Patent Publication Number: US-2020291601-A1

Title: Scarifier Assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to earth moving equipment, and more particularly to a scarifier assembly that may be connected to a vehicle to assist in preparing a ground surface for grading. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Earth moving equipment is available in different forms and for different purposes. Once excavation and concrete contractors have completed major work, which may include excavating and/or pouring a foundation for a structure, such as a commercial building or house, a dirt contractor works to build up or cut down the dirt pad or ground on the site, which may include the area around and inside of a structure. The dirt contractor is tasked with bringing the site to within 1/10 of a foot of the specifications on a grading site plan. Following the work by a dirt contractor, a fine grading contractor is brought in to move dirt and/or gravel with a goal in fine grading to achieve the highest quality slab and to keep the waste factor as little as possible. 
     There are times when a fine grading contractor may encounter areas of hard or solid ground, which may include highly compacted soil, frozen portions, concrete or asphalt debris, rocks or other matter. Such areas often require digging and removal by use of heavy duty digging equipment, followed by delivery of new soil to fill as needed because known grading systems typically are not capable of dealing with such solid ground variations or large chunks of hard dirt that may have been left by a dirt contractor. Fine grading systems generally are not equipped to deal with cutting such hard ground environments. 
     Scarifier equipment may be used in such efforts, as well as in other settings to breakup compacted soil or tear up vegetation, such as when working on landscaping projects. The scarifiers of the scale discussed and disclosed herein are not merely used to dethatch a lawn, but rather are on a larger, more robust scale and are used for more course disruption of a ground surface. Presently available scarifier assemblies or other existing earth moving equipment and systems include disadvantages that limit grading performance and that do not enable a fine grading assembly to work through hard ground without extensive intervention from other equipment. 
     Prior art scarifiers for such larger scale projects tend to be presented as an implement that is mounted to the front or rear of an earth moving vehicle, with the implement extending well forward or rearward of the vehicle. The substantial forward or rearward extension of the implement decreases the maneuverability of the vehicle and may negatively impact the approach and departure angles of the vehicle. This can impose limitations on the vehicle when a prior art implement is connected to thereto, which can be due to the extent to which the implement extends forward or rearward from the vehicle, or the use of further forward or rearward support wheels and/or the mounting and controls associated with such implements. This tends to cause such an implement to have to remain detached from the vehicle unless and until it is ready for specific use on a ground surface that has been prepared to at least a minimum standard. Unfortunately, such an implement likely must remain connected to the vehicle. In some instances, the implement is connected using the main front mounting for an accessory that is available on a vehicle, such as a skid steer, which means that the vehicle then must be dedicated for that use until the implement is disconnected and some other implement, such as a shovel or blade is connected to the vehicle. Switching implements requires labor and time, which increases risks of injury while reducing productivity due to a machine downtime. 
     It would be particularly advantageous to be able to use a scarifier assembly on earth moving vehicles, especially multi-use vehicles associated with grading, such as a typical skid steer vehicle. It also would be advantageous to be able to have such a scarifier assembly remain connected to such vehicles while being useful for other purposes and while not having to be connected to the main front functional equipment on such vehicles. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides a scarifier assembly for use in a grading system that permits an earth moving vehicle, such as a track or wheeled vehicle to overcome shortcomings in the prior art, while providing major advantages. First, the scarifier assembly of the present disclosure may be connected to a vehicle at an end opposed to the normal working end of the vehicle, such as for example, connection to a rear of a skid steer vehicle that has a typical front mounting system for various implements, such as a shovel or blade or any number of other implements. Second, the new scarifier assembly presents a relatively mass efficient, compact structure that remains close to the vehicle at all times, may be mounted in place of ballast plates, and does not substantially increase the area occupied by the vehicle, thereby having little if any impact on the maneuverability of the vehicle. Third, the scarifier assembly is retractable to a position when not in use that is well above the ground surface and it does not present an issue for angles of approach for the vehicle. Fourth, the scarifier assembly may provide for simple adjustment and use by an operator who can readily adjust the depth to which the scarifier assembly will effectively dig through the soil by manipulating the set-up of adjustable, removable and easily replaceable teeth. Fifth, the adjustable, removable teeth may be reversed end-to-end to extend the life of the teeth, and may be rotated to reverse the angle on the end of the teeth to vary the tendency to dig or create furrows. Sixth, the scarifier assembly may be connected to a vehicle in a way that utilizes the standard auxiliary hydraulic ports provided on the vehicle, or alternatively may be connected to a diverter valve to permit use of two hydraulic functions, by leaving the standard auxiliary hydraulic ports on the vehicle available for other use. 
