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The Toolshed- Glossary
Definitions in current use by farmers, researchers and manufacturers or the
American Society of Agricultural Engineers ((616)429-0300). See ASAE terminology
bulletin on tillage implements (S414.1); soil-tool relationships (EP291.2
Dec 93) and soil-engaging components for conventional-tillage planters (S477
Dec 93).
Alabama shovels. Soil-moving sweeps in a triangular shape,
8 to 16 inches wide. Mounted on vertical or set back dog-leg shanks. A large
version of a “batwing” shovel.
Barring-off disks. See “disk hillers.”
Bezzerides tools. Common term for a line of in-row weeding
tool sets manufactured by Bezzerides Bros. Inc. of Orosi, CA.
Blind cultivation. Killing weeds before they emerge.
Broadcast tillage cultivation. A shallow field pass treating
the soil continuously within its swath, i.e., not differentiating between
row and inter-row areas. Includes passes with tools like a rotary hoe, harrow
or rod weeder done after crop emergence.
C-shank. A shank of flat stock bent in the shape of a “C,”
mounted with the open side forward. Stock is usually at least twice as wide
as thick; thicknesses of 0.5 to 0.88 inch. Used for low- to moderate-residue
row-crop cultivators and field cultivators.
Chisel-plow shank. A shank resembling a C-shank, but made
from more rigid stock. Used for heavier cultivators and chisel plows. Usually
1.25 by 2 inches.
Cultivator. A tillage tool designed to work several inches
deep to remove weeds between rows of growing crops. Usually a toolbar—attached
to a tractor by a three-point hitch—is the mounting point for row units which
carry soil-tilling units. Sometimes called a “plow” in the South.
Cutaway disks. Term for barring-off disks, disk hillers,
weeder disks. See disk hiller.
Danish tine. See S-tine.
Delta clean knife. Wide, single-piece cultivator sweep.
Disk hillers. Disks 6 to 22 inches in diameter paired to
work ahead of a cultivator gang to move soil. May be set close to row to pull
soil away from small crops, or reversed (through swiveling 180 degrees or
switching sides), positioned farther from the row to move soil into rows.
Also called barring-off disks, cutaway disks, weeder disks.
Do-all. Generic name for several combinations of secondary
tillage tools. Usually combine S-tine cultivators, harrows, disks and a leveling
device, widely used in conventional tillage systems in the Mississippi Delta
and central Midwest.
Drag harrow. Flex-tine harrow in North Dakota; a spike-tooth
harrow in Ohio.
Drill. 1. A wheeled implement that drops grains into soil
openings created by disk, shovel, coulter or power blade openings. 2. In the
South, the crop row (i.e., where the drill put the seeds).
Field cultivator. Tillage tool that works 2 to 5 inches
deep to open up soil or incorporate residue, depending on tooling. Sweeps
often used for fallow weed control. Shovels used more for spring field prep.
Designed for broadcast tillage across the entire working width. Four to five
toolbars of C-shanks are common.
Flame weeder. A mounted combination of a portable fuel source
and burners that generate flame hot enough to kill weeds. Tractor mounted
flamers can be used broadcast to cover the entire toolbar width, or with more
directed burners to work between or in rows of growing crops. Backpack type
flamers cover small areas with precision manual control.
Flex-tine weeder. Light implement for broadcast tillage
cultivation. Multiple round or angle iron framing members hold round or flat
spring steel teeth that run up to 0.5 inches deep, vibrating and moving around
obstructions. Also drag harrow (North Dakota), finger harrow, tine tooth harrow,
or weeder. “Weeder harrow” usually has much thicker tines—almost spikes.
Gang. A single structural member, mounted at right angles
to a main toolbar, that holds a grouping of cultivating tools. Usually connected
to the toolbar by a parallel linkage so it follows soil contours. Also rig
(John Deere) or row unit.
Guidance system. Any combination of mechanical or hydraulic
parts that keep an implement oriented a set distance from the row as the implement
moves down the field. Hydraulic systems usually have sensors that use the
location of the crop row or a soil formation to control adjustments to the
implement’s position.
Knives. Thin metal soil engaging tooling meant to slice
off weeds without displacing soil.
One-piece sweep. Wide sweep used in high-residue conditions.
Designed to undercut weeds and minimize surface residue incorporation. Wings
extend back from raised center, with open space between for soil flow. In
contrast to “three-piece sweep” which serves a similar function. Also Texas
sweep.
Plowing. Cultivating weeds between rows with a shanked implement
(Texas).
Point-and-share sweep. See “three-piece sweep.”
Rig. Cultivator gang, the structural piece as well as the
piece with all its tooling.
Rod weeder. Toolbar implement that pulls a spinning rod
parallel to the toolbar beneath the soil surface. The rod uproots weeds and
creates a desirable compaction layer that can serve as a moisture seal. (In
some areas of the upper Midwest, a stiff-toothed weeder harrow.)
Rotary hoe. A high-speed tool designed to aerate crusted
soil and to pluck tiny weed seedlings from the soil. Spider wheels with curved
teeth rotate around a straight shaft. Alternate wheels are offset for maximum
soil contact. High-residue models increase the offset distance to allow more
residue flow.
Scuffling. Inter-row cultivation
Shank. Parts of tillage tools designed to connect soil-engaging
tooling (shovels, sweeps) with the implement’s frame. Shanks can be straight,
C-shaped or S-shaped, depending on function. Called “standard” on John Deere
products.
Share. On cultivation tools, another term for sweep.
Spike-tooth harrow. Broadcast tillage tool with horizontal
rigid bars that hold square metal rods about 8 inches long, turned 45 degrees
so that the corner runs forward. Also diamond spike harrow, drag harrow (in
Ohio).
Spring-tooth harrow. Semi-circular, flat spring steel teeth
that pull with spring action when they encounter an obstruction or rooted
weed. More aggressive than spike harrow, but less aggressive than disk harrows
or field cultivators. Displaced by disks and field cultivators for deeper
tillage or heaver soil, but still excellent for plucking out shallow-rooted
surface weeds.
Sweep. Soil-engaging part of a cultivator. Versions designed
to slice through soil, cut off weeds and till soil surface.
Sweep plow. Toolbar implement of great rigidity that pulls
a wide, flat blade just beneath the surface. Kills weeds without disturbing
surface residue. Also blade plow, Noble blade plow, wide-blade plow, V-blade
plow.
S-tine. Flat metal stock bent into an “S” shape standard
to hold a cultivation sweep or shovel at the open bottom end of the “S.” Lighter
versions vibrate the most to shake weeds loose from soil; heavier versions
can run through deeper soil or handle higher residue. Used on many tillage
tools and cultivators.
Texas sweeps. See “One-piece sweep.”
Three-piece sweep. Wide sweep used in high-residue conditions.
Designed to undercut weeds and minimize surface residue incorporation. Two
replaceable (and usually reversible) blades bolt to the shank’s bottom members.
A third replaceable tip or point fastens on front. In contrast to one-piece
sweep which serves a similar function.
Tine. A long, thin rod of spring steel, round or flat, valued
for its vibrating action in shallow cultivation.
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