US 7,802,631 B2Granted

Ground engaging agricultural tine and associated mounting and indexing system

AssigneeGenesis Tillage, Inc.

InventorsBrian J. McKinley, Gary Bailey

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An agricultural implement has gangs of soil aerator tools. Each gang includes a set of integral multi-tine units mounted on a frame for rotation in unison. Each tine unit has a hub with tines. The hub has a first surface defining a first set of indexing receivers and a second surface defining a second set of indexing receivers. At least one indexing spacer separates each tine unit from the next tine unit. Keys of the indexing spacers assemble with selected ones of the first set of indexing receivers or the second set of indexing receivers to establish and maintain a predetermined pattern of rotational index positions among tine units in a group and groups in a gang. A method of rotationally indexing agricultural tools in an assembly. One method includes providing a shaft, tine units, and indexing spacers. Assembly involves sliding a tine unit and an indexing spacer onto the shaft, and assembling in series the tine unit and the indexing spacer on the shaft, such that the indexing spacer orients the tine unit to form an assembly.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An apparatus for working soil, comprising:

a frame having a hitch to be pulled behind a tractor in a direction of travel;
at least two gang assemblies mounted to said frame, wherein one of said at least two gang assemblies is offset a distance in a direction of travel from a second of said at least two gang assemblies, and wherein each gang assembly extends in a forwardly inclined direction converging from an outside of said frame toward a centerline of said frame in the direction of travel;
wherein each gang assembly includes a plurality of tine units slidable onto a shaft to mount said tine units in series for rotation in unison across the width of said shaft, each of said tine units is rotatable about said shaft, each of said tine units having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub;
wherein said hub has a first surface defining a first set of indexing features and a second surface defining a second set of indexing features, said first set of indexing features is different in number than said second set of indexing features;
and
a plurality of indexing spacers slidable onto said shaft for mounting thereon, said plurality of indexing spacers is rotatable about said shaft, said plurality of indexing spacers having a third set of indexing features thereon, at least one indexing spacer of said plurality of indexing spacers separating each tine unit from the next tine unit in said series of tine units, and for assembling said tine units and said spacers on said shaft with said third set of indexing features of said indexing spacers interlocked with selected ones of said first set of indexing features or said second set of indexing features.

3 more elements

An apparatus for working soil comprising:

a frame having a hitch to be pulled behind a tractor in a direction of travel;
at least two gang assemblies mounted to said frame, wherein one of said at least two gang assemblies is offset a distance in a direction of travel from a second of said at least two gang assemblies, and wherein each gang assembly extends in a forwardly inclined direction converging from an outside of said frame toward a centerline of said frame in the direction of travel;
wherein each gang assembly includes a plurality of tine units slidably and rotatably mounted on a shaft for rotation, each tine unit of said plurality of tine units having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub;
a plurality of indexing spacers for separating each tine unit of said plurality of tine units from the next adjacent tine unit of said plurality of tine units, each of said indexing spacers having a first face and a second face;
said first face having a first set of indexing features configured to repeatedly assemble with and repeatedly dis-assemble from one of said plurality of tine units, said first set of indexing features includes a plurality of projections in a first circumferential pattern;
said second face having a second set of indexing features, said second set of indexing features includes a plurality of projections in a second circumferential pattern, said second set of indexing features being different than said first set of indexing features, said second set of indexing features configured to repeatedly assemble with and repeatedly dis-assemble from another of said plurality of tine units;
and
wherein said first set of indexing features and said first face, and said second set of indexing features and said second face are integrally cast to form each of said indexing spacers.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/611,999Filed 18 Dec 2006 · continuation
Priority: 16 Sep 2003
Published: US 2007/0187122 A116 Aug 2007
Granted: 28 Sep 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

A01B 35/16
Other machines for working soil: with rotating or circulating non-propelled tools
A01B 35/28
Tools; Details: rotating tools; Mounting rotating tools
A01B
Soil working in agriculture or forestry

Family

Application60/503,372Us provisional application · filed 16 Sep 2003
Application10/943,168Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Sep 2004
US 2007/0187122 A1Pre-grant publication · published 16 Aug 2007
US 7,172,032 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2005/0077060 A1Published application
US 7,802,631 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.