Abstract:
A floating row cleaner assembly comprising a tool arm row cleaner mount, a row cleaner frame mounting plate, a row cleaner frame pivotally attached to the tool arm row cleaner mount and the row cleaner frame mounting plate. The periphery of the u-shaped row cleaner frame is composed of a combination of angled and curved portions to reduce the length and width of the frame to allow row cleaners to be used in combination with a coulter, or other tillage tool, and planter row unit spacing below 30 inches, while allowing necessary clearance between the row cleaner(s) and the coulter for terrain responsive operation.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the filing benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/124,962 filed on Apr. 21, 2008, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The methods described herein are generally applicable to the field of agricultural equipment. The embodiments shown and described herein are more particularly for improved row cleaning for delivery of seed or fertilizer. Although in no way limiting, the present disclosure is particularly suited for minimum or no-till conditions. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     No federal funds were used to develop or create the invention disclosed and described in the patent application. 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable. 
     AUTHORIZATION PURSUANT TO 37 C.F.R. §1.171 (d)(c) 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright and trademark protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever. 
     BACKGROUND 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,890 issued to Martin for “Ground-driven rotary row cleaner” illustrates prior art that may be relevant to the invention disclosed and claimed herein, but which fails to teach the improvement disclosed and claimed herein. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Applicant discloses and claims herein a row cleaner frame and structure, without limitations, which has particular application as an improved no-till or minimum tillage planting apparatus and or planting row unit. The present invention provides a mounting mechanism for planter row unit row cleaners. It includes an assembly for mounting the residue wheels in front of the row unit so that the row cleaner wheels are mounted in front of and to each side of a coulter, as in  FIGS. 7-11 . The row cleaner assembly itself is pivotally connected to the planter frame and one side of the support arm upon which the row unit coulter is mounted. The mounting of the row cleaner allows it to rise and fall about a horizontal axis, within a predetermined range, in response to either terrain elevation changes or contact with non-moveable obstructions such as rocks, large soil clods and root crowns. 
     A large of number of corn acres are planted with a row spacing of 30-38 inches. For various reasons, including increased yields, decreasing erosion and decreasing chemical costs, farmers are interested in reducing row spacing to less than 30 inches. Reductions to a row spacing of 15-20 inches is therefore desirable. The reduction in width between planted rows in combination with the use of row cleaners can lead to plugging of the planter row units i.e. the volume of trash flow is too high for the amount of actual physical space available between planter row units contiguously mounted on a tool bar. Furthermore, the reduced spacing between row units reduces the physical space available for mounting a row cleaner to a row unit. This problem is especially an issue for planters having a split row type, such as the 1700 Series John Deere front-fold planter. Applicant&#39;s design is of benefit and desirable. Additionally, many users wish to mount an accessory tool with the row cleaner, i.e. a coulter mounted in combination with a row cleaner for each row unit. 
    
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION—BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       In order that the advantages of the compact floating row cleaner will be readily understood, a more particular description of the compact floating row cleaner briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the compact floating row cleaner and are not therefore to be considered limited of its scope, the compact floating row cleaner will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a planter row unit mountable upon a tool bar as found in the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  provides a side view of a coulter and tool arm as found in the prior art. 
         FIG. 3  provides a frontal perspective view of a tool arm mounted to a front plate as found in the prior art. 
         FIG. 4  provides a frontal perspective view of a tool arm with an exemplary embodiment of a tool arm row cleaner mount of the present art attached. 
         FIG. 5  provides a frontal perspective view of a tool arm with a tool arm row cleaner mount and row cleaner frame mounting plate of the present art attached. 
         FIG. 6  provides a front view of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  provides a frontal perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 5  with a row cleaner frame affixed thereto. 
         FIG. 8  provides a right side view illustrating one means of attaching applicant&#39;s row cleaner assembly to a front plate. 
         FIG. 9  provides a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of a row cleaner assembly. 
         FIG. 10  provides a side view of the exemplary embodiment of a row cleaner assembly. 
         FIG. 11  provides a top view of the exemplary embodiment of a row cleaner assembly. 
         FIG. 12  provides a perspective view of one embodiment of the row cleaner frame with the coulter, row cleaner wheels, and various mounting structures removed for clarity. 
         FIG. 13  provides a side view of one embodiment of the row cleaner frame with the coulter, row cleaner wheels, and various mounting structures removed for clarity. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Listing of Elements 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Element Description 
                 Element Number 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Planter row unit 
                  1 
               
