IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
UP-0611999
(2006-12-18)
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등록번호 |
US-7802631
(2010-10-21)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- McKinley, Brian J.
- Bailey, Gary
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, McNett & Henry LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
16 |
초록
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An agricultural implement has gangs of soil aerator tools. Each gang includes a set of integral multi-tine units mounted on a frame for rotation in unison. Each tine unit has a hub with tines. The hub has a first surface defining a first set of indexing receivers and a second surface defining a seco
An agricultural implement has gangs of soil aerator tools. Each gang includes a set of integral multi-tine units mounted on a frame for rotation in unison. Each tine unit has a hub with tines. The hub has a first surface defining a first set of indexing receivers and a second surface defining a second set of indexing receivers. At least one indexing spacer separates each tine unit from the next tine unit. Keys of the indexing spacers assemble with selected ones of the first set of indexing receivers or the second set of indexing receivers to establish and maintain a predetermined pattern of rotational index positions among tine units in a group and groups in a gang. A method of rotationally indexing agricultural tools in an assembly. One method includes providing a shaft, tine units, and indexing spacers. Assembly involves sliding a tine unit and an indexing spacer onto the shaft, and assembling in series the tine unit and the indexing spacer on the shaft, such that the indexing spacer orients the tine unit to form an assembly.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for working soil, comprising: a frame having a hitch to be pulled behind a tractor in a direction of travel; at least two gang assemblies mounted to said frame, wherein one of said at least two gang assemblies is offset a distance in a direction of travel from a
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for working soil, comprising: a frame having a hitch to be pulled behind a tractor in a direction of travel; at least two gang assemblies mounted to said frame, wherein one of said at least two gang assemblies is offset a distance in a direction of travel from a second of said at least two gang assemblies, and wherein each gang assembly extends in a forwardly inclined direction converging from an outside of said frame toward a centerline of said frame in the direction of travel; wherein each gang assembly includes a plurality of tine units slidable onto a shaft to mount said tine units in series for rotation in unison across the width of said shaft, each of said tine units is rotatable about said shaft, each of said tine units having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub; wherein said hub has a first surface defining a first set of indexing features and a second surface defining a second set of indexing features, said first set of indexing features is different in number than said second set of indexing features; and a plurality of indexing spacers slidable onto said shaft for mounting thereon, said plurality of indexing spacers is rotatable about said shaft, said plurality of indexing spacers having a third set of indexing features thereon, at least one indexing spacer of said plurality of indexing spacers separating each tine unit from the next tine unit in said series of tine units, and for assembling said tine units and said spacers on said shaft with said third set of indexing features of said indexing spacers interlocked with selected ones of said first set of indexing features or said second set of indexing features. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tine units establish and maintain a predetermined angular orientation of said tines. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said indexing spacers includes a first face and a second face, said first face being adapted to interlock with either one of said first set of indexing features or said second set of indexing features, and said second face being adapted to interlock with the other one of said first set of indexing features or said second set of indexing features. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least two gang assemblies are suspended from said frame. 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a portion of a first of said at least two gang assemblies intercepts a vertical plane containing the centerline. 6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a portion of the second of said at least two gang assemblies intercepts a vertical plane containing the centerline. 7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said forward inclination of said first gang assembly is an angle in a range from about 70° to about 90° to said direction of travel. 8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said forward inclination of said second gang assembly is an angle in a range from about 70° to about 90° to said direction of travel. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hub and said plurality of tines extending from said hub are integrally cast to form each of said tine units. 