraulic cylinders 18 wherein each cylinder is located between a mounting bracket 14 on the frame member 11 and the arm 15. An adjustable stop means 19 is mounted between each arm 15 and the mounting bracket 40 to provide the limits of movement of the lever arm which can be effected through the hydraulic cylinder 18. The stop means comprises a rod 21 which is pivotally mounted to the arm and is slidably received in an aperture formed in a transversly extending plate member 22 located on the mounting bracket 40. A pair of stops 23 are mounted to the rod member 21 which one stop member 23 located to each side of the plate member 22. The pivotal movement of the tynes 16 on the arms is controlled by means of a set of second hydraulic cylinders 41 which are mounted between the arms 15 and the upper end of the respective tine 16 which extends above the pivotal mounting of the tyne to the arm. The pitting implement is associated with a seeder of the form described in Australian Patent Specification 463139 and which comprises a cylindrical drum 30 rotatably supported upon an axle 33 supported between the free ends of a pair of rearwardly extending support arms 31 pivot¬ ally mounted to the arms of the frame 11. A third pair of hydraulic cylinders 32 are mounted between the arms of the frame 11 and the support arms 31 such that when retracted, the drum is in frictional engagement with the wheels and when extended the drum is free of wheels (as shown in broken lines) in figure 2 . The hydraulic cylinders are of the form such that when they are not under pressure, they are in the extended form. The drum 30 is divided into four transversly spaced compartments such that a compartment is associated with one of the arms 15 of the pitting imple¬ ment. Each compartment has a loading aperture provided in the side wall of the drum 30 and associated with a hinge door 36 which conceals and encloses the loading aperture. In addition, each compartment is provided with at least one seed outlet aperture 37 through which seed is depos¬ ited onto the ground with rotation of the drum 30. The outlet aperture 37 is associated with a movable plate 38 or like means across the aperture 37 which can serve in varying the dimensions thereof in accordance with the nature of the seed to be deposited. On rotation of the drum 30 and the position of the outlet aperture 37 is such that the seed from the outlet aperture 37 is deposited into the pits formed by the cultivating tool 17 fixed to the associated arm 15. If necessary several circumferen- tially spaced outlet apertures may be provided for each compartment according to the periodicity of the pits formed by the pitting implement and the speed of rotation of the drum 30. In addition, each compartment is provided with an agitator 39 which takes the form of a U-shaped member having its free ends pivotable on the axle 33 of the drum such that the agitator member 39 will " remain in substantially vertical position with the compartment on rotation of the drum 30. The agitator 39 serves in prevent¬ ing the tumbling of the seed within the compartment and the subsequent balling thereof and also assist in the delivery of seed from the seed outlet aperture. Fluid pressure for each of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sets of hydraulic cylinders 18, 41 and 32 is provided from the tractor vehicle through lines 24. The fluid pressure to the first set of hydraulic cylinders 18 causing pivotal movement of the arms 15 is effected by a hydraulic direc¬ tional control valve 25 which is operated from a cam driven through a chain drive in one of the drum supporting arms 31 from one of the wheels 13 of the implement. The first set of hydraulic cylinders 18 comprises one pair of the outermost cylinders and another pair consisting of the inner-most cylinders. Each pair of cylinders are connected in series whereby fluid displaced from one of the cylinders by extension of the cylinder is introduced into the other cylinder to e.ffect extension of the other cylinder. The pairs of cylinders are interconnected in series whereby fluid displaced from one of the cylinders from the one pair of cylinders by retraction thereof is introduced to one of the cylinders of the other pair of cylinders to effect extension of that one cylinder. As a result, with the introduction of fluid to the cylinders to effect extension of the one pair of cylinders, the other pair of cylinders are caused to retract and vice versa. The directional control valve 25 serves in switching the direction of fluid flow to the cylinder to cause periodic retraction and extension of the one pair of cylinders and subsequent extension and retraction of the other pair of cylinders. The switching of the control valve is effected by means of a cam follower associated with the cam which is driven through the chain drive from the drum 30 and which is located in the supporting arm 31 for the drum 30. The action of the directional control valve is such that fluid is supplied to the one pair of first hydraulic cylinders to raise the arms 15 and lift the tynes from the soil or fluid is supplied to the other pair of first hydraulic cylinders to lower the arms 15 such that the tynes become engaged with the soil. The movement of the one pair of arms 15 is out of phase by 180 with the movement of the other pair of arms 15. As a result of the cyclical admission of hydraulic pressure to the first set of hydraulic cylinders 18, the tynes 16 are caused to move downwardly into engagement with the soil and then upwardly away from the soil to produce a pit in the soil with each downward movement. By adjustment of the chain drive and/or variation of the cam, the periodicity and phasing of each arm 15 -may be varied such that the spacing and length respectively of the pits produced by the tines can be varied. The ampli¬ tude of the movement of each arm can be adjusted by means of the stops 19 so that the depth of the pits and the ground clearance of the tynes can be varied. As shown in figure 5, with the movement of one pair of arms 15 being out of phase with movement of the other pair of arms, the pits produced by the implement are staggered. The effect of such is to reduce the possibility of erosion by run-off due to the pits produced by the implement becoming interconnected and forming channels. In addition, the alternate engaging of the tynes with the soil serves in achieving a substantially constant draft load on the tractor vehicle since the pair of tynes are at most times engaged with the soil. As stated earlier, each of the tynes 16 is pivotally mounted to the arms 15 and a second hydraulic cylinder 41 controls the pivotal movement of the tynes. Each of the second cylinders 41 are connected in parallel and are associated with a pressurised accumulator 43. On applica¬ tion of fluid pressure to the second cylinders 14, the tynes are pivoted to their forward most position. In use, if one of the tynes engages an obstruction and excessive pressure is produced in the respective second hydraulic cylinder 41, the accumulator will accommodate the increased pressure and will enable the tyne to pivot rearwardly on the arm to clear the obstruction. The third set of hydraulic cylinders 32 are connected in parallel to the second set of hydraulic cylinders 41 and with applica¬ tion of fluid pressure, will retract and bring the drum 30 into frictional engagement with the wheels 13. In use, when fluid pressure is applied to the hydraulic circuit, the drum 30 is brought into engagement with the wheels 13 and with rotation of the drum 30, the direc¬ tional control valve switches the flow of fluid to the first set of hydraulic cylinders to cause the tynes 15 to alternately periodically reciprocate into and out of engagement with the ground. Since the movement of the tynes to produce the pits in the ground is effected through a chain drive from the drum 30, the speed of switching effected by the direction control valve is cali¬ brated to the rotation of the drum 30 such that the seed from the apertures 37 in the drum 30 is deposited into the pits formed by the tynes. As a result of the embodiment, a seeding implement is produced which is capable of providing a favourable envir¬ onment for the deposited seed and which provides a substan¬ tially constant draft load on the tractor vehicle and which is capable of simultaneously depositing a number of different seed types. It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention need not be limited to the particular scope of the embodiment described above and in particular to the particular nature of the needs for depositing seed or a particular means effecting the periodic pitting of the ground.

