Paired Single Disc Opener Unit

• US 20080302282A1
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howard Martin
• Original Assignee: Howard Martin
• Inventors: Martin, Howard D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/52
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/064 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/006 Minimum till seeding
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/926 Special suspension or gauging feature

Abstract

An opener unit having a pair of single disc openers mounted upon a parallel linkage which may be mounted onto a tool bar or drawbar is disclosed and claimed. The pair of single opener discs may be used for controlled creation of a pair of furrows to which seed, fertilizer or other soil amendments may be delivered. The opener unit may be mounted in combination with a row clearing or cleaning unit. The opener unit may also be mounted in combination with an auxiliary depth tire or a ski, and or a furrow closing means such as a wheel, a chain or a strap.

Claims

1. An opener unit for ground surface engagement comprising:

a. A row unit mounting plate having a first and second end;

b. A first upper parallel link having a first and second end;

c. A first lower parallel link having a first and second end, wherein said first end of said first upper parallel link and said first end of said first lower parallel link are both cooperatively engaged with said first end of said row unit mounting plate;

d. A second upper parallel link having a first and second end;

e. A second lower parallel link having a first and second end, wherein said first end of said second upper parallel link and said first end of said second lower parallel link are both cooperatively engaged with said second end of said row unit mounting plate;

f. A first hub support having an upper and lower end wherein said upper end of said first hub support is cooperatively engaged with said second ends of said first upper and lower parallel links;

g. A second hub support having an upper and lower end wherein said upper end of said second hub support is cooperatively engaged with said second ends of said second upper and lower parallel links;

h. A horizontal support having a first and second end and wherein said horizontal support is rigidly affixed to and between said first and second hub supports;

i. A first opener disc hub wherein said first opener disc hub is mounted to the lower end of said first hub support;

j. A second opener disc hub wherein said second opener disc hub is mounted to the lower end of said second hub support;

k. A first opener disc wherein said first opener disc is mounted to said first opener disc hub by a disc axle;

l. A second opener disc wherein said second opener disc is mounted to said second opener disc hub by a disc axle, and wherein said second opener disc hub is horizontally spaced from said first opener disc hub so that said first opener disc forms a first furrow and said second opener disc simultaneously forms a second furrow;

m. A receiver tube vertically orientated and positioned between said first and second hub supports;

n. An adjustable gauge wheel hub support tube having an upper and lower end vertically orientated and cooperatively positioned within said receiver tube;

o. A gauge wheel axle; and

,

p. A gauge wheel cooperably engaged with said gauge wheel axle for rotation wherein said gauge wheel serves as a depth regulating means having a vertical position relative to said first and said second disc openers and wherein said gauge wheel responds to forces upon said opener unit to control the depth of penetration during ground surface engagement by said disc openers.

2. The opener unit according to claim 1 further comprising:

a. A first furrow control strap mounted to the lower end of said first hub support; and

,

b. A second furrow control strap mounted to the lower end of said second hub support wherein said first and second furrow control straps cooperatively engage said ground surface to minimize ground surface disruption as said first and second disc openers engage with said ground surface to form a furrow.

3. The opener unit according to claim 2 wherein said first and second disc openers are intersectedly positioned at angles up to five degrees from the direction of travel to counter-balance forces placed upon said disc openers during engagement with said ground surface.

4. The opener unit according to claim 1 further comprising:

a. A first material delivery means, said first material delivery means is cooperatively engaged with said first opener disc to deliver material into said furrow created by said first disc opener; and

,

b. A second material delivery means, said second material delivery means is cooperatively engaged with said second opener disc to deliver material into said furrow created by said second disc opener.

5. The opener unit according to claim 4 wherein the material delivered by said first material delivery means and said second material delivery means are selected from the group consisting of fertilizer, pesticide, seed, seed treatments, herbicide and combinations thereof.

6. The opener unit according to claim 4 wherein said material delivery means may have a biasing means to ensure engagement with said furrow.

7. The opener unit according to claim 6 wherein said first and second disc openers are intersectedly positioned at angles up to five degrees from the direction of travel to counter-balance forces placed upon said disc openers during engagement with said ground surface.

8. The opener unit according to claim 7 wherein said first material delivery means is positioned opposite said first furrow control strap relative to said first opener disc and wherein said second material delivery means is positioned opposite said second furrow control strap relative to said second disc opener.

9. The opener unit according to claim 8 wherein said first and second material delivery means are positioned interiorly of said first and second disc openers and said first and second hub supports.

10. The opener unit according to claim 8 wherein said first and second disc openers are intersectedly positioned at angles up to five degrees from the direction of travel of said opener unit to counter-balance forces placed upon said disc openers during engagement with said ground surface.

