German Rock Machine

German Rock Machine MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 8-4-14 A new German rock crusher that crushes rocks up to 12 in. in dia. in the field and then works the crushed powder back into the ground is now on the market in Europe. Developed by Josef Willibald, Frickingen, West Germany, the rock crusher resembles a roto-tiller from a distance and, in fact, it works the soil up and leaves it level much like a tiller. Crushed rocks are worked back into the soil where their nutrients are released to enrich the soil, says Alfons Ehrle, sales manager for the Willibald Company. "The crusher is pto-powered and mounts on a tractor 3-pt. hitch. An intake rotor picks up stones to a depth of 3 in. and throws these to a slasher rotor. The stones hit the rotating slashers and are smashed instantly. The slasher rotor works about 4 in.above the ground, "pre-smashing" large stones before they reach the in-take rotor at the back," explains Ehrle. The crusher, which practically eliminates having to pick rocks, can cover 1 to 2 acres per hour with it's 5¢-ft. width, says Ehrle. Two smaller models are also available. Ehrle notes that there is some question whether or not the machine could successfully crush the hard, granite-type rocks common on farms throughout the Midwest. The company hopes to find a North American distributor and begin field tests soon. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Josef Willibald, Maschinenfabrik, D-7771 Frickingen-Altheim, West Germany (ph 07554 8411).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.