US 4,936,391 AGranted

Rotary tiller apparatus

OwnerG. Douglas Cameroninventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A rotary tiller device for tilling around trees and other similar obstacles comprises a rotary tilling head with a plurality of tines extending slightly outwardly, downwardly and forwardly from a support which rotates around a vertical axis of the head. A central plate rests upon the ground and defines a tilling depth of the tines. A cover prevents the support from damaging the tree. A mounting system for mounting the unit on the belly of a yard tractor includes a pair of rails mounted in place of the removed belly mower and a hydraulic fluid reservoir tank which slides into position on the rails and defines a support for the tiller head. A linkage between the tank and the tiller head includes a six-bar lever system mounted upon a pivotal plate. The lever system is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder which drives the tiller head in a straight line outwardly and slightly forwardly of a line at right angles to the side of the tractor and in a plane which is generally horizontal and is defined by the plate member at the end of the tank. The straight line actuation of the lever system enables the tiller head to be readily manouevered around trees in a weeding action while the tractor continues in a constant direction.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A rotary tiller apparatus for mounting on a tractor comprising a rotary tiller member including a rotary tiller head, a plurality of tines mounted on the head and extending downwardly therefrom for engaging the ground such that rotation of the head causes a tilling action on a portion of the ground engaged by the tines of the tiller head, mounting means for attachment to the tractor such that the tiller head is located at one side of the tractor for projecting outwardly to said one side thereof, a pivot member mounted on the mounting means for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis for raising and lowering the tiller head relative to the mounting means, and linkage means extending from the pivot member to said tiller head for supporting the tiller head at a position extending outwardly to said one side of the tractor and for adjusting the distance of extension of the tiller head from the tractor in a substantially straight line direction projecting outwardly to one side of the tractor, the linkage means comprising a pivotal arm system having a first and second pair of parallel arms, pivot means connecting the arms to the pivot member and to the tiller head for pivotal movement about parallel axes substantially at right angles to the plane of movement of the tiller head such that the arm system is constrained to move in a common plane defined by the pivot member, a hydraulic cylinder connected to said arms to cause movement of the tiller head inwardly and outwardly, and tie rod means constraining the arm system to cause the tiller head to move in said straight line extending outwardly to said one side of the tractor.

A rotary tiller apparatus for mounting on a tractor comprising a rotary tiller member including a rotary tiller head, a plurality of tines mounted on the head and extending downwardly therefrom for engaging the ground such that rotation of the head causes a tilling action on a portion of the ground engaged by the tines of the head, mounting means for attachment to the tractor such that the tiller head is located at one side of the tractor for projecting outwardly to said one side thereof, a pivot member mounted on the mounting means for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis for raising and lowering the tiller head relative to the mounting means, and linkage means extending from the pivot member to said tiller head for supporting the tiller head at a position extending outwardly to said one side of the tractor and for adjusting the distance of extension of the tiller head from the tractor in a substantially straight line projecting outwardly to one side of the tractor, the mounting means comprising a pair of rails for mounting horizontally on belly mower mounts of the tractor and a mounting member slidable onto the rails so that it can be supported on the rails and is readily removable therefrom, the mounting member comprising a tank defining a reservoir for hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic pump mounted on the tank having a pulley for driving the hydraulic pump, the pulley being arranged on the mounting member such that it can be driven by a belly mower drive system of the tractor.

A rotary tiller apparatus for mounting on a tractor comprising a rotary tiller member including a rotary tiller head, a plurality of tines mounted on the head and extending downwardly therefrom for engaging the ground such that rotation of the head causes a tilling action on a portion of the ground engaged by the tines of the head, mounting means for attachment to the tractor such that the tiller head is located at one side of the tractor for projecting outwardly to said one side thereof, a pivot member mounted on the mounting means for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis for raising and lowering the tiller head relative to the mounting means, and linkage means extending from the pivot member to said tiller head for supporting the tiller head at a position extending outwardly to said one side of the tractor and for adjusting the distance of extension of the tiller head from the tractor in a substantially straight line projecting outwardly to one side of the tractor, the tiller head including a tine support member arranged to support the tines, each tine comprising a helical coil spring portion coiled around an axis and a tine finger connected to one end of the coil spring portion and projecting generally radially from the axis, each coil spring portion being mounted on the support member such that the coil spring portions are arranged in spaced relation around a circle defined by the tine support member and such that the axis of each coil spring portion extends generally radially of the circle and is inclined upwardly and outwardly out of the plane of the circle so that the tine finger extends therefrom in a direction having a component axial to the plate member and a component radial to the plate member, the position of the tine finger around the axis of the respective coil spring portion being arranged such that the tine finger extends with a component angularly forwardly of the direction of rotation of the tine support member such that a lower end of each tine lies on a circle of greater diameter than that of the tine support member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.