EARTH CONDITIONING APPARATUS, SYSTEMS & METHODS

Abstract

Provided is an earth conditioning system/apparatus which removes/break-ups rock in the ground and has a front drawbar, a ground engaging tool arrangement and a rear rotary device (drum). A ground engaging tool arrangement includes a frame supporting ground engaging tools each mounted at a pivot. Actuators raise/lower the ground engaging tool(s) for desired depth control of the ground engaging tools. The rotary device slotted or ribbed drum acts as a crushing drum rolled over earth that has been broken up by the ground engaging tools. Actuators, provide height adjustment of the ground engaging tools relative to the ground engaging tool support frame and by adjusting the height from the ground of the ground engaging tool arrangement by operating the at least one adjuster acting between the rotary device and the ground engaging tool arrangement.

Claims

1. An earth conditioning system including a ground engaging tool arrangement including a ground engaging tool support structure supporting at least one ground engaging tool for being urged below a ground surface into the ground to engage with rock within the ground, the at least one ground engaging tool mounted to the ground engaging tool support structure for adjustment of height or depth engagement with the ground, the adjustment provided by at least one actuator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ground engaging tool arrangement is attachable to a prime mover or is self-powered.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the ground engaging tool arrangement is combined with a rotary device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the rotary device includes a drum or roller arranged to follow the ground engaging tool arrangement.

5. The system of claim 3, the rotary device including a hollow drum with external ribs or a series of wall structures defining a number of edges with channels therebetween.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the ground engaging tool arrangement includes a ground engaging tool adjustment system to adjust height of the at least one ground engaging tool relative to the ground.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the height adjustment of the at least one ground engaging tool is provided by at least one actuator.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one actuator includes one or more of a hydraulic ram, a pneumatic ram, an electric actuator, a mechanical actuator, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein each said ground engaging tool or pairs of ground engaging tools is directly height adjusted by the at least one actuator.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the ground engaging tool arrangement is pivotably connected to the rotary device, and height of the ground engaging tool support structure relative to the ground is adjusted by at least one actuator acting between the rotary device and the ground engaging tool arrangement.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a pivot allows the rotary device and the ground engaging tool arrangement to pivot relative to one another during use over uneven ground and to allow the ground engaging tool arrangement to raise relative to the rotary device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein a drawbar connection between a prime mover and the system may include at least one horizontal shock dampener and/or at least one vertical shock dampener.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the ground engaging tool support structure may include at least one ground engaging tool frame to which the at least one ground engaging tool is attached.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one ground engaging tool is pivotably mounted at or adjacent a leading end of the respective ground engaging tool.

15. The system of claim 1, including a crushing drum and a hitch portion both pivotally connected to the ground engaging tool arrangement to facilitate the at least one ground engaging tool to lift and lower, the at least one ground engaging tool being able to be positioned to engage into the ground a desired depth by adjusting the rotary device pivot mechanism or the ground engaging tool adjuster, or both.

16. A method of use of an earth conditioning system includes providing a ground engaging tool arrangement including a ground engaging tool support structure supporting at least one ground engaging tool for being urged below a ground surface into the ground to engage with rock within the ground, the at least one ground engaging tool mounted to the ground engaging tool support structure for adjustment of height or depth engagement with the ground, the adjustment provided by at least one actuator.

17. (canceled)

18. The method of claim 16, including providing the ground engaging tool arrangement in combination with a rotary device.

19. The method of claim 18, the rotary device provided as a roller or drum acting behind the ground engaging tool arrangement to condition the earth after the at least one ground engaging tool has scarified or gouged rocks in the earth to aid breaking them down or has ripped rocks from the earth or broken rocks in the earth or broken rocks brought to the surface.

20.-22. (canceled)

23. The method of claim 16, whereby the at least one ground engaging tool pivots rearwards or forwards as required with respect to a forward direction of motion during use of the system when the respective ground engaging tool is required to raise up or lower respectively.

24. (canceled)

25. The method of claim 16, whereby a rotary device and the ground engaging tool arrangement pivot relative to one another.

26. The method of claim 25, whereby the rotary device and the ground engaging tool arrangement pivot about a shared pivot axis.

27. The method of claim 16, including propelling the ground engaging tool arrangement across an area of ground, adjusting height of the at least one ground engaging tool relative to the ground by adjusting one or both of a position of the at least one ground engaging tool relative to the support structure and varying the height of the ground engaging tool arrangement relative to the rotary device.

28. The method of claim 16, including operating a release mechanism which allows the respective ground engaging tool to relieve out of work position if a strike on very hard rock or large rock or debris.

29. (canceled)

30. The method of claim 16, wherein mechanical relief of the at least one ground engaging tool is provided by at least one shear pin and/or biasing means, a spring or dampener or accumulator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0080] In order to facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, several preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0081] FIGS. 1 to 4 provides progressive side views of operation of the earth conditioning system embodying the present invention.

[0082] FIGS. 5 to 6 show views of the ground engaging tool arrangement with the ground engaging tools retracted (relieved) (FIG. 5) and deployed (FIG. 6) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0083] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an earth conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0084] FIGS. 8A and 8B show an arrangement of the drum for crushing the soil and rock ripped up by the ground engaging tools.

[0085] FIGS. 9A and 9B show respective front (FIG. 9A) and rear (FIG. 9B) views of an earth conditioning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0086] It is to be appreciated that each of the embodiments is specifically described and that the present invention is not to be construed as being limited to any specific feature or element of any one of the embodiments. Neither is the present invention to be construed as being limited to any feature of a number of the embodiments or variations described in relation to the embodiments.

[0087] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 9B, there is shown an earth conditioning system 10 according to one or more embodiments of the present invention for us in earth conditioning by engaging into the earth behind a vehicle (not shown) and removing and/or breaking up rock (such as by ripping and/or crushing).

