GB2137462A - Soil cultivating implement - Google Patents

Abstract

A soil cultivating implement which is movable over the ground in the direction A by a tractor or other vehicle comprises a frame portion 1 carrying a row of rotary soil working members 3 and also comprises a carrying frame 20 that is upwardly and downwardly pivotable relative to the frame portion 1 about a horizontal axis defined by pivot bolts 24, said carrying frame 20 being provided with wide-tyred or pairs of caster ground wheels 38. The rear of the carrying frame 20 is provided with an adjustable three-point coupling for cooperation with the three-point coupling member or trestle of a seed drill 21 or other implement, tool or machine to be used in combination with the soil cultivating implement. Piston and cylinder assemblies 35 enable a major central portion of the carrying frame 20 to be displaced upwardly, relative to the castor ground wheels 38, to raise the seed drill 21 well clear of contact with the ground. During inoperative transport, the soil cultivating implement itself is raised clear of the ground by the lifting device or hitch of the tractor or other operating vehicle and the seed drill 21 or the like is raised well clear of the ground by the major central portion of the carrying frame 20 leaving only the caster ground wheels 38 in contact with the soil surface. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Soil cultivating implements This invention relates to soil cultivating implements or machines of the kind which comprise a frame portion provided with a plurality of soil working members and also a carrying frame for an imple ment, tool or machine to be used in combination with the soil cultivating implement or machine, said carrying frame being connected to the frame portion of the soil cultivating implement or machine and being sustained from the ground surface by rotatable supporting members. The term "implement(s) or machine(s)" is shortened to "implement(s)" alone throughout the remainder of this document for the sake of brevity.

The carrying frames of known implements of the kind set forth are so constructed that the greater parts thereof are at substantially the same distance from the ground surface both when the implements are in use and when undergoing inoperative transport and this can cause difficulties, under the latter circumstances, particularly when such transport is over steeply undulating fields and the like.

An object of the invention is the provision of a carrying frame which will very greatly reduce, if not completely avoid, the difficulties caused by ground fouling that are inherent in the employment of known carrying frames for inoperative transport on steeply undulating farmland. According to the invention, there is provided a soil cultivating implement of the kind set forth, wherein a major portion of the carrying frame is upwardly and downwardly displaceable in level relative to the level of said rotatable supporting members.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a soil cultivating implement comprising a carrying frame to which latter is connected a seed drill, the combination being shown connected to rear of an agricultural tractor, Figure 2 is a side elevation corresponding to Figure 1, Figure 3 is a rear view of the carrying frame of the combination of Figures 1 and 2 as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow Ill in Figure 2, Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 3 but shows the carrying frame occupying an alternative position suitable for the inoperative transport of the combination, and Figure 5 corresponds to Figure 1 but illustrates an alternative construction of some parts of the carrying frame.

The soil cultivating implement combinations which will be described, and that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, are intended primarily for use in preparing seed beds from previously worked soil and for the immediate sowing of seeds in the cultivated soil where those seeds can germinate and, after appropriate thinning of seedlings, if required, can grow on to maturity. It is, however, emphasized that the use of a seed drill, as illustrated in the drawings, in combination with the also illustrated soil cultivating implement is not essential and that a seed drill is described and illustrated merely as one good example of an implement, tool or machine that can be employed in conjunction with the soil cultivating implement.A planting machine is an example of a unit which could replace the illustrate seed drill, and, of course, the soil cultivating implement comprising a carrying frame is usable, when required, on its own without being combined with any other implement, tool or machine.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, the soil cultivating implement that is illustrated is in the form of a rotary harrow and comprises a hollow box-section frame portion 1 of elongate configuration whose longitudinal axis extends substantially horizontally transverse and usually, as illustrated, substantially horizontally per pendicular, to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement combination that is indicated in Figures 1,2 and 5 of the drawings by an arrow A.

A plurality, of which there are twelve in the example that is being described, of substantially vertical, or at least upwardly extending, shafts 2 are rotatably journalled in bearings carried by upper and lower walls of the frame portion 1 so as to lie in a single row that is parallel to the transverse length of the hollowframe portion 1,the longitudinal axes/axes of rotation of the twelve shafts 2 being parallel to one another and being spaced apart at regular intervals which advantageously, but not essentially, each have a magnitude of substantially 25 cms. Each shaft 2 projects downwardly from beneath the bottom of the hollow frame portion 1 and is there provided with a corresponding soil working member that is generaly indicated by the reference 3 (Figure 2).Each soil working member 3 comprises a substantially horizontally disposed support or carrier 4 defining arms that project in diametrically opposite directions from the shaft 2 concerned and whose outer ends terminate in corresponding sleeve-like tine holders.

