AU638833B2 - A tool for working a medium - Google Patents

Description

638833 P/00/0011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicants: lan Anthony, Jennifer Margaret Alexandra Joan Mitchell Arundel

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Actual Inventor(s): Address for service in lan Anthony, Jennifer Margaret Arundel Alexandra Joan Mitchell Australia: CARTER SMITH BEADLE, Qantas House, 2 Railway Parade, Camberwell, Victoria, 3124, Australia, Attorney Code SA.

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT Invention Title: The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: -1 -2- This invention relates to tools for working media, such as agricultural tools used to work soil.

A major problem associated with the use of tools to work media is wear. A particular example can be seen in the practice of deep drilling.

Deep drilling is a seeding operation in which previously unworked rainsoftened ground is worked to make an opening in the soil for the deposit of seed therein. Various types of tool design have been suggested for use in such operations, but a major problem is wear. Some tools have to be replaced daily due to wear, notwithstanding that they are formed from expensive wear-resisting alloys.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tool designed to wear less than equivalent prior art tools.

The invention provides a tool for working a medium, said tool including a leading edge, means for positioning said leading edge within said medium continuously during use and for advancing said leading edge through said medium in a single directior during use, at least part of said leading edge having a recess in which a portion of said medium is collected when said tool is advanced through said medium, said leading edge and said recess being configured so that, when said tool is advanced through said medium, part of said portion of said collected medium forms a wearing surface ahead of said leading edge which minimizes wear on said leading edge.

Embodiments of the invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying off: .iRG:DMWspc\#2240.spg 28 April 1993 -f I 3 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of a tool according to the invention; Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section through the tool of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged view in cross-section of the front end of a second embodiment of the tool according to the invention; Figure 4 is an enlarged view in cross-section of a third embodiment of the tool according to the invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view from above of a fourth embodiment of the tool according to the invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view from beneath of the embodiment of Figure Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross-section of the embodiment of Figure Figure 8 is a perspective view from above of a fifth embodiment of the tool according to the invention; Figure 9 is a perspective view from above of a sixth embodiment of the tool according to the invention; and Figure 10 is a perspective view from above of a seventh embodiment of the tool according to the invention.

All of the seven described embodiments of the invention are tines for working soil in agriculture, but it is stressed that the invention relates to tools or the like for working any medium for any purpose.

In Figure 1, an agricultural apparatus (not shown) includes a support 10 which depends from a gang (not shown) or the like, to which support 10 is secured a ground working 870930,!jcspe.006,mitchaus.spe, 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 I: 25 26 27 28 29 4 tool 12. The tool is moved through soil in the direction of the arrow.

In Figure 2, it can be seen that the tool 12 is hollow, having side walls 14, 16, rear wall 18, and top end bottom walls 20, 22 (Figure Preferably, the tool is formed from a metal.

The invention operates on the principal that as the tool 12 is advanced in the direction of the right-hand arrow in Figure 2, some of the soil 24 through which the tool 12 is moving lodges in the hollow portion of the tool 12, building up to a forward edge 26 which acts as a workiig edge. Having the working edge formed from the soil itself reduces wear on the metal parts of the tool, and thus the need to replace the tool so often is also reduced.

Figures 3 and 4 show details of alternative leading edges of walls 14, 16 (and of walls 20, 22) (not shown)) which may enhance the reduction of wear. Figure 3 shows angled leading edges, and Figure 4 shows leading edges having recesses. Of course, other end profiles could be used, and it is also clear that any shape of tool could be used, provided that the tool allowed for the build-up of a cutting edge or surface using the material through which the tool is to be or is being moved. Other examples of tool shapes are shown in Figures 5 to 10 and described hereinafter.

In Figures 2 and 4, the relative movement of soil to and past the edge 26 is shown by the smaller arrows. It is considered that aspects of fluid flow theory may be used to explain the operation of the invention, as soil (and other 870930,Ijcspe.006,mitchaus.spe, 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 5 media formed from solid particles) may under certain circumstances be seen as approximating a fluid.

