FIELD CULTIVATOR SWEEP
The field cultivating sweep includes a body with wings extending from a center line in opposite directions, and a conditioning element extending downwardly from the wing body. The conditioning element may be a blade extending vertically downwardly along the center line of the body and having a leading edge sloped rearedly from front to back. In alternative embodiments, the conditioning element may have a triangular or rectangular shape or may be in the form of a fluted coulter. The conditioning element acts to till the ground vertically and break up compacted soil as the sweep is drawn along the ground.
1 . A field cultivator sweep comprising:
a wing body; and
a conditioning element extending downwardly from the wing body.
2 . The field cultivator sweep of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning element is a blade.
3 . The field cultivator sweep of claim 1 , wherein the condition element extends in a vertical plane.
4 . The field cultivator sweep of claim 1 wherein the conditioning element has a leading edge extending rearwardly.
5 . The field cultivator sweep of claim 1 wherein the conditioning element slopes rearwardly between 30° and 60°.
6 . The field cultivator sweep of claim 1 wherein the conditioning element extends below the wing body at least 2 inches.
7 . The field cultivator sweep of claim 1 wherein the conditioning element is a planar blade.
8 . The field cultivator sweep of claim 7 wherein the blade has a thickness of approximately ⅜ inches.
9 . The field cultivator sweep of claim 8 wherein the blade has a constant thickness.
10 . The field cultivator sweep of claim 1 wherein the wing body has a front nose and the conditioning element has a leading edge spaced rearwardly from the nose.
11 . A method of cultivating soil, comprising pulling a sweep with a vertical blade through the soil to create a vertical slit in the soil.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the blade slices through the soil without displacing the soil sideways.
13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the sweep has a wing shaped body with a front nose to disrupt the soil as the sweep is pulled through the soil, and the lade has a leading edge offset rearwardly from the nose such that the slit is formed in the disrupted soil without further disruption of the soil.
14 . A sweep for cultivating soil in a field, comprising:
opposite left and right wings joined at a center line to form a symmetrical body with a V-shaped leading edge;
a neck extending upwardly from the body for mounting the sweep to a cultivator; and
a blade extending downwardly from the body to vertically till the soil when the sweep is pulled through the soil.
15 . The sweep of claim 14 wherein the blade extends vertically.
16 . The sweep of claim 14 wherein the blade extends from the center line.
17 . The sweep of claim 14 further comprising a second blade extending downwardly from the body, with the blades being positioned on opposite sides of the center line.
18 . The sweep of claim 14 wherein the body has a front nose and the blade is offset rearwardly from the nose.
19 . The sweep of claim 14 wherein the blade has a leading edge which is angled rearwardly from top to bottom.
20 . The sweep of claim 14 wherein the blade is flat.