Fastening portions of rigid soil working tools in the form of tines 5 are firmly but releasably received in the holders that have just been mentioned and soil working portions of the tines 5 project downwardly into the ground, when the soil cultivating implement is in use, to an extent that is adjustable in a manner which will be further described below.

Each shaft 2 is provided, inside the hollow frame portion 1,with a corresponding straight- or spurtoothed pinion 6 which is of such a size that its teeth are in mesh with those of the or each immediately neighbouring pinion 6 in the single row thereof. The shaft 2 which corresponds to one of the centre pair of soil working members 3 in the single row thereof has an upward extension through the top or cover plate of the hollow frame portion 1 into a gear box 7 that is mounted on top of said frame portion 1.

Shafts and bevel pinions (not visible) inside the gearbox 7 place the upward extension of the shaft 2 that has just been mentioned in driven connection with a rotary input shaft 9 of the gear box 7 whose leading splined or otherwise keyed end projects substantially horizontally forwards from the front of the gear box 7 in substantially the direction A where it can be connected to the rear power take-off shaft of an agricultural tractor or other operating vehicle by way of a telescopic transmission shaft 10, which is of a construction that is know per se, having universal joints at its opposite ends. The back of the gear box 7, with respect to the direction A, is provided with a change-speed gear 8 whose construction is not the subject of the present invention.

It suffices to say that the splined ends of two shafts project into the casing of the change-speed gear 8 and can co-operate with the internally splined hubs of co-operating pairs of toothed pinions of different sizes. The pinions of each pair can be interchanged, or can be exchanged for other pairs, to give differenttransmission ratios and thus allow the speed of rotation of the soil working members 3 to be increased or decreased in response to substantially the same speed of driving rotation that is applied to the forwardly projecting rotary input shaft 9 of the gear box 7.

The opposite ends of the hollow frame portion 1 are closed by corresponding side plates 11 which extend substantially vertically parallel to one another and to the direction A. It will be evident from Figure 2 of the drawings that the side plates 11 project vertically above the remainder of the hollow frame portion 1 and also rearwardly thereof relative to the direction A, the vertical extent of each side plate 11 becoming progressively greater considered lengthwise along that plate 11 from the front to the rear thereof. Upper leading portions of the two side plates 11 are provided with horizontally aligned pivots 12 about which respective arms 13 are upwardly and downwardly turnable alongside said plates 11 and against the surfaces of those plates 11 which face the centre of the implement.Each arm 13 extends generally rearwardly, with respect to the direction A, from the corresponding pivot 12 and it will be seen from Figure 2 of the drawings that a rear portion thereof, that projects behind both the frame portion 1 itself and the corresponding side plate 11 with respect to the direction A, is of obliquely downwardly and rearwardly inclined formation. A rear edge region of each frame portion side plate 11 is formed with a curved row of holes 15, the centre of curvature of the row being coincident with the substantially horizontal axis that is defined by the aligned pivots 12, and each arm 13 is formed with a hole at the same distance from that axis as is each hole 15.Horizontal bolts 14 are provided for entry through the holes in the arms 13 and chosen ones of the holes 15 to retain those arms 13 firmly but releasably in chosen angular settings about the axis defined by the pivots 12.

The downwardly and rearwardly inclined rear portions of the two arms 13 are both offset inwardly towards the centre of the implement (see Figure 1) and, towards their free ends, support corresponding substantially horizontaly aligned bearings between which a ground roller 16 of open-work, cage-like formation is mounted in a freely rotatable manner.

The ground roller 16 is of cylindrical configuration and comprises a central tubular shaft to which is secured, at regularly spaced apart intervals, a plurality (such as eight) of circular support plates 17A which support plates extend substantiallyvertically parallel to one another and to the direction A. The spacing is such that two of the support plates 17A are located close to the opposite ends of the central tubular shaft of the roller and each support plate 17A is provided, around its periphery, with a plurality (such as eight) of regularly spaced apart holes through which holes elongate elements 17 in the form of lengths of rod are entered so as to extend lengthwise of the roller 16 but preferably, as illustrated in Figure 1, helically around the longitudinal axis of that roller 16 to some extent.The elongate elements 17 define the ground-engaging convex surface of the roller 16.

