Patent Publication Number: US-2010108335-A1

Title: Scraper with rotating blade for engaging a rotating disk

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/524,969 which was filed on Sep. 21, 2006, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/734,824 filed on Nov. 9, 2005 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a scraper for a farm implement. More particularly, the present invention relates to a scraper having a rotating blade that is attached to a farm implement. 
     There are many types of farm implements that are used to till soil in preparation for seeding or planting. One such farm implement is a tandem disk. 
     A typical configuration of a tandem disk includes a front gang of disks proximate a front end of the tandem and a back gang of disks proximate a back end of the tandem disk. The front gang of disks are configured generally in a V-shaped pattern and the back gang of disks are configured in the inverse V-shaped pattern. 
     As the tandem disk is pulled through the field by a tractor, or other prime mover, the front gang of disks mulches debris on the surface and also tills the soil by forcing the soil transversely away from a plane in the direction of travel of the tractor and the tandem disk. The back gang of disks also mulch debris and tills the soil by forcing the soil transversely towards the plane of travel of the tractor and the tandem disk. 
     However, when the soil is moist or wet while being tilled with a tandem disk, the soil has a tendency of accumulating on a concave surface of the disks. As soil accumulates on the concave surface of the disk, the disk looses its effectiveness in penetrating the soil and mulching the debris. 
     To prevent soil from accumulating on the concave surface of the disk, static, rigid scrapers are typically positioned near the concave surface of the disk. However, the static, rigid scrapers have a tendency of bending or rotating away from the concave surface of the disk and thereby allow the wet soil to accumulate on the concave surface of the disk which adversely affects the ability of the disk to till the soil and mulch the debris. Further, the debris has a tendency of collecting between the static scraper and the disk which may prevent the disk from rotating. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a scraper for mounting to a tool bar of a farm implement having at least one rotating disk for tilling soil. The scraper includes a support mounted to the tool bar and a shaft pivotally attached to and extending from the support where the shaft has a central axis. A scraper blade is rotatably attached to an end of the shaft and the scraper blade comprises a perimeter wherein the shaft pivots to engage a side surface of the rotating disk to prevent soil from accumulating on the side surface and also prevents debris from accumulating between the side surface and the scraper blade. 
     The present invention also includes a farm implement having at least one rotating disk for tilling soil and a tool bar proximate the at least one rotating disk. The farm implement also includes at least one scraper attached to the tool bar where the scraper includes a support mounted to the tool bar and a shaft pivotally attached to and extending from the support where the shaft has a central axis. A scraper blade is rotatably attached to an end of the shaft and wherein the scraper blade has a perimeter wherein the shaft pivots to engage a side surface of the rotating disk to prevent soil from accumulating on the side surface and prevents debris from accumulating between the side surface and the scraper blade. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a portion of a gang of disks having a rotating scraper engaging a concave surface of each disk. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the rotating scraper of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the rotating scraper of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     A rotating scraper for a disk blade attached to a farm implement is generally illustrated in  FIG. 1  at  10 . Each rotating scraper  10  includes a scraper blade  40  that rotatably engages a side surface  14  of a disk blade  12  to prevent soil and/or debris from accumulating on the disk blade  12 . Typically, the side surface  14  of the disk blade  12  is concave, however the side surface  14  could also be substantially flat or convex. 
     Typically, the rotating scraper  10  is attached to a tool bar  20  of a tandem disk where the disk blades  12  are secured to a shaft  16  to form a gang  13  of a tandem disk. The disks  12  rotate along with the shaft  16  in the rotational direction of arrow  18 . While the rotating scraper  10  is typically utilized with a tandem disk, the rotating scraper  10  can also be utilized with disks on other agricultural equipment. 
     Typically, the disk blades  12  have a circular perimeter  11  that penetrates the ground between about one inch and about six inches depending upon the farm implement being utilized. The scraper blade  40  typically has a circular perimeter  41  that engages the side surface  14  of disk blade  12  in an arcuate engagement extending between two points on the perimeter  11  on the side surface  14  of the disk blade  12  where a lowest contact point of the perimeter  41  of the scraper blade  40  with the side surface  14  of the disk blade  12  is beneath the deepest penetration depth of the disk blade  12 , thereby preventing soil from accumulating on the side surface  14  or debris from accumulating between the side surface  14  and the scraper blade  40 . 
     The rotating scraper  10  can be utilized to prevent soil from accumulating on a surface ranging from a concave configuration as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , to a substantially flat configuration to convex configuration depending upon the angle of the support utilized to attach the scraper blade  40  to the tool bar  20 . For a flat vertical surface, the support utilized would be configured to position the scraper blade  40  in a substantially vertical position. For a convex surface the support would be configured to position the scraper blade  40  into engagement with the side surface  14  of the disk blade  12  along one side of the disk blade  12  where the perimeter of the scraper blade  40  engages the perimeter of the side surface  14  of the disk blade  12 . In any configuration of the support, the rotating scraper  10  would include a shaft attached to the support where the shaft attaches to the scraper blade  40  in a manner that allows the scraper blade  14  to rotate about the axis of the shaft. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each of the rotating scrapers  10  is secured to the tool bar  20 , or other frame member, by positioning a U-shaped bolt  22  over the tool bar  20  and through apertures  24  in a substantially flat surface  26  of a mounting bracket  30 . The U-shaped bolt  22  is secured to the mounting bracket  30  with a threaded engagement of threaded ends of the bolt  22  with nuts  28  to prevent the lateral movement of the mounting bracket  30  along a length of the tool bar  20 . 
