Air stream selector for an air drill seeding system

• US 10,631,454 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2018
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: One Pass Implements Inc.
• Original Assignee: One Pass Implements Inc.
• Inventors: Meyer, Andrew Thomas, Higgins, Robert John, Pridmore, Jeffrey Cameron, Varjassy, Justin Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Dillon, Jr., Joseph A
• Application Number:
  US16/009,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20190380260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 406181, 406183, 406192
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/007 Metering or regulating systems
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/008 Tanks, chassis or related parts
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/082 Ducts, distribution pipes or details thereof for pneumatic seeders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/00 Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries

Abstract

A collector/distribution assembly is provided for use with a product supply tank having a bottom outlet, comprising a housing having a front wall, a back wall and two side walls, said housing having an open top for receiving product from the bottom outlet of the product supply tank, an open bottom and at least one pair of side by side loading zones comprising a left loading zone and a right loading zone; a number of left pneumatic conveying lines for receiving air, each left pneumatic conveying line operably associated with a corresponding left loading zone to allow air to pass into, through and out of the left loading zone; a number of right pneumatic conveying lines for receiving air, each right pneumatic conveying line operably associated with a corresponding right loading zone to allow air to pass into, through and out of the right loading zone; and at least one air stream selector device comprising a shaped diverter operable to be positioned at the bottom of the housing; whereby when the at least one air stream selector device is positioned at the bottom of the housing, the device closes off either the right loading zone or the left loading zone of one pair of side by side loading zones thereby diverting product to the other of the right loading zone or the left loading zone.

Claims

1. A collector/distribution assembly for use with a product supply tank having a bottom outlet, comprising:

a housing having a front wall, a back wall and two side walls, said housing having an open top for receiving product from the bottom outlet of the product supply tank, an open bottom and at least one pair of side by side loading zones comprising a left loading zone and a right loading zone;

a number of left pneumatic conveying lines for receiving air, each left pneumatic conveying line operably associated with a corresponding left loading zone to allow air to pass into, through and out of the left loading zone;

a number of right pneumatic conveying lines for receiving air, each right pneumatic conveying line operably associated with a corresponding right loading zone to allow air to pass into, through and out of the right loading zone; and

at least one air stream selector device comprising a shaped diverter operable to be positioned at the bottom of the housing and having no moving parts;

whereby when the at least one air stream selector device is positioned at the bottom of the housing, the device closes off either the right loading zone or the left loading zone of one pair of side by side loading zones thereby diverting product to the other of the right loading zone or the left loading zone.

2. The collector/distribution assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereby when the air stream selector device is positioned at the bottom of the housing in one orientation, the right loading zone is closed off and when the air stream selector devise is positioned at the bottom of the housing in the opposite orientation, the left loading zone is closed off.

3. The collector/distribution assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereby the air stream selector device also serves to seal off the bottom of the collector/distributing assembly to prevent loss of product or air therethrough.

4. The collector/distribution assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereby there is a separate air stream selector device for each pair of side by side loading zones.

5. The collector/distribution assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereby all of the air stream selector devices are operably connected to one another to operate as a single air stream selector assembly.

6. The collector/distribution assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereby all of the air stream selector devices are positioned side by side on a clean out floor.

7. The collector/distribution assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereby the shaped deflector comprises a substantially U-shaped valley at one end and curved upward slope at an opposite end.