Disc opener assembly for a seed planter

• US 20020166486A1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.), CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Case Corporation (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Mewes, Michael A., Prairie, Douglas S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,644,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/200
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 71/02 Setting or adjusting mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/064 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/068 Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/20 Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/203 comprising depth regulation means

Abstract

The present disc opener assembly for a seed planter is for a single disc opener arrangement and is embodied in several embodiments. FIGS. 1 and 1a illustrate two embodiments of the present disc opener assembly the specifics of each will be described below. Referring now to FIGS. 1, 1a and 2, there is illustrated a disc opener assembly (10) mounted on a tool bar (7) connected to a work vehicle (5) for opening a seed trench (8) in the ground upon which the vehicle (5) moves. A main arm (12) is attached to the tool bar (7) with a disc (14) mounted for rotation on the main arm (12). A depth adjustment mechanism (40) is used to adjust the depth of the disc (14) in the seed trench (8) with a seed placement device (70) positioned in the seed trench (8) for depositing a seed (71) in the seed trench (8). The seed trench (8) having been opened by the disc (14) as the work vehicle (5) moves across the ground.

Claims

1. A disc opener assembly connected to a tool bar mounted on a work vehicle for movement over the ground for opening a seed trench therein, the disc opener assembly comprising:

a main arm attached to the tool bar;

a disc mounted for rotation on the main arm;

a depth adjustment mechanism operatively mounted on the main arm, and;

a seed placement device to position a seed in the seed trench opened by the disc.

2. The disc opener assembly of claim 1, including a disc scraper mounted on a scraper mount attached below the main arm and aligned with the disc to clean the disc.

3. The disc opener assembly of claim 2, wherein the disc scraper is attached with two retainers and biased by a spring between the scraper and the scraper mount to allow the scraper to pivot about the retainers and self-align with the disc.

4. The disc opener assembly of claim 1, wherein the depth adjustment mechanism comprises:

a gauge wheel mounted for rotation on one end of a gauge wheel arm, with an opposite end of the gauge wheel arm attached to a gauge wheel pivot;

a depth gauge bracket having an arcuate, elongated slot;

a depth adjustment arm having a depth adjustment pin slidingly engaged in the elongated slot and the depth adjustment arm attached to the gauge wheel arm so that the pin maintains a constant arc about the gauge wheel pivot as the pin slides in the arcuate elongated slot, and;

a depth adjustment handle mounted on the depth adjustment arm.

5. The disc opener assembly of claim 4, wherein the gauge wheel includes a tire rim and a semi-pneumatic tire disposed about the tire rim periphery.

6. The disc opener assembly of claim 4, wherein the depth adjustment handle is pivotally mounted on the depth adjustment arm, with the handle having slots corresponding to bracket teeth on the depth gauge bracket, with the bracket teeth engaging the slots of the handle as the handle is biased by a spring mounted between the handle and the depth adjustment arm.

7. The disc opener assembly of claim 4, wherein the depth adjustment handle is mounted on the depth adjustment arm with the handle having a plurality of layers with each layer comprising a thin, high strength, low-alloy sheet metal which is stamped to a selected shape and the plurality of layers laminated together to form handle teeth, with the handle teeth engaging bracket teeth on the depth gauge bracket as the handle is biased by a spring.

8. The disc opener assembly of claim 4, wherein the depth gauge bracket is composed of a plurality of layers with each layer comprising a thin, high strength, low-alloy sheet metal which is stamped to a selected shape and the plurality of layers laminated together to form the depth gauge bracket.

9. The disc opener assembly of claim 1, including a packer wheel rotatably mounted on an axle having a plurality of through bores, with the axle slidingly installed in a position tube having a position hole, the position tube attached to a packer wheel arm connected to the main arm, and a position pin engaging the position hole and an aligned through bore in the axle corresponding to a selected position of the packer wheel relative to the seed trench.

10. The disc opener assembly of claim 1, wherein the seed placement device comprises a hollow seed tube having at least one sensor hole opening into the interior of the seed tube with the seed tube connected to a seed receptacle and a seed sensor maintained in alignment with the sensor hole by a seed sensor mounting device attached to the seed tube and the seed sensor monitoring the flow of seed from the seed receptacle through the seed tube to the seed trench.

11. The disc opener assembly of claim 10, wherein a signal from the seed sensor is conveyed to the work vehicle.

12. The disc opener assembly of claim 10, including a seed deflector tab mounted on the seed tube to deflect seed toward the seed trench.

14. The disc opener assembly of claim 13, including a disc scraper mounted on a scraper mount attached below the main arm and aligned with the disc to clean the disc.

15. The disc opener assembly of claim 14, wherein the disc scraper is attached with two retainers and biased by a spring between the scraper and the scraper mount to allow the scraper to pivot about the retainers and self-align with the disc.

16. The disc opener assembly of claim 13, wherein the depth adjustment mechanism comprises:

a gauge wheel mounted for rotation on one end of a gauge wheel arm, with an opposite end of the gauge wheel arm attached to a gauge wheel pivot;

a depth gauge bracket having an arcuate, elongated slot;

a depth adjustment arm having a depth adjustment pin slidingly engaged in the elongated slot and the depth adjustment arm attached to the gauge wheel arm so that the pin maintains a constant arc about the gauge wheel pivot as the pin slides in the arcuate elongated slot, and;

a depth adjustment handle mounted on the depth adjustment arm.

17. The disc opener assembly of claim 16, wherein the gauge wheel includes a tire rim and a semi-pneumatic tire disposed about the tire rim periphery.

18. The disc opener assembly of claim 16, wherein the depth adjustment handle is pivotally mounted on the depth adjustment arm, with the handle having slots corresponding to bracket teeth on the depth gauge bracket, with the bracket teeth engaging the slots of the handle as the handle is biased by a spring mounted between the handle and the depth adjustment arm.

19. The disc opener assembly of claim 16, wherein the depth adjustment handle is mounted on the depth adjustment arm with the handle having a plurality of layers with each layer comprising a thin, high strength, low-allow sheet metal which is stamped to a selected shape and the plurality of layers laminated together to form handle teeth, with the handle teeth engaging bracket teeth on the depth gauge bracket as the handle is biased by a spring.

20. The disc opener assembly of claim 16, wherein the depth gauge bracket is composed of a plurality of layers with each layer comprising a thin, high strength, low-alloy sheet metal which is stamped to a selected shape and the plurality of layers laminated together to form the depth gauge bracket.

21. The disc opener assembly of claim 13, including a packer wheel rotatably mounted on an axle having a plurality of through bores, with the axle slidingly installed in a position tube having a position hole, the position tube attached to a packer wheel arm connected to the main arm, and a position pin engaging the position hole and an aligned through bore in the axle corresponding to a selected position of the packer wheel relative to the seed trench.

22. The disc opener assembly of claim 13, wherein the seed placement device comprises a hollow seed tube having at least one sensor hole opening into the interior of the seed tube with the seed tube connected to a seed receptacle and a seed sensor maintained in alignment with the sensor hole by a seed sensor mounting device attached to the seed tube and the seed sensor monitoring the flow of seed from the seed receptacle through the seed tube to the seed trench.

23. The disc opener assembly of claim 22, wherein a signal from the seed sensor is conveyed to the work vehicle.

24. The disc opener assembly of claim 22, including a seed deflector tab mounted on the seed tube to deflect seed toward the seed trench.

13. A work vehicle comprising:

a vehicle support structure;

a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on the support structure;

an engine mounted on the support structure and coupled to at least two wheels;

an implement hitch coupled to the vehicle support structure;

a tool bar connected to the implement hitch; and

a disc opener assembly mounted on the tool bar for opening a seed trench, the disc opener assembly comprising;

a main arm attached to the tool bar;

a disc mounted for rotation on the main arm;

a depth adjustment mechanism operatively mounted on the main arm, and;

a seed placement device to position a seed in the seed trench opened by the disc.