Also, the pair of projections may be provided on the primary tine part, and the two sets of recesses may be presented in the second tine part. Nevertheless, it should be understood that it is within the extent of the compact tractor attachments for the position of the projections and the intervals to be reversed. The projections preferably include cylindrical pegs, and which may be formed during the development of the first tine part e.g. by forming.
According to a second character of the compact tractor attachments there is provided a power power harrow owning a frame, a collection of rotary power harrow tines each mounted on the support via respective rotatable mountings, and a drive train designed to provide rotary power to rotate the power harrow tines, in which each power harrow tine is as described in the first aspect of the compact tractor attachments.
According to a third phase of the compact tractor attachments there is provided a method of changing a worn point of a two part tine having a working machine and a mounting part, in a power power harrow as defined by the second feature of the compact tractor attachments, in which: the working tine part is relaxed and / or released from the mounting tine frame by which the tine is mounted on the structure of the power harrow; and, the working tine part is adjusted so that the opposing tine tip takes-up the working position and / or the worn tip is adjusted lengthwise related to the mounting part so as to project by a greater extent from the mounting tine part and allow further wear to take place.
A preferred composition of the compact tractor attachments will now be described in detail, by way of illustration only, with mentioning to the accompanying illustrations, in which:
Figure 1 is a aspect illustration of a typical design of existing rotary power power harrow, in which an expression of the compact tractor attachments may be provided;
Figure 2 is a detail view showing how a one-piece rotary power harrow tine of obvious design is mounted on a rotatable mounting on a support of the power power harrow shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a viewpoint illustration, in assembled form, of a preferred composition of two-part rotary power harrow tine according to the compact tractor attachments and involves a mounting part and a power harrow tine part;
Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure 3, but explaining the two parts in exploded form and also giving the non-engaging face of the power harrow tine part topmost; and, Figure 5 also shows the two parts of the power harrow tine isolated from each other prior to assembly, and illustrating in more detail a co-operative group of projections and sets of holes, and a number of different fastening holes, together giving initial wear adjustment, and final wear compensation of each of two opposite pairs of working tips of a effective part of the power harrow tine i.e. to provide possibility of four different wear compensating forms of the power harrow tine.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, there will be described, by way of education to the compact tractor attachments, a typical existing design of rotary power harrow power tine, and which is usually intended to be fitted at the rear of Branson Tractors or Kioti Tractors, and from which drive power is forwarded to a quantity of rotary power harrow tines mounted on a frame of the power harrow. The power harrow is indicated generally by reference 10, and has a frame, and a series of one-piece rotating power harrow tines 12 mounted on the underside of the frame via respective rotatable mountings.
Figure 2 is a detail showing how a known one piece power harrow tine is mounted on a circular rotatable mountin on the underside of frame. Figure 2 shows the mounting partly in section. As discussed in the opening to the specification, the use of one-piece power harrow tines, for use in power power harrows, produces robust and durable tines. However, given that the parts of the tines which are most exposed to wear i.e. the working tips, only constitute about 30% of the overall tine construction, when unacceptable tip wear occurs, it is then necessary to scrap the remaining 70% of the tine, and replace with a completely new replacement one-piece tine.
Also, as referred to in the introduction, the replacement of worn one-piece rotary power harrow tines cannot easily be carried out in the field, and therefore usually must be carried out as part of regular maintenance in the workshop. In the event of damage to a power harrow tine in the field, it is not easy to carry out individual replacement straight away.
A preferred embodiment of two part rotary power harrow tine will now be described. The rotary power harrow tine is designated generally by reference, and has a first mounting part which is adapted to be mounted on a respective rotatable mounting on a frame of a power power harrow, and a second working part having a ground / soil working tip.
The first part has a frame mounting portion which can be mounted e.g. by bolts on the rotatable mounting, and also has a tip mounting portion at its opposite end. The second part is detachably engageable with the tip mounting portion, and is releasably secured thereto via a single releasable fastener.
