Strip tillage implement

A strip tillage agricultural implement adapted for forward movement over ground where plant residue and obstacles are present, the implement comprising:

• a main frame having transversely extending front and rear frame members;
• lift wheel structure for raising and lowering the main frame between field- working and transport positions;
• a plurality of disk gang members connected to the front frame member and including a plurality of sizing disks for cutting the plant residue, the sizing disks extending transversely to the forward direction;
• an upright tool support bracket connected to the rear frame member, the bracket extending rearwardly from the rear frame member and defining a downwardly opening accommodation space at a top portion of the bracket;
• a parallel linkage having upper and lower links with leading and trailing ends, the links pivotally connected at the leading ends to a lower portion of the bracket below the rear frame member;
• a clearing tool assembly connected to the trailing ends of the links and including first and second transversely spaced staggered clearing disks, the parallel linkage facilitating vertical movement of the clearing disks relative to the tool support bracket over the obstacles;
• a tool support having a fore-and-aft extending tool arm pivotally connected at a forward arm end to the bracket adjacent the parallel linkage and below the rear frame member;
• down pressure structure connected between the bracket and the tool arm for biasing the tool support towards the ground;
• a rockshaft supported from the main frame in the downwardly opening accommodation space above the tool arm;
• and
• first and second closing disk arms supported from the rockshaft adjacent and on opposite sides of the tool arm, each of the closing disk arms having an aft end supporting a closing disk rearwardly of the tool arm, the rockshaft rotatable from a lift position wherein the closing disk is completely off the ground while the main frame is in the field-working position to a ground contacting position, wherein the aft ends of the closing disk arms are non-connected and free to move vertically independently of each other.

A strip tillage agricultural implement adapted for forward movement over ground where plant residue and obstacles are present, the implement comprising:

• a main frame having a transversely extending rear frame member and a front frame member;
• lift structure for raising and lowering the main frame between field-working and transport positions;
• a plurality of disk gang members connected to the front frame member and including a plurality of sizing disks for cutting the plant residue, the sizing disks extending transversely to the forward direction;
• an upright tool support bracket connected to the rear frame member, the bracket extending rearwardly from the rear frame member and defining an accommodation space at a top portion of the bracket;
• a parallel linkage having upper and lower links with leading and trailing ends, the links pivotally connected at the trailing leading ends to a lower portion of the bracket below the rear frame member;
• a clearing tool assembly connected to the trailing ends of the links and including first and second transversely spaced staggered clearing disks, the parallel linkage facilitating vertical movement of the clearing disks over the obstacles;
• a fore-and-aft extending tool support arm pivotally connected at a forward arm end to the bracket adjacent the parallel linkage and below the rear frame member;
• an earthworking tool extending downwardly from the aft end of tool support arm;
• a closing disk support located in the accommodation space and extending transversely therefrom;
• and
• a pair of fore-and-aft extending closing disk arms supported from the closing disk support on opposite sides of the tool support arm, the closing disk arms each having an aft end supporting a closing disk rearwardly of the tool support arm and a forward end connected to the closing disk support forwardly of the earthworking tool, whereby each disk arm independently supports a single closing disk, the aft ends moveable vertically and independently relative to each other to provide independent vertical movement of the closing disks relative to each other.