               
                   
                 Front plate 
                  2 
               
               
                   
                 Row unit disc opener 
                  3 
               
               
                   
                 Planter depth tire 
                  4 
               
               
                   
                 Coulter 
                  5 
               
               
                   
                 Tool arm 
                  6 
               
               
                   
                 Tool arm first end 
                  6a 
               
               
                   
                 Tool arm second end 
                  6b 
               
               
                   
                 Hub 
                  7 
               
               
                   
                 Slotted aperture 
                  8 
               
               
                   
                 Row cleaner assembly 
                 10 
               
               
                   
                 Row cleaner frame 
                 11 
               
               
                   
                 First side 
                 11a 
               
               
                   
                 First side tab 
                 11aa 
               
               
                   
                 Second side 
                 11b 
               
               
                   
                 Second side tab 
                 11bb 
               
               
                   
                 First side angled portion 
                 11c 
               
               
                   
                 Second side angled portion 
                 11d 
               
               
                   
                 Curved portion 
                 11e 
               
               
                   
                 Row cleaner wheel aperture 
                 11f 
               
               
                   
                 Row cleaner wheel 
                 12 
               
               
                   
                 Tool arm row cleaner mount 
                 13 
               
               
                   
                 Front plate portion 
                 13a 
               
               
                   
                 Row cleaner frame portion 
                 13b 
               
               
                   
                 Tool arm portion 
                 13c 
               
               
                   
                 Angled portion 
                 13d 
               
               
                   
                 Row cleaner frame mounting plate 
                 14 
               
               
                   
                 Front plate member 
                 14a 
               
               
                   
                 Row cleaner frame member 
                 14b 
               
               
                   
                 Pivot 
                 16 
               
               
                   
                 Nut 
                 17 
               
               
                   
                 Bolt 
                 18 
               
               
                   
                 Aperture 
                 19 
               
               
                   
                 Washer 
                 21 
               
               
                   
                 Depth adjustment 
                 22 
               
               
                   
                 Depth adjustment dial 
                 23 
               
               
                   