The front of the hollow frame portion 1, with respect to the direction A, is provided, substantially mid-way across the transverse width of that frame portion 1,with a coupling member or trestle 18 that is of substantially isosceles triangular configuration as seen in front or rear view. The coupling member or trestle 18 is constructed and arranged for connection to the three-point lifting device or hitch mounted at the rear of a n an agricultural tractor or other vehicle which both moves and operates the whole implement combination in the use of the latter.Two tie rods 19 extend steeply obliquely downwardly and rearwardlyfrom an apex region of the coupling member or trestle 18 to widely spaced apart locations at the top and rear of the hollow frame portion 1 and strengtheningly stabilize the upright position of the coupling member or trestle 18 and its connection to the hollow frame portion 1.

A mobile carrying frame 20 is arranged principally behind the rotary soil working members 3 with respect to the direction A. The carrying frame 20 is intended to have a further implement, tool or machine, such as a seed drill 21 which is somewhat diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5 of the drawings, releasably connected to it so that it will be disposed at the rear of the whole combintion relative to the direction A.

The carrying frame 20 comprises a pair of supporting beams 22 that are both horizontally or substantially horizontally disposed with the two beams 22 of the pair arranged in gently divergent relationship considered rearwardly of the direction A. The leading end of each supporting beam 22 carries a corresponding vertically disposed plate 23 that is in parallel relationship with the direction A, the shapes of the plates 23 being visible in Figure 2 of the drawings. Horizontally aligned pivot bolts 24 reliably but releasably connect leading lower regions of the two plates 23 to upper rear regions of corresponding vertical plates that are provided at the foot of the coupling member or trestle 18, the plates 23 and the plates at the foot of the coupling member or trestle 18 being, of course, formed with holes that can be aligned for the reception of the pivot bolts 24. The carrying frame 20 isturnable upwardly and downwardly relative to the soil cultivating implement about the substantially horizontal axis defined by the pivot bolts 24, this axis being located a short distance above the top of the hollow frame portion 1 and substantially in register with the front of that frame portion considered in the direction A. A transverse support 25 rigidly interconnects the two supporting beams 22 and extends substantially horizontally paralell to the hollow frame portion 1 at a location which is behind that frame portion 1 considered in the direction A and substantially vertically in register with the leading extremity of the ground roller 16 (see Figures 1 and 2). The transverse support 25 extends between points on the supporting beams 22 which are short distances in advance of the centres of length of those two beams 22.

The rearmost ends of the two supporting beams 22 are connected to corresponding upright, and referably substantially vertical, beams 26, the connections to the beams 26 being close to the lower ends thereof. A lower transverse connecting beam 27 and a parallel upper transverse connecting beam 28 rigidly interconnect the two upright beams 26 at locations spaced short distances from the lower and upper ends, respectively, of those upright beams 26.

As well as being parallel to one another, the beams 27 and 28 are also substantially horizontally parallel to the transverse support 25. Substantially the mid-point of the transverse support 25 is strengtheningly connected to horizontally spaced apart locations at the front of the upper transverse connecting beam 28 by upwardly and rearwardly divergent strips 29 which strips 29, as seen in plan view (Figure 1), appear to extend substantially parallel to the relatively neighbouring supporting beams 22.The upper and lower ends of the two upright beams 26 are provided, immediately above and immediately beneath, respectively, the corresponding ends of the upper and lower beams 28 and 27, with respective pairs of laterally projecting lugs 30 which lugs 30, however, are inclined rearwardly at few degrees from the corresponding upright beam 26 with respect to the direction A. Upper and lower pivot pins 31 turnably connect the upper and lower pairs of lugs 30 to the leading, inner ends of corresponding upwardly and downwardly turnable arms 32.The two arms 32 of each pair extend parallel to one another and the ends thereof that are remote from the pivot pins 31 are coupled by further relatively parallel pivot pins 31 to upper and lower pairs of lugs 32A which lugs are provided at the upper and lower ends, respectively, of corresponding tubular upright beams 33 which are in parallel relationship with the corresponding upright beams 26.

