Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention provide a novel configuration for agricultural tandem disk systems that feature soil finishing systems. This configuration of the finishing system features finishing reels that provide a robust assembly that will require less frequent repair and maintenance. The finishing system also features support arms that allow the user to adjust the position of finishing reels and the downward force applied to the reels. In an exemplary embodiment, the soil finishing reels are located behind two rows of ground breaking disk blades. After the soil is opened by the disks, the finishing reel may be used to break up or split large soil clods created by the disks. The soil finishing system allows the user to have the soil in an optimized state for germination after one pass of the agricultural system, reducing the number of passes needed to prepare the field.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The invention relates generally to agricultural implements, such as tandem disk systems, used in farming operations. More particularly, the invention relates to a tandem disk system featuring a soil finishing system. 
         [0002]    A tandem disk system is used to break up the ground to prepare for seed deposition. A soil finishing system is used along the ground after the tandem disk system to create a desirable finish for farming. Current tandem disk soil finishing systems may contain spike or tine harrows to achieve a desired soil finish. The tines may bend or break after usage and wear. In the case of spike harrows, they may bunch, clog and plug with residue, thus will not break clods and smooth soil. Further, the tines may be composed of a metal that may bend or break as the harrows or tines are dragged across rocks and/or large clods of soil. Moreover, tines do not have sufficient down pressure to break larger soil clods and smooth the soil. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0003]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a novel configuration for agricultural tandem disk systems that feature soil finishing systems. This configuration of the finishing system features finishing reels that provide a robust assembly, resulting in reduced repair and maintenance costs. The finishing system also features support arms that allow the user to adjust the position of finishing reels and the downward force applied to the reels. In an exemplary embodiment, the soil finishing reels are located behind two rows of ground breaking disk blades. After the soil is opened by the disks, the finishing reel may be used to break up or split large soil clods formed by the disks. The soil finishing system allows the user to have the soil in an optimized state for germination after one pass of the agricultural system, thereby reducing the number of passes needed to prepare the field. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a tandem disk system having a soil finishing system; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a top view of an embodiment of the system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a side view of an embodiment of the system of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a transport configuration having transport wheels extended and finishing reels and disks out of contact with the ground; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is perspective view of an embodiment of the soil finishing system of  FIG. 1 , illustrating details of the finishing reel and support arms; and 
           [0009]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are cross-sectional side views of an embodiment of the finishing reel of in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    One or more specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers&#39; specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. 
         [0011]    When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present invention, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Any examples of operating parameters and/or environmental conditions are not exclusive of other parameters/conditions of the disclosed embodiments. 
         [0012]    As discussed in detail below, various configurations of disk and soil finishing systems may be employed to produce an optimal soil finish, improve reliability, and reduce maintenance. For example, the embodiments discussed below may employ rows of disks, finishing reels extending from support arms that include biasing members, and soil contacting bars included in the finishing reels to split or break soil clods. Specifically, the finishing reels rotate about an axis as the disks and reels are towed across a terrain. The biasing members may urge the reels into the terrain and may enable a position adjustment of the finishing reels. The support arms may also include a position adjustment allowing a position adjustment of the finishing reels. For example, the finishing reels may be towed across a terrain behind two disk rows, thereby producing a terrain surface that is optimal for seeding or farming. 
         [0013]    Turning now to the drawings and referring first to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a tandem disk system is illustrated and designated generally by reference numeral  10 . In the present context, the tandem disk system  10  may also be referred to as a tandem disk assembly, a soil conditioning system, an opener system/assembly or a ground breaking system/assembly. 
         [0014]    Tandem disk system  10  includes soil finishing systems  12 . As discussed in detail below, soil finishing systems  12  that include reels enable the operator to create optimal soil for seeding and farming without frequent maintenance or repair. Soil finishing systems  12  are located in the rear portion of the tandem disk system  10 , which may be attached to a tractor via hitch assembly  14 . Hitch assembly  14  may be pivotally coupled to frame  16 . Frame  16  includes several structural members that are used to connect and support front disk row  18  and rear disk row  20 . 
         [0015]    In certain embodiments of the tandem disk system  10 , the disk rows  18  and  20  may also be referred to as gangs of disk blades. As shown, tandem disk system  10  includes only disks mounted to tool bars and uses no other tools or devices to open the soil. The disk rows  18  and  20  include disks mounted to tool bars that are part of frame  16 . In an embodiment, front disk row  18  includes two sets of disk blades  21  that are mounted to two tool bars  23 , which converge at an angle toward the center  25  of frame  16 . In another embodiment, tool bars  22  may converge in an X-shape, wherein tool bars  23  and  27  converge toward the center to form an “X.” Further, the disk blades  21  are configured to grab and open soil, turning it outward as the tandem disk system  10  is pulled across the ground. Rear disk row  20  includes two rows of disk blades  21  mounted to two tool bars  27 , which converge at an angle (e.g., V-shape configuration) toward the center  25  of the frame  16 . In an embodiment, the rear disk row  20  is configured to draw the soil inward in contrast to the outward turning of the soil by the front disk row  18 . 
         [0016]    Tandem disk system  10  also includes transport wheels  22 , which may be extended to raise the ground contacting disks  21  from the ground when the system is in transport. Transport wheels  22  may be located in a plurality of positions under frame  16  to support the tandem disk system  10  when the disks  21  are elevated. Included in the rear portion of frame  16  are rear-frame cross bars  24 , which are generally transverse to hitch assembly  14  and to the direction in which the tandem disk system  10  is towed. Hitch assembly  14 , frame  16 , and rear frame cross bars  24  may be made of any suitable durable and strong material, such as steel. 
