Agricultural method and implement

• US 4,211,285 A
• Filed: 04/19/1978
• Issued: 07/08/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael S. Pajtas
• Original Assignee: Michael S. Pajtas
• Inventors: Pajtas, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Richard J.
• Application Number:
  US05/897,702
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 172/156, 172/538, 172/508, 172/512, 172/513, 172/1, 172/509, 172/176, 172/159, 172/574, 172/155, 172/182, 172/153, 172/642, 172/701, 172/681, 111/DIG. 1, 111/85, 111/8, 111/1, 111/83
• US Class Current: 172/156
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 39/08 with rotating tools such as weeding machines
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 39/14 for working ridges , e.g. for rows of plants and/or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions

Abstract

A method and implement for facilitating and fostering the germination and sprouting of seeds of row crops, particularly under encrusted soil conditions, and eliminating the need for using herbicide for most common weeds in growing row crops by covering the rows of seeds with a layer of loose soil after the seeds have been sown in cultivated soil and prior to sprouting and emergence of the crop through the soil. Preferably each layer of loose soil has a generally convex cross-section with a slight depression directly over the row of seeds. The implement for forming the convex layer of loose soil has a pair of laterally spaced apart discs which break up into fine particles at least a portion of the soil on each side of the row of sown seeds and propel a portion thereof onto a deflector shield received between the discs and overlying the row of sown seeds which directs such particles into a layer of loose soil overlying the row of sown seeds.

Claims

1. An apparatus for fostering the germination of crop seeds sown in rows in tilled soil and inhibiting the growth of weeds adjacent the sown seeds by depositing a layer of loose soil over and immediately adjacent the row of sown seeds prior to sprouting of the sown seeds, the apparatus comprising a frame, a deflector shield carried by said frame and having a generally flat plate constructed and arranged to overlie and extend generally vertically above and longitudinally of a row of sown seeds with its lower edge disposed closely adjacent the soil as the deflector shield is traversed generally longitudinally of the row of sown seeds, a pair of discs carried by said frame, disposed on opposite sides of said flat plate, and constructed and arranged to break up the soil adjacent both sides of the row of sown seeds and to propel at least a portion of the broken up soil onto each side of said flat plate such that at least a portion of the broken up soil is deflected by the deflector shield and deposited in a layer of loose soil overlying and adjacent the row of sown seeds as the frame is traversed generally longitudinally of the row of sown seeds.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the discs and the deflector shield are constructed and arranged such that the apparatus produces a layer of loose soil over the row of seeds having a generally convex cross-section with a depression essentially directly over the row of seeds, on the average a maximum width of at least six inches, and on the average a maximum height of at least about one inch.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 which also comprises a pair of auxiliary deflector fins disposed adjacent opposed sides of said flat plate and each having a portion laterally spaced from and extending generally longitudinally of said plate adjacent the lower edge thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 which also comprises means carrying said flat plate on said frame such that when the apparatus is in use the lower edge of said flat plate can move generally up and down with respect to said frame in a generally vertical plane in response to variations in the generally vertical height between said frame and the portion of the soil underlying the lower edge of said flat plate.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said mounting means comprises at least two spaced apart links arranged in a parallelogram and each is pivotly connected with both said frame and said deflector plate.