Field cultivator sweep

Abstract

The field cultivating sweep includes a body with wings extending from a center line in opposite directions, and a conditioning element extending downwardly from the wing body. The conditioning element may be a blade extending vertically downwardly along the center line of the body and having a leading edge sloped rearedly from front to back. In alternative embodiments, the conditioning element may have a triangular or rectangular shape or may be in the form of a fluted coulter. The conditioning element acts to till the ground vertically and break up compacted soil as the sweep is drawn along the ground.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A field cultivator sweep comprising:
 a wing body; and   a conditioning element extending downwardly from the wing body.   
     
     
         2 . The field cultivator sweep of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioning element is a blade. 
     
     
         3 . The field cultivator sweep of  claim 1 , wherein the condition element extends in a vertical plane. 
     
     
         4 . The field cultivator sweep of  claim 1  wherein the conditioning element has a leading edge extending rearwardly. 
     
     
         5 . The field cultivator sweep of  claim 1  wherein the conditioning element slopes rearwardly between 30° and 60°. 
     
     
         6 . The field cultivator sweep of  claim 1  wherein the conditioning element extends below the wing body at least 2 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The field cultivator sweep of  claim 1  wherein the conditioning element is a planar blade. 
     
     
         8 . The field cultivator sweep of  claim 7  wherein the blade has a thickness of approximately ⅜ inches. 
     
     
         9 . The field cultivator sweep of  claim 8  wherein the blade has a constant thickness. 
     
     
         10 . The field cultivator sweep of  claim 1  wherein the wing body has a front nose and the conditioning element has a leading edge spaced rearwardly from the nose. 
     
     
         11 . A method of cultivating soil, comprising pulling a sweep with a vertical blade through the soil to create a vertical slit in the soil. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the blade slices through the soil without displacing the soil sideways. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the sweep has a wing shaped body with a front nose to disrupt the soil as the sweep is pulled through the soil, and the lade has a leading edge offset rearwardly from the nose such that the slit is formed in the disrupted soil without further disruption of the soil. 
     
     
         14 . A sweep for cultivating soil in a field, comprising:
 opposite left and right wings joined at a center line to form a symmetrical body with a V-shaped leading edge;   a neck extending upwardly from the body for mounting the sweep to a cultivator; and   a blade extending downwardly from the body to vertically till the soil when the sweep is pulled through the soil.   
     
     
         15 . The sweep of  claim 14  wherein the blade extends vertically. 
     
     
         16 . The sweep of  claim 14  wherein the blade extends from the center line. 
     
     
         17 . The sweep of  claim 14  further comprising a second blade extending downwardly from the body, with the blades being positioned on opposite sides of the center line. 
     
     
         18 . The sweep of  claim 14  wherein the body has a front nose and the blade is offset rearwardly from the nose. 
     
     
         19 . The sweep of  claim 14  wherein the blade has a leading edge which is angled rearwardly from top to bottom. 
     
     
         20 . The sweep of  claim 14  wherein the blade is flat.