Patent Publication Number: US-2021168988-A1

Title: Paddle Scraper for Rolling Basket Attachment

Description:
PRIORITY STATEMENT 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/535,387 filed on Aug. 8, 2019 which issues as U.S. Pat. No. 10,925,202 on Feb. 23, 2021 (Docket No. SUMM-052), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/687,147 filed on Aug. 25, 2017 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,375,872 (Docket No. SUMM-045), which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/379,557 filed Aug. 25, 2016 (Docket No. SUMM-044). Each of the aforementioned patent applications, and any applications related thereto, is herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to tillage implements. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to the use of paddles within a rolling basket. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Rolling baskets are used on any number of different tillage implements including disks, field cultivators or finishers, rippers, or other vertical tillage tools. Using rolling baskets provides for improvement of the soil bed which can result in improved crop performance. 
     One of the problems with rolling baskets is that if the soil is wet they will get plugged with mud which is extremely problematic as it can be very labor intensive to remove the mud and the rolling basket&#39;s ability to function as it was intended can be severely hampered. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is an object, feature, or advantage of one or more of the various embodiments of the present invention to improve over the state of the art. 
     It is a further object, feature, or advantage of one or more of the various embodiments of the present invention to provide an apparatus which may be added to a tillage implement which already has a rolling basket without needing to replace the rolling basket. 
     It is a still further object, feature, or advantage of one or more of the various embodiments of the present invention to allow for the use of paddles which may extend above inner, cylindrical support rings of the frame of a rolling basket in order to improve performance. 
     It is yet a further object, feature, or advantage of one or more of the various embodiments of the present invention to provide a series of paddles presenting a series of paddle edges in close proximity to the rolling basket. 
     It is yet a another object, feature, or advantage of one or more of the various embodiments of the present invention to provide a series of paddles presenting a sweep path extending outwardly from the rotational center of the rolling basket and terminating in paddle edges in close proximity to the rolling basket. 
     It is a still further object, feature, or advantage of one or more of the various embodiments of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is easy to install. 
     Another object, feature, or advantage of one or more of the various embodiments is to provide an apparatus which is effective at preventing mud build-up. 
     One or more of these and/or other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims that follow. No single embodiment need provide each and every object, feature, or advantage. Different embodiments may have different objects, features, or advantages. Therefore, the various embodiments of the present invention is not to be limited to or by any objects, features, or advantages stated herein. 
     According to one aspect, an apparatus for use in a rolling basket of a tillage implement, the rolling basket comprising a plurality of elongated bars or blades spaced apart around a plurality of spaced apart rings, the bars or blades attached to the spaced apart rings, the apparatus includes an elongated support structure extending through a central axis of the rolling basket and a plurality of generally vertical stationary paddles spaced apart along the elongated support structure between the horizontally spaced apart rings. 
     According to another aspect a method of retrofitting a rolling basket attachment is provided. 
     According to another aspect, an apparatus for a tillage implement includes a plurality of horizontally spaced apart rings, a plurality of soil engaging elongated bars or blades spaced apart around the plurality of spaced apart rings, the soil engaging bars or blades attached to the spaced apart rings to form a rolling basket, an elongated support structure extending along a central axis of the rolling basket, and a plurality of stationary paddles secured to the elongated support structure and inter-spaced along the elongated support structure between the horizontally spaced apart rings. The plurality of stationary paddles may include first and second end paddles and a plurality of inner paddles between the first and second end paddles. The apparatus may further include first and second opposite wing plates wherein the first wing plate is secured to the first end paddle and wherein the second wing plate is secured to the second end paddle. The first end of the elongated support structure may be secured to the first end paddle inward from the first wing plate and a second end of the elongated support structure may be secured to the second end paddle inward from the second wing plate. The apparatus may further include a first box assembly including a top, a first side, a second side and the first wing plate and a second box assembly including a top, a first side, a second side and the second wing plate. The apparatus may further include a first bracket and a second bracket on opposite ends of the rolling basket. The first bracket may be secured to a first end of the elongated support structure through the first box assembly and the second bracket may be secured to a second end of the elongated support structure through the second box assembly. The stationary paddles may be generally vertical. 
     According to another aspect, an apparatus is provided for retrofitting a tillage implement having a plurality of spaced apart horizontal rings, a plurality of elongated bars or blades spaced apart around the plurality of spaced apart horizontal rings, the bars or blades attached to the spaced apart rings to form a rolling basket. The apparatus may include an elongated support structure extending along a middle portion of a central axis of the rolling basket, and plurality of stationary paddles secured to the elongated support structure and inter-spaced along the elongated support structure between the horizontally spaced apart rings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Illustrated embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are incorporated by reference herein. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a view of the paddle assembly installed on a bar of a tillage implement. 
         FIG. 2  further illustrates the paddle assembly as viewed from the rear of the tillage implement. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the paddle assembly. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a bushing. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a wing plate. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a box side. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a box top. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an L-bracket. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an end paddle. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an individual middle paddle. 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a bearing assembly. 