         [0017]    Soil finishing systems  12  are mounted to rear frame cross bar  24  by support arms  26 . In an embodiment, two support arms  26  are used to support each of the finishing reels  28  located on soil finishing systems  12  aft of the finishing reels  28 . In the present context, finishing reels  28  may also be referred to as finishing baskets. Finishing reels  28  may be used to contact the soil after the ground has been broken up by front disk row  18  and rear disk row  20 . In particular, the tandem disk rows  18  and  20  may tend to leave the ground with many clods of unbroken soil, rough with ridges and valleys. The finishing reels  28  may be used to create a smooth finish to the broken up ground. The configuration of soil finishing systems  12  may reduce or eliminate the need for extra passes through the field to finish the soil, thereby reducing the time and costs associated with preparation for seed deposition. Further, the robust design of the finishing reels  28  and systems  12  reduces breakage and the effects of wear on the assembly. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a top view of an embodiment of tandem disk system  10 . The figure shows soil finishing systems  12 , frame  16 , front disk row  18 , and rear disk row  20 . As previously discussed, front disk row  18  includes two sets of disk blades  21  that are mounted to tool bars  23 , which converge toward the middle  25  of frame  16  at an angle. Similarly, rear disk row  20  includes two tool bars  27  having disk blades  21 , which converge toward the center  25  of frame  16  at an angle. As illustrated, the angled blades are opposite from one another. The opposite V-shapes enable dirt and soil to be opened and moved outward  31  by the front disk row  18  and moved back inward  33  by rear disk row  20 . After the ground has been opened by the tandem disk rows  18  and  20 , finishing reels  28  contact the soil to smooth out the ground to optimize the surface for seed deposition. In an embodiment, the systems includes three soil finishing systems  12  with associated finishing reels  28 . However, any number of finishing reels  28  may be used to optimize the soil finish of the field. As illustrated, the finishing reels  28  are arranged in a staggered manner, shown by lines  29 , such that the reels  28  partially overlap one another in the direction of movement  35 . In this manner, the reels  28  provide full coverage over the soil. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a side view of an embodiment of the tandem disk system  10 . The figure shows front disk row  18 , rear disk row  20 , as well as soil finishing systems  12 . In the diagram, transport wheels  22  are extended  37  to elevate the tandem disk rows  18  and  20  and finishing reels  28  from contacting the ground. 
         [0020]    In an embodiment, the tandem disk system  10  may be described as a soil conditioning system. Further, disk rows  18  and  20  of the soil conditioning system include only disks to break the soil. After the soil is broken by the disk rows  18  and  20 , the finishing reels  28  break up clods and further condition the soil for planting or seeding by another implement. That is, the tandem disk system  10  only conditions the soil with disks and does not include planting, seeding, cultivating or other similar tools. Further, the robust design of the tandem disk system  10  and soil finishing systems  12  enable an optimal farming soil surface after one pass of the tractor and implement, reducing the amount of time and fuel used by an operator. The design of finishing reels  28  is durable, able to withstand stones and other debris and further break up large clods. 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of soil finishing system  12  coupled to the rear frame cross bar  24 . Included in soil finishing system  12  are biasing member  30  and support arm member  32 . The present embodiment includes a spring as the biasing member  30 , however any suitable biasing device may be used to urge finishing reel toward the ground, as will be described below. Further, curved arm member  34  is coupled to the finishing reel  28 . In an embodiment, finishing reel  28  includes flat soil contacting bars  36 , which may used to split dirt clods and loosen the soil. Structural reel disks  38  support soil contacting bars  36  as reel  28  rotates about axis  39 . Finishing reels  28  rotate in direction  41  as they go over soil, smoothing the terrain and breaking up clods. The arrangement of soil finishing system  12  and finishing reel  28  is such that soil contacting bars  36  rotationally contact the ground or soil as the finishing system  12  is pulled across a field. As illustrated, soil contacting bars  36  twist about axis  39 , partially winding in helical manner. In an embodiment, support arms  26  include biasing members  30  and other adjustable components that enable adjustment of the height or elevation of finishing reels  28  relative to the tandem disks  21 . The components of support arms  26  also allow for downward force to be applied in direction  43  to the finishing reels  28 , urging contact with the soil as the finishing reels  28  are drawn across the field. Further, the biasing members  30  and other components of support arms  26  may be adjusted to increase or decrease the force applied to finishing reel  28 . Sectional line  5 A is shown to illustrate the cross section of finishing reel  28  that will be illustrated in  FIG. 5A . 
         [0022]      FIG. 5A  shows a cross sectional side view of an embodiment of the finishing reel  28  shown in  FIG. 4 . In an embodiment, finishing reel  28  includes flat soil contacting bars  36  as well as structural reel disk  38 . As shown in the illustration, flat soil contacting bars  36  have a rectangular cross-sectional shape. As is shown in  FIG. 4 , a plurality of structural reel disks  38  are disposed throughout finishing reel  28  to support soil contacting bars  36 . Another embodiment of the finishing reel  28  of soil finishing system  12  is shown in  FIG. 5B  and generally represented by the numeral  40 . The embodiment of finishing reel  40  also features a structural reel disk  42  as described above. In the embodiment, round soil contacting bars  44  are used to break-up and firm the soil as the finishing reel  40  is drawn across the ground. As shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the finishing reels rotate in direction  41 , about axis  39  as the tandem disk system is pulled across a terrain. The finishing reels  28  and soil contacting bars  36  or  44  may be composed of stainless steel, an alloy, or any other suitable durable material. Further, the soil contacting bars  36  or  44  may be comprised of various geometric cross-sectional shapes, including squares, rectangles, circles, triangles or octagons, in order to achieve a desired soil finish. In addition, although the present embodiments illustrate finishing reels  28  in a generally cylindrical shape, other reel shapes may be implemented. 
         [0023]    While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.