'S006425446B1 «y United States Patent (i Patent Noz US 6,425,446 BL Gates (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 30, 2002, (58) HARROW TINE WITH A CUTTING EDGE 434418 A+ 91985 Hegeman ea sn 7208 eassio A+ 121080 Edninon tan (95) Inventor: Michael Gates, $710 - 331 Ave. NW, ‘hsiam A "eins Maen tam Lansford, ND (US) 58750 Sostaie A + 719m mice trae Sma A) Some Hey eal Hamm +) Novice! Subject any dislaimer,thetem ofthis 7828 A+ ORR ohn tar () Not lr lara poet pl 48345190 A * 5/1989 Kyle 172704 patent extended or adined under 35 AMLIQD A * SUNY Kile rar USC, 154(b) by 0 days, 5,314,029 A * 5/1994 Rowleit 172699 Saatier A | C1008 Adm al ‘mama Ap. No. 09/640,444 Somes A+ 11809 Pah a3 SAR A+ LORI Sela 2708 Filed: Aug. 17, 2000 Int. CL? AOLB 23/02; AO1B 35/24 us. cL iq Feld of Search 1727747, 707, rm, 728 * cited by examiner Primary Examiner—Thomas B. Wil ‘Assistant ExaminerKristine Markovich (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Michael S, Neustel (56) References Cited 6) ABSTRACT US. PATENT DOCUMENTS A huarow tine with a cutting edge for increasing the ec pees ae 172707 cieaey and useful life of a harrow tne. The inventive device ign A + "gion T7a7 includes a harrow tine, and a hardened edge member Toesoan A * 7084 T2747 attached 1 a lower end ofthe harrow tine for engaging & Bakoa7 A+ 911969 17270) ground surface. The hardened edge member preferably is Sams A S075 228/122 {apered forwardly thereby creating a syncline shaped srue- Dasrsed $5 1/1975 Wilansta ; DISA ure wih Teding edge which esl penetrates the ground Soalyo7 A * LWio7S Andenen al. c. 17a708 — SuMfac. The cage member is preferably consrucied of « ‘ns2's02 A 10977 wal 407.790 A + 34978 Gutter ras 44353368 A 121982. Wetmore im 4 Claims, 2 Drawing SheetsUS. Patent Jul. 30, 2002 23 | -— 28 3e pe 30 Sheet 1 of 2 US 6,425,446 BL W iS f \ SeU.S. Patent Jul. 30, 2002 Sheet 2 of 2 US 6,425,446 BL 26 10 20 34 Ge = 32 30 FIG. 2 26 40 7 34 30 28 32US 6,425,446 BL 1 HARROW TINE WITH A CUTTING EDGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1, Field of the Invention ‘The present invention relates generally to harrow tines and more specifically it lates to a harrow tne witha eating ‘edge for increasing the efficiency and useful life ofa harcow 2. Description of the Prior Art Harrow tines have been in use for years. Typically, a ‘conventional hartow tine ha a pair of shafts extending from 4 coil spring siructure that engage the ground strace thereby agitating the surface ofthe ground. The main problem with conventional harrow tines i that they do not easily penetrate extremely hardened ground surfaces because of the relatively blunt shafts. Another problem with conventional harrow tines is that they tend 10 ‘wear relatively quiekly within various types of soil condi- lions thereby requiring the user to replace them Examples of patented basrow tines and the like include US, Pal. No. 382,594 to Jackson ot al US. Pat. No, 5,314,029 to Rowlett; US. Pat. No. 4,363,364 19 Wetmore; US, Pat, No, 5,427,186 10 Adrian ot al US, Pat. No. 5,027,907 to Delyea! US. Pat. No. 4,753,299 to Meyers; US. Pat. No. 4,770,253 to Hallissy et al US. Pat. No. 4,052,802 to Moen et al. which are all illustrative of such prior act. While these devices may be suitable forthe particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for Increasing the effcieney and useful life of @ harrow tine ‘Conventional harraw tines do not provide extended periods ‘of usage nor are they suitable for extremely hardened ground surfaces. In these respects, the harrow tine with a cutting edge acconting tothe present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of increasing the elfcieney and useful life of a hatrow tine. SUMMARY OP THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing dissdvantages inherent in the known types of harrow tines now present inthe prior art, the present invention provides a new harrow tine with a eutting fedge construction wherein the same can be uilized Tor increasing the efficiency and useful ife of » harrow tine. The general purpose of the present invention, whieh will be described subsequenly in greater del, isto provide a new arrow tine wit a cutting edge that has many of the advantages of the harrow tines mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new harrow tine with 2 cutting edge which i not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any ofthe prior art harcow lines, either alone o¢ in any combination thereof, tain tis, the present invention