Coulter blade with varied teeth and inserts and method of using same

Abstract

A coulter blade includes a plurality of teeth extending radially from a blade body. The teeth are shaped to efficiently cut crop stubble and aerate the soil. The teeth made include a flat side and a sabre-shaped side. The flat side and sabre-shaped side can be alternated on adjacent teeth. Inserts may be included on the blade to improve the function of the blade. Sets of blades having different teeth shapes and insert locations may be provided to permit a user to customize an implement depending on soil and stubble type.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A coulter blade comprising:
 a blade body having a first side and a second side and a plurality of teeth extending radially outwardly from the blade body, wherein each tooth is provided with a curved sabre side and a flat side, and wherein a first set of the teeth in the plurality of teeth have the sabre side corresponding with the first side of the blade body and the flat side corresponding with the second side of the blade body and a second set of the teeth in plurality of teeth have the sabre side corresponding with the second side of the blade body and the flat side corresponding with the first side of the blade body, and wherein the first set of teeth and second set of teeth are arranged in an alternating pattern around the blade body.   
     
     
         2 . The coulter blade of  claim 1 , further comprising a first plurality of inserts arranged at a first distance from a center of the blade body. 
     
     
         3 . The coulter blade of  claim 2 , further comprising a second plurality of inserts arranged at a second distance from the center of the blade body. 
     
     
         4 . A first set of coulter blades comprising the coulter blade of  claim 1 , and a plurality of additional coulter blades substantially identical to the coulter blade of  claim 1 .