JP7823880B2 - groove cutting machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a furrow cutting machine that forms furrows to quickly drain fields, and more specifically to a furrow cutting machine that connects furrows at their intersections.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a furrow cutting machine has been used to form furrows for quickly draining a field.
For example, the present applicant has proposed a furrow cutting machine that can easily and properly form such furrows. The furrow cutting machine shown in Patent Document 1 has a front wheel that is driven, and when an operator straddles the machine and operates it like a bicycle within the field, the furrow cutting plate at the rear allows the operator to easily cut a furrow with a bottom surface that has slopes on both sides.

JP 2017-184700 A

However, if a second groove is formed using this same groove cutting machine from a direction perpendicular to the groove already formed, the second groove will be formed in a way that blocks the flow of water from the first groove. For this reason, in the past, it was necessary to manually collapse the second groove to ensure water flow.

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to easily ensure the flow of water between the grooves cut first and the grooves cut later by a groove cutting machine.

To solve the above problems, the trench cutter of the present invention comprises a drive mechanism having a drive wheel mounted on the front of the frame and a drive source for rotating the drive wheel; a steering handle mounted on the front of the frame; a trench cutting section having a trench cutting member located on the rear of the frame; and a soil crushing mechanism having a soil crushing member disposed at the rear end of the trench cutting member. The trench cutting member forms a trench according to its shape when a load is applied, and also forms a slope on the side of the formed trench. The soil crushing mechanism is configured to be switchable by a switching mechanism through operation of an operating unit between a first state in which the soil crushing member moves away from the slope of the trench formed by the trench cutting member, and a second state in which the soil crushing member protrudes to enter the slope of the trench formed by the trench cutting member.

The operating unit is preferably configured to be switchable by an operating member disposed in front of the operator riding on the vehicle via a transmission member.
The transmission member may be a wire, and the operating member may be a lever that pulls the wire.

The soil crushing member may be configured to be constantly biased to the second state and to be displaceable to the first state by an operating member.
The switching mechanism may be configured such that the soil crushing member is fixed to a spring hinge fixed to the furrow cutting portion and is always biased to be in the second state.

It is preferable that the soil crushing member be displaced to the first state side when an obstacle comes into contact with the soil crushing member and a load equal to or greater than a threshold value is generated.
It is also preferable that the operating section includes a locking mechanism that can fix the soil crushing member in a position where the soil crushing member is in the first state.

It is preferable that the groove cutting member has a top end that forms a top edge that is continuous with the slope formed on the side of the formed groove.

The groove cutting machine of the present invention makes it easy to ensure water flow between the grooves cut first and the grooves cut later.

1 is a perspective view from the upper left rear showing the entire groove cutting machine of this embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the groove cutting machine of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the groove cutting machine of this embodiment with the handle turned. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of only the crushing mechanism extracted from the trench cutter of FIG. 1 . FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the operating section from the soil crushing mechanism of FIG. 4 . FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion of the groove cutting plate from the soil crushing mechanism of FIG. 4 . 6 is a perspective view showing the soil crushing member in a second state from the groove cutting plate of FIG. 5. FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the soil crushing member in the first state shown in FIG. 7; FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the soil crushing member in a second state. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the soil crushing member in the first state shown in FIG. 9 . FIG. 10 is a right side view showing the soil crushing member in a second state. FIG. 12 is a right side view showing the soil crushing member in the first state shown in FIG. 11 . FIG. 10 is a rear view showing the soil crushing member in the second state. FIG. 14 is a rear view showing the soil crushing member in the first state shown in FIG. 13. An oblique view from the lower left front showing the soil crushing member in a second state. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the soil crushing member in the first state shown in FIG. 15 . 1A is a plan view, FIG. 1B is a rear view, and FIG. 1C is a right side view of a groove cutting plate portion in a first state of the present embodiment. 10A is a plan view, FIG. 10B is a rear view, and FIG. 10C is a right side view of the groove cutting plate portion in the second state of the present embodiment. 1A to 1E are diagrams showing the procedure for groove cutting work using the groove cutting machine of this embodiment. 1A to 1E are diagrams showing the procedure for trench cutting work at an intersection using the trench cutting machine of this embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a furrow before intersection during furrow cutting work in a farm field. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a state in which intersecting grooves are cut by a conventional groove cutting machine. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the state in which intersecting grooves have been cut by the groove cutting machine of the present embodiment. 1 is a schematic diagram of an intersection when cutting intersecting grooves with the groove cutting machine of this embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an intersection after cutting intersecting grooves with the groove cutting machine of this embodiment. FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view from the upper left rear showing the soil harrowing member in a second state according to another embodiment; FIG. 27 is a perspective view showing the soil crushing member in the first state shown in FIG. 26 .

One embodiment of the groove cutter of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
(Outline of this embodiment)
In rice cultivation, mid-season drainage is performed a certain period after planting to prevent ineffective tillers and promote root development. Ditch cutting is also performed to promote drainage. In recent years, this process has often involved the use of a furrow cutting machine. With a furrow cutting machine like the furrow cutting machine 1 of this embodiment, an operator can operate the furrow cutting process efficiently. With such a furrow cutting machine, as shown in Figure 19(c), a furrow D is created by clearing the soil with a furrow cutting plate 40 to form a deep bottom B. The soil discharged from this bottom B forms slopes S on both sides. The top of this slope S forms a horizontal plane called a crest T, whose height is approximately equal to the water bottom WB. Outside the crest T, residual soil SS from the formation of the furrow D forms a ridge-like shape. Its height is generally lower than the water level WL but higher than the water bottom WB. Therefore, the introduction of water from the sides of the furrow D is restricted to the area sandwiched between the residual soil SS.