[0088] The system 10 includes a front drawbar arrangement 12, an intermediate ground engaging tool arrangement 14 and a rear rotary device 16.

[0089] The drawbar arrangement 12 includes a drawbar 18, a hitch 20 at a leading end 22 of the drawbar to attach the system to a prime mover (not shown).

[0090] A pivot arrangement 26 is provided at the trailing end 24 of the drawbar.

[0091] Support members 28,30 strengthen the drawbar arrangement and provide mounting for a dampener arrangement 32 which absorbs shocks otherwise transferred from the ground engaging tool arrangement and the rotary device to the hitch and thereafter the prime mover.

[0092] The dampener arrangement may be connected to the ground engaging tool arrangement at a pivot 32a

[0093] The dampener can include one or more mechanical dampeners (such as resilient materials and/or springs), a pneumatic or hydraulic accumulator/dampener or a combination of any two or more thereof. The dampener arrangement can be passive or can be actively controlled to react forces applied through the dampener.

[0094] The ground engaging tool arrangement 14 includes a frame 34 supporting ground engaging tools 36.

[0095] Each ground engaging tool is mounted at a pivot 38 and can pivot rearward and upward. An actuator 40 can be controlled to raise or lower the respective ground engaging tool(s) 36 depending on desired depth that the respective ground engaging tool is required to engage into the ground (which can depend on ground type, proportion of soil to rock, rock type, wet/dry ground, depth required to operate at, power of the prime mover etc.).

[0096] Each ground engaging tool 36 can include a replaceable wear part 42. A quick release mechanism can be provided to facilitate removal and replacement of a worn ground wear part.

[0097] A leading edge 44 of the ground engaging tool can be strengthened or of a stronger material (such as wear plate material, hardened steel, case hardened steel, bisalloy or alternatives) than a trailing part of the same ground engaging tool.

[0098] A rotary device 16 can be attached to trail behind the ground engaging tool arrangement 14.

[0099] The rotary device 16 can include a roller or drum 46, such as of a solid (preferably hollow) body with ribs thereon, or can be of spaced discs or wheels or ribs creating channels 48 therebetween.

[0100] The rotary device can include a slotted or ribbed said drum 46 to act as a crushing drum for being rolled over earth that has been broken up by the ground engaging tools 36.

[0101] The crushing drum function includes a number of reinforcements 50 in the form of crushing ribs 48.

[0102] The drum can be hollow to provide a reservoir 52 to receive a ballast material, such as water or sand, to add weight to the drum and thereby increase crushing force over the ground ripped up by the ground engaging tools.

[0103] The slotted drum 46 preferably weighs about 5 tonnes (though other weights fall within the scope of the present invention) when empty and more than 10 tonnes when a reservoir is filled with water. The weight of the frame 4.2 excluding the drum preferably weighs between 3 tonnes and 20 tonnes, more preferably between 4 tonnes and 20 tonnes, and yet more preferably between 5 tonnes and 20 tonnes. The weight of the drum 46 is preferably between 3 tonnes and 10 tonnes. It will be appreciated that the frame and/or drum are not limited to these weights and can individually or together be heavier or lighter depending on design, specification and construction factors.

[0104] The earth conditioning system 10 provides a multi tonne system for high workload rock crushing for conditioning roads, agricultural and other tracts of land.

[0105] The rotary device can be connected to the ground engaging tool arrangement by a pivot arrangement 54 allowing the rotary device and the ground engaging tool arrangement to pivot with respect to one another.

[0106] One or more actuators 56, such as one or more hydraulic or pneumatic rams, enables height adjustment of the ground engaging tool arrangement relative to the ground by, for example, extending or contracting the actuator(s). Other actuator, such as electric motors, are envisaged to provide a similar function.

[0107] Preferably, the one or more actuators 56 may connect to the ground engaging tool arrangement 14 at a respective pivot 56a.

[0108] Therefore, one or more forms of the present invention provides for height adjustment of the ground engaging tools by:

1. Adjusting the height/depth of each ground engaging tool 36 relative to the ground engaging tool support frame 34; and
2. By adjusting the height from the ground of the ground engaging tool arrangement by operating the at least one adjuster acting between the rotary device and the ground engaging tool arrangement.

[0109] A scraper device 58 can be provided across the drum 46 to remove any rocks and soil caught between the ribs. The scraper device can include multiple scrapers 60 with each scraper 60 fitting into a slot (or channel) 62 between edges 64 created by the ribs. The edges may be provided by plates being edge on to the body 66 of the rotary drum.

[0110] In use, the earth conditioning system can include just the ground engaging tool arrangement mounted to a prime mover, such as a tractor, or may be self propelled. The ground engaging tools can be lowered to engage into the ground as the ground engaging tool arrangement is moved forward. Weight of the ground engaging tool arrangement aids breaking up of rock within the soil.

[0111] Alternatively, with the rotary device attached, the depth of the ground engaging tools biting into the ground can be finely adjusted. Also, the drum of the rotary device helps to further break up, level and compact the soil and broken rock.

[0112] As would be apparent, various alterations and equivalent forms may be provided without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. This includes modifications within the scope of the appended claims along with all modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents.

[0113] There is no intention to limit the present invention to the specific embodiments shown in the drawings. The present invention is to be construed beneficially to the applicant and the invention given its full scope.

[0114] In the present specification, the presence of particular features does not preclude the existence of further features. The words ‘comprising’, ‘including’ and ‘having’ are to be construed in an inclusive rather than an exclusive sense.

[0115] It is to be recognised that any discussion in the present specification is intended to explain the context of the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that the material discussed formed part of the prior art base or relevant general knowledge in any particular country or region.