generally comprises a harrow tine, and a hardened! edge member tached to. lower end of the harrow tine for engaging a ground surface ‘Me hardened edge member preferably i tapered forwardly thereby creating a syncline shaped structure with leading cedge which easily penetrates the ground surface. The edge momber is preferably consiucted of a hardened material such as but not limited! to ehrome. ‘There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order thatthe detailed s 2 description thereof may be better understood, and in onder thatthe present contribution to the at may be beller app fated, There are additional features of the iaveation that Will he deseribed hereinaier and that will form the subject matter ofthe claims appended hereto. Tn this espect, before explaining atleast one embodiment ‘of the invention in detily itis to be understood that the invention isnot limited in its application to the details of ‘consiction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in te following description or illustrated in the dravs- ings. The inveation is eapable of other embodiments and of heing practiced and eacied out in various ways. AIS, itis to be understood that the phraseology and terminology ‘employed herein are for the pugpose ofthe description and ‘should not be regarded as limiting, ‘A primary object ofthe present invention isto provide a harrow tine with a eutting edge that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices. A second object is to provide a harrow tine witha cutting ‘edge for increasing the efficiency and useful life of a harcow Another object isto provide « harrow tine with a euting ‘edge that increases the agitation of the ground surface, ‘An additional object is to provide a harrow tine with a ‘ulting edge that easily penetrates « hardened ground sur- face, ‘A further object is 0 provide a harrow tine with a cutting ‘edge that save time and money during extended usage Other objects and advantages ofthe present invention will, hecome obvious to the reader and itis intended that these ‘objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention ‘To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied inthe form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called tothe fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that ‘changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated tnd described within the scope of the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various other objects, features and attendant advantages ‘of the present invention will become fully appreciated asthe ‘same becomes better understood when eapsidered in con- junction with the accompanying drawings, in which like Teference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein FIG. Lis front view of the present invention FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a shall member showing the shaped hardened materia FIG. 3 is magnified upper perspective view of the ‘shaped hardened material upon the lower portion of one ‘of the shafts, FIG. 4 is side view of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT ‘Tuming now descriptively 10 the drawings, in. which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views FIGS, I through 4 illustrate a harrow tine with « cutting edge 10, which comprises harrow tine 20, and a hardened edge member 30 attached 0 a Tower end 28 ofthe harrow tine 20 for engaging. ground ‘surface, The hardened edge member 30 preferably is tapered forwardly thereby creating a syncline shaped stricture withUS 6,425,446 BL 3 4 leading edge tht easily penetrates the ground surface. The edge member 30 is preferably constructed of a hardened material such as but not limited to chrome As shovin in FIG. 1 of the drawings, a cross member 22 having a paicof coil springs 24 at opposing ends is provided ‘with a harrow tine 20 extending dowawardly from each of the coil springs 24. The harrow tine 20 is comprised of shalt 26 having an upper end and a lower end 28 as shown in FIGS. 1,3and4 of the drasvings. Itean be appreciated that the shaft 26 can bo consimteted of various lengths and dliameters as desired. ‘As shoven in FIGS. 1 through 4 ofthe drawings, an edge member 30 is secured to a front portion of the shaft 26 adjaccat the ower end 28. A hody 40 is also attached to the shaft 26 between the shaft 26 aod the edge member 30. The body 40 is formed about a portion of the shaft 26 and is cconsiucted of a hardened mate ‘As best shown ia FIGS, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the