Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
294 words
A soil working apparatus for support from a farm implement support member and movement along the ground in contact with the latter, said apparatus comprising a downwardly opening housing defining front and rear ends and including opposite side walls, front and rear transverse shafts extending between and journaled from said side walls, said shafts each including generally radially outwardly projecting and circumferentially axially spaced ground impaling spikes supported therefrom for rotation therewith, the lower end portions of the lower spikes on said shafts projecting downwardly below the lower marginal portions of said side walls, and means drivingly connecting said front shaft to said rear shaft for rotation of the latter in response to rotation of the front shaft and at a slightly greater angular speed than the angular speed of rotation of said front shaft, said side walls including corresponding upper marginal edges and corresponding upstanding front and rear marginal edges, said front and rear edges being rearwardly and forwardly upwardly inclined, respectively, upper and lower transverse braces extending between and secured to corresponding upper and lower end portions of said edges, said housing including a top wall extending between said upper marginal edges of said side walls and having the opposite end portions thereof disposed between and supported from said upper transverse braces, corresponding ends of said walls including front and rear end walls extending therebetween, said top wall comprising a sheet of flexible resilient material, said end walls comprising opposite end downwardly directed integral end portions of said sheet of flexible resilient material with the lower end portions thereof disposed between and supported from said lower braces, the terminal lower end of said rear end wall projecting downwardly below the marginal edges of said side walls and defining a flexible ground sweep.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
294 words
A soil working apparatus for support from a farm implement support member and movement along the ground in contact with the latter, said apparatus comprising a downwardly opening housing defining front and rear ends and including opposite side walls, front and rear transverse shafts extending between and journaled from said side walls, said shafts each including generally radially outwardly projecting and circumferentially axially spaced ground impaling spikes supported therefrom for rotation therewith, the lower end portions of the lower spikes on said shafts projecting downwardly below the lower marginal portions of said side walls, and means drivingly connecting said front shaft to said rear shaft for rotation of the latter in response to rotation of the front shaft and at a slightly greater angular speed than the angular speed of rotation of said front shaft, said side walls including corresponding upper marginal edges and corresponding upstanding front and rear marginal edges, said front and rear edges being rearwardly and forwardly upwardly inclined, respectively, upper and lower transverse braces extending between and secured to corresponding upper and lower end portions of said edges, said housing including a top wall extending between said upper marginal edges of said side walls and having the opposite end portions thereof disposed between and supported from said upper transverse braces, corresponding ends of said walls including front and rear end walls extending therebetween, said top wall comprising a sheet of flexible resilient material, said end walls comprising opposite end downwardly directed integral end portions of said sheet of flexible resilient material with the lower end portions thereof disposed between and supported from said lower braces, the terminal lower end of said rear end wall projecting downwardly below the marginal edges of said side walls and defining a flexible ground sweep.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said means drivingly connecting said front shaft to said rear shaft comprises a pair of large and small diameter sprocket wheels mounted on said front and rear shafts, respectively, for rotation therewith, and an endless chain trained about said sprocket wheels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination of claim 2 wherein said shafts project through one of said side walls, said sprocket wheels being mounted on said shafts outwardly of said one side wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination of claim 1 including spray discharge nozzle means carried by forward portion of said housing and positioned forwardly of and to the exterior of said front end wall to direct a downward spray on the ground closely forward of the front end wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
132 words
The combination of claim 1 including a tool support structure, rearwardly and downwardly inclined upper and lower parallel links pivotally supported at their upper forward portions from said support structure, said housing being pivotally supported from the lower rear portions of said parallel links for vertical floating relative to said tool support structure, a forwardly and downwardly inclined support arm pivoted at its upper rear end from said housing for oscillation about a horizontal axis coinciding with the axis of oscillation of the rear lower portion of the upper link relative to said housing, the forward lower end of said support arm having ground engaging gauge wheel means journaled therefrom, and upstanding adjustable length elongated connecting means connected between a mid-portion of said support arm and the forward end of said housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The combination of claim 5 wherein said tool support structure and parallel links include coacting movement limiting means preventing downward swinging of the lower rear portion of said parallel links, and thus said housing below a predetermined point relative to said tool support structure.