     The mounting bracket  30  also includes left and right tabs  32  and  34 , respectively, that define a channel  36  having a width sufficient to position the left and right tabs  32  and  34  on opposite sides of a substantially square or rectangular cross-sectional tool bar  20 . The engagement of the tabs  32 ,  34  with the sides of the tool bar  20  prevent rotational movement of the mounting bracket with respect to the tool bar  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the rotating scraper blade  40  is attached to a collar  44  with a plurality of bolts  46 . The bolts  46  are positioned through apertures  42  in the rotating scraper blade  40  and apertures  45  in the collar  44 , and are threadably engaged by the nuts  48  to removeably secure the rotating scraper blade  40  to the hub  44 . However, other attachment mechanisms besdies a bolt and nut are also contemplated. 
     A bearing  50 , typically a ball type roller bearing, is retained between the hub  44  and the scraper blade  40  with the threaded engagement of the bolts  46  with the nuts  48 . The collar  44  includes a shoulder  52  which retains the bearing  50  between the collar  44  and the rotating disk  40 . The shoulder  52  prevents the bearing  50  from being removed from the collar  44  without first removing the nuts  48  from the bolts  46  and detaching the dish  40  from the collar  44 . 
     With the bearing  50  retained between the collar  44  and the rotating disk  40 , a distal end  57  of a shaft  56  is positioned within a bore  54  in the bearing  50  and is attached to the bearing  50  typically with at least one set screw (not shown). The shaft  56  and the bearing  50  may also be a one-piece construction such that the set screw, or other fastening mechanism, is not necessary to prevent bearing  50  from slipping about a surface of the shaft  56 . 
     A proximate end  58  of the shaft  56  is positioned within a slot  60  defined by left and right plates  62 ,  64 , respectively, which are fixedly attached to a distal end  68  of the shank  70 , typically with a weld. The left and right plates  62 ,  64  include apertures  72  which are aligned with an aperture  59  in the shaft  56  proximate the proximal end  53 . A bolt  76  is positioned between the apertures  72  in the plates  62 ,  64  and the aperture  59  in the shaft  56  to pivotally attach the shaft  56  to the left and right plates  62 ,  64 . A nut  77  threadably engages the bolt  76  to retain the shaft  56  between the plates  62 ,  64 . However, other fastening mechanisms besides a bolt and nut are also contemplated. 
     The pivotal movement of the shaft  56  is limited by a bottom stop  78  and a top stop  80 . The bottom stop  78  is positioned within the slot  66  between the left and right plates, where the stop typically is a metal rod that is positioned through apertures  81  in the left and right plates  62 ,  64  and secured in position with welds. The bottom stop limits downward pivotal movement of the shaft  56 . While a metal rod is typical a stop having a bushing secured with a threaded engagement of a bolt with a nut is also contemplated. 
     The top stop  80  includes a bushing  86  that is positioned within the slot  66 . The bushing  86  includes an opening that aligns with slots  90  in the left and right plates  62 ,  64  such that bolt  88  is positioned therethrough. A nut  95  threadably engages the bolt  84  to retain the top stop  80  withint the slot  66 . The bolt  88  is positionable within the vertical slots  90  such that the position of the top stop  80  is adjustable which allows the amount of pivotal travel of the shaft  53  to be varied. 
     The shaft  56  is attached to the left and right plates  62 ,  64  which are components of a support  30 . The support  30  also includes a shank  58  that is preferably a pipe having a continuous circular wall. However the shank  58  may also be constructed from a square or rectangular cross-sectional tube as well as a solid material such as steel. 
     The shank  58  is secured to an angled portion  31  of the mounting bracket  30  with top and bottom U-shaped bolts  94 ,  96  positioned about the shank  58  and through apertures  100  in a friction plate  102  and apertures  33  in the slanted portion  31  of the mounting bracket  30 . With the U-shaped bolt  62  and  64  positioned about the shank  58  and through the apertures  100 , lock washers (not shown) are typically positioned about the threaded ends of the U-shaped bolts  62  and  64  and nuts  101  are threadably engaged with the threaded ends of the U-shaped bolts  96  and  98  to frictionally secure the shank  58  to the friction plate  102  in a selection position. 
     In operation, rotation of the disk blade  12  in direction of arrows  18  causes the disk blade  40  to rotate about the stub shaft  50  either clockwise or counter-clockwise about the axis  61  in a rotation of least resistance. Rotation of the scraper blade  40  as the disk blade  12  rotates in direction of arrows  18 , prevents soil from accumulating on the side surface  14  of the disk blade  12 . 
     The scraper blade  40  is typically positioned between about one quarter and one half of an inch away from the concave surface  14  of the disk  12 . However, the scraper blade  40  may also be placed in contact with the disk  12 . As dirt and debris begin to accumulate on the disk  12 , the scraper disk blade  40  engages the dirt and begins to pivot about the bolt  76  in the direction of arrows  17  and move upwardly on the disk  72 . As the scraper blade  40  pivots upwardly, the distance between the concave surface  14  of the disk  12  and the scraper blade  40  is reduced such that the scraper blade  40  engages the concave surface  14  of the disk  12 . With the scraper blade  40  in engagement with the concave surface  14  of the disk  12 , the scraper blade  40  removes the dirt and debris from the disk  12 , thereby allowing the disk to penetrate the ground in an efficient manner. 
     Once dirt has been removed from the disk  12 , the scraper blade  40  then pivots downwardly in the direction of the arrows  17  until the shaft  56  contacts the bottom stop  78 . With the shaft  56  engaging the bottom stop, the scraper blade  40  is positioned away from the disk  12  in a selected position. If no dirt or debris collects on the disk  12  due to the conditions of the soil and the debris on the surface of the soil, the scraper blade  40  does not engage the disk  12  and will not rotate thereby extending the life of the scraper blade  40  which may be caused by erosion and wear. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.