Apparatus for pruning field crops and low bushes

A pruning apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of ground work units, each including a plurality of tool members operatively connected to a drive shaft rotatably supported by a housing and rotated by a drive means for effectively pruning a sub-area of a ground surface when being advanced;
• a wheeled main frame adapted to be towed behind a propelling vehicle, the main frame selectively connecting a number of the ground work units staggered in front and rear rows to provide a selected width of a pruning area including the pruning sub-areas of the individual ground work units;
• and a connecting means for connecting the respective ground work units to the main frame, with the connecting means each ground work unit being pivotable with respect to the main frame, about a forwardly directing and substantially horizontal axis within a limited range and pivotable about a vertical axis, and also being slidable to a selected transverse position relative to the main frame, whereby the pruning apparatus generally conforms to an uneven contour of the ground surface and effects continuous and relatively consistent pruning along the entire selected width of the pruning area characterized in that the tool member comprises integral metal member including an inner mounting section having an elongated aperture along a longitudinal axis of the inner mounting section, and an outer cutting section having a cutting edge, the outer cutting section extending angularly from the inner mounting section so that the tool member is formed in a general L-shape.

A pruning apparatus comprising:

• a wheeled main frame adapted to be towed behind a propelling vehicle;
• a number of ground work units selectively connected to the main frame, staggered in front and rear rows to provide a selected width of a pruning area of a ground surface, each ground work unit including:
• a housing having an open bottom,
• a drive shaft rotatably supported to the housing,
• a plurality of tool members, each being in a general L-shape, having an outer cutting section and an inner mounting section and having an elongated aperture extending along a longitudinal axis of the inner mounting section,
• a plurality of mounting means, each including a pair of axially spaced brackets fixed to a peripheral surface of the drive shaft, a U-shaped connector extending loosely through the elongated aperture in the inner mounting section of a pair of the tool members that are secured to abut each other at the inner mounting sections to form a general T-shape, and a pin pivotally connecting two ends of the U-shaped connector to the brackets,
• a drive chain and sprocket assembly operatively supported by the housing for rotating the drive shaft,
• a sliding rod supported on the housing, extending parallel to the drive shaft, and
• an adjustable supporting structure attached to the housing to support the ground work unit in a selected vertical position with respect to the ground surface;
• a plurality of connecting means, each including a connecting bar having a predetermined length and an aperture at a front end thereof for receiving a vertically extending pivoting pin to be connected to a hole in the main frame to permit the connecting bar to pivot about the pin and pivot about a longitudinal axis of the connecting bar within a limited range, the connecting bar having a sleeve secured at a rear end thereof for slidably connecting the sliding rod of a corresponding ground work unit;
• a power distribution system including a gear box operatively connected to a power take-off system of the vehicle, a number of power drive shafts in accordance with the number of the ground work units to transmit a rotational movement from the power take-off system of the vehicle to the drive chain and sprocket assembly of the respective ground work units;
• and
• a lift system including a hydraulic cylinder, pivoting arms and lift chains to lift the respective ground work units with respect to the main frame.