The trench cutting work involves forming trench D1 along the spacing between the rice rows, as shown in Figure 21. Then, as shown in Figure 22, the machine makes a 90-degree turn to form trench D2 so that it intersects with the previously formed trench D1. At this point, Figure 20(c) shows a cross section of the S2-S2 portion of Figure 22. As shown in Figure 20(c), a slope S for the new trench D2 is formed, blocking the previously formed trench D1. This slope S blocks the flow of water between trench D1 and trench D2 at the intersection C. Therefore, in the past, after forming trench D2 as shown in Figure 22, the slope S at the intersection C was manually destroyed, creating a state as shown in Figure 23 to allow water W to flow through. However, this work required the operator to get off the trench cutting machine to break down the SS section, or to break down the surplus soil SS section while still on the machine, which placed an extremely heavy workload on the operator.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a mechanism for easily directing water to the intersection C in the groove cutting machine.
(Configuration of this embodiment)
<Overall structure>
The overall configuration of the groove cutting machine 1 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the upper left rear showing the entire groove cutting machine 1 of this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the groove cutting machine 1 of this embodiment.
The trenching machine 1 of this embodiment is ridden by an operator straddling a saddle 36 with his feet on the ground, and is shaped like a bicycle overall, but rather than being driven by pedaling with a chain, the driving wheels 21 are driven by an engine 22 on the front wheel. Also, a trenching plate 40 is provided in place of the rear wheel of the bicycle.

<Driver 2>
A drive unit 2 is disposed at the front of the vehicle body. The drive unit 2 is equipped with drive wheels 21. The output of an engine 22, which is a drive source, is transmitted to the drive wheels 21 via a power transmission shaft 23 to a gear box 24, which is a drive mechanism. The rotational speed is reduced in the gear box 24, and the drive force is transmitted to the drive wheels 21 via hubs 21c inside the gear box 24, thereby driving the drive wheels 21 to rotate.

As such, the drive wheel 21 consists of an outer ring 21b with anti-slip pads 21a provided at regular intervals, and spokes 21d connecting the outer ring 21b to the hub 21c. The drive wheel 21, engine 22, power transmission shaft 23, and gearbox 24 make up the drive unit 2.

<Front 3F of frame>
The hub 21c of the drive wheel 21 is rotatably supported from one side via a gear box 24 fixed to an inverted U-shaped front fork 31. A handle stem 32 is provided on the upper part of the front fork 31, and a handle 30 is provided on the upper end of the handle stem 32.

As described above, the front frame portion 3F is made up of the front fork 31 (drive wheel support portion), the handle stem 32 (handle shaft), and the handle 30 for steering.
A handle stem 32 of the front frame portion 3F passes through a cylindrical head tube 33 of the rear frame portion 3R and is supported so as to be freely rotatable.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the trench cutter 1 of this embodiment with the handlebars 30 turned. The state shown in Figure 2 is the position of the handlebars 30 when traveling straight. When the operator applies force to the handlebars 30 from this position in the direction of the arrow as shown in Figure 3, a clockwise moment force is generated around the handlebar stem 32 in a plan view, causing the handlebars 30 to rotate to the right around the handlebar stem 32. At this time, the front fork 31 and the drive unit 2 supported thereon also rotate to the right. As a result, the drive wheel 21 also deviates to the right relative to the rear frame portion 3R, and the course of the trench cutter 1 changes direction to the right relative to the direction of straight travel.

<Rear frame 3R>
The handle stem 32 is fitted into a cylindrical head tube 33 at the rear frame portion 3R and is supported so as to be freely rotatable.

The top tube 34, a straight, rectangular pipe with a vertically elongated cross section, is connected to the generally vertical head tube 33 and extends diagonally downward to the rear. A generally vertical seat tube 35 is attached to the rear end of the top tube 34. This seat tube 35 is a cylindrical metal pipe with an open top, into which a cylindrical seat post (not shown) with an outer diameter slightly smaller than its inner diameter is slidably inserted. A saddle 36 is attached to the upper end of the seat post. The saddle 36 consists of a horizontal metal plate welded to the seat post, an elastic body such as a sponge or spring inside the upper part, and a vinyl leather outer skin that encases these, allowing the operator to straddle the bike stably and comfortably.

A seat height adjustment member is provided at the upper end of the seat tube 35, and the saddle 36 can be adjusted to any height by tightening or loosening the inserted seat post.
A round pipe-shaped upper stay 37 extends straight rearward behind the seat tube 35, on the extension line of the top tube 34. This upper stay 37 bends toward the ground midway. A lower stay 38, made of a square pipe similar to the top tube 34, extends straight from near the bottom end of the seat tube 35 in parallel with the upper stay 37 and merges with it. The lower end of the upper stay 37 is open, forming a grooved mounting portion 39.

As such, the rear frame section 3R is composed of the head tube (handle shaft support section) 33, top tube 34, seat tube 35, saddle 36, upper stay 37, lower stay 38, and grooved section mounting section 39.

<Groove section 4>
A groove cutting section 4 is disposed at the rear of the vehicle body. A groove cutting plate stay 41 made of a round pipe with an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the upper stay 37 is inserted into a groove cutting section mounting section 39 on the rear frame section 3R. A groove cutting plate 40 is fixed to the lower end of the groove cutting plate stay 41. The groove cutting plate 40 is attached to the groove cutting section mounting section 39 so that the angle can be slightly changed by the groove cutting plate stay 41, and is fixed with a pin inserted into a through hole that passes through the groove cutting section mounting section 39 and the groove cutting plate stay 41 in the diameter direction. The through holes are arranged in three rows, one above the other, allowing the vertical mounting position to be adjusted.

