Plastic sheet take-up implement

Abstract

An agricultural implement for automatically taking up plastic sheeting and drip tape onto cylindrical drums. In the preferred embodiment, the device is designed to be mounted onto the back of a tractor or the like by means of a three point hitch. The device includes a frame having a first take-up means for receiving the plastic sheeting, a drive means connected to a first cylindrical drum and powered by the tractor, and a by-pass valve located between the drive means and the tractor for controlling the speed of the first take-up means. The first take-up means includes a spiral roller for preventing the plastic sheeting from bunching up. The present invention also includes a second take-up means for receiving the drip tape onto a second cylindrical drum. The second take-up means is preferably powered off of the first drive means. A control means is located between the second take-up means and the drive means for controlling the speed at which the drip tape roll is rotated. Depending on the degree of tension or slack in the drip tape as it is taken up, the speed at which the second take-up means is either decreased or increased, respectively. This synchronizes the take-up of the drip tape with the take-up of the plastic sheeting, thereby allowing both to be taken up in a single pass.