     The present scarifier assembly extends a much shorter distance from the vehicle, eliminates the need for additional support wheels and does not occupy the quick attach assembly of a vehicle. The mounting configuration provides for connecting the scarifier assembly to a vehicle that need not include a quick attach assembly. References to directions herein, such as rearward or forward, are relative to the direction of travel when using the scarifier assembly, which may not be the same as the normal directional orientation of a particular vehicle. However, in the examples shown, the scarifier assembly is connected to the rear of a vehicle and is used when the vehicle is moving in the normal forward direction. 
     The scarifier assembly employs simple movement of a pivotal arm assembly by use of lift actuators that move between present full retraction and full extension positions. The depth of scoring of the ground is determined by the adjustment position of the removable teeth. A significant improvement may be provided by having the scarifier assembly connected to a vehicle that also has an operable grading blade assembly on the opposite end of the vehicle. Having both implements available on a track or wheeled vehicle, such as a skid steer, can help to avoid and/or consolidate significant steps that otherwise would follow the work of a dirt contractor. Rather than having to use heavy duty equipment to dig out and remove hard ground, debris or other such matter, and back fill with new soil, use of the new scarifier assembly permits cutting through the aforementioned difficult soil or debris with the same vehicle that is used for fine grading, although it could be used on a separate vehicle that is dedicated to use only of the scarifier assembly. The scarifier assembly can be used to claw or cut through wet soil, helping it to dry faster, while otherwise loosening soil to be more easily redistributed over the ground surface when trying to meet a grading site plan. 
     The scarifier assembly utilizes compact up and down movements. Also, the auxiliary hydraulic ports typically available on an earth moving vehicle, such as a skid steer, may be used to operate the scarifier assembly, or the hydraulic system of the vehicle may be modified to include a diverter valve that permits the auxiliary ports to remain available, while providing for separate connection to the scarifier assembly. Because the lift actuators for the pivotal arm of the scarifier assembly readily and quickly lift or lower the arm, as desired, the vehicle may rapidly make several passes over the same area, if needed. The efficient, compact structure of the scarifier assembly has a relatively short distance that it extends from the vehicle and it may be used with grading equipment on the opposed end of a vehicle, without need for forward or rearward support wheels, which facilitates greater mobility and permits use of the new scarifier assembly closer to walls or other obstacles. 
     Although it will be appreciated that the scarifier assembly could be configured differently, it is preferably configured to have the lift actuators operate within a pre-selected range of motion, with the depth of cutting based on the adjustment of the removable teeth. The assembly additionally is capable of providing substantial downward force to the teeth for cutting or breaking up solid or compacted surfaces and for tilling soil. Ultimately, this permits the vehicle to be used to more quickly and easily achieve the goal of providing a high quality slab, and finishing the fine grading well within the required site plan specifications, while reducing the waste factor. The teeth are spaced relatively closely, such as around six inches apart. This is advantageous in breaking up the soil and other material faster and more completely. However, it will be appreciated that the spacing could be increased or decreased, and could be altered, such as by having receivers every three inches apart, which would permit separation by increments of three inches by selectively removing teeth. Additionally, different tooth designs may be implemented quite easily, depending on the soil conditions and the tendency for example to need to break up or till the soil. 