Figure 17 shows (a) a plan view, (b) a rear view, and (c) a right side view of a portion of the groove cutting plate 40 in the first state of this embodiment. Figure 18 shows (a) a plan view, (b) a rear view, and (c) a right side view of a portion of the groove cutting plate 40 in the second state of this embodiment. As shown in Figures 17(a) and 18(a), the groove cutting plate 40 has an overall shield shape in plan view, with the front portion being a roughly isosceles triangle that is long from front to back and the rear portion being a roughly isosceles triangle that is short from front to back.

As shown in Figures 17(b) and 18(b), the groove plate 40 is generally hexagonal and elongated in the vertical direction when viewed from the rear, with top ends 42c extending to the left and right.
17(c) and 18(c), the trench cutting plate 40 has a horizontal bottom surface 42b formed at the bottom when viewed from the right side, and a generally triangular slope 42a formed diagonally upward from the front end of the bottom surface 42b toward the front. A horizontal top edge 42c is formed diagonally upward toward the front along the upper end of the slope 42a. When the trench cutting plate 40 moves forward (leftward in FIG. 17(c)), the top edge 42c compresses the soil discharged to the left and right of the trench from above, forming a horizontal top edge T.

<Groove cutting procedure>
Figure 19 is a diagram showing the procedure for trench cutting work using the trench cutting machine 1 of this embodiment. In the S1-S1 portion of Figure 22, starting from the state where there is no trench D as shown in Figure 19(a), a trench D is cut with a trench cutting plate 40 as shown in Figure 19(b). At this time, the shape of the trench cutting plate 40 is transferred, and as shown in Figure 19(c), the trench D is formed with a horizontal bottom surface B and a pair of opposing slopes S, S consisting of flat surfaces that widen toward the top.

Flange-shaped top ends 42c, 42c extend horizontally in the width direction from the upper ends of the sloped surfaces 42a, 42a of the trench cutting plate 40. These top ends 42c, 42c, together with the bottom surface 42b and sloped surfaces 42a, 42a, align the top of the soil removed to the side during trench cutting to a certain height, forming the top end T. The top end 42c acts to prevent the trench cutting plate 40 from sinking more than necessary into the soft soil, and for this reason, the top end T is typically formed at approximately the same height as the water bottom WB.

The bottom surface 42b, slope surface 42a, and top surface 42c remove soil from the bottom WB and push it out to the side of the trench D as residual soil SS. The residual soil SS forms a ridge-like mound along the top T of the trench D. Its height is higher than the top T and lower than the water surface WL.

<Soil crushing mechanism 5>
Figure 4 is a perspective view of only the crushing mechanism 5 extracted from the trench cutter 1 of Figure 1. The crushing mechanism 5 is composed of an operating unit 50, a transmission member (wire 54, etc.), a switching mechanism (spring hinge 58, etc.), and a crushing member 59.

The soil crushing mechanism 5 provides an opportunity to collapse the slopes S, S on both sides of the trench D formed by the trench cutting plate 40 at the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 arranged at the rear end of the trench cutting plate 40.
<Basic action of the soil crushing mechanism 5>
The trench cutter 1 of this embodiment can be switched between a "first state" in which the soil crushing mechanism 5 does not operate, and a "second state" in which the soil crushing mechanism 5 operates.

Now, with reference to Figure 19, we will explain the basic operation of the soil crushing mechanism 5 when the furrow cutter 1 is in the "second state." Here, we will explain the operation of the soil crushing mechanism 5 in a field where a furrow D has not yet been formed, such as furrow D1 shown in Figure 21. When the furrow cutter 1 is changed from the state shown in Figure 19(a) to the second state and a furrow is cut, the furrow cutting plate 40 first passes through to form furrow D, as shown in Figure 19(b). At this stage, the entrance portion 59b of the furrow cutting member 59 arranged behind the furrow cutting plate 40 has not yet passed, so the operation of the furrow cutting plate 40 to form furrow D in the first and second states is the same and there is no difference. As a result, a furrow D such as that shown in Figure 19(c) is first formed.

As the trencher 1 advances further, in the first state, the entry section 59b passes without touching the slope S, completing the process with trench D formed. Meanwhile, in the second state, immediately after trench D is formed, the entry section 59b of the soil-breaking member 59 disposed behind the trenching plate 40 passes under the slope S. At this stage, as shown in Figure 19(d), the entry sections 59b, 59b enter the lower parts of the slopes S, S, gouging out a portion of the lower part of the slopes S, S that were just formed by the trenching plate 40. These slopes S, S are formed by compacting soft, moist soil with the trenching plate 40, but are susceptible to collapse due to water pressure if triggered. As a result, the upper parts of the slopes S, S whose lower parts have been gouged out, as well as the tops T, T, collapse, as shown in Figure 19(e). Furthermore, the residual soil SS, SS formed outside of them also collapses.

