Rotating disk type ditcher

A ditcher assembly for forming longitudinal soil depressions comprising

• an assembly supporting a rotatable soil cutting disk having at least one cutter projecting from its edge,
• a prime mover for moving said assembly in a line of travel over soil corresponding to the longitudinal depression desired,
• said cutter disk being supported by said assembly for rotation in a plane generally transverse to the direction of travel of said assembly in forming a longitudinal depression,
• said plane of rotation of said disk being oriented in leaning relation opposite to the forward direction of travel of said assembly such that the underface of said disk forms an acute angle with the ground to be cut,
• the lower edge of said inclined disk providing the leading cutting edge of said disk,
• means for selectively setting the depth of said disk relative to ground to establish a cutting action into the soil at said leading edge,
• connection means provided connecting said prime mover and said disk for supply of rotational driving power to said cutting disk,
• means on said disk for collecting and throwing the soil cut by said disk to one side of the line of travel of said assembly, and
• means extending from said assembly positioned to trail said disk in contact with the cut ground to stabilize the depth of cut of said disk.

A method of forming longitudinal soil depressions comprising

• rotating a cutting disk having a soil cutting edge in a depression being formed and in communication with the soil being cut,
• tilting the plane of rotation of said disk to the rear of the depression being formed to effect a biting of the edge of the cutting disk to a preselected depth into the soil being cut,
• progressively advancing the transversely rotating disk into uncut soil to cut successive slices of soil to be removed to form the desired longitudinal depression,
• removing the cut soil with scoops associated with the rotating disk, and
• throwing the scooped soil laterally to one side of the depression being formed.