Each upper arm 32 carries a downwardly projecting lug at the end thereof which adjoins the upper lugs 30 and each lower arm 32 carries an upwardly projecting lug at the end thereof which adjoins the corresponding lower lugs 32A, each such pair of downwardly and upwardly projecting lugs being interconnected by a corresponding fluid-pressure operable piston and cylinder assembly 35. As iliustrated, the cylinder end of each assembly is pivotally connected to the corresponding lower lug whilst the freen end of the piston rod of the same assembly is pivotally connected to the corresponding upper lug.

Each of the assemblies 30 to 35 inclusive comprises a corresponding pivotably deformable polygonal linkage that, in the embodiments being described, is a parallelogram linkage 34. Preferably, and in the embodiments that are being described, the general plane of each linkage 34 is vertically or substantially vertically disposed and, due to the positions of the pairs of lugs 30 and 32A, the general planes of the two linkages 34 are symetrically inclined from front to rear, with respect to the direction A, at a large angle to that direction A whose magnitude is only a little less than 90 .

A vertical or substantially vertical shaft 36 is arranged in a freely rotatable manner in each of the tubular upright beams 33 so as to project downward ly from the open end of the latter by a distance which is a little greater than the radius of one of a number of pneumatically-tyred ground wheels 38. It can be seen from the drawings that the portion of each shaft 36 which extends downwardly beneath the lower end of the corresponding tubular beam 33 is significantly inclined to the rotatably journalled portion of the same shaft 36 and that, at its lowermost end, each shaft 36 is rigidly secured to the centre of a substantially horizontally disposed axle rod 37 which axle rod 37 has one of the ground wheels 38 rotatably mounted at each of its opposite ends.The dimensions and arrangement are such that the perpendicular distance between the relatively remote side surfaces of the two ground wheels 38 of each pair is at least substantially equal to the diameter of one of those wheels 38 and, due to the construction of each shaft 36, each pair of wheels act as caster wheels, the wheels 38 being rotatable supporting members of the carrying frame 20.

The lower and upper transverse connecting beams 27 and 28 are rigidly interconnected, principally at the fronts thereof with respect to the direction A, by plates 39 which are substantially vertically parallel to one another and to the direction A, said plates 39 being spaced by equal distances from the mid-points of the beams 27 and 28. It can be seen in Figure 2 of the drawings that the plates 39 are inclined downwardly and forwardly at a few degrees from the beam 28 to the beam 27 and that they extend downwardly in front of the beam 27 to a location that is also beneath the level of the supporting beams 22.

The lower leading ends of the two plates 39 carry corresponding stub shafts 40 which are substantially horizontally aligned in a direction that is parallel to the length of the beams 25,27 and 28. Each stub shaft 40 has the leading end of a corresponding arm 41 turnably mounted thereon, said arms 41 extending generally rearwards from the aligned stub shafts 40 beneath the lower transverse beam 27. As seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, the arms 41 are initially inclined downwardly to some extent but rear regions thereof are substantially horizontally disposed.

Horizontal pivot pins 42 that are parallel to the axis defined by the stub shafts 40 turnably connect forks at the lower ends of lifting arms 43 to approximately the mid-points of the two arms 41 considered lengthwise of the direction A. The two lifting arms 43 extend obliquely upwardly and forwardly from the pivot pins 42 in convergent relationship with one another to have their upper ends turnably connected by further parallel pivot pins 44 to forked brackets provided at the rear ends of supports 45 which project rearwardly from the two plates 39 at a level a short distance beneath that of the upper transverse connecting 28.Each arm 43 is of adjustable length and conveniently comprises, as shown in the drawings (see particularly Figure 2), two axially aligned lengths of rod whose neighbouring but spaced ends are screw-threaded in opposite directions and are interconnected by a so-called turnbuckle exhibiting aligned and oppositely screw-threaded bores in which the ends of the aligned rods are lodged. As is well known per se, rotation oftheturnbuckle in one direction will lengthen the corresponding arm 43 whereas rotation thereof in the opposite direction will shorten that arm 43. The pivot pins 42 which connect the forks at the lower ends of the lifting arms 43 to the arms 41 can, in fact, make those connections by way of chosen ones of holes 46 that are spaced apart lengthwise of central regions of the arms 41.In the example that is being described, there are three of the holes 46 in each arm 41 and the pins 42 are shown entered through the central hole 46 in each group of three. The positions of the connections of the lifting arms 43 to the arms 41 can thus be varied as may be required, the pivot pins 42 being of a known construction which will allow them to be readily removed and replaced and said pivot pins 42 being provided with means to retain them reliably entered through the chosen holes 46.