<Action at Intersection C of Soil Crushing Mechanism 5>
Next, the operation of the soil crushing mechanism 5 at the intersection C when the trench cutter 1 is in the "second state" will be described with reference to Figure 20. At the S0-S0 portion of Figure 21, which will become the intersection C, the bottom surface B of the trench D1 is formed deeper than the original water bottom WB, as shown in Figure 20(a). When the trench cutting plate 40 enters the intersection C from this state as shown in Figure 20(b), although soil has already been removed by the trench D1 at the intersection C, as shown in Figure 20(c), slopes S, S are formed by the soil carried by the top end 42c. In this case, because the amount of soil is small, residual soil SS, SS as shown in Figure 19(c) is often not formed. Even so, the slopes S, S obstruct the flow of the already cut trench D1. When a new trench D2 is created by intersecting an already cut trench D1 as shown in Figure 22, the slope S of the new trench D2 obstructs the flow of water W in the already formed trench D1. Up to this point, the action is the same whether the groove cutter 1 is in the "first state" or the "second state."

After this, the trench cutter 1 is set to the "second state," and as shown in Figure 20 (d), the crushing mechanism 5 causes the entry portion 59b of the crushing member 59 to enter the lower part of the slopes S, S of the new trench D2 with the entry portion 59b of the crushing member 59 protruding.

As a result, simply by protruding the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 and entering the slopes S, S, and scraping away the lower part, this triggers the collapse of the slopes S, S. Furthermore, the water pressure from the water flowing into the new trench D2 or the already formed trench D1 that intersects with it accelerates the collapse, resulting in a gentle shape that does not interfere with the flow of water between trenches D1 and D2, as shown in Figure 20(e).

<Effect after passing through intersection C>
It is necessary not to damage the slopes S, S of the newly formed trench D2 except when it intersects with the already formed trench D1. Therefore, after passing through the intersection C, the trench cutter 1 is set to the "first state" in which the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 is positioned away from the slopes S, S.

The operator can easily switch from the "first state" to the "second state" by operating the lever 51 located near the handle 30 while straddling the saddle 36 of the trench cutting machine 1 when crossing an already formed trench D1. Once the operator has passed the already formed trench D1, they can easily return from the "second state" to the "first state" by operating the lever 51 again. Furthermore, when the lever 51 is in the first state, the first state is always maintained by the locking mechanism 52, allowing the operator to continue trench cutting work without having to do anything.

<Configuration of soil crushing mechanism 5>
The operating unit 50, transmission member (wire 54, etc.), switching mechanism (spring hinge 58, etc.), and soil crushing member 59 that constitute the soil crushing mechanism 5 will be described in detail below.

<Operation unit 50>
FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the operating unit 50 from the soil crushing mechanism 5 in FIG. 4 . The operating unit 50 includes a mounting base 53b, a rectangular metal plate, fixed to the handle stem 32 ( FIG. 1 ) by a mounting portion 53a, with its surface oriented along the direction of travel. A lever 51 is rotatably attached to the mounting base 53b via a pivot 51b. The lever 51 has a rod-shaped operating end 51a extending radially from the pivot 51b. The lever 51 has a range of motion from a generally vertically upward position (second position) to a generally horizontal position (first position) as shown in FIG. 5 . A locking recess 52b is recessed into the operating end 51a on the mounting base 53b side. The mounting base 53b also includes a spring plunger 52a that constitutes the locking mechanism 52. The spring plunger 52a is a well-known mechanical component for positioning and securing the lever 51. A spring is built into the cylindrical body, and the ball or pin at the tip sinks into the body when a load is applied, and returns to its original position by the force of the spring when the load is released. The spring plunger 52a is provided so as to protrude to the left in the direction of travel of the groove cutter 1. When the lever 51 reaches the first position and the tip of the spring plunger 52a engages with the locking recess 52b, the rotation of the lever 51 is restricted. As will be described later, the lever 51 is biased by the wire 54 toward the second position, but is locked in the first position by the spring plunger 52a.

When the operator uses their finger to urge the lever 51, which is locked in this first position, toward the second position, the tip of the spring plunger 52a sinks into the main body, releasing the lock. Then, the lever 51 is urged by the wire 54 and automatically returns to the second position.

<Transmission component>
The wire 54 constituting the transmission member is a wire equivalent to a bicycle wire cable. An inner cable 54b made of stranded steel wire is freely inserted into a hollow outer cable 54a, which is made of spirally wound steel wire and coated with vinyl. One end of the wire 54 is connected to the operating unit 50. The outer cable 54a of the wire 54 is fixed to the mounting base 53b. The inner cable 54b is fixed to the pivot shaft 51b of the lever 51. Therefore, when the lever 51 is tilted horizontally from the second position shown in FIG. 5 to the first position, the inner cable 54b is pulled. At this time, the end of the outer cable 54a is fixed to the mounting base 53b and cannot move. Therefore, the inner cable 54b slides within the outer cable 54a. As shown in FIG. 4, the other end of the inner cable 54b of the wire 54 is fixed to a spring hinge 58, which is a switching mechanism for the soil-crushing mechanism 5 fixed to the groove cutting plate 40.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion of Figure 4 extending from the soil crushing mechanism 5 to the trench cutting plate 40. The wire 54 is branched into two wires 54, 54 by a branch wire 55. The two branched wires 54, 54 have outer cables 54a, 54a fixed to wire fixing portions 56 fixed to the lower stay 38. Inner cables 54b, 54b are pulled out from the outer cables 54a, 54a. Carabiner-shaped hooks 57, 57 are attached to the ends of the inner cables 54b, 54b, respectively. These hooks 57, 57 are connected to holes in the wire mounting portion 58f of the spring hinge 58, which serves as the switching mechanism. At this time, the inner cables 54b, 54b pulled out from the wire fixing portion 56 are connected to the wire mounting portion 58f in a crossed state. As a result, the wire mounting portions 58f, 58f are pulled from inside the trench cutting machine 1.

