Strip-till knife with wings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11076522-B2
Application number	US-201816183033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2018
Priority date	Nov 7, 2018
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A knife for creating berms in agricultural fields for strip -till farming includes wings on opposing sides of the knife edge that are configured to fracture and raise soil in a wider path for building a berm behind the knife. The wings can be swept back, angled downward from front to back, and angled downward from inside to outside, for better loosening compacted soil below the surface and creating improved berms rearward of the knife. The knife edge can be replaceable by removal of a single pin. If a difficult object is encountered, such as large rocks or tree roots, the knife can swing reward with respect to a supporting shank to minimize damage to the knife. Upon swinging reward, an agricultural product delivery tube rearward of the knife for depositing agricultural product into the berm can swing forward to minimize crimping of the delivery tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A strip-till knife, comprising:
a body configured to connect to a shank;
a knife edge extending from a front portion of the body in a direction of travel, the knife edge being configured to engage soil along the direction of travel to create a berm aft of the body, the knife edge having a nose extending from a lower most portion;
first and second wings extending from first and second side portions of the body, respectively, the first and second wings being configured to lift soil laterally with respect to the body; and
an agricultural product delivery tube extending from a rear portion of the body, the agricultural product delivery tube being configured to deposit an agricultural product into the berm;
wherein the first and second wings each include a cambered airfoil shape configured to affect soil lift to drag ratio.

2. The strip-till knife of claim 1 , wherein each wing is angled downward in the direction of travel so that a front portion of the wing is lower than a rear portion of the wing.

3. The strip-till knife of claim 2 , wherein each wing is angled downward by less than 5°.

4. The strip-till knife of claim 1 , wherein each wing is angled downward in an outward direction extending from a side portion of the body so that an outer portion of the wing is lower than an inner portion of the wing.

5. The strip-till knife of claim 1 , wherein each wing is swept rearward.

6. The strip-till knife of claim 1 , wherein the knife edge is removably connected to the body by a fastener.

7. The strip-till knife of claim 6 , wherein the knife edge and the body are in connection with another by protrusion of one of the knife edge or the body being received in a channel of the other of the knife edge or the body.

8. The strip-till knife of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to connect to the shank by a plurality of fasteners.

9. The strip-till knife of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of fasteners includes first and second fasteners on one of the body or the shank, wherein the first fastener is configured to shear upon the body encountering a resistance greater than a threshold so that the body can pivot about the second fastener.

10. The strip-till knife of claim 9 , wherein the first and second fasteners comprise first and second bolts, respectively, wherein the first bolt is smaller than the second bolt.

11. The strip-till knife of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural product delivery tube is configured to connect to the body by a fastener, wherein the agricultural product delivery tube is configured to pivot about the fastener so that rotation of the body in a first direction upon encountering a resistance greater than a threshold causes a rotation of the agricultural product delivery tube in a second direction opposing the first direction.

12. The strip-till knife of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural product delivery tube is adjustable in height with respect to the body.

13. The strip-till knife of claim 12 , further comprising a bracket for attaching the agricultural product delivery tube to the body, wherein the bracket and the body each include a plurality of apertures for receiving a fastener, wherein the agricultural product delivery tube is adjustable in height by adjustment of the fastener from one pair of apertures between the bracket and the body to another pair of apertures between the bracket and the body.

14. A method for providing a strip-till knife, comprising:
providing a body for connecting to a shank;
providing a knife edge extending from a front portion of the body in a direction of travel, the knife edge for engaging soil along the direction of travel to create a berm aft of the body, the knife edge having a nose extending from a lower most portion;
providing first and second cambered airfoil-shaped wings extending from first and second side portions of the body, respectively, the first and second cambered airfoil- shaped wings for lifting soil laterally with respect to the body; and
providing an agricultural product delivery tube extending from a rear portion of the body, the agricultural product delivery tube for depositing an agricultural product into the berm.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising angling each cambered airfoil-shaped wing downward in the direction of travel so that a front portion of the wing is lower than a rear portion of the wing.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising angling each wing downward in an outward direction extending from a side portion of the body so that an outer portion of the wing is lower than an inner portion of the wing.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising removably connecting the knife edge to the body by a fastener.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising connecting the body to the shank by a plurality of fasteners, wherein the plurality of fasteners includes first and second fasteners on one of the body or the shank, and configuring the first fastener to shear upon the body encountering a resistance greater than a threshold so that the body can pivot about the second fastener.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising connecting the agricultural product delivery tube to connect to the body by a fastener, and configuring the agricultural product delivery tube to pivot about the fastener so that rotation of the body in a first direction upon encountering a resistance greater than a threshold causes a rotation of the agricultural product delivery tube in a second direction opposing the first direction.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising adjusting the agricultural product delivery tube in height with respect to the body.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Kovach Michael G

Classifications

• A01B13/02 Primary

  for making or working ridges, e.g. with symmetrically arranged mouldboards · CPC title

• A01B15/06

  Interchangeable or adjustable shares · CPC title

• A01C5/062 Primary

  Devices for making drills or furrows · CPC title