     In a first aspect, the disclosure provides a scarifier assembly for connection to a vehicle, with the scarifier assembly including a right housing assembly and a left housing assembly, and the right housing assembly further having a first pivot and a second pivot, and the left housing assembly further having a first pivot and a second pivot. A pivotal arm assembly includes a rear cross member extending between and connected to a forward extending right end and a forward extending left end, with the pivotal arm assembly including a plurality of flanges connected to the rear cross member and a plurality of elongated teeth removably connected to the plurality of flanges. The forward extending right end of the pivotal arm assembly is pivotally connected to the first pivot of the right housing assembly and the forward extending left end of the pivotal arm assembly is pivotally connected to the first pivot of the left housing assembly. A right lift actuator is pivotally connected at a first end to the second pivot of the right housing assembly and is pivotally connected at a second end to the forward extending right end of the pivotal arm assembly at a location spaced from the connection of the forward extending right end of the pivotal arm assembly to the first pivot of the right housing assembly. Similarly, a left lift actuator is pivotally connected at a first end to the second pivot of the left housing assembly and is pivotally connected at a second end to the forward extending left end of the pivotal arm assembly at a location spaced from the connection of the forward extending left end of the pivotal arm assembly to the first pivot of the left housing assembly. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and provided for purposes of explanation only, and are not restrictive of the subject matter claimed. Further features and objects of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent in the following description of the preferred embodiments and from the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In describing the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawing figures wherein like parts have like reference numerals, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1A  is a right rear perspective view showing a first example scarifier assembly connected to the rear of a first example vehicle and having a pivotal arm in a first, raised position, while using a first fastener configuration for connecting the removable teeth. 
         FIG. 1B  is a right rear perspective view showing the example vehicle of  FIG. A1  presenting a mounting position for a right housing of the scarifier assembly after ballast plates have been removed from the vehicle. 
         FIG. 1C  is a right rear perspective view showing a cross-sectioned portion of a right housing of the scarifier assembly connected to the right rear of the first example vehicle of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  is a left rear perspective view of the first example scarifier assembly connected to the vehicle of  FIG. 1A  and having the pivotal arm moved to a second, lowered position with the removable, adjustable teeth engaging the ground. 
         FIG. 3  is a right rear perspective view of the first example scarifier assembly connected to the vehicle of  FIG. 1A  and having the right housing cross-sectioned, while the pivotal arm is moved to show the lift moved to the second, lowered position with the removable, adjustable teeth engaging the ground. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the first example scarifier assembly connected to the vehicle of  FIG. 1A  and having the pivotal arm moved to the first, raised position. 
         FIG. 5  is a closer right rear perspective partially exploded view of a portion of the rear of the first example vehicle of  FIG. 1A  and showing use of an alternative second fastener configuration for connecting the removable teeth, with the teeth from the right side of the pivotal arm removed and stowed on optional storage posts atop the right housing, while the removable teeth and elongated mounting rod of the second fastener configuration for the left side of the pivotal arm are exploded away from the pivotal arm. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of a portion of a hydraulic circuit by which the first example scarifier assembly may be hydraulically connected to the first example vehicle of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 7  is a right rear perspective view showing a second example scarifier assembly connected to the rear of a second example vehicle and having a pivotal arm in a first, raised position. 
         FIG. 8  is a left rear perspective view of the second example scarifier assembly connected to the vehicle of  FIG. 7  and having the left housing cross-sectioned, while the pivotal arm is moved to show the lift moved to the second, lowered position with the removable, adjustable teeth engaging the ground. 
         FIG. 9  is a closer right rear perspective partially exploded view of a portion of the rear of the second example vehicle of  FIG. 7  and showing some of the removable teeth from the right side of the pivotal arm and a third fastener configuration for the removable teeth exploded away from the pivotal arm. 
     
    
    
     It should be understood that the drawings are not to scale. While some mechanical details of the example scarifier assembly, including details of fastening means and other plan and section views of the particular components, have not been shown, such details are considered to be within the comprehension of those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the present disclosure. It also should be understood that the present disclosure and claims are not limited to the preferred embodiments illustrated. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring generally to  FIGS. 1-9 , it will be appreciated that scarifier assemblies of the present disclosure generally may be embodied in numerous configurations. Indeed, the teachings within this disclosure present embodiments that provide significant advantages over prior art scarifier assemblies, and in some instances with optional alternative structures. 
       FIGS. 1-6  show a first example scarifier assembly  10  for connection to a first example vehicle  12 . It will be appreciated that the first example vehicle  12  is an earth moving vehicle constructed as a track vehicle, such as a skid steer vehicle that may be available from a number of different manufacturers of commercial construction equipment. It will be appreciated that the scarifier assembly  10  may be connected to a wheeled vehicle, such as is shown with the second example vehicle  112  in  FIGS. 7-9 . 
     The scarifier assembly  10  includes a right housing assembly  14  and a left housing assembly  16 . The right housing assembly  14  includes a first pivot  18  and a second pivot  20 , and the left housing assembly  16  includes a first pivot  22  and a second pivot  24 . A pivotal arm assembly  26  includes a rear cross member  28  extending between and connected to a forward extending right end  30  and a forward extending left end  32 . The pivotal arm assembly  26  further includes a plurality of flanges  34  connected to the rear cross member  28  and a plurality of elongated teeth  36  removably connected to the plurality of flanges  34 . The forward extending right end  30  of the pivotal arm assembly  26  is pivotally connected to the first pivot  18  of the right housing assembly  14  and the forward extending left end  32  of the pivotal arm assembly  26  is pivotally connected to the first pivot  22  of the left housing assembly  16 . A right lift actuator  38  is pivotally connected at a first end to the second pivot  20  of the right housing assembly  14  and is pivotally connected at a second end to the forward extending right end  30  of the pivotal arm assembly  26  at a location  40  spaced from the connection of the forward extending right end  30  of the pivotal arm assembly  26  to the first pivot  18  of the right housing assembly  14 . A left lift actuator  42  pivotally connected at a first end to the second pivot  24  of the left housing assembly  16  and pivotally connected at a second end to the forward extending left end  32  of the pivotal arm assembly  26  at a location  44  spaced from the connection of the forward extending left end  32  of the pivotal arm assembly  26  to the first pivot  22  of the left housing assembly  16 . 
     As will be appreciated by viewing  FIGS. 3 and 4 , for each of the right and left housing assemblies  14 ,  16 , the first pivot  18 ,  22  is forward of and lower than the second pivot  20 ,  24 . With the forward extending right and left ends  30 ,  32  of the pivotal arm assembly  26  connected to the respective first pivots  18 ,  22 , and the respective lift actuators  38 ,  42  connected at first ends to the respective second pivots  20 ,  24  and at second ends to locations spaced from the connection of the pivotal arm assembly to the respective first pivots  18 ,  22 , this results in a configuration wherein the pivotal arm assembly  26  is lowered when extending the lift actuators  38 ,  42 , and raised when retracting the lift actuators  38 ,  42 . 
     Each of the right and left housing assemblies  14 ,  16  of the scarifier assembly  10  has an inner wall  46  connected to the vehicle  12 . For example, as best seen in FIGS. the inner wall  46  of each of the housing assemblies  14 ,  16  may be connected to the rear of the vehicle  12  via mounting fasteners  48 , such as bolts, which are received by threaded mounting holes  50  that are otherwise provided for mounting ballast plates. Each of the right and left housing assemblies  14 ,  16  further includes an outer wall  52 , and the first pivot  18 ,  22  and second pivot  20 ,  24  extend between the respective inner wall  46  and outer wall  52 . The outer wall  52  of each of the right and left housing assemblies  14 ,  16  optionally includes mounting apertures  54  through which mounting fasteners  48  are accessible. The right and left housing assemblies  14 ,  16  have a forward upper wall  56  and a rearward upper wall  58  that extend between and are connected to the inner wall  46  and outer wall  52 , but remain open in the vertical space between the forward upper wall  56  and rearward upper wall  58 , as well as across the bottom of the housing assemblies  14 ,  16 . 
     The outer wall  52  of each of the right and left housing assemblies  14 ,  16  further include respective apertures  60  through which the first pivot  18 ,  22  and second pivot  20 ,  24  are accessible, and further include closure elements  62  that extend over the respective apertures  60 . The closure elements  62  are configured as tabs mounted by bolts that can be loosened to pivot the tabs to gain access to the first pivots  18 ,  22  and second pivots  20 ,  24  for maintenance, such as lubrication, or removal to permit removal of the pivotal arm assembly  26  and/or lift actuators  38 ,  42 . Each outer wall  52  of the right and left housing assemblies  14 ,  16  also has a central opening  64  through which the respective lift actuator  38 ,  42  is accessible. Each central opening  64  is closed by a removable cover  66  to help protect the lift actuators  38 ,  42  from debris, inadvertent contact or other damage. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 5 , the plurality of flanges  34  connected to the rear cross member  28  of the pivotal arm assembly  26  are arranged in pairs, with each pair of flanges  34  configured as a receiver  68  that receives one of the plurality of teeth  36  between the respective pair of flanges  34 . In this first example, the receiver  68  is U-shaped and includes a rear wall  70  that connects the pair of flanges  34 . To connect one of the plurality of teeth  36  to the flanges  34  of a receiver  68 , the plurality of flanges  34  that are connected to the rear cross member  28  include at least one mounting aperture  72  configured to receive a fastener  74  that also extends through an aperture  76  in one of the plurality of teeth  36 . To enhance the adjustability of the scarifier assembly  10 , the plurality of flanges  34  connected to the rear cross member  28  of this example actually include two mounting apertures  72  at different heights in each of the flanges  34 , with each of the two mounting apertures  72  being configured to receive the fastener  74  that extends through the aperture  76  in one of the plurality of teeth  36 . 