Claims: THE CLAIMS defining the invention are as follows: 1. A pit forming implement comprising a support frame, a tyne mounted to said frame and having a cultivating point thereon, said tyne being movable on said frame, the movement of said tyne being controlled by a hydraulic control, such that with movement of the implement, the tyne is caused to move cyclically between a position in engagement with the soil and a position above the soil. 2. A pit forming implement comprising a support frame, a plurality of laterally spaced tynes mounted to said frame and having cultivating points thereon, said tynes being movable on said support frame, the movement of said tynes being controlled by a hydraulic control such that with movement of the implement, the tynes are caused to move cyclically between a position in engagement with the soil and a position above the soil, the tynes being divided into a plurality of sets of tynes wherein the cycle of movement of each set of tynes is out of phase with the cycle of movement of the other set of tynes. 3. A pitting implement as claimed at claim 2 wherein the support frame is partially supported by a support wheel, the rotation of which operates the hydraulic control. 4. A pitting implement as claimed at claim 2 or 3 wherein the phase relationship between the cycles of_ movement of each set of tynes can be varied. 5. A pitting implement as claimed at claims 2 to 4 wherein the periodicity of each cycle of movement can be varied. 6. A pitting implement as claimed at any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the amplitude of the movement of each tyne can be varied. 7. A pitting implement as claimed at any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the dwell period of the movement of the tynes at any point in each cycle of movement can be varied. 8. A pitting implement as claimed at any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein. each set of tynes comprises a pair of tynes. 9. A pitting implement as claimed at any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein the hydraulic control comprises a cam driven from a ground engaging wheel and a cam follower in engage¬ ment with the cam and associated with a hydraulic valve which controls a periodic flow of hydraulic fluid to and from a hydraulic cylinder associated with each tyne. 10. A pitting implement as claimed at any one of claims 2 to 9 wherein each tyne is mounted to the free end of an arm pivotally mounted to the support frame and extending rearwardly therefrom and a hydraulic cylinder is mounted between the frame and the arm. 11. A pitting implement as claimed at any one of claims 2 to 9 wherein the mounting of each tyne is such as to permit disengagement of the tyne from a cultivating position on the loading thereon exceeding a predetermined limit. 12. A pitting implement as claimed at claim 11 as dependant upon claim 10 wherein each tyne is pivotally mounted to said arm to depend downwardly therefrom and a hydraulic cylinder is mounted between said tyne and said arm to apply pressure to maintain said tyne in said cultivating mode, said hydraulic cylinder being associated with a circuit capable of causing said tyne to disengage from said cultivating mode on the fluid pressure in the circuit seeding a predetermined limit. 13. A pitting implement as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein a seeding deposition means is mounted to the frame and is adapted to deposit seed into the pit formed as a result of the engagement of the tyne at the ground. 14. A pitting implement as claimed at claim 13 wherein said seeding means comprises a seed storage drum rotatably mounted to said frame rearwardly of the tyne and having an outlet aperture in the wall thereof in alignment with the tyne. 15. A pitting implement as claimed at claims 13 and 14 and as dependant upon claim 3 wherein said drum is rotatably driven by frictional engagement with said wheel. 16. A pitting implement as claimed at claim 15 wherein the hydraulic control is driven by rotation of said drum such that the deposition of feed from said outlet aperture is in phase with the pitting action of the tyne. 17. A pitting implement as claimed at any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein said drum supports an agitator freely rotatably mounted on a central axis within said drum. 18. A pitting implement as claimed at any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein said drum is divided transversly into a plurality of compartments corresponding in number to the number of tynes. 19. A pitting implement as claimed at any one of claims 13 to 17 wherein the dimensions of said outlet aperture are variable. 20. A pitting implement substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings

Inventors: HILL DEAN STEPHEN, SAYER CHRISTOPHER NEVILLE
Applicants: HILL DEAN STEPHEN, KIMBERLY SEEDS PTY LTD, SAYER CHRISTOPHER NEVILLE, KIMBERLEY SEEDS PTY LTD
Application year: 1982
Main classification: A01B11
IPC codes: A01B13, A01B49, A01C5