Turning now to Figures 5 to 7, there is illustrated a tine 110 including an attachment portion 112 (which may take any form, not just the one illustrated, which has depending curved walls 114 for a press-fit to a tine holder (not shown)). An aperture 113 is provided for a more conventional attachment to a tine h'lder, by a bolt, pin or the like. Working body 116 is generally triangular in shape, with a curved struicture providing a convex upper surface.

Extending around the soil-working edge 118 of the body 116 there is a recess 120, which may be of any suitable depth. Body 116 may be constructed by using an upper element and a lower element, welded or otherwise secured together so as to leave a space between the elements, at least at the working area 118, or may be formed in a single piece.

As described earlier, the recess or the like 120, in use, fills witn the soil being worked, thereby producing a wearing surface from the soil itself.

The tool 200 of Figure 8 is similar to that of Figures 5 to 7, except that body 202 has a notch 204 in the 'point' area. Recess 206 extends along the entire working edge.

Aperture 213 corresponds to aperture 113 in Figures 5 to 7.

Figure 9 shows a tool 300 which is also similar to that of Figures 5 to 7. Body 302 has a 'shovel' nose 304.

Again, a recess 306 runs along the working area of the tool, and an aperture 213 is provided, similar to aperture 113.

870930,!jcspe.006,mitchaus.spe, Finally, the tool 400 of Figure 10 is also similar to that of Figures 5 to 7, except that body 402 has portions 404, 406, in effect, cut out, leaving a leading portion 408 and 'wings' 410, 412. Recess 414 extends along the working areas, and aperture 413 is used to attach the tine 400 to a tine holder.

In each of the embodiments, the preferred material is mild steel, it being discovered that the ainimisation of wear allows a softer material to be used.

0 Although the manner in which wear is minimised is not well understood, it is a fact that in tests of the tools of Figures 5 to 10, it has been demonstrated that wear is significantly reduced, in comparison with conventional tools.

It is to be understood that in working other media, the tool or the like may be formed from other materials. For example, for some softer media, the tool may be formed of a plastics material.

The entire contents of the complete specification lodged with Australian patent application no. 79250/87 is hereby imported into this specification and forms part of the disclosure of this specification. The claims form part of the disclosure of this specification.

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Claims (8)

1. A tool for working a medium, said tool including a leading edge, means for positioning said leading edge within said medium continuously during use and for advancing said leading edge through said medium in a single direction during use, at least part of said leading edge having a recess in which a portion of said medium is collected when said tool is advanced through said medium, said leading edge and said recess being configured so that, when said tool is advanced through said medium, part of said portion of said collected medium forms a wearing surface ahead of said leading edge which minimizes wear on said leading edge.

2. A tool according to claim 1 comprising a body having a rear wall portion and two wall portions extending forwardly from the rear wall portion and terminating in generally parallel front edges which together constitute said leading edge of the tool, said front edges of said wall portions being separated by a narrow opening which constitutes said recess in said leading edge.

3. A tool according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tool is a tine adapted to be attached to a tine holder, the tine having a generally V-shaped leading edge. S 20

4. A tool according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tool is a tine and has a generally V-shaped leading edge, there being a V-shaped notch in the point of the V-shape.

A tool according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said tool is a tine and has a generally V-shaped leading edge, there being a cut-off portion at the 25 point of said V-shaped leading edge.

6. A tool according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tool is a tine, the tine having a generally V-shaped leading edge with two winged portions.

7. A tool according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein said tine includes an attachment portion adapted to be press-fitted to a tine holder. JRG:DMVWspceW2240.spg 28 April 1993 -8-

8. A tool for working a medium, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, 5 to 7, 8, 9 or 10 of the accompanying drawings. DATED: 28 April 1993 CARTER SMITH BEADLE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: IAN ANTHONY MITCHELL, ALEXANDRA JOAN MITCHELL, JENNIFER MARGARET ARUNDEL MITCHELL a a p p, 1 JRG:DMW\spc#2240.spg 28 April 1993