     It will be appreciated when viewing  FIG. 5  that for at least one of the plurality of teeth  36  of the first example scarifier assembly  10 , the fastener  74  that extends through the apertures  72  in the flanges  34  and through the aperture  76  in one of the teeth  36 , includes an elongated rod  78 . Indeed in this example, for ease of adjusting the depth of cutting by the teeth  36 , the elongated rod  78  extends through respective apertures  72  in two or more flanges  34  and two or more of the plurality of teeth  36 . In this manner, as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 2-5 , the depth of cutting of several teeth  36  may be adjusted in a very simple and quick manner by simply withdrawing the elongated rod  78  from the teeth  36 , shifting the vertical position of each tooth  36  relative to the apertures  72  through the flanges  34  and then reinserting the elongated rod  78  through the respective teeth  36 . 
     To help facilitate adjustment of the depth of the teeth  36 , a first end  80  of the elongated rod  78  includes a handle for ease of grasping and manipulating, while the opposed second end  82  includes structure to secure the elongated rod  78  in position. For instance, as seen in  FIGS. 1A, 2 and 3 , the elongated rod  78  may have a hole through the second end  82  and the second end  82  may be secured by use of a clevis pin  84 , cotter pin or the like. It will be appreciated that alternative ways of securing the ends of the fastener  74  may be utilized, one of which may be seen in  FIG. 5  where the second end  82  is threaded to receive a nut  84 , such as a Nyloc® nut, to ensure the elongated rod  78  will not inadvertently be removed or fall from the vehicle  12 . 
     For ease of use, the lift actuators  38 ,  42  are intended to be fully extended to a preset limit when intending to engage a ground surface and fully retracted when intending to otherwise operate the vehicle  12 . In essence, the pivotal arm assembly  26  is lowered to be approximately two inches from the ground surface when the lift actuators  38 ,  42  are in their fully extended position. Therefore, the depth of cutting of the soil is controlled by adjusting the extent to which the teeth  36  extend downward from the rear cross member  28 . As best seen in  FIG. 5 , to provide for cutting depth adjustment, each of the plurality of teeth  36  includes a central body  86  having a plurality of the apertures  76  along a length of the central body  86 . Also, as seen in  FIG. 5 , if there is a desire to operate the vehicle  12  with the pivotal arm assembly  26  in a raised position, but without the teeth  36  connected thereto, then the teeth  36  may be stowed elsewhere, such as on the optional posts  106  that may be mounted to the top of the rearward upper wall  58  of the right and left housing assemblies  14 ,  16 . Stowing the teeth  36  may help to protect them from damage and they may be retained on the posts  106 , such as by use of a clevis pin  108 , threaded engagement of the posts  106  with nuts, or use of other suitable fasteners. 
     To enhance the ability to penetrate and break-up compacted soil or other materials, each of the plurality of teeth  36  further includes an upper end  88  having an upward extending angle from the central body  86  and a lower end  90  having a downward extending angle from the central body  86 . Preferably, the angle at which the upper end  88  extends upward is the same as the angle at which the lower end  90  extends downward, and both are preferably 45 degrees, but it will be appreciated that other angles may be used. The pivotal arm assembly  26  preferably is deployed at an angle of approximately 40 degrees when in the fully lowered position. With this example configuration and each of the teeth  36  having upper and lower ends  88 ,  90  at angles of 45 degrees, each of the teeth  36  will tend to have a forward tip that is deeper than a heel or trailing portion of the lower end  90 . It will be appreciated that the depth of the teeth  36  will tend to influence whether the teeth are rupturing the compacted or hard ground surface or tending to till and create furrows. With apertures  76  being approximately one inch apart, the approximately 40 degree angle of the pivotal arm assembly  26  means that that adjustment from one aperture  76  to the next results in a depth adjustment of roughly one half inch, although it will be appreciated that other configurations may be utilized. 