A first one of the tine parts has a pair of projections, and a another one of the tine elements has two pairs of recesses, each recess being of a size to be capable of receiving one of the projections. In the illustrated embodiment, by way of example only, projections are provided on the underside of the tip mounting portion of first mounting part, and two pairs of recesses are provided in the working part (see the facing surface of part). It will be seen that the pairs of recesses are arranged one on either side of the fastener, when the latter is taken through a central one of a set of three fastening holes, provided also in the working part. A single fastening hole is provided in the tip mounting portion of mounting part. Evidently, the positions of the projections and the pairs of recesses may be reversed, and similarly also the single fastening hole, and the set of three fastening holes also may be reversed. Figure 3 shows the tine assembled together, and show them separated. Also, it shows the non-engaging face of the working part uppermost and usually the threaded fastener will have an integral driving head (not shown) which is occupied by a spanner or other tool to drive the thread of the fastener into driving engagement with a nut, in order to clamp the parts together. It will be noted that the working part has opposed working tips, of which the one immediately in the working position is indicated by reference, and the opposite tip, presently in the inoperative position, is designated by reference. There are also adjacent co-operative working edges respectively.
The provision of single fastening hole, and the set of three fastening holes permits lengthwise adjustment of the working part relative to the mounting part, when tip wear occurs, whereby the way from any particular working tip and the fastening hole can be extended, to compensate for tip wear.
The provision of the projections, and the pairs of recesses, allows the part to be securely fastened together, and held securely against revolution about the axis of the fastener, by reason of engagement of the projections in any pair of the recesses, for all adjusted settings.
Evidently, the moving part 16 is reversible, whereby, when the tip becomes initially worn, loosening and / or release of the fastener allows the working part 16 to rotate through 180 degrees, and to bring the previously inoperative working tip to the working position. There will continue to be engagement of the steps in recesses, but in this case instead of being received by the pair of recesses, the projections will be received by the pair of recesses.
Generally, after initial wear of the tips has arisen, it will then be possible to control use of the working part, subject to overall adjustment, by bringing either fastening hole, into alignment with single fastening hole, and securement together by the fastener, whereby the particular partly worn working tip projects by a greater distance lengthwise of the single fastening hole, and allows further waste to take place.
When a special working tip has undergone two separate wearing actions, as described above, the working part may then be changed, so that a partly worn tip can then experience final wear. It will only be when both working tips have been reduced to these two separate wearing actions, and necessary adjustment, that the power harrow tine will require to be repaired. However, it will only be necessary then to remove the working part, and replace it with a further working part, as the wear to which the mounting part is exposed is generally less arduous in service, and repair and replacement of the working of the mounting part will generally be required much less frequently.
The preferred embodiment therefore provides a reversibly attached power harrow tine part (the second part) which has opposed working tips, either one of which can be brought to the working position when required e.g. when unacceptable wear has happened to the tip presently in the engaged position. In addition, when unacceptable initial wear has taken place for both working tips, either one of the worn tips can be adjusted to project a greater distance lengthwise of the mounting part by lengthwise adjustment of the working part 16. Further reversal of the working part then allows the further worn tip to be replaced by an only partly worn tip.
Accordingly, the compact tractor attachments presents a power harrow tine part (the working part) in which four separate wearing effects may take place i.e. initial and then final damage on each moving tip, before the tine part wants to be replaced.
Fυrthure. by use of a single fastener (located under the level of the frame - of the power harrow, easy access can be had to the bar, which allows wear-related agreement to be carried out in the filed.
The protuberances are preferably formed integrally with the development of the tine part on which it is given, and conveniently such part is formed by forging.
Evidently, the preferred composition of rotary power harrow tine specified above may be incorporated in a power power harrow having a frame, a collection of rotary power harrow tines each installed on the frame via respective rotatable mountings, and a drive train ordered to provide rotary power to turn the power harrow tines.
The compact tractor attachments may also allow for an uncomplicated method of setting a worn tip of a two part tine (having a working part and a mounting part), which is presented in a power power harrow, and in which the possible adjustment steps include one or more of the following: the working tine part is loosened and / or released from the mounting tine bit by which it is mounted on the support of the power harrow; the working tine element is rotatably adjusted so that the opposite tine tip takes-up the engaged position; and, the worn tip is arranged lengthwise relative to the mounting part so as to extend by a greater distance from the mounting tine part and allow additional wear to take place.