EP1331841A1

EP1331841A1 - Multipurpose ploughing appliance for sowing

Info

Publication number: EP1331841A1
Application number: EP01992500A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Charles Javerlhac
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-06
Filing date: 2001-11-05
Publication date: 2003-08-06
Also published as: AU2002223734B2; DE60127636T2; EP1203523A1; ATE358412T1; CA2427686A1; DE60127636D1; EP1203523B1; FR2816163A1; FR2816163B1; AU2373402A; WO2002035912A1

Abstract

The implement consists of at least one gang (2) of spherical discs (3), angled so that the convex sides of the discs face in the direction of travel (F) and engaging with the soil with their lower edges, especially for covering seeds (4) previously placed on the soil surface, e.g. by a broadcast or in-line drill. The spherical disc gang can be pivoted about a vertical axis for normal use and is preceded by a soil loosener (1) in the form of one or more disc gangs with forward-facing concave faces.

Description

The present invention relates to a multifunction plowing machine which can be used to carry out sowing or a simple preparation of the soil such as a harrowing or a press. . It is known that, most often, sowing of seeds such as cereals is carried out on previously worked land, using seeders which deposit the seeds on a series of parallel lines, or which distribute them by distributing them over the ground. These seeds are then buried by a tool which can be of various natures. Such sowing is generally known under the expressions "in lines" and "on the fly".

The object of the present invention is to combine, under special conditions, a seeder and a plowing machine comprising at least one train of discs in the form of spherical or frustoconical caps, said train of discs can also be used as a traditional plowing machine when it does not participate in sowing or simply for the preparation of the soil for harrowing or composting.

The present invention relates to a multifunction plowing machine, characterized in that it comprises at least one train of discs substantially in the form of spherical or frustoconical caps, the convex face of each of the discs is directed in the direction of movement of the machine, the discs acting on the ground by the lower ends of their convex faces in particular, to bury in the ground the seeds previously deposited.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the machine comprises, for loosening the soil upstream of the train of discs which buries the seeds, one or two trains of parallel discs which work in the conventional manner by presenting their concavities in the direction advancement of the craft.

In another embodiment, the soil can be loosened in front of the train of discs according to the invention by other means such as plowshares, claws or other scarifiers.

According to the invention, the seeds can be deposited on the ground by any sowing device suitable for the nature of the seeds.

This is how for wheat the seeds can be sown on the fly at the front or at the back of the device that loosens the self. Thanks to the invention, the action of the convex lower part of the discs has the effect of gradually repelling the seeds on the side of their convexity in order to place them substantially along parallel lines, while slightly compacting the soil to bury them. According to another embodiment of the invention, a traditional seed drill can be used in line which deposits the seeds between the discs of the train of discs according to the invention and at the front thereof, which ensures good placement seeds even in shallow depths.

It is thus possible according to the invention to modify the depth at which the seeds are deposited in the ground, by varying the distance between the axis of the discs and the point where the seeds are deposited on the ground.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the train of discs located at the rear of the machine can be tilted around a vertical axis, either in a position where the discs have their convex faces in the direction of movement of the machine which can then function in particular as a seed drill in accordance with the invention or for carrying out a soil preparation such as a harrowing or a press, either, in a position where the discs have their concave face in the direction of advancement of the machine, which allows them to perform traditional plowing.

In this particular embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous to have pairs of trains of identical discs, symmetrically, on either side of the central axis of the plowing machine, which makes it possible to compensate for the lateral forces which would tend to shift the machine laterally if it consisted only of disc trains inclined in the same direction.

According to the invention, it is also possible to have, if desired, a machine comprising one or more trains of parallel discs which can in one direction of travel be used as a plowing machine and which in the opposite direction can be used as a seed drill for burying seeds placed on the fly or in rows.

According to the invention, the contour of the convex discs can be arbitrary. Thus it is possible to use, in accordance with the invention, lobed discs, that is to say discs whose perimeter is defined by a succession of arcs of convex circles, discs which have on their periphery a series of notches in concave arcs, convex discs whose edges have ribs or undulations which provide additional soil loosening, or even discs whose periphery is circular.

The trains of convex discs according to the invention can be mounted on a common axis while being coaxial. They can also each be supported by an arm which makes it possible to adjust both the inclination of each disc with respect to the vertical and with respect to the direction of advance. All the arms are in this case integral with the same beam to constitute the train.

In order to better understand the invention we will now describe by way of illustration and without any limiting character, several embodiments given by way of examples.

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a machine according to the invention,

- Figure 2 is a particular embodiment of the machine according to the invention in which the soil is loosened upstream of the seed drill by a train of discs working in a conventional manner, - Figure 3 is an embodiment of the invention comprising disc trains arranged symmetrically on either side of the axis of the machine, the rear disc trains being able to be tilted so as to present in the direction of advance, ie the convex face of the discs to use the planter, or their concave side to use the train of discs in the traditional way as a plowing machine,

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 represent examples of shapes of discs which can be used in accordance with the invention,

- And Figure 7 shows an embodiment according to which each disc according to the invention is secured in an adjustable manner on a beam. Schematically shown in Figure 1 a machine 1 which loosens the soil. This machine can be constituted for example by traditional plows, a set of claws, or one or more trains of plowing discs.

