Cultivator with screening device

A cultivator having an elongated frame and a plurality of rotatable soil working members arranged in a transverse row, said soil working members being rotatable about upwardly extending axes and comprising downwardly extending tines mounted on supports, said supports with tines being in driving connection and rotated by driving means, screening means pivotably connected to said frame and extending substantially horizontally along the front of said frame relative to the direction of travel, said screening means being displaceable forwardly about pivot connections, a lower portion of said screening means during operation being located directly in front and adjacent the connections of said tines to their respective supports in the foremost positions thereof, said screening means having a lower portion that terminates substantially above the lowermost ends of said tines leaving the area between those ends and said lower portion unobstructed, spring means interconnecting said screening means with said frame and biasing said screening means about a horizontal axis to an operative protective position, a front side of said screening means affording a surface that engages the soil during operation and includes lower and upper adjoining portions, the lower portion extending downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel from a junction with the upper portion and said upper portion, from said junction, extending upwardly and rearwardly, said screening means being positioned to protect the front of said frame and the connections of said tines with their supports from debris in and on the soil that would be encountered by the rotating tines during operation.

A cultivator having an elongated frame and a plurality of rotatable soil working members arranged in a transverse row, said soil working members comprising supports with downwardly extending tines and said supports each being mounted on upwardly extending shafts, an elongated screening element pivotably connected to said frame and extending substantially horizontally along the front of the frame relative to the direction of travel, a lower portion of said screening element being located directly in front of said shafts and adjacent connections of said tines to their respective supports in the foremost positions thereof during operation, said screening element being connected to the said frame with substantially horizontal pivots and said element extending below said connections and terminating substantially above lowermost ends of said tines, spring means interconnecting said screening element with said frame and biasing said element to an operative position, a front of the said screening element having a lower surface that engages the soil during operation and comprises a lower and an upper portion that join each other, said lower portion, from the junction with the upper portion, extending downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel, said upper portion, fron said junction, extending upwardly and rearwardly, said screening element being positioned to fend off debris and protect the front of said frame as well as the connections of said tines with their supports during operation.

A cultivator having an elongated frame and a plurality of rotatable soil working members arranged in a transverse row, said soil working members being rotatable about upwardly extending axes and comprising downwardly extending tines mounted on supports, said supports with tines being in driving connection and rotated by driving means, screening means displaceably connected to said cultivator and extending substantially horizontally along the front of said frame relative to the direction of travel, a lower portion of said screening means being positioned directly in front of the connections of said tines to their respective supports during operation, said screening means being linked to said cultivator frame and said screening means comprising an elongated element that is displaceable forwardly relative to said frame, a lower edge of said element being located immediately adjacent the connection of said tines with their respective supports during operation, a front side of said screening element being positioned to engage the upper surface of the soil during operation and that side including a portion that extends downwardly and rearwardly, said screening element being positioned to be moved through the soil and protect the front of said frame as well as the connections of said tines with their supports by fending off debris in and on the soil that would be encountered by the cultivator during operation.

A cultivator having an elongated frame and a plurality of rotatable soil working members arranged in a transverse row, said soil working members being rotatable about upwardly extending axes and comprising downwardly extending tines mounted on supports, said supports with tines being in driving connection and rotated by driving means, screening means displaceably connected to said cultivator and extending substantially horizontally along the front of said frame relative to the direction of travel, a lower portion of said screening means being positioned directly in front of the connections of said tines to their respective supports during operation, said screening means being linked to said cultivator frame and said screening means comprising an elongated element that is displaceable only in a forward direction with respect to said frame, a lower edge of said element being located immediately adjacent the connection of said tines with their respective supports, a front side of the said element having surfaces comprising a lower and an upper portion that join each other, said lower portion, from the junction with said upper portion, extending downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel, said upper portion, from said junction, extending upwardly and rearwardly, said element being positioned to protect the front of said frame and the connections of said tines with their supports by fending off debris in and on the soil that would be encountered by the rotating tines during operation.

A cultivator having an elongated frame and a plurality of rotatable soil working members arranged in a transverse row, said soil working members being rotatable about upwardly extending axes and comprising downwardly extending tines mounted on supports, said supports with tines being in driving connection and rotated by driving means, screening means connected to said cultivator and extending substantially horizontally along the front of said frame relative to the direction of travel, a lower portion of said screening means being positioned directly in front of the connections of said tines to their respective supports during operation, said screening means being linked to said cultivator frame and said screening means comprising an elongated element that is displaceable in a forward direction with respect to said frame, a lower edge of said element being located immediately adjacent the connection of said tines with their respective supports during rotation thereof, said screening element being substantially L-shaped in cross-section with two connected limbs, a lower limb of said element extending downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel from a junction between said two limbs, and upper limb extending upwardly and rearwardly from said junction, said element being moved along and through the ground and being positioned to protect the front of said frame and the connections of said tines with their supports from debris in and on the soil during operation.