The use of agricultural machinery is well known as an efficient manner to effectively manage large areas of vegetation. The type of machine varies with the specific application but it is well known to utilise individual machines for the cutting of vegetation and spraying. These machines are connectable to an agricultural vehicle such as a tractor and are operable, typically from within the cab. When providing a machine with a plurality of heads, either for spraying or cutting, it is necessary to ensure that these are provided in a stable operating condition such that the vehicle can traverse different terrain conditions without altering the performance of the cutting or spraying.
Agricultural cutting machines are well known for varying applications. The cutting machines are typically mounted to the front of the tractor, and controlled from within the cab of the tractor by the driver. Depending on the application the cutting machine may comprise one or a plurality of cutting elements.
Another known cutting machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,603 and discloses a plant topping device which is connectable to a tractor. This plant topping device includes at least one rotary cutting device which is mounted upon a frame which extends transversely to the movement of the tractor to which the device is mounted. The frame is moved over the tops of the plants and the action of the rotary blade cuts the tops off the plants. The device is fully height adjustable. By using multiple cutting heads it is possible to cut a plurality of plants at the same time. This device is described for use in tobacco farming wherein a plurality of plants are provided in parallel rows. By using a device such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,603 it is possible to top multiple plants in adjacent rows at the same time. While being advantageous in that multiple plants may be cut simultaneously, the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,603 suffers in that the frame portion extends to only one side of the tractor, thereby reducing the cutting coverage, and due to the rigid mounting arrangement of the frame to the tractor is not suitable for mounting multiple heads to the frame. The addition of more cutting heads to this device in an attempt to overcome these shortcomings, is not possible as the mounting arrangement is not sufficiently stable to support the additional length of the frame required to support more cutting heads.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,614 discloses a mower boom with a dampening mechanism. This is provided in the form of a torsion hitch which enables a cushioning of movement of a mower attachable to a tractor. This cutting arrangement does not extend any great distance beyond the width of the tractor, and therefore the area of cutting that can be effected in any one sweep is quite small.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,997 describes a side mounted cutting arrangement which is extendible to one side of the agricultural vehicle to which the cutting arrangement is mounted. The arrangement includes an articulated boom with a cutting head mounted to the end thereof. The boom is pivotable through an arc in excess of 180°, and does enable the cutting of vegetation some distance from the agricultural vehicle, but due to the provision of only one cutting head is limited to a specific area application.
There, therefore, exists a need to provide an improved cutting device for cutting a multiplicity of plants in adjacent rows. There also exists a need to provide an improved spraying head arrangement for enabling the spraying of a large area of vegetation utilising a stable spraying device.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds