Maschio Gaspardo offers reversible ploughs for ploughing within furrow: Siro, Lelio and the innovative Pietro with folding frame. Ploughs characterised by robustness, meticulous constructive care, a wide choice of ploughshares, coulters, mouldboards to address and resolve the most demanding working conditions. To this end, the square central frame consists of a mix of high-resistant steels and it is available with different sections: 100×100 mm for the S version, 120×120 mm for the M version, 140×140 mm for the L version, 150×150 mm for the XL version and 180×180 mm for the XXL version. The working parts are fixed to the frame by 5-hole plates, bolted externally. All adjustment brackets are also bolted externally on the main frame. In this way the absence of welding ensures great robustness and high stability. The large distance between the working bodies (from 85 to 120 cm) and the large ground clearance (from 75 to 95 cm) allows working and managing large amounts of crop residues. The connection heads to the tractor hoister are fitted with fixed or oscillating couplings, installed in lower position in order to optimise the weight distribution and maximise the tensile force exerted by the tractor. They are equipped with a thermally treated rotation pin that rotates on roller bearings. The pin diameter varies depending on the plough’s dimensions: from 90 mm for the S version to 130 mm for the XL and XXL versions. At each tipping of the frame, the memory of the hydraulic system of the plough brings the tool back to the same position of the previous passing. This function is standard for ploughs with 5 or more working bodies. The vertical angle of the ploughshares can be manually set by means of the two screws located at the sides of the head: the working bodies must be adjusted at 90° respect to the ground. It is also easy to adjust the accessories such as the coulters and the coulter discs. The ploughshares are forged with a particular design that ensures an optimal split and a well defined horizontal cut of the ground. The tips are “heavy-duty”, forged with high-resistant special steel, suitable for heavy-duty work. A vertical coulter on the side of the ploughshare facilitates reversal of the soil. A subsoiler tip can be fixed under each ploughshare in order to eliminate the hard pan. The working depth of the tip can be adjusted by two screws. The working width of the first ploughshare can be manually or hydraulically adjusted by means of the shifting sled fitted on the connection head, capable of an excursion of 1000 mm. By means of a hydraulic actuator, the first working body can be adapted to the tractor’s track directly from the driver’s seat.
The Step by Step system
It is also possible to vary the working width with the “Step by Step” system or with the “Vario” system. With the “Step by Step” system the working width of the single element can be manually adjusted by means of the fixing screws. With this system each ploughshare can increase its work face by 5 cm going from 25 to 60 cm, adapting to any operative situation (crop residues, soil type, tractor power). Whereas, with the “Vario” system, using a double-acting hydraulic cylinder, the working width of each element can be continuously adjusted from 25 to 60 cm and, thanks to the parallelogram connection system, the ploughshares and the depth wheel simultaneously adjust when the working width is modified. The ploughs of the Pietro series are equipped with an innovative folding frame: two sturdy cylinders release and close the central beam, halving the length of the plough. This facilitates road transport, limiting the clearance of the tractor-plough site and moves the centre of gravity of the plough in advance, reducing the risk of pitching. All Maschio Gaspardo ploughs have a passive safety system that allows the working bodies to retreat when the maximum admitted load is exceeded. This system provides safety bolts or a hydraulic Non Stop system that lifts the working body in case of impact with underground obstacles and allows the working body to go back to working position once the obstacle is overcome. In particular, the Lelio and Lelio Vario models are characterised by the “Step by Step” and “Vario” systems to modify the working width. Both models are equipped with bolted safety systems and are available in 4 versions (S, M, L and XL). The number of bodies varies from 2 to 5+1 while the required powers vary from 60 to 300 HP (40-221 kW).
Siro and Siro Vario are compact, light and sturdy ploughs, excellent for not very shallow ploughing and tractors with power from 70 to 230 CV (51-169 kW). Both models are equipped with Non-Stop hydro-pneumatic system. Available in three versions (S, M and L) they have frame sections (from 120×120 to 140×140 mm) and diameters of the rotation axis of the head from 100 to 120 mm. The distance between bodies varies from 85 to 105 cm and the ground clearance from 75 to 80 cm. The number of bodies can vary from 2 to 5+1 in the “Step by Step” versions and from 2 to 4+1 in the “Vario” models.
With the Pietro series ploughs, Maschio Gaspardo introduces a complete range of ploughs equipped with folding frames. The point of closure placed after the second or third body makes road transport easier and safer, reducing the loads on the three-point coupling and on the rear axis of the tractor. The Pietro series ploughs are also available with the “Vario” system to modify the working width and with the Non-Stop safety system. The number of bodies can vary from 3 to 5+1. The required powers vary from 120 to 350 HP (88-257 kW). The wide section of the single-beam frame (up to 150 mm) together with the high distance between bodies (up to 115 cm) and the large ground clearance (up to 95 cm), make the Maschio Gaspardo reversible ploughs of the Siro, Lelio and Pietro series great for ploughing in the most demanding working conditions.
by Marco Torre
(Fig. Opening A Pietro reversible plough with folding frame.
(Fig.1 The working parts and the adjustment brackets are bolted externally on the plough frame to ensure robustness.
(Fig.2 A subsoiler tip can be fixed under each ploughshare to eliminate the hard pan.
(Fig.3 A Lelio reversible plough with six bodies working on stubble.
(Fig.4 A Lelio reversible plough version M with 120×120 frame and four working bodies.
(Fig.5 A Sirio Vario reversible plough with four working bodies equipped with deflector for crop residues.
(Fig.6 A Pietro reversible plough with six working bodies equipped with coulter with high mouldboard to favour burial of abundant crop residues.