Plant husbandry – Miscellaneous
Patent
1998-08-31
2000-08-01
Poon, Peter M.
Plant husbandry
Miscellaneous
47 9, 111102, A01G 1302
Patent
active
060948582
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus for dispensing a sheet of film material from a roll and laying the film material on the ground subsequent to sowing seeds by a seed sower so that the film material covers the area where the seeds have been sown. In particular, the invention relates to such apparatus for use in the sowing of maize, although the invention is not limited to such apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Apparatus for dispensing sheet film material from a roll and laying the film material on the ground are known. For example, U.S. Patent Specification No. 4,092,936 discloses a device, particularly for tobacco seed, in which seed tape is laid on the soil, covered with sheet material and the edges of the sheet material urged into open furrows or cavities. The device disclosed is a combined sowing and covering device specifically for use with seed tape carrying tobacco seeds.
French Patent Specification No. 2,580,459 discloses an apparatus for dispensing a sheet of film material from a roll. The relative locations of the roll of plastics film material and the wheels of the device result in a device with a tendency to stretch the plastics film material. In addition, the device of the prior art requires the use of an unrolling roller and is subject to disruption on uneven surfaces resulting in damage to the plastics material.
Moreover, recent developments in maize sowing demands tile use of extremely fine gauge plastics sheet material incompatible with the devices of the prior art. More particularly, many of the devices of the prior art are specifically designed to stretch the entire surface of the plastics sheet material being dispensed which can result in damage or tearing of the plastics material.
Accordingly, a need exists for an apparatus for dispensing and laying a sheet of film material which avoids undesirable stretching of the film material.
An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing and laying a sheet of film material adaptable to the soil surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided apparatus for dispensing a sheet of film material from a roll and laying the film material on the ground subsequent to sowing seeds by a seed sower, the apparatus comprising a main framework, a main mounting means on the main framework for mounting the apparatus rearwardly of the seed sower relative to the direction of motion of the seed sower, a secondary framework connected to the main framework, a pair of spaced apart ground engaging wheels rotatably mounted on the secondary framework, a rotatable idler means rotatably mounted on the secondary framework, and forming with the ground engaging wheels a receiving means for the roll, the ground engaging wheels being located on the secondary framework for engaging the roll adjacent the ends thereof for rotating the roll, the ground engaging wheels acting as a dispensing and laying means for dispensing film from the roll and laying the film over the ground, a pair of forwardly mounted spaced apart front coulters for forming a pair of respective furrows in the ground for engagement by the ground engaging wheels so that the ground engaging wheels locate side edges of the film in the respective furrows, and a pair of rearwardly mounted spaced apart rear coulters for closing the furrows for entrapping the side edges of the film material therein.
In one aspect of the invention the ground engaging wheels are freely rotatably mounted on the secondary framework so that, as the apparatus is trailed over the ground, the ground engaging wheels rotate for dispensing and laying the film on the ground.
Preferably, the receiving means for the roll comprises a cradle for receiving a roll. The receiving means for the roll is disposed forwards of the ground engaging wheels.
Advantageously, the main framework is pivotably mountable relative to the seed sower about a main pivot axis for permitting pivotal movement of the apparatus about the main pivot axis to accommodate uneven ground. Th
REFERENCES:
patent: 4092936 (1978-06-01), Griffin et al.
patent: 4285161 (1981-08-01), Kawasaki et al.
patent: 4771570 (1988-09-01), Nyboer
patent: 4888913 (1989-12-01), Hoeft
patent: 5165351 (1992-11-01), Billings
Gellner Jeffrey L.
Poon Peter M.
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