Coulter (agriculture)

The Sixteenth (also plow coulter, coulter, coulter blades, pruner or skimmer called ) is a so-called preliminary work tool during the plow that cuts perpendicular to the floor by the ploughshare and usually takes the form of a long, slightly curved blade.

Seche were already used in ancient times and were, according to Pliny the Elder. used in Raetia. Since the Middle Ages belonged in Central Europe usually also a coulter to the plow. The vertical cutting of the soil to be plowed by a sharp coulter causes as opposed to separation by the blunt leading edge mouldboard reduce the required traction for plowing, also is the work results through cleanly separated furrow wall better. Through the cleaner cleared furrow also tracking the team plow or the plow pulling tractor is facilitated.

The working depth of the Six is the clean separation of the abzupflügenden furrow at least " deep root " set in case of cohesive soils, the coulter is therefore positioned almost to the groove depth, less cohesive soils, the coulter tip be placed higher. To protect the moldboard front edge of the coulter is a few millimeters longer than this to the unploughed land point.

In addition to the knife-shaped coulter there are also round, rotating Seche, so-called disc coulters. These require less traction than knife coulters. More damage Fingered plows have today ( for cost reasons) often only on the last plow body a coulter. In the grassland, however, a coulter in front of each body is useful.

Medieval iconography

The plow coulter is commonly found on rural stone crosses and cross stones from the Middle Ages, but also to grave plates, artisan and local coat of arms coat of arms.

Former coat of arms of Sulzbach in the district of Karlsruhe, with gestürztem plow coulter

Coat of Arms of the Heilbronn district Kirchhausen, flanked by two coulters ploughshare