Planting – Drilling and broadcasting – Main and auxiliary frame machines
Patent
1986-02-03
1987-09-29
Feyrer, James R.
Planting
Drilling and broadcasting
Main and auxiliary frame machines
A01C 1100
Patent
active
046962417
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements to agricultural implements and particularly to an improved planter for sugar cane billets.
2. Background Art
Cane billet planters which are presently on the market are not suitable for use in all conditions. Most of the planters employ flights or chains having prongs thereon to elevate the cane billets from the bottom of a trailed storage container or bin and deposit the billets into a discharge chute. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that damage and splitting of billets can occur as the flights or prongs move through the mass of cane billets in the storage bin. The resulting damage to the billets causes poor strike or germination rate. Another disadvantage of the known billet planters is that they are relatively bulky and trailed from a tractor or other prime mover in such a manner that relatively high strain is placed on the tractor linkage arms.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims to overcome or alleviate at least some of the above disadvantages by providing an improved cane billet planting apparatus which will operate in a reliable and efficient manner to ensure that cane billets are handled without damage during conveyance from a bin assembly to a planting furrow. The present invention also aims to provide apparatus which employs improved furrow forming and closing implements.
With the above and other objects in view, this invention resides broadly in apparatus for planting cane billets including a frame assembly, a bin assembly supported on said frame assembly and adapted in use to hold cane billets to be planted, gathering means supported on said frame assembly and operative to gather billets from the respective upper-most levels thereof in said bin assembly and directing means for receiving billets from said gathering means and directing said billets to a planting furrow.
Preferably the gathering means is in the form of a rotor having a plurality of vanes which when the rotor is rotated engage the upper-most billets in the bin assembly. Preferably also the bin assembly may be raised to direct billets toward the gathering means. Preferably the directing means includes a hopper provided at its base with a pair of juxtaposed conveying chains or the like which receive billets and convey billets to opposite sides of the apparatus for planting in respective furrows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational partly cutaway view of the billet planter according to the present invention connected to a prime mover such as a tractor;
FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the planter illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view of a billet wiper assembly associated with a feed drum;
FIG. 4 illustrates the manner in which the cane billets are conveyed on the conveyor assembly to the feed chute;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing details of a cane feed and metering assembly of the planter;
FIG. 6 is an end view of the rotatable feed drum and associated housing;
FIG. 7 illustrates a preferred form of furrow forming and closing assembly for use with the billet planting apparatus;
FIG. 8 illustrates a preferred fertilizer box configuration for the apparatus; and
FIG. 9 illustrates in rear view a steerable wheel assembly of the planter.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a billet planter 10 according to the present invention which is adapted to be linked at its forward end to a prime mover 11 such as a tractor or the like to be towed in use. In this embodiment, the planter 10 is preferably engaged with the lower linkages of the tractor three point linkage. The planter 10 includes a frame assembly 12 supported by a pair of freely rotatable wheels 13 which are preferably supported at the opposite en
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patent: 3943862 (1976-03-01), Populin
patent: 3963138 (1976-06-01), Fowler
patent: 4005805 (1977-02-01), Faxas
patent: 4204491 (1980-05-01), Quick
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