<Switching mechanism (spring hinge 58, etc.)>
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the soil crushing member 59 in the second state from the groove cutting plate 40 in FIG. 5 . A spring hinge 58, which serves as a switching mechanism, is located along one side of the upper end of the rear portion of the V-shaped groove cutting plate 40 in a plan view. The spring hinge 58 has a torsion coil spring 58e passing through a pin (not shown) that penetrates the interior of a typical hinge joint. The arms extending linearly from both ends of the torsion coil spring 58e are fixed to the blades 58a, 58a on both sides of the hinge. Therefore, when the opening angle of the pair of blades 58a, 58a changes (in this case, when they are closed), the torsion coil spring 58e is twisted, storing elastic energy, which acts as an elastic force when the external force is released. In other words, the blades 58a, 58a return to their initial position (in this case, the opening angle of the blades 58a, 58a is approximately 90 degrees).

In the state shown in Figure 7, the elasticity of the torsion coil spring 58e causes the pair of blades 58a, 58a to open approximately 90 degrees, and the pair of blades 58a, 58a are biased to their maximum opening angle. This state is the second state.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the soil crusher 59 of Figure 7 in a first state. When the lever 51 shown in Figure 5 is in the first position, the inner cable 54b of the wire 54 is pulled. This pulls the inner cable 54b, with the wire fixing portion 56 shown in Figure 6 as the base point. When the inner cable 54b shown in Figure 8 is pulled, the hook 57 is pulled. At this time, when the wire mounting portion 58f connected to the hook 57 is pulled, the ends of the blades 58a, 58a are pulled inward. This causes the blades 58a, 58a to rotate in the closing direction, and the two blades 58a, 58a close so that they overlap.

When the soil crushing member 59 in the second state encounters an obstacle at the entrance 59b and generates a load above the threshold, the spring hinge 58 displaces the entrance 59b of the soil crushing member 59 toward the first state. This allows the entrance 59b to absorb the impact and avoid damage to the entrance 59b, for example, if there is a foreign object such as a stone in the soil. Furthermore, even if the entrance 59b hits the base of a rice bundle, the torsion coil spring 58e of the spring hinge 58 does not exert a strong enough force to knock over the rice bundle, so the entrance 59b tilts, protecting the rice.

<Soil crushing member 59>
The soil crusher 59 is a component that penetrates the slope S and triggers the collapse of the slope S. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the soil crusher 59 of this embodiment includes a base plate 59a made of a doughnut-shaped metal plate, and an entry portion 59b that protrudes from one side along the central axis of the base plate 59a. The entry portion 59b of this embodiment is made of a metal wire, with both ends located at opposing positions on the base plate 59a, and the entire structure is formed into a house-shaped ring shape within a plane including the central axis. The base plate 59a is attached to the soil crusher mounting portion 58g with a fixing screw 59c that penetrates a hole in its center. The soil crusher mounting portion 58g is an L-shaped component with orthogonal planes. One side is fixed to the screw hole 58d of the blade 58a, and the base plate 59a is attached to a mounting hole provided on the other side with a fixing screw 59c. Therefore, the base plate 59a and the blade 58a are perpendicular to each other. The base plate 59a can be rotated by loosening the fixing screw 59c, thereby changing the orientation of the entrance portion 59b. The base plate 59a and the soil crushing member mounting portion 58g have multiple corresponding projections and recesses, which enable positioning in a changed orientation and prevent the orientation of the entrance portion 59b from changing when the fixing screw 59c is tightened.

<First state and second state>
The second state shown in FIG. 7 and the first state shown in FIG. 8 will be described with reference to other drawings.

Figure 9 is a plan view showing the soil crushing member in a second state. Figure 10 is a plan view showing the soil crushing member in a first state as shown in Figure 9. The second state is a state in which the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 is entered into the slope S. As shown in Figure 9, in the second state, the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 is sufficiently extended to the left and right, and is positioned so that it can enter the slope S. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 10, in the first state, the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 is retracted inward, and the soil crushing member 59 is separated from the slope S.

Figure 11 is a right side view showing the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 in the second state. Figure 12 is a right side view showing the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 with Figure 11 in the first state. Even when viewed from the right side, in the second state as shown in Figure 11, the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 protrudes horizontally. As shown in Figure 12, in the first state, the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 jumps up diagonally upward, and the soil crushing member 59 is separated from the slope S. In particular, Figure 11 clearly shows that in the second state, the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 deeply digs into the portion of the slope S near the bottom B.

Figure 13 is a rear view showing the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 in the second state. Figure 14 is a rear view showing the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 with Figure 13 in the first state. Even when viewed from the rear, in the second state as shown in Figure 13, the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 protrudes horizontally. As shown in Figure 14, in the first state, the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 jumps up diagonally and is separated from the slope S. It can also be seen from Figure 11 that in the second state, the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 deeply digs into the portion near the bottom B of the slope S.

Figure 15 is a perspective view from the lower right front showing the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 in the second state. Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 in the first state shown in Figure 15. As shown in Figure 15, the groove cutting surface 42 of the groove cutting plate 40 has a horizontal bottom surface 42b, a slope portion 42a that extends upward from the bottom surface 42b, and a horizontal flange-shaped top end 42c at its upper end. As shown in Figure 15, even when viewed from approximately the same plane as the slope portion 42a, the positional relationship in which the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 is deeply embedded in the face of the slope portion 42a is clearly visible. In contrast, as shown in Figure 16, when viewed from approximately the same plane as the slope portion 42a, the positional relationship in which the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 is spaced apart from the face of the slope portion 42a is clearly visible.

(Operation of this embodiment)
The groove cutting machine 1 of this embodiment has the above-described configuration and therefore has the following functions.