     As will be appreciated in  FIG. 5 , with the upper and lower ends  88 ,  90  of the teeth  36  cut at similar angles, the orientation of each of the plurality of teeth  36  is reversible end to end to present the same downward extending angle from the central body  86 . Thus, each of the teeth  36  may be removed, rotated about a horizontal axis and reconnected to the flanges  34 , advantageously doubling the wear life. As a further advantage, each of the plurality of teeth  36  may be rotated to reverse the downward extending angle from the central body  86 . Thus, each of the teeth  36  may be removed, rotated about a vertical axis and reconnected to the flanges  34 , such as in the position shown in  FIG. 4 , resulting in less aggressive engagement of the ground surface, such as may be utilized more for tilling the soil. 
     For advantageous compatibility with most earth moving equipment, the lift actuators may be hydraulic actuators. As will be appreciated and best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the lift actuators  38 ,  42  may utilize supply lines  92  and return lines  94 , which may be connected to auxiliary ports of a standard hydraulic system on a vehicle, in a conventional manner, such as with respect to auxiliary ports on the front lift arms of a skid steer. The supply lines  92  and return lines  94  for the actuators  38 ,  42  advantageously alternatively may be connected to the hydraulic system of a vehicle by being connected to a diverter valve  96 , such as is shown in  FIG. 6 . The diverter valve  96  is spliced into the hydraulic system of the vehicle  12  by being connected on a source side coming from the vehicle  12  to a supply line  98  and return line  100 . The diverter valve  96  then may be operated by a solenoid that provides an opportunity for an operator to choose function one or function two. In this instance, function one would be to control the hydraulic function at the auxiliary ports of the vehicle by use of a supply line  102  and return line  104 , and function two would be to control the lift actuators  38 ,  42 , via supply lines  92  and return lines  94 . 
       FIGS. 7-9  show an alternative vehicle  112 , which is a wheeled skid steer, which is employing a scarifier assembly  110  connected at its rear in a similar manner to that shown with the first example scarifier assembly  10  and first example vehicle  12 . This second example scarifier assembly  110  largely includes the same components as in the first example scarifier assembly  10 , and the previous description applies with respect to like numbered components. The one way in which the scarifier assembly  110  differs from the earlier example scarifier assembly  10  is with respect to having pairs of flanges  134  that are connected to the pivotal arm assembly  26  at a forward end but are not connected to each other at a rearward end, as in the prior example. Each pair of flanges  134  provides a receiver  168  that receives one of the plurality of teeth  36  therebetween. A further alternative way of connecting the teeth  36  is shown in  FIGS. 7-9  with respect to the second example vehicle  112 . Each of the teeth  36  is connected by use of a fastener  174 , which includes a bolt  178  with a first end  180  having a bolt head and a second end  182  being threaded. The threaded second end  182  receives a nut  184 , similar to the alternative example shown in  FIG. 5 . Thus, each bolt  178  extends through apertures  172  in the pair of flanges  134 , and through an aperture  76  in one of the teeth  36 . It will be appreciated that this provides secure connection of the individual teeth  36 , but would require more time to make an adjustment to the depth of the cutting by the teeth  36 . 
     From the above disclosure, it will be apparent that a scarifier assembly constructed in accordance with this disclosure may include a number of structural aspects that provide significant advantages over prior art scarifier assemblies for use on vehicles, depending upon the specific design chosen. 
     It will be appreciated that a scarifier assembly may be embodied in various configurations in accordance with the present disclosure. Any variety of suitable materials of construction, configurations, shapes and sizes for the components and methods of connecting the components may be utilized to meet the particular needs and requirements of an end user. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made in the design and construction of such a scarifier assembly without departing from the scope or spirit of the claimed subject matter, and that the claims are not limited to the preferred embodiment illustrated herein.