GB2262020A - Mounder machine and cutter therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

An agricultural mounder (2) includes at least one cutter blade (3) for cutting, lifting and throwing over soil or turf to form a mound, and carrying means (4, 6) for the cutter blade (3) adapted for attachment to a transporter (1), e.g. trailer. The carrying moans (4, 6) is adjustable to enable the blade (3) to be lowered into ground engagement or raised therefrom and the blade (3) is provided with further adjustability by angular variation of the cutter blades about either a horizontal or vertical axis or about both said axes. The blade (3) may also be laterally position able. The blade (3) preferably comprises a rotary disc which can be provided with teeth (23) to effect disc rotation on forward movement of the mounder, and spade form members can be carried at the disc periphery to facilitate spooning over of a turf mound. <IMAGE>

Description

"MOUNDER MACHINE AND CUTTER THEREFOR" The present invention relates to a mounder machine and also to a cutter for use in the machine.

A mounder is a type of agricultural or soil treatment machine and includes cutting means whereby soil or turf is cut, lifted and thrown over to form mounds. The machine finds particular use in soil treatment in forestry work. Mounding is something akin to ploughing but there are significant differences, differences which provide mounding with certain advantages. In particular, ploughing creates deep soil cuts or intrusions which can adversely affect the scenic value of an area: such cuts are substantially absent with mounding.Mounding reduces the erosion risk substantially and is therefore environmentally more acceptable as the side drains present when normal plouing are absent, these side drains creating increased water run-off, especially during heavy rain, leading to land erosion and sedimentation of streams; these risks being particularly severe on steeper slopes and soils with high erosion risk like rnineral gleys.Mounding is used in generally uncultivated. areas to cut the soil with minimum scarring, or detrimental draining or damage to the environment, and permits or is beneficial to the planting of young trees or similar In particular, mounding improves symmetrical tree root development and increases tree stability in poor soils such as surface water gleys: ploughing on the other hand presents a serious obstacle to tree root development.

To produce the desired standard of mounding, previous mounder machines have been complex and costly, and it is an object of tre present invention to provide an efficient but more cost effectIve mounder machine.

The prevent invention provides broadly, mounding apparatus comprising soil cutter means, support structure for the cutter means, and adjustment means for adjusting the position and/or orientation of the cutter means. The apparatus can be part of a wheeled assembly for transport, and in particular preferably comprises a trailer The adjustment means can provide all or any of the following adjustments for the cutter means: 1. vertical lowering and raising; 2. transverse positioning in a horizontal plane; 3. swinging (or horizontal slewing) about a vertical axis to vary the toe angle; and 4. swinging (or vertical slewing) about a horizontal axis to provide the desired slant angle for the cutter.

Preferably the adjustment means include hydraulically operable devices, and in particular the cutter means can be mounted on a swinging arm positioned by an hydraulic ram.

Preferably t-e arm is mounted on a wheel-carrying transverse frame-structiire of a trailer, a suitable tow bar extending longitudinally from the frame-structure.

The cutter means can be a rotary device and preferably comprises a plurality (for example) of separate cutters, each preferably mcunted on a respective swinging arm.

The present invention further provides a cutter for use in a mounding machine; the cutter comprising a rotatable cutter disc including meals for mounting the disc on a mounding machine for rotation, anc projections or teeth on the disc engagable with the ground to rotate the disc when the disc is moved forwardly. The disc can carry additionally at least one turf cutting spade preferably comprising a dish form member with a serrated cutting edge.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig 1 shows a sectional side view of a mounder machine in accordance with the present invention; Fic 2 shows a plan view of the machine (with the hydraulic ram of the left cutter boom omitted for clarity); Fig 3 is an end view looking in direction "A" of Fig 1; and Figs 4 and 5 show side and end views respectively of a mounding cutter usable in the above machine.

Referring to the drawings, a mounder machine comprises a trailer 1 carrying a mounder cutter assembly 2 including cutting discs 3. The trailer 1 includes a transverse frame 4 formed of tubular boxes and supporting the wheels (doubles) 5 of the trailer 1. A pair of latterly spaced cutting discs 3 are provided each carried by a respective arm or boom 6 which is supported so as to trail from the frame 4.