edge member 30 includes « cutting edge for penetrating the ‘ground surface. The edge member 30 is tapered from the Tront portion of the shaft 26 or the body 40 as best show in FIG, 2 of the drawings. As further shown in FIG. 2 of the rasvings, the edge member 30 is syacline shaped to form the cutting edge. AS best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, the edge member 30 extends along less than twenty percent of a total length of the shaft 26 and is preferably attached to the lower end 28 ofthe shalt 26 for engaging the ground surface, The edige member 30 and the body 40 are preferably ‘comprised ofa hardened material such as but aot limited 10 chrome. The hardened material reduces the wearing of the shall 26 during usage and increases the ability of the barrows tine 20 10 penetrate the ground surface during extended periods of usage As futher shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 of the drawings, the edge member 30 preferably includes. base portion ‘opposite of the euming edge wherein the base portion has a ‘width Tess than a diameter of the shai 26, The edge member 30 further hasa distance extending between the base portion tnd the cutting edge that i less than a diameter of the shaft 26 In use, the harow tine 20 is secured to harrow imple- ment wherein the harrow implement is connected to tractor ‘or the like, The edge member 30 engages the ground sueface «luring operation ofthe harrow implement thereby reducing, engagement of the ground surface directly to the shaft 26 ‘whieh reduces. wearing upon the shaft 26 which is con ucted of a sofler material a maintain reduced cost of manufacturing. The cutting edge of the edge member 30 engages and penetrates the ground surface thereby increas ing the overall eficieney of the harrow tine 20 in operation ‘The body 40 increases the surface area protecting the shaft 2Gof the harow tine 20 thereby furberineteasing the useful Tite of the harrow tine 20, As to 4 further discussion of the manner of usage and ‘operation of the present invention, the same should be s 4 apparent fom the above description. Accordingly, no further «discussion eating to the manner of usage and operation will, be provided With respect to the above description thea, it is t© be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts ofthe invention to include variations in size, materials, Shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly tnd use, ate deemed fo be within the expertise of those ‘skiled i the art, and all equivalent structural variations and relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encom= passed by the present invention, ‘Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only ‘of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous ‘modifications and changes will eadily occu to those skilled in the ar its not desired to limit the invention tothe exact ‘construction and operation shown and described, and ‘accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scape of the invention. 1 claim 1. Aharcow tine with a cutting edge, compesing: a shaft having an upper end, a lower end, a rear surface ‘and fron surface, wherein Said shaft has cigcular ross Sectional area divided! into a font half an a car ball, and an elge member having 8 base portion and a cutting edge ‘having a straight structure, whercin said base portion is permanently secured to said front surface of sid shaft Adjacent std lower ends wherein said edge member is tapered from said base portion to said cutting edge; ‘wherein said edge member bis » pair of opposing side walls at an acute angle with respect to one anther; wherein said culling edge i forwardly alignod with a travel path of sud shaft for severing @ ground surface in font of said shaft; wherein said cutting edge is parallel to ssid shaft; wherein said edge member is syneine shaped; wherein said edge member extends along, less than 20 percent of a toal engi of said shaft ‘wherein said edge member is comprised of « hardened materials wherein said base portion of said edge member has a ‘Width less than a diameter of suid shal. 2. The hasrow tine witha cutting edge of claim 1, wherein said hardened material is chrome. ‘3. The harrow tine witha cutting edge of claim 1, wherein sid edge member is welded to stid shat. 4. The harrow tine witha cutting edge of claim 1, wherein said edge member has a distance extending between std base portion and said cuting edge, wherein Said distance is less than a diameter of said shalt