Figure 17 shows (a) a plan view, (b) a rear view, and (c) a right side view of a portion of the groove cutting plate 40 in the first state of this embodiment. Figure 18 shows (a) a plan view, (b) a rear view, and (c) a right side view of a portion of the groove cutting plate 40 in the second state of this embodiment.

<Normal groove cutting work>
FIG. 19 shows the procedure for trench cutting using the trench cutting machine 1 of this embodiment. When performing normal trench cutting from the state shown in FIG. 19( a), the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 is moved away from the slope S formed by the trench cutting plate 40, as shown in FIG. 19( b). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 19( c), the bottom surface 42b of the trench cutting plate 40 is pressed into the water bottom WB, pushing soil out on both sides and forming the bottom surface B of the trench D. The soil pushed out on both sides is leveled by the slope surface 42a of the trench cutting plate 40, forming a flat slope S. The top of the slope S is leveled by the top end 42c of the trench cutting plate 40, forming the top edge T. At this time, the slope S and top edge T of the trench D are compressed by the trench cutting plate 40, removing moisture and compacting the soil. The remaining soil is pushed out to the sides of the top edge T, forming a ridge-like residual soil SS on the water bottom WB.

The bottom surface B of the trench D formed in this way is deeper than the water depth in the field. The slope S of the trench D is also formed up to the top T, which is approximately the same height as the water bottom WB. The ridge-shaped waste soil SS formed around it is higher than the water bottom WB and lower than the water surface WL. This ridge-shaped waste soil SS is highly fluid and contains moisture, and is washed away and leveled by the water current.

<Action of the soil crushing member 59>
As shown in Figure 19(b), the work is the same up to the formation of the trench D in the first state by the normal trench cutting work shown in Figure 17. In the second state in which the earth crushing member 59 is actuated, the entry portion 59b of the earth crushing member 59 immediately after the trench cutting plate 40 enters the part of the formed slope S close to the bottom surface B, as shown in Figure 19(d).

The trench cutting operation of this embodiment will now be described in order. First, Fig. 19(a) shows the state before trench cutting operation. Here, water W is stored on the water bottom WB up to the water surface WL.
Figure 19(b) shows trench cutting work using a trench cutting plate 40. Here, the trench cutting plate 40 forms a trench D with a horizontal bottom surface B, slopes S, S on both sides, and tops T, T, as shown in Figure 19(c). Furthermore, ridge-like residual soil SS, SS is formed on the outside of the tops T, T.

Figure 19(d) shows the state in which the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59, positioned immediately behind the groove cutting plate 40, enters the slope S. Note that only the entry portions 59b, 59b are shown; the groove cutting plate 40 is omitted.

Figure 19 (e) shows the state after the entry section 59b of the soil crushing member 59 has entered the slope S. When the entry section 59b cuts into the slope S, the slope S collapses. When the slope S collapses, the top T also collapses, and the ridge-like residual soil SS also collapses, causing water W to enter. The water flow causes the residual soil SS on both sides of the ditch D to collapse, dropping below the water bottom WB. As a result, there is nothing to obstruct the flow of water W into the ditch D from the surrounding area, and water W can now flow into the ditch D from the surrounding area.

<Procedure for cutting furrows in the field>
Figure 21 is a schematic diagram showing furrows before intersection during furrow cutting work in a farm field. In the farm field, furrows D1 are cut from a water inlet (not shown) along the row spacing. First, the furrow is cut along the ridge. For work efficiency, once a furrow is cut in one direction, the furrow is turned 180 degrees at the end of the field and the next furrow D1 is cut several rows apart. Finally, it is connected to a water outlet that drains water out of the field.

Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of the state in which intersecting ditches have been cut using a conventional trench cutter. In other words, this is the same as the state in which a trench is cut in the first state using the trench cutter 1 of this embodiment without using the soil crushing mechanism 5. When a new trench D2 is cut so that it intersects with an already cut trench D1, the slope S of the new trench D2 makes it difficult for the water flow in the already cut trench D1 to flow. In addition, the water flowing into the new trench D2 also makes it difficult for it to flow into the already cut trench D1.

Figure 23 is a schematic diagram of the trench cutting machine 1 of this embodiment in the second state, cutting an intersecting trench D2. In this embodiment, the water flow in these intersecting trenches D1 and D2 is freed up, improving the drainage effect.

<Destruction of slope S by soil crushing member 59 at intersection C>
Figure 24 is a schematic plan view of the intersection C when the trench cutter 1 of this embodiment cuts an intersecting trench D2. The procedure for changing the state shown in Figure 22 to the state shown in Figure 23 is described below. First, with the trench cutter 1 in the first state, a new trench D2 is formed perpendicular to the already cut trench D1. Then, when the entry section 59b of the soil crushing mechanism 5 passes the switching point P1, the operator operates the lever 51 to switch from the first state to the second state. This causes a portion of the slope S to be gouged out, causing the slope S to collapse. This triggers the collapse of the top T and the residual soil SS. At this time, because the bottom B of the trench is deeper than the water bottom WB of the surrounding field, the water W around the trench D2 flows into the trench D2. At this time, the soft soil that formed the ridge-like residual soil SS also flows away, causing the residual soil SS to sink below the water bottom WB. Furthermore, when the entry part 59b of the soil crushing mechanism 5 reaches the intersection C, the ridge-shaped residual soil SS in the trench D1 is also destroyed. Then, when the entry part 59b of the soil crushing mechanism 5 reaches the center of the trench D1, the flow of water W from the trench D1 also causes the residual soil SS in the trench D2 to collapse in the same way.