A pair of lugs 47 that are horizontally spaced apart from one another by a short distance project upwardly and rearwardly, with respect to the direction A, from the centre of the upper transverse connecting beam 28, said lugs 47 being parallel to one another and parallel or substantially parallel to the direction A. Each lug 47 is formed with an upright row of three holes 48 that are vertically spaced apart from one another and any chosen aligned pair of those holes 48 can connect the leading end of an upper lifting link 50 to the lugs 47, at a location between them, by receiving a horizontal pivot pin 49 that is again parallel to the stub shafts 40. The length of the upper lifting link 50 is adjustable in a manner which is known perse and which may be similar to that provided for each of the arms 43 except that the turnbuckles are replaced by an internally screwthreaded sleeve.The arms 41 constitute lowing lifting links and co-operate with the upper lifting link 50 in providing a three-point coupling to the rear ends of the links of which coupling points carried by a further implement, tool or machine, such as the seed drill 21, can be connected in a manner which is known perse and which is shown somewhat diagrammatically in the drawings.

Figure 5 of the drawings illustrates an embodiment which corresponds to that described above except that the carrying frame 20 is replaced by a carrying frame 20A which exhibits two rotatable supporting members in the form of pneumaticallytyred broad wheels 53 in place of the pairs of wheels 38 of the first embodiment. In this case, the lowermost end of each upright tubular beam 33 has one end of a substantially horizontal limb of a corresponding shaped arm 51 turnably connected to it in a freely rotatable manner. Said limb of the arm 51 extends generally towards the centre of the carrying frame 20A and, at its inner end, is integrally connected to a second limb which extends downwardly and obliquely rearwardly relative to the same direction.The lower rear end of this limb of each arm 51 is rigidly secured to one end of a corresponding substantially horizontal axle rod 52 upon which the corresponding ground wheel 53 is freely rotatably mounted. Due to the construction of the arms 51,the ground wheels 53 are again caster wheels and the pneumatic tyre of each wheel 53 has a tread width, measured in a direction parallel to the correspond ing axle 52, which is substantially equal to the diameter of the complete wheel 53. A diameter of substantially 50 cms has been found to be advantageous for each of the wheels 53 and also for each of the wheels 38.

In the use of the combination which has been described with reference to either Figures 1 to 4, or Figure 5, of the drawings, the coupling member or trestle 18 is connected to the three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of the agricultural tractor or other vehicle which is to move and operate the combination and, if required, the maximum depth to which the tines 5 of the soil working members 3 can penetrate into the soil is adjusted by raising or lowering the bodily level of the ground roller 16 relative to that of the frame portion 1 and soil working members 3, entering the bolts 14 through appropriate holes 15 to retain this depth setting for as long as may be required.In addition, the speed at which the soil working members 3 will revolve in response to a substantially constant speed of rotation applied to the rotary input shaft 9 of the gear box 7 may be increased or decreased, as required, by an appropriate adjustment of the change-speed gear 8. These adjustments will be made principally in the light of the nature and condition of the soil that is to be dealt with and the particular purpose for which that soil is required.As the implement combination moves over the ground in the direction A, each rotary soil working member 3 cultivates an individual strip of soil extending in the direction A and, since the spacing between the tines 5 of each such member 3 is such that these individual strips will overlap, or at least adjoin, one another, the soil cultivating implement effectively works a single broad strip of soil that will have a width of substantially, but not necessarily exactly, 3 metres in the case of the examples that are being described.

The carrying frame 20 or 20A can move upwardly and downwardly relative to the leading soil cultivating implement about the substantially horizontal axis that is defined by the aligned pivot bolts 24 and that extends substantially perpendicular to the direction A, said carrying frame 20 or 20A also being sustained from the ground surface by the pairs of ground wheels 38 or single ground wheels 53 which ground wheels, it will be noted from Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings, are outside the path of travel of the agricultural tractor or other vehicle which moves the implement combination over the ground. In the case of the ground wheels 38, each pair thereof can caster freely about the vertical or substantially vertical axis of the corresponding shaft 36 and each pair of wheels 38 provide a width of ground contact which is not less than substantially the diameter of one of the wheels 38.When the single broad-width ground wheels 53 of the embodiment of Figure 5 of the drawings are used, the increased area of contact of each wheel with the surface of the soil, as compared with the area of contact of a pair of the wheels 38, is potentially less damaging to the seedbed that has been provided by the rotary soil working members 3.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the two parallelogram linkages 34 of the carrying frame 20 are forwardly convergent to a very large extent, considered in the direction A, and the provision of each linkage 34 with a corresponding freely castering pair of the ground wheels 38 gives the carrying frame 20 a high degree of stability.