10. An apparatus for working soil comprising: a frame having a hitch to be pulled behind a tractor in a direction of travel; at least two gang assemblies mounted to said frame, wherein one of said at least two gang assemblies is offset a distance in a direction of travel from a second of said at least two gang assemblies, and wherein each gang assembly extends in a forwardly inclined direction converging from an outside of said frame toward a centerline of said frame in the direction of travel; wherein each gang assembly includes a plurality of tine units slidably and rotatably mounted on a shaft for rotation, each tine unit of said plurality of tine units having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub; a plurality of indexing spacers for separating each tine unit of said plurality of tine units from the next adjacent tine unit of said plurality of tine units, each of said indexing spacers having a first face and a second face; said first face having a first set of indexing features configured to repeatedly assemble with and repeatedly dis-assemble from one of said plurality of tine units, said first set of indexing features includes a plurality of projections in a first circumferential pattern; said second face having a second set of indexing features, said second set of indexing features includes a plurality of projections in a second circumferential pattern, said second set of indexing features being different than said first set of indexing features, said second set of indexing features configured to repeatedly assemble with and repeatedly dis-assemble from another of said plurality of tine units; and wherein said first set of indexing features and said first face, and said second set of indexing features and said second face are integrally cast to form each of said indexing spacers. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first set of indexing features comprises a first plurality of lugs for repeatedly assembling with and repeatedly dis-assembling from one of said plurality of tine units. 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said second set of indexing features comprises a second plurality of lugs for repeatedly assembling with and repeatedly dis-assembling from another of said plurality of tine units. 13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said hub and said plurality of tines extending from said hub are integrally cast to form said tine unit. 14. An apparatus for working soil comprising: a frame having a hitch to be pulled behind a tractor in a direction of travel; at least two gang assemblies mounted to said frame, wherein one of said at least two gang assemblies is offset a distance in a direction of travel from a second of said at least two gang assemblies, and wherein each gang assembly extends in a forwardly inclined direction converging from an outside of said frame toward a centerline of said frame in the direction of travel; wherein each gang assembly includes at least a pair of tine units configured to slide onto and rotate about a shaft, said pair of tine units mounted on said shaft for rotation, each tine unit of said pair of tine units having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub; and an indexing spacer for separating said pair of tine units, said indexing spacer configured to slide onto and rotate about said shaft, one side of said indexing spacer having a first set of indexing features in interlocking contact with the hub of a first one of said tine units and a second side of said indexing spacer having a second set of indexing features in interlocking contact with the hub of a second one of said tine units, wherein the first set of indexing features is different in number than the second set of indexing features. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said hub has a first surface defining a first set of indexing receivers and a second surface defining a second set of indexing receivers, wherein the first set of indexing receivers is different than the second set of indexing receivers. 16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said indexing spacer maintains said tine units in a predetermined rotational index orientation of said tines. 17. An apparatus for working soil comprising: a frame having a hitch to be pulled behind a tractor in a direction of travel; at least two gang assemblies mounted to said frame, wherein one of said at least two gang assemblies is offset a distance in a direction of travel from a second of said at least two gang assemblies, and wherein each gang assembly extends in a forwardly inclined direction converging from an outside of said frame toward a centerline of said frame in the direction of travel; wherein each gang assembly includes a plurality of tine units configured to slide onto and rotate about a shaft, said plurality of tine units supported by said shaft for rotation about an axis, each said tine unit having a hub and a plurality of tines extending from said hub, a first side of each said hub extending about the axis on one side of the corresponding plurality of tines, a second side of each said hub extending about the axis on the other side of the corresponding plurality of tines; and wherein each first side has a first indexing feature and each second side has a second indexing feature, said first indexing feature is different in number than said second indexing feature. 18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein either of said first indexing feature or said second indexing feature defines at least one indexing receiver. 19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said plurality of tine units establish and maintain a predetermined angular orientation of said tines. 20. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising an indexing spacer for separating said first tine unit from said second adjacent tine unit of said pair of tine units. 21. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each gang assembly has a pair of ends suspended from said frame with a pair of elastically bendable flex members which allows the shaft to move vertically as said frame moves horizontally. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said flex members are each formed in a C shape. 23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein each gang assembly has a pair of ends suspended from said frame with a pair of elastically bendable flex members which allows the shaft to move vertically as said frame moves horizontally. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said flex members are each formed in a C shape.
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