Disks Dismantled Machines

About Disks

Disks (sometimes spelled “discs”) come in a variety of model types. Their descriptions vary by their configurations, such as one-way disk plow, offset disk harrow, and tandem disk harrow. Disks get their name from their numerous concave, disk-shaped blades, commonly made of steel alloys. When pulled behind a tractor, the disks work to till the soil, chopping both weeds and stover (stalks, leaves, etc. left from the previous crop) to prepare the seedbed for planting a new crop. The disks can be perfect circles, serrated, or scalloped.

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Case IH RMX 790 Offset Disk Harrow

History

Norwegian immigrant Ole Ringness is credited with inventing the disk plow and disk harrow in Bosque County, Texas. Unfortunately, Ringness died in 1872 before hearing back from the U.S. Patent Office that his application had been approved (albeit with its fee destined to remain unpaid). The first patented disk in the United States had just one set of disks and was pulled by livestock. Eventually, more sets of disks were added, along with self-cleaning capabilities. Kuhn Krause founder Henry Krause came up with the one-way disk plow in 1916, followed in the next decade by fellow Kansan Charles Angell’s version.

As the additional speed and power of tractors in the 1920s began to cause damage to the disks when they encountered rocks and other obstacles, Roy Ingersoll developed heat-treated steel disks that could withstand the punishment. Ingersoll’s tougher steel also allowed the disks to be formed into the familiar concave shape to dislodge more soil per pass. Kuhn Krause’s Rock-Flex disc harrows also addressed the problem of stony soils in the dawning age of the tractor.

Modern Features

In the 21st Century, so-called “compact disks” with independent torsion arms instead of gang shafts spread from Europe to North America as high-speed, one-pass residue management tools.

Today, new Case IH disks for sale come in widths of up to 47 feet, have rugged disks designed to handle the toughest and heaviest crop residue, and offer more precise depth adjustment to accommodate a variety of soil types and topographies.

John Deere disks for sale include technologies such as hydraulic folding wings for manageable transport widths; blades in a variety of sizes, weights, and spacing; and advanced bearing designs to keep the bearings free of dirt and debris.

As for individual disc coulters, Ingersoll Tillage uses a proprietary boron steel alloy with an excellent balance of hardness, resistance to fractures, sharpness, flexibility, and ductility, it says. Case IH, meanwhile, says that its Earth Metal notched blades sharpen themselves during ordinary use.

Find The Right Disk

Popular manufacturers of new and used disks available on Tractorhouse.com include Case IH, Industrias America, International, John Deere, Krause, Landoll, LEMKEN, Rome, Sunflower, and others. Some of the most plentiful models on TractorHouse.com are the John Deere 637 and 2623, Case IH 496 and RMX340, and Sunflower 1435 models.