Weeding method and apparatus
OwnerDavid Kohlerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In orchards or fields of grape vines, weeding in inter-plant spaces may be performed with a mechanical weeder. The weeder may include a frame configured to be propelled by a motorized vehicle. A rotatable weeder unit may be pivotally connected to a pivot arm attached to the frame and a spring may be connected to hold the rotatable weeder unit in a nominal pivotal position relative to the frame responsively to a force exerted by the spring. When encountering a producing plant, the weeder unit may deflect away from the plant thereby precluding damage to the plant.
Claims15
A mechanical weeder comprising:
- a frame configured to be propelled by a motorized vehicle;
- a rotatable weeder unit pivotally connected to a pivot arm attached to the frame;
- and
- a spring connected to hold the rotatable weeder unit in a nominal pivotal position relative to the frame responsively to a force exerted by the spring.
A deflectable weeder assembly attachable to a motorized vehicle comprising:
- a pivot arm fixedly attachable to the vehicle;
- a wheel freely rotatable about a wheel axis;
- and
- a spring-biased wheel support rotatable about the pivot arm,
- the wheel being connected to the spring-biased wheel support with the wheel axis being displaced from the pivot arm.
A method for removing weeds from rows of fruit or nut bearing plants comprising the steps of:
- inserting a portion of a wheel into a berm adjacent one of the rows;
- pushing the wheel along the berm with a motorized vehicle while allowing the wheel to freely rotate about its wheel axis and while maintaining the wheel axis within 10° of vertical;
- maintaining the wheel axis in a nominal position relative to the vehicle with a predetermined spring-bias force whenever the wheel is not subjected to wheel contact force that is less than the predetermined force;
- allowing the wheel to deflect from the nominal position whenever the wheel contact force exceeds the predetermined spring-bias force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.