Apparatus for planting seeds

• US 4,300,462 A
• Filed: 06/04/1980
• Issued: 11/17/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Department Of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: United States Department Of Agriculture
• Inventors: Wilkins, Dale E., Conley, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): FEYRER, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US06/156,434
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 111/89, 111/90, 111/91, 111/1, 111/34, 111/74, 111/77, 111/78, 221/212, 47/57.6, 47/1.3
• US Class Current: 111/91
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/04 Machines for making or covering holes for sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/04 Single-grain seeders with or without suction devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/916 Seed pellet

Abstract

Seeds are punch planted by an apparatus comprising a disk equipped with a plurality of punches rotatably mounted on a frame. The punch disk is eccentrically driven to insure that the punches are perpendicular to the soil surface at all times. A seed disk is rotatably mounted on the frame and communicates with a seed hopper to singulate seeds to the punches.

Claims

1. An apparatus for planting magnetized seeds, comprising in combination

(a) a frame,

(b) a punch disk rotatably mounted on the frame and containing a plurality of magnitized punches mounted thereon,

(c) means for driving said punch disk,

(d) eccentric means for maintaining the punches on said punch disk perpendicular to the soil surface at all times, said means being eccentrically disposed to said punch disk,

(e) a seed hopper mounted on said frame, and

(f) a seed disk rotatably mounted on said frame and communicating with said seed hopper to singulate seeds to said punches, said seed disk containing a plurality of notches corresponding to the number of punches of said punch disk,

means for driving and carrying said seed disk and said punch disk in timed relation such that said punches and said notches are rotated whereby a respective seed-receiving punch and the seed-carrying notch are in a plane substantially perpendicular to the soil surface and passing through the axis of rotation of said seed disk when said seed-receiving punch is receiving a seed from the seed-carrying notch,

the distance between said punches and said seed disk being such as to allow ready transfer of the seed from said notches to the punches.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said eccentric means for maintaining said punches perpendicular to the soil surface comprises a disk pivotally attached to and eccentrically disposed to said punch disk.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the center of eccentrical disposition is in the horizontal plane passing through the center of said punch disk at the point of its rotational mounting on said frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said seed hopper is rotatably mounted on said frame and said seed disk is fixedly attached to said seed hopper and which further includes a back plate fixedly attached to said frame and communicating with said seed disk to singulate seeds to said punches.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said notches in said seed disk comprise three planes having the size and angles to singulate seeds to said punches.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said eccentric means in (d) comprises a disk pivotally attached to said punch disk and rotatably mounted on the frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said disk pivotally attached to said punch disk further includes a plate centrally disposed within said disk, said plate being rotatable on said frame and within said disk.