                 Interface rack 
                 24 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Before the various embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that phraseology and terminology used herein with reference to device or element orientation (such as, for example, terms like “front”, “back”, “up”, “down”, “top”, “bottom”, and the like) are only used to simplify description of the present invention, and do not alone indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation. In addition, terms such as “first”, “second”, and “third” are used herein and in the appended claims for purposes of description and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  illustrate the prior art.  FIG. 1  is a planter row unit  1 , as is well known in the art and upon which the present art compact floating row cleaner unit may be mounted.  FIG. 2  is a side view of a prior art coulter  5  and tool arm  5  over which the row cleaner assembly  10  may be mounted.  FIG. 3  illustrates a view of the coulter  5  and tool arm  6  as shown in  FIG. 1  with the planter row unit  1  removed for clarity. 
     The coulter  5  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  uses a tool arm  6  to attach the coulter  5  in a relatively fixed, but adjustable position at the front of the planter row unit  1 . For farmers desiring a planter for narrow row spacing, less than thirty inches and preferably as narrow as fifteen inches, single-arm, row unit mounted coulters  5 , such as those shown in the various figures herein, are preferable. Double arm mounted coulters (not shown herein) are well known in the prior art but are of limited application for planter row units  1  configured for narrow row spacing. Furthermore, although applicant has illustrated the present art using a coulter  5 , the present art is not limited as such. Other working tools or accessories may be mounted in place of the coulter  5  to work in combination with the planter row unit  1 , as is well known to those skilled in the art. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the tool arm  6  is affixed to the front plate  2  of the planter row unit  1  at the tool arm first end  6   a  by three bolts  18  passing through corresponding apertures  19  formed in the tool arm first end  6   a  and in the front plate  2  in conjunction with three nuts  17  and washers  21 . A rotatable hub  7  is typically mounted at the tool arm second end  6   b , which is opposite the front plate  2 . A working tool, such as a coulter  5 , may be mounted to the hub  7  such that the working tool may rotate with respect to the tool arm  6  and planter row unit  1 . The working tool in  FIG. 3  has been removed to better illustrate the tool arm  6 . 
     As shown herein, the configuration of the tool arm  6  illustrated in  FIGS. 3-8  is a two-piece design, with the tool arm first end  6   a  forming one piece and the tool arm second end  6   b  forming the second piece. The vertical position of the tool arm second end  6   b  may be adjusted with respect to the tool arm first end  6   a , and consequently with respect to the planter row unit  1 . The tool arm first end  6   a  and tool arm second end  6   b  interface one another at an interface rack  24  adjacent a slotted aperture  8  fashioned in a distal portion of the tool arm first end  6   a . A bolt  18  passing through the slotted aperture  8  and a corresponding aperture  19  in the tool arm second end  6   b , washer  21 , and nut  17  fixes the position of the tool arm first end  6   a  with respect to the tool arm second end. This type of vertical adjustment between the tool arm second end  6   b  and tool arm first end  6   a  is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in further detail herein for purposes of clarity. The tool arm  6  extends from the front plate  2  so that the coulter  5  engages the ground prior to the planter row unit  1  during operation, which is most clearly shown in  FIGS. 7-8 . Other tools may be mounted to the hub  7  on the tool arm second end  6   b , such as spiked wheels, compactions wheels, or any other tool known to those skilled in the art. 
     The exemplary embodiment of a tool arm row cleaner mount  13  (which is one component of the row cleaner mounting assembly) is shown affixed to the front plate  2  in  FIG. 4 . The tool arm row cleaner mount  13  of the exemplary embodiment is affixed to the front plate  2  via a nut  17 , bolt  18 , washer  21 , and corresponding apertures  19  in the tool arm row cleaner mount  13  and the front plate  2 . However, in other embodiments not pictured herein the tool arm row cleaner mount  13  is integrally formed with the front plate  2  or affixed to the front plate using other structures or methods than nuts  17 , bolts  18 , and washers  21 . The nut  17  and bolt  18  used to mount the tool arm row cleaner mount  13  to the front plate  2  may simultaneously affix the tool arm  6  to the front plate  2 , as is shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     The tool arm row cleaner mount  13  as shown in the exemplary embodiment includes a front plate portion  13   a  that is affixed to and abuts the front plate  2 . A row cleaner frame portion  13   b  is integrally formed with the front plate portion  13   a  and oriented substantially perpendicularly thereto in the exemplary embodiment. The row cleaner frame portion  13   b  is adapted for pivotal engagement with a row cleaner frame  11 , which engagement will be described in detail below. An angled portion  13   d  is integrally formed with the row cleaner frame portion  13   b  and angled with respect thereto. In the exemplary embodiment the angle between the row cleaner frame portion  13   b  and the angled portion  13   d  is approximately forty-five degrees, but may be greater or less in other embodiments not pictured herein. A tool arm portion  13   c  is integrally formed with the angled portion  13   d  and angled with respect thereto such that the tool arm portion  13   c  is substantially parallel to the row cleaner frame portion  13   b  in the exemplary embodiment of the tool arm row cleaner mount  13 . The tool arm row cleaner mount  13  and various elements thereof may have different orientations/relationships depending on the planter row unit  1 . In other embodiments, the tool arm row cleaner mount will only include a front plate portion  13   a  and row cleaner frame portion  13   b.    