Figure 25 is a schematic diagram of the intersection C after cutting the intersecting trench D2 in the second state of the trench cutter 1 of this embodiment. The above-described action connects trench D1 and trench D2. Then, when the entry section 59b of the trench cutter 1's soil crushing mechanism 5 passes through switching point P2, the operator again operates the lever 51 to switch from the second state to the first state. This again creates a trench D with a bottom surface B, a slope S, a top surface T, and residual soil SS, allowing water to flow efficiently. To form trench D in this way, trench D1 and trench D2 are connected. Furthermore, surrounding water W from the collapsed slope S also easily flows into trench D2. Furthermore, in areas other than intersection C, the regularly shaped trench D efficiently promotes drainage of the field.

The action described in this embodiment is just one example, and its action will change depending on the height of the water surface WL in the field, the viscosity and fluidity of the soil due to its properties and water content. The action will also change depending on the state of entry of the trench cutting plate 40 into the water bottom WB, and the relative positions of the trench cutting plate 40 and the water bottom WB. Furthermore, the state of collapse of the residual soil SS also changes depending on the flow of water W. In either state, when the entry portion 59b enters the slope S, the slope S collapses, which acts to improve the conductivity of water W at the intersection C of trenches D1 and D2.

In addition, while this embodiment describes a case where the new trench D2 intersects with an already cut trench D1, even in places where the trenches D do not intersect, changing the soil crushing mechanism 5 from the first state to the second state can also have the effect of promoting the introduction of water into the trench D from the surrounding field. In this case, by cutting the residual soil SS down to the water bottom WB, it is possible to prevent the residual soil SS from obstructing the water flow near the water bottom WB.

(Effects of the embodiment)
(1) The furrow cutter 1 of this embodiment has the advantage of easily ensuring the flow of water between the first cut furrow D1 and the second cut furrow D2 at the intersection C. Furthermore, even in places where the furrows D do not intersect, the introduction of water into the furrows D from the surrounding field can be promoted by changing the soil crushing mechanism 5 from the first state to the second state.

(2) The soil crushing mechanism 5 is configured to be switchable between a first state in which the entry portion 59b is separated from the slope S of the trench D formed by the trench cutting plate 40, and a second state in which it protrudes to enter the slope S, by operating the operating portion 50 using a switching mechanism with a spring hinge 58. This has the effect of allowing the crushing mechanism 5 to arbitrarily collapse the slope S of the trench D that it has formed only when necessary.

(3) The operating unit 50 is configured to be switchable between the first state and the second state by a lever 51 located in front of the operator riding in the vehicle, via a transmission member consisting of a wire 54. This has the effect of allowing the operator to freely switch between the first state and the second state while remaining in the vehicle.

(4) The spring hinge 58, which is the switching mechanism for the soil crushing member 59, is always biased to the second state. Therefore, the operating member only needs to be operated in one direction, which has the effect of simplifying the structure.
(5) As a switching mechanism, the soil crushing member 59 is fixed to a spring hinge 58 fixed to the groove cutting plate 40, and is configured to be constantly biased to the second state. The spring hinge 58 has a torsion coil spring 58e housed inside, which has the effect of making it difficult for foreign matter to enter during the groove cutting operation.

(6) When an obstacle comes into contact with the entry portion 59b of the soil crusher 59 and a load greater than or equal to the threshold is generated, the spring hinge 58 displaces the entry portion 59b to the first state side. This prevents the soil crusher 59 from being damaged by foreign objects or from knocking over the base of the rice bundles.

(7) The lever 51 is equipped with a locking mechanism using a spring plunger 52a that can fix the soil crushing member 59 in a position where it is in the first state. This ensures that the first state is maintained and prevents it from accidentally shifting to the second state and destroying the slope S.

(8) The groove cutting plate 40 has a top end 42c that forms a top end T that is continuous with the slope S formed on the side of the formed groove D. This allows moisture to be drained from the slope S and top end T and compacted. It also prevents the groove cutting plate 40 from sinking more than necessary into the water bottom WB. Furthermore, by ensuring that the height of the slope S is not too high and that the top of the slope S is roughly at the same height as the water bottom WB, a groove D with a regular shape that makes it easy to introduce water W can be formed.

(Another example of the present invention)
The above embodiment is an example of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can modify and implement it as follows.

<Another example of groove cutter 1>
In the present embodiment, the riding trench cutter 1 is illustrated as having the engine 22 in the front, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the trench cutter may have the engine 22 in the rear.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to a riding trencher 1, but may be applied to a hand-pushed trencher.
<Another example of the operation unit 50>
In the present embodiment, the operating unit 50 is disposed on the handle stem 32, and the lever 51 is fixed by the spring plunger 52a. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

The positioning location may be, for example, on the handlebars 30 or the front of the top tube 34, as long as the operator can operate it while cutting the groove.
The lever 51 shown in the drawings may be configured like a bicycle brake lever. Also, a handle grip may be configured to rotate.

The locking mechanism is not limited to the one that uses the spring plunger 52a for fixing, but may be one that uses a ratchet for locking.
It is also desirable to have a configuration in which locking and unlocking are repeated each time an operation is performed.

Alternatively, a toggle mechanism may be used to switch between locking and unlocking.
<Another example of a transmission member>
Although the wire 54 is used in the present embodiment, it may be replaced by a link mechanism, a pneumatic mechanism, or a hydraulic mechanism.

<Another example of a switching mechanism>
The spring hinge 58, which is the switching mechanism in this embodiment, is biased so that it is always in the second state, but it may also be configured so that it is always biased so that it is in the first state and can be switched to the second state by operating the operating unit 50.