Figure 3 of the drawings shows the carrying frame 20 in a working position in which piston rods of the piston and cylinder assemblies 35 are withdrawn substantially completely into their cylinders and the upper and lower arms 32 of the linkages 34 are horizontally or substantially horizontally disposed.

The carrying frame 20 or alternative carrying frame 20A provides a very stable and effective support for an implement, tool or machine that is to be used in combination with the soil cultivating implement, such as the seed drill 21, and the coupling which is afforded by the arms 41 and upper lifting link 50 provides a simple and reliable way of connecting the seed drill 21 or other implement, tool or machine to the carrying frame 20 or 20A, said coupling being adjustable to match the positions of the coupling points on the seed drill 21 or other implement, tool or machine by entering the pivot pin 49 in appropriate holes 48 in the lugs 47, altering the effective length of the link 50, pivoting that link upwardly or downwardly about the pin 49 and/or turning the arms 41 upwardly or downwardly about the pin 49 and/or turning the arms 41 upwardly or downwardly about the axis defined by the aligned stub shafts 40.

Displacement of the arms 41 is accomplished by increasing or decreasing the lengths of the lifting arms 43 as described above and/or by coupling the lower ends of those lifting arms 43 to the arms 41 at different locations by withdrawing the pivot pins 42 and entering them through appropriate alternative holes 46.

The pairs of ground wheels 38, or the alternative single ground wheels 53, are located outside the path of travel of the tractor or other moving and propelling vehicle and sustain the frame 20 or 20A from the ground surface with an area of ground contact between the wheels and the ground surface which is such that the well-crumbled structure of the seedbed produced by the soil working members 3 is adversely affected by those wheels to only a very small extent, if at all. The forwardly convergent inclination of the direction A is so large that these general planes are nearly coincident and are only inclined to one another by a few degrees, said two linkages and the ground wheels to which they are connected being disposed at the relatively remote outer sides of the two upright beams 26.This construction and arrangement of the two carrying frames 20 and 20A enables the whole combination to be located at a relatively short distance behind the tractor or other operating and moving vehicle, this being very important in regard to stability and a compact assembly when the combination has to undergo inoperative transport by the tractor or other vehicle.

The hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies 35 are conveniently, but not essentially, powered from the hydraulic system of the tractor or other operating vehicle by way of flexible hydraulic ducts that are not shown in the drawings but which ducts are provided with conventional quickly-releasable leak-proof couplings. To move the described and ilustrated combination into an inoperative transport position, the three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of the tractor or other operating vehicle is raised to lift the soil cultivating implement clear of contact with the gound and the piston rods of the two asseblies 35 are concurrently extended from their cylinders to bring the carrying frame 20 or 20A from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4.

In the inoperative transport position that is shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the upper and lower arms 32 of the two parallelogram linkages 34 are both symetrically inclined to the horizontal and the vertical at angles of substantially 45" and twill be appreciated that substantially all of the frame 20 or 20A, apart from the ground wheels 38 or 53, is located well clear above the ground surface in the position shown in Figure 4.The coupling at the rear of the carrying frame 20 or 20A, which will have been adjusted for co-operation with the coupling points of the seed drill 21 or other implement, tool or machine, lifts that seed drill 21 or the like entirely clear of the ground as it is raised from the position of Figure 3 to the position of Figure 4 of the drawings and, when so raised for inoperative transport purposes, it will be sustained from the ground surface principally by the castering ground wheels 38 or 53 of the frame 20 or 20A.It is desirable, whilst bringing the frame 20 or 20A from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, to drive the whole combination slowly in a forward direction because the alteration of the geometry of the frame 20 or 20A necessarily brings the two pairs of ground wheels 38, or two single ground wheels 53, closer to one another as will be apparent from a comparison between Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings and such forward driving movement facilitates this lateral displacement of the ground wheels, without strain, even though it can still take place in the absence of movement in the direction A because of the caster mounting of the wheels 38 or 53. Clearly, a similar technique is advantageous, although not essential, during the return from the inoperative transport position of Figure 4 to the working position of Figure 3 of the drawings.

