PLANTING METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 3,653,550 A
• Filed: 01/30/1969
• Issued: 04/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David M. Williams
• Original Assignee: David M. Williams
• Inventors: Williams, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blunk, Evon C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lane, Hadd S.
• Application Number:
  US04/795,321
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 222/177,193,571,135,136,178,144.5,129 111/6
• US Class Current: 222/136
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/06 Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/18 Machines for depositing quantities of seed at intervals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/914 Lettuce

Abstract

Seeds to be planted are gravity fed from a hopper to a substantially horizontal portion of an outlet tubing. At the appropriate time a blast of pressurized air ejects a measured amount of seeds into a furrow. Simultaneously, a discrete quantity of vermiculite is gravity fed into a horizontal compartment from which it is also pneumatically ejected with the seeds to form a common mass in the furrow. Subsequently, the vermiculite-seed mass is sprayed with liquid fertilizer and then sprayed with an asphalt stabilizer. A further aspect is the provision of a plurality of such apparatus disposed transversely of the furrows with timed commutators providing planting locations of adjacent furrows in a staggered arrangement. An improved vermiculite dispensing apparatus is provided for metering the discrete quantity of vermiculite which is pneumatically expelled. The dispenser comprises a vertical delivery tube and a horizontal dispensing tube which join to form a generally inverted T-shaped volumetric measuring structure. The lower rear end of the vertical delivery tube tapers inwardly and extends partially into the dispensing tube.

Claims

1. A dispensing apparatus for intermittently and simultaneously expelling separate discrete measured quantities of granular material, comprising:

a source of pressurized gas;

automatically operable valve means connected to said source of pressurized gas; and

first and second dispensing units;

said first dispensing unit comprising;

a firs generally horizontally extending dispensing tube having an open forward end through which material to be dispensed is expelled, and an open rear end operatively connected to said automatically operable valve means; and

a first, generally vertically extending delivery tube having an open upper end adapted to be connected to a first supply of granular materiaL to be dispensed, and an open lower end connected to said first dispensing tube between its said forward and rear ends and communicating with the interior thereof;

said second dispensing unit comprising a second dispensing tube having an open lower end through which material to be dispensed is expelled, and an open upper end operatively connected to said automatically operative valve means; and

a second delivery tube having an open upper end adapted to be connected to a second supply of granular material to be dispensed, and an open lower end connected to said second dispensing tube;

whereby, when said automatically operable valve means is opened, communication will be simultaneously established between said source of pressurized gas and said first and second dispensing tubes to expel granular material in the said dispensing tubes.

2. In a planting machine comprising a chassis and a set of wheels for supporting said chassis for moving said chassis over the ground, the improvement comprising:

granular material storage means connected to said chassis;

dispensing means for intermittently dispensing a discrete quantity of granular material from said storage means onto the ground; and

means operatively connected between said granular material dispensing means and said chassis wheels for operating said dispensing means in response to the rotation of said wheels;

liquid supply means on said chassis;

liquid dispersing means connected to said liquid supply means;

pump means connected to said chassis wheels and operable in response to rotation of said wheels to pump liquid from said liquid storage means to said liquid dispensing means in response to rotation of said chassis wheels; and

check valve means disposed between said liquid storage means and said pump means;

said check valve means being normally biased closed to prevent leakage of liquid from said liquid storage means;

said check valve being operable by said pump means to permit the pumping of liquid from said liquid storage means to said liquid dispensing means;

said granular material dispensing means being spaced from said liquid dispensing means; and

means operatively connected to said chassis wheels for operating said pump means to intermittently dispense liquid on discrete quantities of granular material dispensed onto the ground by said granular material dispensing means.