- In this embodiment, a spring hinge 58 equipped with a torsion coil spring 58e is used as the switching mechanism, but instead of the spring hinge 58, a spring such as a leaf spring or torsion spring, or a configuration that is biased by air pressure, may also be used.

Alternatively, instead of the spring hinge 58, the soil crushing member 59 may be biased to the second state by the elastic deformation of a plate spring or a plate-shaped resin or rubber having elasticity.
The piston may be configured to move the entry portion 59b in a linear manner, without rotating it. In this case, a magnetic plunger may be electrically used to switch between the first and second states. Alternatively, a pneumatic or hydraulic plunger may be used.

<Another example of the soil crushing member 59>
Figure 26 is a perspective view from the upper right rear showing the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 in the second state of another embodiment. Figure 27 is a perspective view showing the entrance portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 in the first state shown in Figure 26. In the above embodiment, the soil crushing member 59 having a ring-shaped entrance portion 59b is exemplified. This is one example of the soil crushing member 59, and the soil crushing member 59 of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the soil crushing member 59 having the plate-shaped entrance portion 59b shown in Figures 26 and 27 may also be used.

The shape of the entrance portion 59b is not limited to a ring or a plate, but may be a rod, a net, a sphere, or any other shape selected by a person skilled in the art depending on the field and purpose.
It is also preferable that the entry portion 59b be replaceable in consideration of the soil condition.

- In this embodiment, the entry portion 59b of the soil crushing member 59 is made of a highly rigid, rust-resistant metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy. The elastic force of the spring hinge 58 is used to avoid obstacles. As another example, the entry portion 59b may be made of an elastic metal, resin, rubber, or the like, and be configured to avoid obstacles using its own elasticity.

In the present embodiment, the pair of entrance portions 59b are illustrated as a left and right pair. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of entrance portions 59b may be provided.
Although the protruding width and protruding direction of the entry portion 59b in the second state are constant, a person skilled in the art can change the protruding amount and protruding direction in accordance with the soil condition of the field, the row spacing, etc. Furthermore, the protruding width and protruding direction of the entry portion 59b in the second state may be variable.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Groove cutting machine 2... Drive mechanism 21... Drive wheel 21a... Anti-skid 21b... Outer wheel 21c... Hub 21d... Spoke 22... Engine (drive source)
23... Power transmission shaft 24... Gear box 3... Frame 3F... Front frame 3R... Rear frame 30... Handlebar 31... Front fork (drive wheel support part)
32...Handle stem (handle shaft)
33...Head tube (handle shaft support part)
34...Top tube 35...Seat tube (saddle support part)
36... Saddle 37... Upper stay 38... Lower stay 39... Grooving portion mounting portion 4... Grooving portion 40... Grooving plate (grooving member)
41... Groove cutting plate stay 42... Groove cutting surface 42a... Slope portion 42b... Bottom surface portion 42c... Top end portion 5... Soil crushing mechanism 50... Operating portion 51... Lever (operating member)
51a...Operation end 51b...Pivot shaft 52...Lock mechanism 52a...Spring plunger 52b...Latching recess 53a...Mounting portion 53b...Mounting substrate 54...Wire (transmission member)
54a...Outer cable 54b...Inner cable 55...Branch wire 56...Wire fixing portion 57...Hook 58...Spring hinge (switching mechanism)
58a... Blade 58b... Pin 58c... Pipe 58d... Screw hole 58e... Torsion coil spring 58f... Wire attachment part 58g... Soil crushing member attachment part 59... Soil crushing member 59a... Base plate 59b... Entry part 59c... Fixing screw D... Groove B... Bottom surface S... Slope T... Top edge SS... Residual soil C... Intersection W... Water WB... Bottom of water WL... Water surface

Claims (8)

The vehicle comprises a drive mechanism having a drive wheel provided at the front of the frame and a drive source for rotating the drive wheel, a steering handle provided at the front of the frame, a furrow cutting section having a furrow cutting member disposed at the rear of the frame, and an earth crushing mechanism having an earth crushing member disposed at the rear end of the furrow cutting member,
The groove cutting member forms a groove by its shape when a load is applied, and also forms a slope on the side surface of the formed groove,
This trench cutting machine is characterized in that the soil crushing mechanism is configured to be switchable by a switching mechanism operated by an operating unit between a first state in which the soil crushing member moves away from the slope of the trench formed by the trench cutting member, and a second state in which the soil crushing member protrudes to enter the slope of the trench formed by the trench cutting member. The groove cutting machine described in claim 1, characterized in that the operating unit is configured to be switchable via a transmission member by an operating member disposed in front of the operator riding on the machine. The groove cutting machine described in claim 2, characterized in that the transmission member is a wire and the operating member is a lever that pulls the wire. The soil crushing member is always biased to the second state,
2. The groove cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein the groove cutting machine is configured to be displaceable to the first state by an operating member. The trencher described in claim 4, characterized in that the switching mechanism is configured so that the soil crushing member is fixed to a spring hinge fixed to the trenching section and is always biased to the second state. A trenching machine as described in claim 5, characterized in that the soil crushing member is displaced to the first state side when an obstacle comes into contact with the soil crushing member and a load greater than or equal to a threshold is generated. The trenching machine described in claim 4, characterized in that the operating unit is equipped with a locking mechanism that can fix the soil crushing member in a position where it is in the first state. A trenching machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that the trenching member has a top end portion that forms a top edge that is continuous with the slope formed on the side of the formed trench.