Patent US3901325A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3901325A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cultivator having a floating plant guard
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1974-10-07
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Granted: 1975-08-26
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Expires: 1994-10-07
Abstract
Abstract A cultivator for tilling soil by means of attached soil disrupting members and having the improvement of a floating plant guard which comprises planar plant shield plates located toward each side of the cultivator and outside the soil disrupting members. The front ends of the shield plates are upwardly pivotable whereas the rear ends are downwardly pivotable. The rear ends of the plates are urged continuously downward against the ground by means of springs or the like, hence causing the front ends to ride lightly and floatingly over the ground as the cultivator is moved over a path to be tilled.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold W Richards
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:34
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01B; A01B33/00; A01B33/08; A01B33/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
For use in combination with a cultivator having a frame with wheels thereon whereby the cultivator rolls along the ground over a path to be cultivated and also having attached soil disrupting members for tilling the soil as the cultivator moves along said path, a floating plant guard attachment comprises floating shield plates adapted for location toward each side of said cultivator on the outside of said soil disrupting members, said floating shield plates having an elongated lower edge for light contact with the ground, the front ends of said plates being upwardly pivotable with respect to said frame, and further including means associated with said frame for resiliently urging each of said plates in a direction pivoting said front ends upwardly as the cultivator moves along the path to be cultivated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
For use in combination with a cultivator having a frame with wheels thereon whereby the cultivator rolls along the ground over a path to be cultivated and also having attached soil disrupting members for tilling the soil as the cultivator moves along said path, a floating plant guard attachment comprises floating shield plates adapted for location toward each side of said cultivator on the outside of said soil disrupting members, said floating shield plates having an elongated lower edge for light contact with the ground, the front ends of said plates being upwardly pivotable with respect to said frame, and further including means associated with said frame for resiliently urging each of said plates in a direction pivoting said front ends upwardly as the cultivator moves along the path to be cultivated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said shield plates extend forwardly and rearwardly of the soil disrupting members and vertically from ground level to a height at least equal to that of said disrupting members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means for resiliently urging said shield plates comprises a compressed helical spring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the cultivator is a rotary garden tiller having a powered drive shaft with rotary tiller blades attached thereto as the soil disrupting members, said shaft extending from side to side between said shield plates.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 including cut-outs in said shields through which said shaft extends.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said shield plates have an arcuate front edge which curves upwardly and rearwardly from said lower edge and which merges with an upper edge on said shield plates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
98 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 comprising: a. pivotal arms for each of said shield plates, one end of each arm being pivotally attached to a shield plate toward the front end of said plate and the other end of each arm being pivotally attached to the cultivator rearwardly from the arm attachment to the shield plate, and b. anchor means for each of said shield plates, one end of each of said anchor means being pivotally attached to the upper rear end of a shield plate and the other end thereof being pivotally attached to the cultivator frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 and further including inclined rear support rods for each of said shield plates, the lower end of each of said support rods being pivotally attached to the rear end of a shield plate below the pivotal attachment of said anchor means thereto, the upper end of each of said support rods passing through and being movable upward and downward through an opening in a frame member of the cultivator, each support rod having an attached rod stop above said opening to limit downward movement of the rod and the rear end of the shield plate attached thereto.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein a helical spring is spindled onto each of said support rods and is compressed from the lower end by a spring stop on the rod and from the upper end by said frame member of the cultivator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said anchor means further includes means for adjusting the length thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the cultivator is a rOtary garden tiller having a powered drive shaft with rotary tiller blades attached thereto as the soil disrupting members, said shaft extending from side to side between said shield plates, and wherein the attachment of said pivoted arms to said cultivator is by means of rotary bearings attached to said arms, said bearings being mounted on said shaft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the ends of said shaft extend beyond said shield plates and said rotary bearings are attached to the ends of the shaft outside of the shield plates.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-25 | 1979-02-24 | 1979-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-25 | 1983-02-24 | 1983-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-25 | 1987-02-24 | 1987-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |