Closing wheel mounting for a planter

• US 4,404,918 A
• Filed: 09/14/1981
• Issued: 09/20/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yetter Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Yetter Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Whalen, Bernard F., Roberts, Clifford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEMILLE, DANTON D
• Application Number:
  US06/301,730
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 111/85, 111/2, 111/3, 111/86-88, 111/52, 172/531, 172/538, 172/570, 172/572, 172/573, 172/574, 172/576, 172/602, 172/603, 172/657, 172/739, 172/714
• US Class Current: 111/196
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/068 Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/927 Parallelogram mounting

Abstract

The invention relates to a seed planter having furrow forming means in association with a pair of furrow closing wheels each of which is independently mounted relative to the suspension of the other so that each spring biased suspension arm is pivotable to enable each closing wheel to be raised, or lowered, independently of the other wheel in response to ground conditions encountered in the operation of the planter. The closing wheel mounting also includes means for adjustment of each wheel whereby the angle of attack of each wheel may be varied and importantly enable adjustment of the wheel spacing so that the distance between the wheels can be adjusted and enabling the wheels to be set to run straight with the direction of travel of the planter and at any desired seed planting depth.

Claims

1. An agricultural seed planter including

(a) a main frame attachable to a mobile power source;

(b) furrow forming means depending from said main frame;

(c) seed dispensing means including a seed delivery tube associated with said planter adapted to deposit seeds within the furrow;

(d) furrow closing means disposed rearwardly of said seed delivery tube including a pair of suspension arms, each arm pivotally connected to said main frame at one end, a pair of closing wheels, each wheel carried by and journalled on the other end of the respective suspension arms, biasing means exerting pressure on said arms to cause downward movement thereof, each wheel disposable on an opposite side of said furrow whereby each arm and associated closing wheel is movable up and down upon the pivotal movement of the respective suspension arms;

(e) each of said closing wheels disposed at a laterally inclined angle to the ground;

(f) means associated with at least one of said closing wheels and suspension arms to selectively vary the angle between sid closing wheel and ground;

(g) said means including a bushing in said other end of the suspension arm, said bushing having an obliquely disposed shaft therein mounting said wheel, and clamping means for fixing said bushing in the suspension arm, said means to vary the angle between said closing wheels and ground simultaneously resulting in an adjustment of the distance between said closing wheels at the point where said closing wheels engage the ground upon rotating said bushing;

(h) an equalizer connection between said suspension arms, said biasing means being anchored at one end to said equalizer connection, said equalizer having portions associated with each of said suspension arms, one said portion of the equalizer extending through each suspension arm and another portion of the equalizer overlying each suspension arm, said equalizer and biasing means being adapted to urge each said arm and associated wheel to a ground engaging position, and said biasing means and equalizer causing said closing wheels to apply substantially equal pressure at each side of the furrow irrespective of the relative levels of such sides.