A machine for burying slurry, sewage, or other soil- improving fluids has a hollow straight forward-leaning tine 35 which carries at its bottom end an arched, forward- sloping delta-shaped shoe 36 for lifting the soil into the form of a tunnel. The hollow interior of the tine 35 opens through the roof of this shoe 36, and slurry is delivered through the tine into the cavity under the shoe. A free-running vibrator 50 on the tine 35 vibrates it and the shoe 36 vertically. The tine is resiliently loaded by a spring 60 to its working position, and the reaction of the spring is applied directly to a reaction lever 14 separately pivoted on the subframe 10 carrying the tine. The spring reaction biases the lever 14 downwards, and the lever is supported at its rearward end behind the tine 35 by a roller 74 which closes the slit formed by the tapered leading edge 34 of the tine 35.

An apparatus (10) for cultivating rice and other crops is disclosed which comprises a frame (11) having a plurality of transversely extending spaced cultivator bars (12, 13), each of the bars having a plurality of spaced elongated soil working members (14, 15) extending generally vertically downward of said bars. The apparatus is pulled over the planted area to remove the weed plants.

A method of growing rice which increases the tillering of rice and which does not utilize any herbicides or pesticides is disclosed. The soil moisture is monitored in such a manner as to eliminate or reduce weed growth relative to rice growth. Generally, dry or soaked seed is drill-planted one to four inches into the soil having an appropriate moisture content. The rice field is not permanently flooded until 25-50 days after planting, and thus does not provide an adequate habitat for insect pests or weed growth. If any weeds have germinated at any time prior to flooding, they are easily removed by cultivation.

A head (18) for a powered earth-working tool (12) is adapted to be driven by a rotating shaft (28) which is driven by the prime mover (14) of the tool. The head includes a housing (36) having an opening for the shaft; a driver gear (48) in the housing fixed to the shaft which rotates with the shaft about an axis (70); an axle (52) in the housing disposed perpendicularly to such axis of rotation and carrying a driven gear (64) on a portion of the axle away from the ends to mesh with the driver gear and rotate the axle; a pair of pins (e.g., 76), offset from the axis of the axle, mounted to move with the rotation of the axle, 180° out of phase with each other; a pair of spindles (88, 102) in the housing disposed substantially parallel to the axle; a pair of connecting rods (86, 110) each having an opening (e.g., 84) to receive one of the pins and being mounted to swing from one of the spindles about the axis of the spindle; and a pair of earth-working members (32 and 34; 120; or 128) each fixed to one of the connecting rods to swing from the associated spindle about the axis of the spindle in a pendulum-like oscillation 180° out of phase with the other member. The head has wheels (112) for rolling support; also, a roller (120) is adapted to fit over such wheels to provide an alternative form of rolling support. The members can take particular alternative forms for hoeing (32 and 34), digging trenches (128) or cutting and lifting sod (120). The trench-digging form has a first elongated portion (130) extending from the vicinity of the housing, a second

Die Bodenauflockerungs-Vorrichtung (1) besitzt einen Vorrichtungskörper (2), der ein Antriebsorgan (3) trägt, welches gegebenenfalls über ein im Vorrichtungskörper (2) untergebrachtes Getriebe eine Mehrzahl von Auflockerungswerkzeugen (37) zu linear hin- und hergehender oder kreisender Bewegung antreibt. Zweckmäßigerweise sind einzelne der Auflockerungswerkzeuge (37) zu unterschiedlichen Bewegungen angetrieben. Ein einstellbarer Anschlag (32) dient dazu, die Eindringtiefe der Auflockerungs- ' werkzeuge (37) in den Boden vorzuwählen. Die Auflockerungswerkzeuge (37) sind auswechselbar an der Bodenauflockerungs-Vorrichtung (1) angebracht, so daß eine wohldosierte Bearbeitung des Bodens ermöglicht ist.

Die Erfindung betrifft ein Relativ zu dem Boden in einer Bewegungsrichtung bewegbares Bodenbearbeitungsgerät (10) für die Tiefenlockerung von Böden mit: an auf und ab bewegbaren Tragarmen (25) geführten Stechwerkzeugen (32) und einer einen elastomeren Körper (102) aufweisenden Dämpfungseinrichtung (34) zum Dämpfen einer Rückführbewegung der im Verlauf eines Herausziehens aus dem Boden sich relativ zu dem Tragarm verschwenkenden Stechwerkzeuge (32). Um einen ruhigeren und schnelleren Arbeitsbetrieb zu ermöglichen, wird vorgeschlagen, dass eine ersten Seite (44) des elastomeren Körpers (102) auf einer Haltefläche (46) eines Haltelements (104) flächig aufliegend fest mit dem Haltelement (104) befestigt verbunden ist und dass eine der ersten Seite (44) gegenüberliegender zweite Seite (48) des elastomeren Körpers (102) auf einer Haltefläche (50) eines Eingangselements (106) flächig aufliegend fest mit dem Eingangselement (106) befestigt verbunden ist,

und/oder

b) dass der Körper (102) aus elastomeren Materials mittels einer gesonderten gegen den Körper wirkenden Vorspanneinrichtung (60) elastisch vorgespannt ist.

An apparatus (10) for cultivating rice and other crops is disclosed which comprises a frame (11) having a plurality of transversely extending spaced cultivator bars (12, 13), each of the bars having a plurality of spaced elongated soil working members (14, 15) extending generally vertically downward of said bars. The apparatus is pulled over the planted area to remove the weed plants.

A method of growing rice which increases the tillering of rice and which does not utilize any herbicides or pesticides is disclosed. The soil moisture is monitored in such a manner as to eliminate or reduce weed growth relative to rice growth. Generally, dry or soaked seed is drill-planted one to four inches into the soil having an appropriate moisture content. The rice field is not permanently flooded until 25-50 days after planting, and thus does not provide an adequate habitat for insect pests or weed growth. If any weeds have germinated at any time prior to flooding, they are easily removed by cultivation.

A head (18) for a powered earth-working tool (12) is adapted to be driven by a rotating shaft (28) which is driven by the prime mover (14) of the tool. The head includes a housing (36) having an opening for the shaft; a driver gear (48) in the housing fixed to the shaft which rotates with the shaft about an axis (70); an axle (52) in the housing disposed perpendicularly to such axis of rotation and carrying a driven gear (64) on a portion of the axle away from the ends to mesh with the driver gear and rotate the axle; a pair of pins (e.g., 76), offset from the axis of the axle, mounted to move with the rotation of the axle, 180° out of phase with each other; a pair of spindles (88, 102) in the housing disposed substantially parallel to the axle; a pair of connecting rods (86, 110) each having an opening (e.g., 84) to receive one of the pins and being mounted to swing from one of the spindles about the axis of the spindle; and a pair of earth-working members (32 and 34; 120; or 128) each fixed to one of the connecting rods to swing from the associated spindle about the axis of the spindle in a pendulum-like oscillation 180° out of phase with the other member. The head has wheels (112) for rolling support; also, a roller (120) is adapted to fit over such wheels to provide an alternative form of rolling support. The members can take particular alternative forms for hoeing (32 and 34), digging trenches (128) or cutting and lifting sod (120). The trench-digging form has a first elongated portion (130) extending from the vicinity of the housing, a second

Es wird eine Vorrichtung zum Tiefenlockern von Rasenplätzen beschrieben, welche zwei Gruppen (11,12) von gegenläufig durch einen (16) oder zwei (30,31) Schwingantriebe angetriebene Lockerungsscharen (9) aufweist. Die Vorrichtung zeichnet sich durch hohen Wirkungsgrad bei relativ geringem Kraftbedarf aus.