More specifically, each boom 6 is supported at its inner end on a support body 7 so as to be swingable in a vertical direction, while the body 7 is hingeably carried by spaced mountings 8A, 8B on upper and lower transverse beams 9, 10 of the frame 4 so tat each boom 6 can swing also horizontally, this latter feature permitting desired lateral spacing of the cutting discs 3.

Vertical swinging of the booms 6 is effected by hydraulic rams 11 each attached at its ends respectively to lugs 12, 13 on a support plate 7A of the body 7 and the respective boom 6, horizontal positioning of the bodies 7 being achieved by pairs of screw adjustors 14A, 14B acting via the plate 7A. Each cutting disc 3 is carried by a carrier member 15 located at the outer end of the boom 6 so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the boom, the carrier 15 being set in a desired angular position by an associated stud 16 (on the boom) and nut 17: this feature enables variation of the slant angle of the disc 3 as shown in Fig 3.Further, each disc 3 is joined to its carrier 15 by a swinging member 18, whereby the disc 3 can slew horizontally for adjustment o the toe angle(Fig 2), angular setting of the member 18 being effected by an adjuster 19.

Thus, very comprehensive positional and angular adjustment of the cutting disc 3 is possible and this enables the disc 3 to be presented to the ground surface at a level and in an attitude best suited to the topography and soil characteristics. The discs 3 can be angled individually to fine-tune the vertical and horizontal presentation angles of the discs 3.

A box fcrm tow bar 20 extends forwardly from the transverse frame 4 and includes a coupling eye 21 for coupling the trailer 1 to a suitable tractor. The rams 11 will be connected to a suitable hydraulic power source.

Referrit in particular to Figs 4 and 5, each cutting disc 3 includes an annular series of bolt hqles 22 for fitting the disc to its assocIated hub 3A (in turn secured to member 18) and additionally Includes teeth 23 which, when the disc 3 is urged into the ground by the ram 11 and the trailer moves forwardly (arrow F), cause the disc 3 to rotate as indicated by the arrow R (Fig 1). Addltionally, for effective handling of turf, a pair of turf spades 24 are fixed to the disc 3, each spade 24 comprising a dished body 25 joined to a base plate 26 bolted to the disc 3, via bolt holes 25A, strengthening ribs 27 preferably being present between the body 25 and the plate 26.An edge of the spade 24 radially outward of the disc 3 is serrated to provide cutting teeth 28. Bevelled cutting edges 29 will be present on the disc assembly 3/24 as appropriate. As can be seen, the spades 24 are swept away from the disc 3.

In operation, the trailer 1 is coupled to a suitable tractor, a low pressure crawler tractor being particularly preferred, and at the work (soil preparation) site the cutting discs 3 are urged into the ground by the rams 11 to the desired depth, each disc 3 previously being set to the desired orientation by the various adjusters.

On forward movement of the tractor (and trailer), the rotating disc/spade assembles 3/24 cut, lift and throw over the turf to form the mounds, the dished form of the spades 24 assisting in the spooning over of the turf mounds. By providing sets of bolt holes on the disc 3 compatible with bolt holes 25A, the spades 2 can be moved radially as appropriate so that the spacing of te mounds formed by the spades 24 can be varied.

The above mounding machine according to the present invention has the following benefits, especially in forestry: 1. The mounder is more environmentally suited to wet soils on slopes than ploughing which may release uncontrolled flow of water leading to erosion if extra measures are not taken; 2. Visual impact of mounding is far less than that of plough furrows; 3. ness ground is disturbed resulting in wild life and fauna being less disrupted until the trees grow larger; 4. Long term stability of spruce on these wet heavy clay and grey soils is likely to be increased compared to ploughing where tree roots are contained within the furrow. Four to five years extra growth on crop life will increase the profitability of forests when grown on these marginal sites; and 5. Losts can be similar to, or cheaper than, ploughing under like conditions. The mounder will work both ways on slopes steeper than that which would limit ploughing to a one way pass therefore being more fuel efficient and creating less ground compaction over a given area.

