As background for the lecture on the evolution of plow design the following resources have been assembled1. “The Rau Model Plow Collection at Cornell University and the Evolution of Plow Design” manuscript (41 pages) parallels the lecture in content.

The term ‘moldboard plow’ describes an implement that cuts soil, lifts it, and turns it at least partly upside down by means of a curved plate, or moldboard (Figure 1). The concept of the moldboard plow is quite ancient.

The purpose of a plow is to expose nutrient enriched, fresh soil in which to till with a disc or harrow, plant, and encourage seed germination. Tilling the soil the hard way by hand is as old as man’s own

A plough or plow (both pronounced / p l aʊ /) is a farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting. [1] Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses but modern ploughs are drawn by tractors.

Moldboard plows are designed to bury plant residue as well as loosen the soil. By adjustment, they can flip a furrow slice 180 degrees such that the soil surface is inverted (Figure 1). Moldboard plows are an attractive alternative for small farms because there are many good used plows available, Figure 1. Sod inversion with the moldboard plow.

In his lecture, “The Rau Model Plow Collection at Cornell and The Evolution of Plow Designs, ” Cornell professor emeritus Gerald Rehkugler tells the story of Cornell's Rau Model Plow Collection and illustrates the evolution of the plow over time in his April 21, 2011 presentation to the Cornell Association of Professors Emeriti (CAPE).

Background: Aiming at the limitation problem of the side-turning characteristics of the share plow in facility agriculture, an innovative design method integrating TRIZ and extenics is proposed to design an in-situ tilling plow capable of deep turning with no side-shift of the soil area.

In this paper, two analytical methods based on the mathematical formulation of geometrical parameters were combined to design 3D shapes of moldboard plows simply and accurately.

Rehkugler brings the plow story full circle to the ascendancy of minimum tillage and the diminished usefulness of the moldboard plow that had played such a prominent historical role for humankind. He uses the Rau models to illustrate the significant stages in the evolution in …

Dec 17, 2019 · Three structural designs of plows used on the soil with a resistivity of 0.8 kilograms per square centimeter have been analyzed and the most appropriate design has been chosen.