Subsoil amendment material incorporating method and apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for tilling soil comprising: a frame adapted to be drawn by a tractor; a moldboard plow attached to said frame; a distributor chamber behind said moldboard plow for distributing material across a substantial width of the furrow formed as the moldboard plow advances through the soil; hopper means on said frame spaced above said chamber; a plurality of tubes independently interconnecting said hopper means and said chamber for conducting pulverulent material from said hopper to said chamber; shaker means on said frame, said shaker means including means connected with said tubes for shaking said tubes between said hopper means and said chamber to prevent clogging as material flows from said hopper to said chamber; rotary tiller means on said frame spaced rearwardly from said distributor chamber for mixing amendment material into the subsoil; means on said frame for raising and lowering said rotary tiller meAns relative to said plow, said tiller means being movable to a depth greater than said moldboard plow; whereby said plow turns the topsoil and the tiller incorporates amendment material into the topsoil.

Claim 3

In soil tilling apparatus of the type having a frame adapted to be drawn by a tractor, the apparatus including a plow on the frame, the improvement comprising: amendment material dispensing means on said frame, said dispensing means including a distributor behind the plow for distributing material across a substantial width of the furrow formed as the plow advances through the soil, said dispensing means including a hopper spaced above said distributor and a plurality of tubes interconnecting said hopper and said distributor, said distributor comprising a box having a plurality of inlet openings on the upper side thereof and a plurality of outlet openings on the lower side thereof, said inlet openings being spaced apart laterally of said plow and said tubes communicating with the interior of said box through said inlet openings, thereby conducting material into said box, rotary tiller means on said frame spaced rearwardly from said distributor for mixing amendment material into the subsoil, adjustment means for selectively raising and lowering said tiller means relative to said plow, said tiller means being movable to a depth greater than said plow, whereby said plow turns the topsoil and the tiller incorporates amendment material into the subsoil.

Claim 4

In soil tilling apparatus of the type having a frame adapted to be drawn by a tractor, the apparatus including a plow on the frame, the improvement comprising: amendment material dispensing means on said frame, said dispensing means including a distributor behind the plow for distributing material across a substantial width of the furrow formed as the plow advances through the soil, said dispensing means including a hopper spaced above said distributor and a plurality of tubes interconnecting said hopper and said distributor, said distributor comprising a box having a plurality of inlet openings on the upper side thereof and a plurality of outlet openings on the lower side thereof, said inlet openings being spaced apart laterally of said plow and said tubes communicating with the interior of said box through said inlet openings, thereby conducting material into said box, rotary tiller means on said frame spaced rearwardly from said distributor for mixing amendment material into the subsoil, adjustment means for selectively raising and lowering said tiller means relative to said plow, said tiller means being movable to a depth greater than said plow, whereby said plow turns the topsoil and the tiller incorporates amendment material into the subsoil.

Claim 5

the apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said outlet openings are spaced apart laterally of said plow.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said hopper extends longitudinally of said frame and has outlet openings spaced apart longitudinally of said frame, said tubes communicating with the interior of said hopper through said hopper openings.

Claim 7

Subsoil amendment incorporating apparatus comprising: a frame, means for supporting said frame on a tractor; a moldboard plow having a moldboard and a plow bottom, said plow being mounted on said frame in position for plowing a furrow in the topsoil as the tractor draws the frame forwardly; dispenser means on said frame for dispensing amendment material into the subsoil, said dispensing means including distributor means on said plow on the rear side of the plow bottom, said distributor means extending across substantially the entire width of said plow; an arm pivotally attached at one end thereof to said frame said arm being spaced rearwardly of said plow; rotary tiller means on said arm and spaced from one end, said tiller means being in alignment with said plow and having rotary tiller blades, said arm being arranged to adjust the depth of said tiller means relative to said plow upon swinging of said arm about said one end, power means on said frame for pivoting said arm about said one end relative to said frame; and tine means secured on said arm adjacent said rotary tiller means and projecting generally toward said plow to urge said arm downwardly into subsoil as the tractor draws the frame forwardly, whereby the plow turns the topsoil and the tiller blades mix subsoil with amendment material deposited in the furrow by said soil dispensing means.

Claim 8

Subsoil amendment incorporating apparatus comprising: a frame, means for supporting said frame on a tractor; a moldboard plow having a moldboard and a plow bottom, said plow being mounted on said frame in position for plowing a furrow in the topsoil as the tractor draws the frame forwardly; dispenser means on said frame for dispensing amendment material into the subsoil, said dispensing means including distributor means on said plow on the rear side of the plow bottom, said distributor means extending across substantially the entire width of said plow; an arm pivotally attached at one end thereof to said frame said arm being spaced rearwardly of said plow; rotary tiller means on said arm and spaced from one end, said tiller means being in alignment with said plow and having rotary tiller blades, said arm being arranged to adjust the depth of said tiller means relative to said plow upon swinging of said arm about said one end, power means on said frame for pivoting said arm about said one end relative to said frame; and tine means secured on said arm adjacent said rotary tiller means and projecting generally toward said plow to urge said arm downwardly into subsoil as the tractor draws the frame forwardly, whereby the plow turns the topsoil and the tiller blades mix subsoil with amendment material deposited in the furrow by said soil dispensing means.

Claim 9

The amendment incorporating apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said tiller blades are mounted for rotation at the opposite end of said arm, and said power means comprising a hydraulic cylinder secured between said frame and said arm for selectively raising and lowering said tiller blades relative to said frame.

Claim 10

The amendment incorporating apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said arm is suspended from said frame in forwardly inclined relation and said tine means comprises a tine secured on said arm adjacent the lower end of said arm, said tine extending longitudinally of said arm and projecting a distance greater than the effective radius of said tiller whereby said tine urges said arm downwardly into the subsoil as the tractor draws the frame forwardly.

Claim 11

The amendment incorporating apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said tiller means includes a bar member extending upwardly from said arm and being slidably received within a guide on said frame, said bar cooperating with said guide to provide a reading of the depth of said tiller blades in the soil.

Claim 12

The amendment incorporating apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said arm is in the form of a hollow case, and said tiller means includes a rotary shaft journalled for rotation in said case, said shaft extending transversely of said case and projecting outwardly on opposite sides of said case, said tiller blades being mounted on said shaft on opposite sides of said case, said tine being secured on said case and projecting forwardly from said case between said blades, whereby said tine and said blades break up said subsoil to allow said case to move forwardly through the subsoil.

Claim 13

The amendment incorporating apparatus according to claim 9 including drive means on said frame for transmitting rotation power from the tractor to said tiller blades, said drive means including drive chains enclosed in said case.