Planting – Drilling – Furrow closer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-14
2001-01-30
Batson, Victor (Department: 3671)
Planting
Drilling
Furrow closer
C111S152000, C111S150000, C111S170000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178901
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The field of the invention is earth working implements. The implement is an agricultural earth working tool for planting seeds in one or more rows in soil and packing the soil around the seeds.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Air seed planters use flowing air to carry seeds to seed boots which direct the air and seeds into furrows in the soil. The planters are equipped with earthworking tools used to form the furrows. The seed boots mounted on the tools are connected to air seeding dispensers with tubes that transport air and seeds to the seed boots. Proper placement of seeds in the furrows is important to predicate uniform seed germination and crop emergence. The seeds should be deposited in the furrows at a substantially uniform depth and covered with an even layer of soil. Seed bounce and soil flow into the furrows must be substantially reduced to achieve uniform seed depth. Conventional furrow openers used to place seeds in the soil do not effectively control seed bounce. The seeds are directed by flowing air and the seed boot in the direction of travel of the implement which causes the seeds to bounce in the furrow. The soil must be firmed about the seeds to reduce loose soil and air pockets so as to maintain suitable moisture content of the soil which promotes plant growth.
A furrow opener for placing fertilizer and seeds at different depths in the soil is disclosed K. M. Anderson in U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,736. This furrow opener has a soil press plate that covers a band of fertilizer and forms a firm seed bed above the fertilizer. A seed dispenser divides the seed carried by air and deposits the seed in separate parallel rows. The seed dispenser does not compensate for seed bounce. A packer wheel located behind the furrow opener compresses the soil in firm contact with the seeds and fertilizer. J. D. Long and R. W. Hook in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,255 have designed a strap for a seed boot to reduce seed bounce. The strap is an ultra-high molecular polyethylene sheet having a flat transverse section with a continuous width of about the width of the furrow. During use the strap bends rearwardly into an arcuate shape and contacts seeds which are pressed into the soil in the bottom of the furrow. Soil firming and closing wheels behind the strap crush the soil sides of the furrow to place a loose layer of soil over the seeds. E. G. Keeton in U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,318 discloses a resilient seed firming attachment fastened to a seed boot to reduce seed bounce and direct seeds to the bottom of a furrow. This attachment has a hockey stick blade shape with a flexible portion to ensure that sufficient force is applied to the seed to firm the seed into the soil at a desired planting depth. P. E. Schaffert in U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,915 discloses several elongated flexible members that can be attached to furrow openers to assist in placing seeds in furrows and directs bouncing seeds into the bottom of the furrows. The members have lower segments that extend into the furrows. The lower segments have opposite side edges that converge to trailing ends which are spaced above the bottoms of the furrows. The members do not change the profiles of the furrows as they do not engage the soil.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a seed boot and seed positioner for depositing one or more rows of seeds, such as corn, soybeans, peas and small grains, in a furrow in soil and covering the seeds with a uniform layer of soil. Air seed planters have furrow openers for making furrows in seed bed soil for one or more rows of seeds. The seed boot is attached to the furrow opener to receive seeds from a tube connected to the seed dispenser of the planter and direct the seeds into the furrow behind the furrow opener. The seed positioner connected to the seed boot and extended rearwardly and downwardly into the furrow controls seed bounce and maintains linear row alignment of the seeds. Seed positioner has a transverse broad V-shape and an increasing width toward the trailing end of the positioner. The seed positioner has a width sufficient to gather soil from opposite sides of the furrow and cover and firm soil about the seeds. The seed positioner can be attached to the seed boot in an inverted position so it divides the seeds into separate linear rows and covers each row of seeds with a generally uniform layer of soil.
The preferred embodiment of the seed boot and seed positioner mounted on an upright shank of furrow opening tool of an air seed planter directs seeds into the furrow in one or more linear aligned rows and covers the seeds with a substantially uniform layer of soil. The seed boot has laterally spaced side members joined with transverse top, bottom and middle walls. The top and middle walls curve downwardly and rearwardly and are spaced from each other providing a passage for accommodating air and seeds. The upper end of the passage is in communication with a tube connected to the seed dispenser of the planter whereby seeds are directed into the passage. The seeds are discharged rearwardly from the seed boot into the furrow. The rearward discharge or drop of the seeds and the velocity of the seeds moving with the air flowing out of the seed boot reduces seed bounce. Lateral movements and bouncing of seeds flowing with air from the seed boot is controlled with the seed positioner. The seed positioner channels the seeds into one or more linear rows and covers the seeds with a substantially uniform layer of soil. The seed positioner is mounted on the seed boot in one of two positions. The first position of the seed positioner channels the seeds into a single linear row of seeds. The second position of the seed positioner divides the seeds into two generally parallel linear rows of seeds. The seed positioner has a one piece member with a first and a second end opposite the first end. The second end has a transverse linear edge having a transverse width about twice the transverse width of the first end and greater than the width of furrow. Opposite sides of the member diverge rearwardly between the first and second ends of the member. The member has a longitudinal center section joined to longitudinal side sections. The side sections are located in intersecting planes to angularly locate the side sections relative to each other. The member has a longitudinal curvature extended between its first and second ends. When the side sections of the member diverge downwardly the seeds are channeled into a single linear row of seeds and covered with a substantially uniform layer of soil. The member also firms the soil about the seeds. Inverting the member locates the side sections in diverging upward relationship whereby the side sections divert seed into two separate rows of seeds and covers the seeds with soil.
The objects, features, and thedvantages of the seed boot and seed positioner of the invention are embodied in the following detailed description and drawings of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3122111 (1964-02-01), Taylor, Sr.
patent: 4446801 (1984-05-01), Machnee et al.
patent: 4798151 (1989-01-01), Rodrigues, Jr. et al.
patent: 4911090 (1990-03-01), Schimke
patent: 5025736 (1991-06-01), Anderson
patent: 5092255 (1992-03-01), Long et al.
patent: 5325799 (1994-07-01), Rowlett
patent: 5425318 (1995-06-01), Keeton
patent: 5481990 (1996-01-01), Zacharias
patent: 5562055 (1996-10-01), Petersen
patent: 5640915 (1997-06-01), Schaffert
patent: 5673638 (1997-10-01), Keeton
patent: 5918557 (1999-07-01), Schaffert
Batson Victor
Burd, Bartz & Gutenkauf
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