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a row cleaner frame mounting plate  14  may be mounted to the front plate  2 . The row cleaner frame mounting plate  14  of the exemplary embodiment is affixed to the front plate  2  via a plurality of nuts  17  and bolts  18  and corresponding apertures  19  in the tool arm row cleaner mount  13  and the front plate  2 . However, as with the tool arm row cleaner mount  13 , in other embodiments not pictured herein the row cleaner frame mounting plate  14  is integrally formed with the front plate  2  or affixed to the front plate using other structures or methods than nuts  17  and bolts  18 . The nuts  17  and bolts  18  used to mount the row cleaner frame mounting plate  14  to the front plate  2  may simultaneously affix the tool arm  6  to the front plate  2 , as is shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The row cleaner frame mounting plate  14  as shown in the exemplary embodiment includes a front plate member  14   a  that is affixed to and abuts the front plate  2 . A row cleaner frame member  14   b  is integrally formed with the front plate member  14   a  and oriented substantially perpendicularly thereto in the exemplary embodiment. The row cleaner frame member  14   b  is adapted for pivotal engagement with a row cleaner frame  11 , which engagement will be described in detail below. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , a row cleaner frame, typically having either a generally U- or V-shape, may pivotally attach to the tool arm row cleaner mount  13  at the row cleaner frame portion and to the row cleaner frame mounting plate  14  at the row cleaner frame member  14   b . In the exemplary embodiment, these pivotal attachments are achieved through an aperture  19  formed in the row cleaner frame portion  13   b  and another formed in the row cleaner frame member  14   b  that correspond to apertures  19  formed in the row cleaner frame  11 . Nuts  17 , bolts  18 , and washers  21  are used to secure the row cleaner frame  11  to the tool arm row cleaner mount  13  and row cleaner frame mounting plate  14 . However, in other embodiments not pictured herein, other structures and/or methods may be used to pivotally attach the row cleaner frame  11  to the tool arm row cleaner mount  13  and/or row cleaner frame mounting plate  14 . 
     The row cleaner frame, which is shown in detail in  FIGS. 9-11 , is generally symmetrical with respect to a vertically oriented plane and extends from the front plate  2  in the same direction as the tool arm  6  (see  FIG. 11 ). A first side  11   a  is pivotally attached to the tool arm row cleaner mount  13  and a second side  11   b  is pivotally attached to the row cleaner frame mounting plate  14 . In the exemplary embodiment of the row cleaner assembly  10 , the first and second sides  11   a ,  11   b  include sections that are substantially straight and sections that are angled, which are best shown in  FIG. 11 . The angle between the straight section and angled section of the first and second sides  11   a ,  11   b  will vary from one embodiment to the next, and in the exemplary embodiment is approximately twenty-five degrees. However, the precise angle in no way limits the scope of the row cleaner assembly  10 . 
     Integrally formed with the first side  11   a  is a first side angled portion  11   c , which is angled approximately twenty degrees with respect to the first side  11   a . Integrally formed with the second side  11   b  is a second side angled portion  11   d , which is angled approximately forty-five degrees with respect to the second side  11   b . Affixed to and integrally formed with both the first and second side angled portions  11   c ,  11   d  is a curved portion  11   e . In the exemplary embodiment, both the first and second sides  11   a ,  11   b  include hubs  7  pivotally mounted thereto to which row cleaner wheels  12  may be attached. The row cleaner frame  11  is configured such that it may be mounted over a coulter  5 , wherein the coulter  5  and the row cleaner wheels  12  may simultaneously engage the ground surface (see  FIGS. 7 and 8 ), and wherein the vertical position of the row cleaner frame  11  may change independently of the position of the tool arm  6 . 
     The vertical position of the row cleaner frame  11  may be adjusted with respect to that of the tool arm  6  using an apparatus such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,455, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Accordingly, the row cleaner frame  11  in the exemplary embodiment is free to move away from the ground surface independently of the tool arm  6  until the row cleaner frame  11  or some element affixed thereto, such as a row cleaner wheel  12 , meets an obstruction. The depth adjustment  22  provides a limit as to the amount of travel for the row cleaner frame  11  toward the ground surface, and thereby determines the vertical relationship between the row cleaner frame  11  and the coulter  5 . The depth adjustment  22  may be manipulated by the user via the depth adjustment dial  23 . Accordingly, the row cleaner frame  11  as shown in the exemplary embodiment provides a floating row cleaner, the advantages of which are well known to those skilled in the art. 
