CARBIDE INSERT

Abstract

A carbide insert for a soil tillage implement for agriculture, which is formed using or from at least one hard material and at least one binding metal. Iron is provided as a binding metal.

Claims

1. A carbide insert for a soil tillage implement for agriculture, which is formed using or from at least one hard material and at least one binding metal, wherein iron is provided as the binding metal.

2. The carbide insert according to claim 1, wherein the hard material is a carbide of a metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten, titanium, vanadium, chromium, niobium and/or molybdenum.

3. The carbide insert according to claim 1, wherein the hard material is formed from tungsten carbide and optionally titanium carbide.

4. The carbide insert according to claim 1, wherein the hard material is present in the carbide in a proportion of 75% by weight to 95% by weight, preferably 78% by weight to 94% by weight, in particular 80% by weight to 93% by weight.

5. The carbide insert according to claim 1, wherein the proportion of binding metal is 6% by weight to 25% by weight, preferably 8% by weight to 22% by weight, in particular 10% by weight to 20% by weight.

6. The carbide insert according to claim 1, wherein a coating is provided on the carbide insert.

7. The carbide insert according to claim 1, wherein the hard material has an average grain size of 0.5 m to 10 m, preferably 0.6 m to 8 m, in particular 0.7 m to 1.5 m.

8. The carbide insert according to claim 1, wherein in addition to iron, nickel and/or chromium are present as constituents of the binding metal.

9. The carbide insert according to claim 8, wherein nickel and/or chromium are present individually or together, wherein a total proportion of nickel and chromium is at most 4% by weight.

10. A soil cultivation implement for agriculture, in particular for the preparatory cultivation of agricultural areas, having a carbide insert according to claim 1.

11. A use of a carbide insert according to claim 1 for a soil tillage implement for agriculture.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:

[0022] Further features, advantages and effects of the invention result from the exemplary embodiment illustrated below.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a cultivator blade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.

[0025] A cultivator blade 2 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The cultivator blade 2 has a plurality of carbide inserts 1. Each of these carbide inserts 1 is made up of a hard material, namely tungsten carbide, and a binding metal. The proportion of tungsten carbide is, for example, 85% by weight. The proportion of the binding metal is, for example, 10% by weight or 15% by weight. The binding metal is iron. An average grain size of the tungsten carbide, which can optionally be partially replaced by titanium carbide, is, for example, 4.5 m to 5.6 m. However, finer types of carbide can also be used. The hardness (HV30) is around 1550 to 1650 and the density around 14.25 gcm.sup.3 having a binding metal content of iron as an exclusive binding metal and an average grain size of the tungsten carbide.

[0026] In use, it has been shown that carbide inserts 1 according to the invention having iron as a binding metal have approximately the same service lives as those with cobalt in a cultivator blade 2 as shown in FIG. 1. In comparison, however, it should be noted that abrasion of the carbide insert 1 and thus also of the binding metal is considerably less hazardous, since iron can readily be taken up in the soil, whereas cobalt acts as a contaminant in the soil and in particular can get into the food chain. Although outbreaks cannot be avoided even with high iron contents and the associated toughness, this does not play a significant role in soil tillage, unlike in the high-precision machining of metal workpieces. In this respect, the use of iron as a binding metal for carbide inserts 1 for soil tillage implements for agriculture results in an optimized field of application of carbides, which are formed exclusively or at least predominantly with iron as a binding metal and free of cobalt.

[0027] It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.