This loosening of the soil can be carried out either before the passage of the device according to the invention, or with a device which is physically connected to the device according to the invention.

In the latter case, a train of discs 2 is arranged at the rear of the machine 1 which moves in the direction of the arrow F. According to the invention, the train of discs 2 comprises discs 3, the convex face of which is directed in the direction F of advancement of the machine.

According to the embodiment of Figure 1, there is at the front of the train of discs 2 a seed drill which deposits the seeds in 4 to make a sowing in rows.

According to the invention, the seeds are advantageously deposited around the middle of the distance which separates the front ends of two neighboring discs.

In a variant, the seeds can be sown on the fly in front of the train of discs 2 according to the invention. According to the invention, the convex discs work only over a sufficient depth to properly bury the seeds.

Thanks to the convexity of the discs, the grames are thus gradually buried and compacted in the ground while being pushed back by the curved lower part of the discs. As a result, even if the seeds were sown on the fly, the machine according to the invention tends to replace them in lines thanks to the action of the lower bearing of the convex discs.

FIG. 2 schematically represents a machine according to the invention in which a conventional disc train 1a in front of the disc train 2 according to the invention which is associated with a seed drill 4 has been placed to loosen the soil.

FIG. 3 shows how it is advantageous to produce a machine according to the invention, by arranging at the front thereof, symmetrically with respect to the axis of the machine, two sets of discs 1a and 1b which have the concavity of the discs in the direction of advancement, and at the rear two disc trains 2a and 2b which are capable of pivoting about a vertical axis between a first position shown in solid lines in which the disc trains 2a and 2b show the concavity of the discs in the direction of advancement of the machine, which has the effect of playing the role of a usual plowing machine, and a second position shown in FIG. 3 in broken lines, in which disc trains 2a and 2b have their convexity in the direction of advancement of the machine, which allows them to be associated with a seed drill 4 which is shown in broken line in Figure 3 but which could be a seed drill on the fly.

This symmetrical arrangement of the machine of FIG. 3 makes it possible to balance the lateral forces exerted by disc trains when the latter have their axes parallel.

On the other hand, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the fact that the train of plowing discs la and the train of discs 2 which participate in sowing are balanced substantially taking into account the fact that their inclinations are opposite. Different forms of discs can be used.

FIG. 4 represents a known multilobed disc which, in addition to its shape of a spherical cap, presents on its periphery a series of lobes 5.

FIG. 5 represents a known disc whose edges are cut by recesses 6 of rounded shape. Finally, FIG. 6 represents a known disc whose periphery is circular, this disc essentially having the shape of a spherical cap.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which each disc 9 is fixed to a beam 7 using an articulated arm 8 which can be held in various angular positions around the axes 10 and 11.

It is thus possible to orient the discs in an optimal position according to the sowing to be carried out.

It is not necessary according to the invention that the discs have a shape of a spherical cap in the geometric sense of the word and if it is deemed useful one can use for example discs of flat conical shape or discs in the form of a plate.

Similarly, the discs can be provided on their peripheries with ribs or corrugations which provide additional soil loosening.

It is possible according to the invention to use various types of discs such as embossed discs and flail discs. It is clear that the embodiments which have been described above have no limiting character and that they can receive any desirable modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Multifunction plowing machine, characterized in that it comprises at least one train of discs (2) substantially in the form of a spherical cap, the convex face of each of the discs (3) being directed in the direction (F) of movement of the machine, the discs (3) acting on the ground by the lower ends of their convex faces, in particular for burying previously deposited seeds in the ground.

2. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises upstream a device (1) for loosening the soil.

3. Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the machine for loosening the ground is constituted by one or more trains of discs (3) parallel which have their concavities in the direction (F) of the advancement of the machine.

4. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is associated with a seed drill on the fly which deposits the seeds on the ground upstream of the train of discs (3) whose convex faces are directed towards forward.

5. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is associated with a row drill (4) which deposits the seeds between the convex discs (3) of the disc train (2).

6. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the train of discs (2) can be tilted about a vertical axis, either in a position where the discs (3) have their convex faces in the direction (F) of the movement of the machine which functions in particular as a drill, or in a position where the discs (3) have their concave faces in the direction (F) of the movement of the machine, in order to carry out traditional plowing.

7. Machine according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises two sets of discs (2a, 2b) arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the machine, which are tilted simultaneously and which allow the forces to be balanced lateral which are exerted on the machine.

8. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each disc (3) of the same train (2) is mounted on an orientable arm (8) supported by a common beam (7) which makes it possible to position the disc around a vertical axis (11) and a horizontal axis (10).