         FIG. 12  is a view of the paddle assembly with an exploded view of an end paddle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a view of an assembly  10  operatively connected to a tillage implement. The assembly  10  includes a bar  8  which forms a part of the tillage implement and a rolling basket  11  which forms a part of the tillage implement. The tillage implement may be of any number of different types including tillage implements including disks, field cultivators or finishers, rippers, or other vertical tillage tools. A paddle assembly  12  is installed within the rolling basket  11 . The rolling basket  11  may be of any number of commercially available types including those from Deere or CNH. Traditional rolling baskets of the type pictorially illustrated include soil engaging elongated bars or blades  15  extending between opposing ends. The elongated bars  15  are mounted to and supported by a series of horizontally spaced apart cylindrical support rings  13  placed at desired intervals between the opposing ends of the rolling basket  11 . The ends of the elongated bars  8  may be secured to a hub assembly at each end of the rolling basket. The rolling basket  11  and elongated bars  15  are rotationally supported by the end-mounted, hub assemblies. Mounted to the cylindrical support rings  13  the elongated bars  8  form an elongated, cylindrical rolling basket  11 . The elongated bars  8  have a generally shallow depth and therefore their elongated surface area resides predominantly at the outer circumference of the cylindrical support rings  13 . The paddle assembly  12  shown in  FIG. 1  includes a plurality of paddles  16 ,  20  positioned within the rolling basket  11  to assist in preventing mud from building up within the rolling basket  11 . 
     The paddle assembly  12  includes an elongated paddle support member  21  mounted at the center of rotation of the rolling basket. Brackets  14  are located at opposing ends of the rolling basket  11 . In operation, the rolling basket  11  rotates around the paddle assembly  12 . In addition, note that the use of paddles  16 ,  20  is advantageous over the use of a continuous blade or edge across the length of the rolling basket, because the top edge of each paddle  16 ,  20  can extend to the outer circumference of the cylindrical support rings  13  in close or near-touching proximity to the elongated bars  8  of the rolling basket  11  thereby further preventing mud from building up on the elongated bars  8  and within the rolling basket  11 . In addition, the paddle assembly  12  may be retrofitted to an existing rolling basket as each paddle  16 ,  20  may be separately secured to the elongated paddle support member  21  without removing the inner rings  13  or bars  8  of the roller basket. The end paddles  16  may then be connected to the end fittings. 
       FIG. 2  further illustrates the paddle assembly  12  outside of the rolling basket shown in  FIG. 1 . There are opposite support brackets  14  shown on opposite ends of the paddle assembly  12 . In addition, there are a series of paddles which includes paddles  16 ,  20 . Note that the paddles  16  on the respective ends have a different configuration then the inner paddles  20 . Each of the paddles  16  on the end is connected to a fitting  22 A,  22 B. Each of the paddles  16  on the end is secured to a wing plate which forms a portion of a box assembly which is in turn bolted to the bearings of the rolling basket through a bushing, thereby forming the fitting  22 A,  22 B. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the paddle assembly  12  which better shows the brackets  14 . The paddle assembly  12  is operatively connected to a bar of an implement using the brackets  14 .  FIG. 4  illustrates a bushing  30 . The bushing  30  may be positioned at the opposite support brackets.  FIG. 5  illustrates a wing plate  32 . Opposite wing plates  32  are present near each end of the paddle assembly.  FIG. 6  illustrates a box side  34 .  FIG. 7  illustrates a box top  36 .  FIG. 8  illustrates an L-bracket  14 . There is a square opening at the bottom of the bracket.  FIG. 9  illustrates an end paddle  16 .  FIG. 10  illustrates an individual middle or inner paddle  20 . 
       FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a bearing assembly. A bracket  14  is shown. A bolt  50  may be inserted through an aperture in the bracket  14  and through a bushing  30 , through a bearing  52 , through a washer  54 , along an assembly formed from a box assembly with a box side  34 , a box top  36 , and a wing plate  32 , through washer  54 , a spring lock washer  36 , and secured with a hex nut  58 . 
       FIG. 12  is a view of the paddle assembly with an exploded view of an end paddle  16 . The end paddle  16  is secured to a wing plate  32  with bolts  74 , washers  62 , and hex nuts  60 . U-bolts  76 , washers  72 , and hex nuts  70  further secure the end paddle  16  with the paddle support member  21 . 
     The various embodiments provide numerous advantages. First, the paddle assembly  12  may be retrofitted to existing tillage implements with rolling baskets. Thus, a farmer need not replace the rolling basket they already have thereby reducing costs. Second, the use of paddles as opposed to elongated blades allows for the paddles to be positioned higher than would otherwise be possible thus improving the ability to prevent mud from building up within the rolling basket. Third, the manner in which the paddle assembly  12  connects to the rolling basket through the fittings better adapts the paddle assembly  12  to fitting a wide range of different rolling baskets from different manufacturers. 
     The invention is not to be limited to the particular embodiments described herein. In particular, the invention contemplates numerous variations in size, shape, and structure. The foregoing description has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list or limit any of the invention to the precise forms disclosed. It is contemplated that other alternatives or exemplary aspects are considered included in the invention. The description is merely examples of embodiments, processes or methods of the invention. It is understood that any other modifications, substitutions, and/or additions can be made, which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention.