Soil aeration device having close-coupled shafts

Abstract

An agricultural implement for towing over fields, for incorporating crop residues into soil, possessing a pair of juxtaposed, substantially parallel, spaced-apart, rotatable shafts, comprising a first forwardly-mounted shaft and a second rearwardly-mounted shaft, each mounted on a frame transversely to a direction of travel of said implement. A plurality of protruding tine members, extending substantially radially outwardly from each of said pair of shafts and longitudinally spaced along each of said pair of shafts, each tine member adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis of a respective shaft, a tip of each of said tine members when rotating about said respective shaft creating a circular arc, are further provided. The circular arcs of the tine members on one of said pair of shafts interdigitate with a corresponding plurality of circular arcs of said tine members on said other of said pair of shafts.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An agricultural implement adapted for towing over ground, comprising:
 a frame defining an outermost width;   at least a pair of juxtaposed, substantially parallel, spaced-apart rotatable shafts, comprising a first forwardly-mounted shaft and a second rearwardly-mounted shaft, each mounted on said frame and having a longitudinal axis at a transverse angle to an intended direction of travel of said implement, each of said rotatable shafts being non-powered and rotatable upon towing of said agricultural implement over said ground;   a plurality of protruding tine members, extending substantially radially outwardly from each of said pair of shaft, longitudinally spaced along each of said pair of shafts, each tine member adapted to rotate about the longitudinal axis of a respective shaft, a tip of each of said tine members when rotating about said respective shaft creating a circular arc;   an adjustment assembly adapted to adjust the transverse angle between the longitudinal axis of each of said shafts and said intended direction of travel of said implement, such that said shafts remain substantially parallel to one another through adjustment, and wherein the outermost width of the frame remains substantially constant through adjustment of the shafts; and   said circular arcs on one of said pair of shafts inter-digitating with a corresponding plurality of circular arcs of said tine members on said other of said pair of shafts.   
     
     
         2 . The agricultural implement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said inter-digitating occurs at locations along a trailing edge of one of said pairs of shafts and along a leading edge of said other of said pair of shafts. 
     
     
         3 . The agricultural implement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said tine members are adapted to contact the ground and penetrate the ground as the implement is towed over said ground. 
     
     
         4 . The agricultural implement as claimed in  claim 2 , said tine members being substantially planar and having an cutting edge which engages and penetrates the ground, wherein said tine members of each of said shafts when said shafts are caused to rotate and pass over fields having crop residues thereon in the form of dried stalks, cut said stalks proximate said locations of inter-digitation. 
     
     
         5 . The agricultural implement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tine members are adapted to contact the ground and penetrate the ground as the implement is towed over the ground. 
     
     
         6 . The agricultural implement as claimed in  claim 1 , the tine members are substantially planar and include a cutting edge which engages and penetrates the ground, wherein the tine members of each of the shafts when the shafts are caused to rotate and pass over fields having crop residues thereon in the form of dried stalks, cut the stalks proximate the locations of inter-digitation. 
     
     
         7 . An agricultural implement adapted for passage in an intended direction of travel over a field having crop residues therein, comprising:
 a frame defining an outermost width;   at least one pair of juxtaposed, substantially parallel, spaced-apart rotatable shafts, mounted on said frame, each having a longitudinal axis at a transverse angle of 45°-90° to said intended direction of travel of said implement, each of said rotatable shafts of said at least one pair of rotatable shafts being non-powered and each rotatable upon passage of said agricultural implement over said fields;   said pair of rotatable shafts each having a plurality of radially outwardly extending members adapted for engaging the ground, tips thereof when rotated about said respective shafts forming a circular arc, each of said tips contacting said field along a portion of said circular arc and thereby causing rotation of said rotatable shafts on which said outwardly extending members are respectively mounted;   an adjustment assembly adapted to adjust the transverse angle between the longitudinal axis of each shaft and said intended direction of travel of said implement, such that said shafts remain substantially parallel to one another through adjustment, and wherein the outermost width of the frame remains substantially constant throughout adjustment of the shafts; and   circular arcs of each of said outwardly extending members on one of said rotatable shafts intersecting circular arcs of outwardly extending members of a respective other of said rotatable shafts.   
     
     
         8 . The agricultural implement as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein each of said rotatable shafts rotate in the same direction about their respective longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . The agricultural implement as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said outwardly extending members penetrate and cut the ground and in doing so at least partially incorporate said crop residue into soil over which said implement passes. 
     
     
         10 . An agricultural implement for chopping and mulching crop residues, adapted for passage over a field containing said crop residues, comprising:
 a frame defining an outermost width;   at least one pair of juxtaposed, substantially parallel, spaced-apart rotatable shafts, mounted on said frame and having a longitudinal axis at a transverse angle to a direction of travel of said implement, adapted for rotation in a substantially horizontal plane, each of said rotatable shafts of said at least one pair of rotatable shafts being non-powered and each rotatable upon passage of said agricultural implement over said field;   a plurality of protruding ground-penetrating members, extending substantially radially outwardly from each of said pair of shafts and longitudinally spaced along each of said pair of shafts, adapted to contact the ground and penetrate the ground as the implement is towed over said ground, each ground-penetrating member adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis of a respective shaft, a tip of each of said ground penetrating members when rotating about said respective shaft creating a circular arc, each of said ground-penetrating members contacting said field along a portion of said circular arc and thereby causing rotation of said rotatable shaft on which said outwardly extending members are respectively mounted;   an adjustment assembly adapted to adjust the transverse angle, such that the shafts remain substantially parallel to one another through adjustment, and wherein the outermost width remains substantially constant through adjustment of the shafts; and   circular arcs of each of said ground-penetrating members on one of said pair of shafts inter-digitating with circular arcs of each of said ground-penetrating members on said other of said pair of shafts; and   wherein said ground-penetrating members of each of said shafts, when said shafts are caused to rotate and pass over said fields having crop residues thereon in the form of dried stalks, cut said stalks at locations of inter-digitation.   
     
     
         11 . The agricultural implement as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said ground-penetrating members at least partially incorporate said crop residue into soil over which said implement passes. 
     
     
         12 . An agricultural implement adapted for towing behind a tractor, further adapted to chop and mulch crop residues and further simultaneously partially incorporate said crop residue into soil when towed over soil, comprising:
 a frame having an outermost width;   at least a pair of juxtaposed, substantially parallel, spaced-apart rotatable shafts, mounted on said frame, comprising a first forwardly-mounted shaft and a second rearwardly-mounted shaft, each having a longitudinal axis at a transverse angle of 45°-90° with respect to an intended direction of travel of said implement, each of said rotatable shafts of said at least one pair of rotatable shafts being non-powered and each rotatable upon towing of said agricultural implement over said soil;   said pair of rotatable shafts having a plurality of radially outwardly extending members having distal tips, said distal tips of said outwardly extending members when rotated about said respective shafts forming a circular arc, each of said tips contacting said soil along a portion of said circular arc and thereby causing rotation of said rotatable shafts on which said outwardly extending members are respectively mounted;   an adjustment assembly adapted to adjust the transverse angle, such that the shafts remain parallel to one another through adjustment, and wherein the outermost width of the frame remains substantially constant throughout adjustment of the shafts; and   circular arcs of each of said outwardly extending members on one of said rotatable shafts intersecting circular arcs of outwardly extending members of a respective other of said rotatable shafts.   
     
     
         13 . The agricultural implement as claimed in  claim 1 ,  5 , or  10 , wherein said implement is further adapted to be mounted on and coupled to a 3-point hitch of a tractor.