SEED PLANTER

• US 3,561,380 A
• Filed: 08/28/1968
• Issued: 02/09/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William J. Adams Jr
• Original Assignee: William J. Adams Jr
• Inventors: Adams, William J. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US04/755,853
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• US Class Current: 111/89
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/04 Single-grain seeders with or without suction devices

Abstract

A seed planter for placing seed units, i.e., a single seed or a multiple seed packet, into the ground individually at zero ground speed, and at precise spacing and to desired depth. The planter includes a conveyor with pockets, each pocket to receive a single seed unit as the belt passes by a hopper. The seed depositing portion of the conveyor is in rolling or crawling ground engagement and a pusher assembly comprising a wheel or another belt moves along with the seed depositing portion so that a series of protuberances on the pusher assembly enter into the pockets to force the seeds into the ground.

Claims

1. A seed planter comprising:

a seed hopper having an opening in the bottom thereof, a ground-engaging conveyor movable adjacent to the bottom of said hopper past said opening before engaging the ground, said conveyor comprising an endless belt between and around a pair of wheels, said belt engaging the ground in rolling contact under one of said wheels, and including a second endless belt extending between and around said wheels within said conveyor belt, means defining a row of open pockets in said conveyor, adapted to receive seeds from said hopper, means for retaining seeds in said pockets until said pockets are in seeding disposition with the opening therein engaging the ground, a series of protuberancEs on said second belt aligned with the pockets in said conveyor belt, and means biasing a portion of said second belt toward said conveyor belt to force said protuberances into said pockets while in seeding disposition.

2. In a seed planter, the combination comprising, a pair of endless belts comprising an outer belt and an inner belt, said outer belt having a plurality of pockets therein and said inner belt having a plurality of lugs, means to mount said belts for rotation with one portion of the outer belt at any instant engaging the ground for rolling contact therewith and with the lugs on the inner belt entering the pockets in the ground engaging portion of the outer belt, means to deposit seeds in the pockets of the outer belt, and means to hold the seeds in said pockets until the portion of the belt with said pockets reaches the ground.

3. In a seed planter, the combination comprising a pair of wheels, at least one of said wheels engaging the ground for rolling contact therewith, a pair of endless belts mounted on said wheels, one inside the other, the outer belt having a plurality of pockets therein and said inner belt having a plurality of protuberances thereon, said protuberances entering said pockets as the belts pass under the ground-engaging wheel, means to deposit seeds in said pockets of the outer pockets of the outer belt, and means to hold the seeds in said pockets until the portion of the belt with said seeded pockets reaches the ground.

4. In a seed planter, the combination comprising a pair of wheels, at least one of said wheels engaging the ground for rolling contact therewith, a pair of endless belts mounted on said wheels, one inside the other, and defining an upper run and lower run, the outer belt having a plurality of openings and the inner belt having a plurality of lugs in registration with said pockets, the lugs supporting seeds deposited in the openings on the upper run and the lugs ejecting seeds from the openings as the belts pass under the ground-engaging wheel, means to deposit seeds in the openings on the upper run, and means to hold the seeds in said openings until the portion of the outer belt with said seeded openings reaches the ground.

5. The seed planter of claim 4 including a cam inside the belts and mounted along the lower run thereof to urge the lugs of the inner belt into meshing relationship with the openings of the outer belt.