US 12,089,525 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for providing openings in plastic cover over planting beds

OwnerAnthony Sandoval, Hector Camachoinventors

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An apparatus for making holes in plastic along a ridge row has a frame with wheels spanning a ridge row, a furrow reference wheel centered in the frame adapted to roll on soil surface between two raised ridge rows, a first vertically translatable mechanism positioned at a distance to a first side of the furrow reference wheel to be directly over the ridge row adjacent the furrow reference wheel, the vertically translatable mechanism having a first electrically-heated hole punch element at a lower extremity, and a control system having a power supply, sensors and actuators for managing operation of the apparatus. As the apparatus is towed, the furrow reference wheel triggers signals to the control system to activate the vertically translatable mechanism at repeated intervals to descend and make holes in the plastic covering on the raised ridge row.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for making holes in a plastic covering over a planting bed, comprising:

a framework having a center section with a hitch connector enabling the framework to be pulled by a tractor;
two outboard wing sections coupled to each end of the center section;
a sliding unit mounted to each section that each mount carriages extending in a direction of operation, each carriage mounted pivotally to the sliding unit;
an operating unit at an end of each carriage, the operating unit supported by a pair of wheels, with the operating unit mounted to the end of the carriage by a swivel allowing limited rotation horizontally;
a burner element mounted by an insulator element in each operating unit in a vertical guide operated by a pressure cylinder such that the burner element is raised and lowered by operating the cylinder to contact the plastic covering over the planting bed and burn a hole;
a power source supported by the framework, providing electrical power;
a control system having a central processing unit (CPU), a display, digital storage and inputs enabling a user to set certain variables, such as distance between holes, the control system coupled by control lines to actuators providing movement of elements of the apparatus;
and
a furrow reference wheel contacting the soil surface in operation, the furrow reference wheel having actuators signaling the control system for distance traveled;
wherein in operation with the apparatus towed over a planting bed at least partially covered with plastic sheeting, the burner elements in the operating units make holes linearly along a plurality of rows in the plastic sheeting at preset linear intervals.

7 more elements

A method for making holes in a plastic covering over a planting bed, comprising:

towing an apparatus having a framework with a center section on wheels and two outboard sections on opposite sides coupled to the center section, by a hitch connector by tractor over a planting bed at least partially covered with plastic sheeting;
trailing a plurality of carriages extending in the direction of travel and mounted by vertical pivots to the sliding units, the carriages each having an operating unit with supporting wheels at an end away from the framework mounted by a swivel allowing limited rotation horizontally, the operating units also each comprising vertical guides translated by pressure cylinders, the vertical guides each having an insulator and an electrically heated burner element adapted to make holes on contact with the plastic sheeting;
and
measuring linear translation along the planting bed by a furrow reference wheel mounted to the center frame, the furrow reference wheel sending distance measured to a control system programmed to trigger the pressure cylinders translating the vertical guides to extend the burner elements to contact the plastic sheeting and burn holes.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.