11. The opener unit according to claim 1 having a horizontal center plate affixed to said horizontal support wherein said horizontal center plate allows mounting of either an auxiliary depth tire, a row cleaner and or a pair of closing wheels.

12. The opener unit according to claim 1 wherein said first hub support has a first front attachment protrusion positioned at the rear portion of said first hub support to extend rearward from the vertical line formed by the rear end of said parallel linkage and said first disc opener hub, wherein a row cleaner arm is pivotably attached to said first front attachment protrusion and said second hub support has a second front attachment protrusion positioned at the rear portion of said second hub support to extend rearward from the vertical line formed by the rear end of said parallel linkage and said second disc opener hub, wherein a second row cleaner arm is pivotably attached to said second front attachment protrusion, wherein said first and said second row cleaner arms each have a row cleaner wheel rotatably attached.

13. The opener unit according to claim 1 wherein said first and said second row cleaning wheels float with variation in ground surface during operation of said opener unit.

14. The opener unit according to claim 1 wherein said first and said second row cleaning wheels work independently to create a non-residue covered area of said ground surface ahead of each said disc opener, each said non-residue covered area adjacent each side of said depth tire.

15. The opener unit according to claim 14 wherein contact between said depth tire and said ground surface residue during engagement of opener unit with said ground surface restricts lateral movement of said ground surface residue to maintain residue between said pair of disc openers.

16. The opener unit according to claim 1 positioned adjacent a plurality of opener units wherein said opener units are attached to a tool bar to form a contiguous planter unit.

17. The opener unit according to claim 4 positioned adjacent a plurality of opener units wherein said opener units are attached to a tool bar to form a contiguous planter unit.

18. The opener unit according to claim 5 positioned adjacent a plurality of opener units wherein said opener units are attached to a tool bar to form a contiguous planter unit.

19. The opener unit according to claim 16 wherein a plurality of tool bars are positioned to form a plurality of rows wherein opener units between said rows of said tool bars are offset to allow narrow row seed spacing.

20. An opener unit for ground surface engagement comprising:

a. A row unit mounting means;

b. A pair of opener means, wherein each individual opener in said pair is positioned to allow each individual opener to create a furrow;

c. A support means, said opener means cooperably engaged with said support means;

d. A down pressure means, said down pressure means acting on and between said opener means and said support means;

e. A depth regulation means, wherein said depth regulation means has a vertical position relative to said opener means and wherein said depth regulation means responds to forces upon said opener unit to control the depth of penetration of the ground surface by said opener means.

21. An opener unit according to claim 20 further comprising furrow control means positioned proximate to said pair of opener means for ground surface engagement during operation to cooperatively engage said ground surface to minimize ground surface disruption as said pair of said opener means engage with said ground surface to form a furrow.

22. An opener unit according to claim 20 wherein said opener means are intersectedly positioned at angles up to five degrees from the direction of travel to counter-balance forces placed upon said opener means during engagement with said ground surface.

23. An opener unit according to claim 20 wherein a material delivery means is cooperatively engaged with said opener means to deliver material into said furrows created by said opener means.

24. An opener unit according to claim 23 wherein said material delivery means may have a biasing means to ensure engagement with said furrows.

25. An opener unit according to claim 24 wherein said opener means are intersectedly positioned at angles up to five degrees from the direction of travel to counter-balance forces placed upon said opening means during engagement with said ground surface.

26. An opener unit according to claim 24 having a horizontal center plate affixed to said support means wherein said horizontal center plate allows mounting in combination with an auxiliary depth tire or a ski, and or a furrow closing means such as a wheel, a chain or a strap.

27. An opener unit according to claim 26 wherein said row cleaner is configured to float with variation in ground surface during operation of said opener unit.

28. The opener unit according to claim 20 positioned adjacent a plurality of opener units wherein said opener units are attached to a tool bar to form a contiguous planter unit.

29. The opener unit according to claim 21 positioned adjacent a plurality of opener units wherein said opener units are attached to a tool bar to form a contiguous planter unit.

30. The opener unit according to claim 26 positioned adjacent a plurality of opener units wherein said opener units are attached to a tool bar to form a contiguous planter unit.

31. An opener unit according to claim 20 wherein a row cleaning means is cooperatively engaged with said opener means to partially clear a path in residue covering said ground surface.

32. An opener unit according to claim 20 wherein a closing means is cooperatively engaged with said opener means to close the furrows created by said opener means.

33. The opener unit according to claim 28 wherein a plurality of tool bars are positioned to form a plurality of rows wherein opener units between said rows of said tool bars are offset to allow narrow row seed spacing.