The trailer could be adapted to mount more than two discs 3.

The present invention therefore provides an efficient versatile mounder which is more cost effective than previous mounders.

Claims (18)

1. Mounding apparatus comprising soil cutter means, support structure for the cutter means, and adjustment means for adjusting the position and/or orientation of the cutter means.

2. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment means are adapted to provide all or any of the following adjustments for the cutter means: (a) verticel lowering and raising; (b) transverse positioning in a horizontal plane; (c) swinging (or horizontal slewing) about a vertical axis to vary the toe angle; and (d) swinging (or vertical slewing) about a horizontal axis to provide the desired slant angle for the cutter.

3. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the adjustment means include hydraulically operable devices.

4. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cutter means are mounted on a swinging arm positioned by a hydraulic ram.

5. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the arm is mounted on a transverse frame-structure of a transporter.

6. Mounding apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cutter means comprise a rotary device.

7. Mounding apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cutter means comprises a plurality of separate cutters.

8. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein each cutter is mounted on a respective swinging arm.

9. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the swinging arms include support means at one end to facilitate mounting of the arms on a transporter and the adjustment means include a positioning device for adjusting each arm in a horizontal plane.

10. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cutting device includes a hub carried by a support body of said support structure.

11. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said support body is adapted to permit swinging of the cutter and its hub about a vertical axis.

12. Mounding apparatusas claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein the support body is adapted for variable setting about a horizontal axis.

13. Mounding apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be carried by a transporter.

14. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the transporter comprises a trailer.

15. A cutter for use in a mounding machine; the cutter comprising a rotatable cutter disc including means for mounting the disc on a mounding machine for rotation, and projections or teeth on the disc engagable with the ground to rotate the disc when the disc is moved forwardly.

16. A cutter as claimed in claim 15, wherein the disc carries additionally at least one turf cutting spade.

17. A cutter as claimed in claim 16, wherein each disc comprises a dish form member with a cutting edge.

18. A cutter for a mounding machine substantially as hereinabove described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

18. Mounding apparatus substantially as hereinabove described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

19. A cutter for a mounding machine substantially as hereinabove described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. Mounding apparatus comprising soil cutter means, support structure for the cutter means, first adjustment means for vertical lowering and raising of the cutter means, and further adjustment means for the cutter means to provide any one of: (a) transverse positioning in a horizontal plane; (b) swinging (or horizontal slewing) of the cutter means about a vertical axis to vary the toe angle of the cutter means; and (c) swinging (or vertical slewing) about a horizontal axis to provide the desired slant angle for the cutter means.

2. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment means include hydraulically operable devices.

3. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cutter means are mounted on a swinging arm positioned by a hydraulic ram.

4. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the arm is mounted on a transverse frame-structure of a transporter.

5. Mounding apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cutter means comprise a rotary device.

6. Mounding apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cutter means comprises a plurality of separate cutters.

7. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein each cutter is mounted on a respective swinging arm.

8. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the swinging arms include support means at one end to facilitate mounting of the arms on a transporter and the adjustment means include a positioning device for adjusting each arm in a horizontal plane.

9. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cutting device includes a hub carried by a support body of said support structure.

10. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said support body is adapted to permit swinging of the cutter and its hub about a vertical axis.

11. Mounding apparatusas claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the support body is adapted for variable setting about a horizontal axis.

12. Mounding apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be carried by a transporter.

13. Mounding apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the transporter comprises a trailer.

14. A cutter for use in a mounding machine; the cutter comprising a rotatable cutter disc including means for mounting the disc on a mounding machine for rotation, and projections or teeth on the disc engagable with the ground to rotate the disc when the disc is moved forwardly.

15. A cutter as claimed in claim 14, wherein the disc carries additionally at least one turf cutting spade.

16. A cutter as claimed in claim 15, wherein each cutting spade comprises a dish form member with a cutting edge.

17. Mounding apparatus substantially as hereinabove described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.