Although certain features of the implement combination embodiments that have been described and/or that are illustrated in the accompany drawings will be set forth in the following claims as inventive features, it is emphasized that the invention is not necessarily limited to those features and that it includes within its scope each of the parts of each implement combination embodiment that has been described, and/or that is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, both individually and in various combinations.

Claims (21)

1. A soil cultivating implement of the kind set forth, wherein a major portion of the carrying frame is upwardly and downwardly displaceable in level relative to the level of said rotatable supporting members.

2. An implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotatable supporting members of the carrying frame are so arranged as to be outside the path of travel of any tractor or other vehicle employed to move and operate the implement in the use of the latter.

3. An implement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said soil working members are arranged in a row that extends substantially horizontally perpendicular, or at least transverse, to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement so as to be rotatable about substantially vertical, or at least upwardly extending, axes, and wherein said frame portion is sustained from the ground surface, when the implement is in use, by a roller, the rotatable supporting members of said carrying frame being located, considered in the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, between said roller and any implement, tool or machine to be employed in combination with the soil cultivating implement.

4. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said carrying frame is pivotable upwardly and downwardly relative to said frame portion about an axis which, as seen in plan view, is located closely adjacent to the front of that frame portion with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement.

5. A carrying frame constructed and arranged for use in connecting an implement, tool or machine to a soil cultivating implement as claimed in any preceding claim, such implement, tool or machine being employed in combination with that soil cultivating implement.

6. A carrying frame as claimed in claim 5, wherein each rotatable supporting member has an extent of ground contact, measured in a direction parallel to its axis of rotation, which is not less than substantially equal to its own diameter.

7. A carrying frame as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the rotatable supporting members are provided in pairs with the two members in each pair spaced from one another.

8. A carrying frame as claimed in claim 7, wherein the two rotatable supporting members of each pair are arranged so that their planes of rotation are angularly displaceable about a common substantially vertical, or at least upright, axis.

9. A carrying frame as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the perpendicular distance between the relatively remote sides of the two rotatable supporting members of each pair is not less than substantially equal to the diameter of one of them.

10. A carrying frame as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein each rotatable supporting member is upwardly and downwardly adjustable in bodily level relative to that of a major portion of the carrying frame through the intermediary of a pivot able polygonal linkage.

11. A carrying frame as claimed in claim 10, wherein the general plane of each pivotable poly gonal linkage is marginally inclined to a substantially vertical plane that is perpendicular to the intended direction of operative travel of the carrying frame.

12. A carrying frame as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein said frame comprises two relatively spaced substantially vertical or at least upright beams, two of said pivotable polygonal linkages being provided at the sides of said beams which are furthest remote from one another.

13. A carrying frame as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein a substantially vertical, or at least upwardly extending, axis or said substantially vertical, or at least upwardly extending, axis about which the plane of rotation of at least one corresponding rotatable supporting member is anguiarly displaceable is embodied in a shaft which isturnably journalled in a displaceable upright member of a corresponding one of the pivotable polygonal linkages.

14. A carrying frame as claimed in claim 13, wherein the substantially vertical, or at least upwardly extending, axis about which the plane of rotation of each rotatable supporting member is angularly displaceable is located in advance of the axis of rotation of that rotatable supporting member when each rotatable supporting member is disposed in its normal position of use.

15. A carrying frame as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein setting means is provided by which the disposition of each pivotable polygonal linkage can be adjusted from a location that is remote from that linkage.

16. A carrying frame as claimed in claim 15, wherein said setting means comprises at least one fluid-pressure operated piston and cylinder assembly.

17. A carrying frame as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 16, wherein each pivotable polygonal linkage is a parallelogram linkage.

18. A carrying frame as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 17, wherein each rotatable supporting member has a diameter of substantially 50 cms.

19. A carrying frame as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 18, wherein each rotatable supporting member is in the form of a pneumatically-tyred ground wheel.

20. A carrying frame as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 19, wherein the rear of the frame, with respect to the intended direction of operative travel thereof, is provided with a three-point coupling for cooperation with the three-point coupling member or trestle of an auxiliary implement, tool or machine that may be connected to the carrying frame during operation.

21. A soil cultivating implement of the kind set forth substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, or with reference to Figures 1 to 4 as modified by Figure 5, of the accompanying drawings.