Multiple machine for row-cropping with vertically operating axes

An earth tilling machine comprising

• an elongated frame extending in a direction transverse to the normal direction of movement of the machine,
• a plurality of earthworking units carried on said frame and selectively movable thereon in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the machine, each of said earthworking units including a vertically extending support strut mounted on said frame and projecting a distance laterally with respect to said frame, and an earthworking head carried on said support strut in relatively remote relationship to said frame, said earthworking head including a plurality of earth tilling rotors with each rotor supported for revolution about a respective vertically extending axis with all rotor axes of a respective head being mutually parallel, said plurality of rotors of each earthworking head disposed in a generally longitudinally extending alignment whereby the rotors of each head have a cumulative effective length greater than the effective working diameter of a single rotor, each rotor of each earth-working head provided with a plurality of angularly spaced apart, vertically extending tilling elements positioned radially outward with respect to the rotor's axis of revolution with the rotors relatively oriented with respect to each other such that the circle of revolution of the tilling elements of a rotor overlaps the circle of revolution of a next adjacent rotor's tilling elements, said earthworking head being mounted on said strut for revolution about a vertical axis disposed parallel to the axis of said rotors whereby said rotors may be revolved in a horizontal plane to a predetermined position relative to said frame, and
• power transmission means operatively coupled with said rotors for effecting revolution thereof.