Agricultural tillage device

An agricultural implement for clearing and tilling soil to be planted, comprising

• a first rotatable coulter wheel,
• second and third coulter wheels that are offset from each other both laterally and fore and aft, said second and third coulter wheels being mounted for rotation about axes of rotation that are located rearwardly of the axis of rotation of said first rotatable coulter wheel, wherein the rearward edges of the second and third coulter wheels being tipped inwardly and the lower edges of said second and third coulter wheels being tipped inwardly,
• a depth control device mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation located rearwardly of the axis of rotation of the rearmost of said second and third coulter wheels, and
• a common frame carrying said first, second and third coulter wheels and said depth control device so that all axes of rotation move up and down together.

A method of clearing and tilling soil to be planted, comprising

• clearing residue from soil to be planted with a first rotatable coulter wheel and at least one toothed wheel mounted for rotation about an axis located rearwardly of the axis of rotation of said first coulter wheel, a forward portion of said at least one toothed wheel overlapping a rearward portion of said first coulter wheel,
• tilling the residue-cleared soil with second and third coulter wheels that are offset from each other both laterally and fore and aft, said second and third coulter wheels being mounted for rotation about axes of rotation that are located rearwardly of the axis of rotation of said first rotatable coulter wheel, the rearward edges of the second and third coulter wheels being tipped inwardly and the lower edges of said second and third coulter wheels being tipped inwardly, and
• controlling the depth of said coulter wheels and said at least one toothed wheel with a depth control device mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation located rearwardly of the axis of rotation of the rearmost of said second and third coulter wheels,
• said first, second and third coulter wheels, said toothed wheel, and said depth control device being carried on a common frame so that all axes of rotation move up and down together.