Cereals 2014: Novel tine designs and stubble tillage choice

There appears to be no limit to the imagination of cultivation equipment manufacturers when it comes to thinking up new tine designs, assemblies and layouts, judging by some of the implements on display at the Cereals event.

While a simple chisel, slimline leg or A-point are enough for some, for others, manipulating soil movement using a tine with easily replaceable wearing parts is seen as more of a challenge to the designer’s inventiveness.

Tines on the Terraland heavy chisel cultivator from Czech manufacturer Bednar are among the more unusual designs.

Looking at it from the side reveals three distinct angles to the leg profile – a shallow angle at the tip of the 80mm reversible chisel point to encourage penetration, then a steeper angle for the main section to break up deep-set compaction.

Finally, a steeply angled section carries a forward-facing triangular fin positioned to split and deflect any intact soil clods travelling up the chisel and create something of a mixing action.

Curved blades like those on a rotary tiller are bolted to either side of the leg in a relatively high-set position, forming wings that also break up soil heaved by the chisel point.

The Terraland has two rows of these tines at 40cm spacing and protected by auto resetting hydraulic break-back. Typical working depth is likely to be 40-45cm, but they are capable of working to 55cm and more.

An asymmetrical design is installed on the MaxiMulch one-pass cultivator, which is part of 
the Agrisem range being imported by KRM.

With the leg angled slightly to one side, there are shades of the Howard Paraplow here, in that the soil-penetrating chisel point formed at one end of the TCS blades is offset to one side instead of being positioned in line with the leg.

“The idea is that the soil is lifted in a wave, with the initial cracking opened up progressively by the wide wing sections to create vertical fissures through any compacted layers,” explains Keith Rennie of KRM. “Having the point offset means there is less likelihood of soil being pushed up the leg, which is often the case when the point is positioned directly ahead.”

The blade works at a shallow angle, which should help keep power requirement in check, while two replaceable shin facings protect the leg structure.

The legs and blades are installed on the MaxiMulch between two rows of 560mm-diameter cutaway discs, although they could always be positioned first if that is the user’s preference. Each disc is carried on a patented pigtail tine, with three-dimensional movement resulting in a “percussion” effect to help break and level the soil into a tilth.

Shear bolt or non-stop leg protection is available, together with working widths to 6m in mounted and trailed formats.

Min-till boost for stubble harrows

Stubble harrows are gaining popularity for spreading chaff, bashing slugs and encouraging weed seeds and shed grain to chit in direct sowing and minimum tillage systems.

But while most use heavy-duty flexible grass harrow tines, Sumo’s Strake deploys 15mm carbon steel tips on substantial 45x1mm C-tines to do the job.

Together with a heavy-duty folding frame, the angle-adjustable tines are said by Sumo to allow working speeds of 10-25kph while performing an effective job, even on heavy soils.

The tines can be operated at 75mm or 150mm spacing with alternate rows lifting out of work by hydraulic cylinder when working in heavy or damp straw.