Rotary tillers are simple but effective: Part 2
The tractor-drawn model and the self-propelled heavy duty rotary tiller
A
rotary tiller should be regarded as an alternative soil cultivation implement that can function in cooperation with other implements, for example tine implements. Some of the rotary tillers are self-propelled and some are tractor driven. The bigger horizontal axis rotary tiller consists of a frame that is attached to the three-point-hitch of a tractor. A gearbox is mounted onto the frame, and the gearbox is driven by the PTOshaft of a tractor (see Figure 1). A horizontal shaft, with sets of blades, is mounted at the bottom of the frame and the power is transferred from the PTO-shaft of the tractor, via the gearbox to the rotor. The blades on the rotor chop into the soil and also mixes the soil with plant residue that gathers at the surface of the soil. The rotor speed of all the rotary tillers can be changed and the change is normally done on the gearbox with a lever or by exchanging the gears inside the gearbox (see Figure 2). There are different types of blades and the blades are usually attached to flanges that are welded onto the round axle of the rotor. Certain models, however, have square axles and the flanges are bolted onto the square axles. The distances between these flanges can therefore be changed easily (see Figure 3).
Figure 1: A tractor drawn rotary tiller in action.
ProAgri Zambia 64
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