Smooth rolling cover crop roller
AssigneesThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Auburn University
InventorsRandy L. Raper, Petru-Aurelian Simionescu
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Abstract
Cover crops may be rolled and crimped using an apparatus which may be rolled across a field at a relatively high speed without excessive vibration. The apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical drum which has a plurality of rows of outwardly extending blades projecting therefrom. The blades may be wave-shaped, curved, substantially straight and discontinuous, blades paired with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly extending rings, or combinations thereof. In use as the apparatus is rolled across a field having a crop thereon, the blades contact and crimp the stalks of the crop, effectively killing the plant.
Claims21
A method for crimping cover crops comprising:
- a. providing a rolling and crimping apparatus, said apparatus comprising a substantially cylindrical drum having a plurality of rows of outwardly extending blades projecting therefrom, said blades being selected from the group consisting of wave-shaped blades, curved blades, substantially straight discontinuous blades which are substantially parallel to the axis of said drum and extend less than about 80% of the length of said drum, blades paired with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly extending rings projecting from said drum, and combinations thereof;
- and
- b. rolling said rolling and crimping apparatus across a field having a cover crop thereon such that said cylinder rolls over said crop and said blades contact and crimp the stalks of said crop effective to kill said crop, and wherein said cover crop is a grass.
In a method for crimping crops wherein a rolling and crimping apparatus is rolled over a grass cover crop in the field, which said apparatus comprises a substantially cylindrical drum having a plurality of rows of outwardly extending blades projecting therefrom such that as cylinder rolls over said grass cover crop said blades contact and crimp the stalks of said crop effective to kill said crop, wherein the improvement comprises said blades being selected from the group consisting of wave-shaped blades, curved blades, substantially straight discontinuous blades which are substantially parallel to the axis of said drum and extend less than about 80% of the length of said drum, blades paired with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly extending rings projecting from said drum, and combinations thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.