     As those practiced in the arts will appreciate, row cleaner wheels  12  are one structure for use in cleaning rows for agricultural purposes. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the present art reduces residue plugging during operation and allows relatively narrow spacing between each of the two row cleaner wheels  12  mounted to a row cleaner frame  11  as well as allowing relatively narrow spacing between adjacent planter row units  1 . As developed by the Applicant, the present art, when applied to a planter, allows for as little as fifteen-inch spacing between adjacent rows of seeds, which is useful and desired. A benefit of this configuration and operation is that less residue is uncovered or moved from the row area. As a result, trash flow is reduced thereby reducing planter row unit  1  plugging, which is beneficial and desirable. 
     As illustrated in the various figures show herein, the row cleaner wheels  12  may be angled with respect to the vertical axis. The vertical angle as shown in the exemplary embodiment is twenty-three degrees on each side, which results in a total of forty-six degrees between the row cleaner wheels  12 . The row cleaner frame  11  may be configured to result in other combined vertical angle configurations of the row cleaner wheels  12  in the range of zero to ninety degrees. 
     In the exemplary embodiment as pictured herein, each row cleaner wheel  12  of a pair is symmetrical to the other row cleaner wheel  12  in that pair. In another embodiment not pictured herein, the row cleaner wheels  12  are still asymmetrical. As shown, each row cleaner wheel  12  is comprised of two non-equal diameter portions, which allows the user to control the amount of trash cleared by each row cleaner wheel  12  and simultaneously maintain depth control of each row cleaner wheel  12 . That is, the smaller diameter portion restricts the depth of penetration of the larger diameter portion of each row cleaner wheel  12 . 
     As one of ordinary skill will appreciate, the row cleaner assembly  10  may be configured for use and operation adjacent a plurality of row cleaner assemblies  10  and/or attached to a tool bar to form a contiguous planter unit (not shown). To modify the amount of trash cleared from each row, the row cleaner wheels  12  may be angled or positioned so that the periphery of adjacent row cleaner wheels  12  in a pair thereof intersect one another during use and operation for increased trash clearing. In another embodiment the row cleaner wheels  12  may be positioned so that the periphery of adjacent row cleaner wheels  12  do not intersect one another for less trash clearing. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the first side  11   a  may be formed with a first side tab  11   aa , which extends below the first side  11   a . The first side tab  11   aa  provides a lowered mounting point for the corresponding row cleaner wheel  12 . The second side  11   b  may be formed with a similar second side tab  11   bb . Either tab  11   aa ,  11   bb  may be formed with two row cleaner wheel apertures  11   f . This allows the operator to position the row cleaner wheel  12  at two different positions on the row cleaner frame  11  so that the operator may select the optimal location based on specific conditions. 
     Providing a mounting point for the row cleaner wheel  12  that is below the first and second sides  11   a ,  11   b  of the row cleaner frame  11  allows the row cleaner assembly  10  to be more compact even when employed with additional structures, such as a coulter  5 . Because the first and second side tabs  11   aa ,  11   bb  are lowered with respect to the other parts of the row cleaner frame  11 , the row cleaner frame  11  may be placed in close proximity to an implement in the center of the row cleaner frame  11  while the row cleaner wheels  12  simultaneously are positioned in close proximity to the exterior sides of an implement in the center of the row cleaner frame  11 . This situation is show in detail for a coulter  5  in  FIG. 8 . As shown, the tangential forward edge of the row cleaner assembly  10  (positioned toward the right in  FIG. 8 , and which is defined by the leading edge of the row cleaner wheels  12 ) is only marginally further forward than the tangential forward edge of the coulter  5 . This compact dimension allows the row cleaner assembly  10  to be placed on a planter having multiple planter row units  1  even if the transport position for the planter requires that the row units be juxtaposed with one another about their respective length, such as the 1760 planter manufactured by Deere &amp; Co. 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , the axis of rotation for each row cleaner wheel  12  in the row cleaner assembly  10  is below the row cleaner frame  11 . As explained in detail previously, this configuration allows the row cleaner frame  11  to be more compact in the horizontal dimension, even when used with an implement, such as a coulter  5 . 
     The row cleaner assembly  10  and various elements thereof may be constructed of any material known to those skilled in the art that is appropriate for the specific application thereof. For example, steel, metallic alloys, and any other material known to those skilled in the art may be used to construct the row cleaner assembly  10 . 
     It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments pictured and described herein, but is intended to apply to all similar methods for ground surface penetration during operation of planter, seeder or drill unit. Accordingly, modifications and alterations from the described embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art without departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention.