Furrow closing wheel for agricultural seeders and mounting system therefor

• US 20040139895A1
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benjamin K Thompson, Keith D. Thompson
• Original Assignee: Benjamin K Thompson, Keith D. Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Benjamin K., Thompson, Keith D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,907,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/192
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 35/28 Rotating tools; Mounting rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/066 Devices for covering drills or furrows

Abstract

A furrow closing wheel for an agricultural seeder has a center body portion and spokes extending radially outwardly from the body portion. The spokes each have a base attached to the body portion and a blunt tip located radially outwardly thereof. The blunt tip of each spoke has a circumferential length which is 1 to 6 times larger than a thickness of the blunt tip. The spokes each have a substantially constant thickness of about 0.1 to 0.5″ from the base to the blunt tip, and are tapered such that a circumferential length of the base of each spoke is 1.5 to 5 times larger than the circumferential length of the blunt tip. The spokes are 0.8 to 1.8 inches long in a radial direction from the base to the blunt tip. A mounting system having a protective shroud is provided for mounting the furrow closing wheel to the seeder.

Claims

1. A furrow closing device for an agricultural seeder, comprising:

a wheel-shaped structure having a generally planar center body portion and a plurality of spokes extending radially outwardly from the center body portion, said spokes each having a base attached to the center body portion and a blunt tip located radially outwardly of the base, said blunt tip being defined by a first thickness dimension (A) in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the wheel-shaped structure and a first length dimension (B) in a direction along a circumference of the wheel-shaped structure.

2. The furrow closing device according to claim 1, wherein said spokes each have a thickness in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the wheel-shaped structure which is substantially constant from said blunt tip to said base.

3. The furrow closing device according to claim 1, wherein said base has a second thickness dimension (A′

) in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the wheel-shaped structure, and wherein a ratio of said second thickness dimension (A′

) to said first thickness dimension (A) is less than 3;

1.

4. The furrow closing device according to claim 3, wherein the ratio of said second thickness dimension (A′

) to said first thickness dimension (A) is about 1;

1, and wherein said first and second thickness dimensions (A and A′

) are within a range of 0.1 to 0.5 inches.

5. The furrow closing device according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of said first length dimension (B) to said first thickness dimension (A) is within a range of about 1:

1 to 6;

1.

6. The furrow closing device according to claim 1, wherein said base has a second length dimension (C) in a circumferential direction of the wheel-shaped structure, and wherein a ratio of said second length dimension (C) to said first length dimension (B) is within a range of about 1.5:

1 to 5;

1.

7. The furrow closing device according to claim 6, wherein the ratio of said second length dimension (C) to said first length dimension (B) is about 3:

1.

8. The furrow closing device according to claim 1, wherein a surface area of said blunt tip is within a range of about 0.03 to 0.5 square inches.

9. The furrow closing device according to claim 1, wherein said spokes each have a radial dimension (D) from the base to the blunt tip which is less than about 1.8 inches.

10. The furrow closing device according to claim 9, wherein said radial dimension (D) is within a range of about 0.8 to 1.8 inches.

11. The furrow closing device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of spokes comprise at least fourteen spokes extending radially outwardly from the center body portion.

12. The furrow closing device according to claim 1, wherein said wheel-shaped structure is formed of a substantially flat plate having a constant thickness from said center body portion to the blunt tips of said spokes.

13. A furrow closing device attached to a row unit of an agricultural seeder behind a furrow opener and a seed-directing structure, the furrow closing device being arranged to close a furrow formed by the furrow opener after seeds are delivered into the furrow through the seed-directing structure, the furrow closing device comprising:

a wheel-shaped structure having a center body portion and a plurality of spokes extending radially outwardly from the center body portion, said spokes each having a base attached to the center body portion and a blunt tip located radially outwardly of the base, said blunt tip being defined by a first thickness dimension (A) in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the wheel-shaped structure and a first length dimension (B) in a direction along a circumference of the wheel-shaped structure, the ratio of said first thickness dimension (A) to said first length dimension (B) being within a range of about 1;

1 to 6;

1.

14. The furrow closing device according to claim 13, wherein said spokes each have a thickness in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the wheel-shaped structure which is substantially constant from said blunt tip to said base.

15. The furrow closing device according to claim 13, wherein the ratio of said first length dimension (B) to said first thickness dimension (A) is within a range of about 2:

1 to 3;

1.

16. The furrow closing device according to claim 13, wherein said base of each spoke has a second length dimension (C) in a circumferential direction of the wheel-shaped structure, and wherein a ratio of said second length dimension (C) to said first length dimension (B) is within a range of about 1.5:

1 to 5;

1.

17. The furrow closing device according to claim 13, wherein a surface area of said blunt tip of each spoke is within a range of about 0.03 to 0.5 square inches.

18. The furrow closing device according to claim 13, wherein said spokes each have a radial dimension (D) from the base to the blunt tip which is within a range of about 0.8 to 1.8 inches.

19. An agricultural seeder having a furrow closing device attached to a row unit behind a furrow opener and a seed-directing structure, the furrow closing device being arranged to close a furrow formed by the furrow opener after seeds are delivered into the furrow through the seed-directing structure, the furrow closing device comprising:

a wheel disc having a planar body portion and a plurality of spokes extending radially outwardly from the planar body portion, said spokes each having a base attached to the planar body portion and a blunt tip located radially outwardly of the base;

said spokes each having a thickness in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the wheel disc which is substantially constant from said blunt tip to said base;

the blunt tip of each spoke being defined by a first thickness dimension A in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the wheel disc and a first length dimension B in a direction along a circumference of the wheel disc, the ratio of said first length dimension B to said first thickness dimension A being within a range of about 1;

1 to 6;

1;

the base of each spoke having a second length dimension (C) in a circumferential direction of the wheel disc, wherein a ratio of said second length dimension (C) to said first length dimension (B) is within a range of about 1.5;

1 to 5;

1; and

said spokes each having a radial dimension (D) from the base to the blunt tip which is within a range of about 0.8 to 1.8 inches.

20. The agricultural seeder according to claim 19, wherein the furrow closing device is attached to the row unit by a mounting system comprising:

a cup member fixed to a center portion of the wheel disc, the cup member having a cylindrical exterior surface protruding from an upper side of the wheel disc;

a mechanical bearing having an outer race secured to an inner side of the cup member for rotation with the wheel disc, and an inner race secured to a shaft on which the wheel disc is mounted;

a shroud having a substantially circular outer periphery and an overhanging lip extending around the outer periphery, said overhanging lip having an inner edge sized to fit closely about the cylindrical exterior surface of the cup member, the shroud further comprising a center bore through which the shaft extends; and

a means for securing the inner race and shroud to the shaft such that the cup member is rotatable relative to the shroud, whereby the shroud restricts liquids and objects from passing from the upper side of the wheel disc into the interior of the cup member.

21. A mounting system for attaching a wheel disc to an agricultural implement, comprising:

a cup member fixed to a center portion of the wheel disc, the cup member having a cylindrical exterior surface protruding from an upper side of the wheel disc;

a mechanical bearing having an outer race secured to an inner side of the cup member for rotation with the wheel disc, and an inner race adapted to be secured to a shaft on which the wheel disc is to be mounted;

a shroud having a substantially circular outer periphery and an overhanging lip extending around the outer periphery, said overhanging lip having an inner edge sized to fit closely about the cylindrical exterior surface of the cup member, the shroud further comprising a center bore through which the shaft extends; and

a means for securing the inner race and shroud to the shaft such that the cup member is rotatable relative to the shroud, whereby the shroud restricts liquids and objects from passing from the upper side of the wheel disc into the interior of the cup member.

22. The mounting system according to claim 21, wherein the cup member protrudes from a lower side of the wheel disc, and wherein a dust cap is secured to the cup member to close an open lower side thereof.

23. The mounting system according to claim 21, wherein the outer race is secured to the inner side of the cup member by being sandwiched between a lip formed at one end of the cup member and a snap-ring placed in a groove in the inner side of the cup member.

24. The mounting system according to claim 21, wherein the inner race and shroud are secured to the shaft by being sandwiched between a shoulder or sleeve on one side and a threaded nut and washer on the other side.

25. The mounting system according to claim 21, wherein said inner race has an inner diameter which is substantially greater than an inner diameter of the center bore of the shroud, and further comprising a spacer positioned within the inner race, wherein said spacer and said shroud are secured to the shaft by being sandwiched between a shoulder or sleeve on one side and a threaded nut and washer on the other side.