Seed drill

• US 4,759,301 A
• Filed: 07/02/1985
• Issued: 07/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John David Thomas
• Original Assignee: John David Thomas
• Inventors: Thomas, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): FEYRER, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US06/751,188
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 111/85, 111/86, 111/52, 111/80, 111/73, 111/84, 111/7, 172/705, 172/709, 172/710, 172/776, 172/142, 172/189, 172/193, 172/194, 172/265, 172/654, 172/657, 403/53, 403/57, 403/59, 403/69-71, 403/111, 403/146, 403/161
• US Class Current: 111/156
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 61/046 the device including an energy accumulator for restoring the tool to its working position
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/062 Devices for making drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/926 Special suspension or gauging feature

Abstract

A seed drill which will allow seed to be planted at a substantially constant depth regardless of contours and irregularities in the ground surface. The said drill has a tyne pivotally mounted on a frame for angular movement about a substantially horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel. The lower end of the tyne being adapted to support a ground engaging tool with a seeding boot located rearwardly of the tool whereby the tool is arranged to form a furrow in the ground for seed discharging from the seeding boot. A spring biassing means acts between the tyne and frame for urging the tool into engagement with the ground. The spring biassing means is arranged to exert a biassing force on the tyne for counteracting the resistive force exerted on the tool as the tool traverses the soil whereby to maintain the tool at a substantially constant working depth in the soil.

Claims

1. A seed drill, comprising:

a mounting arm;

a tyne, a pivotal connection means for pivotally connecting said tyne to said mounting arm for both angular movement about a substantially horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel and for tilting movement relative to said horizontal axis about a longitudinally extending axis that is substantially perpendicular to said horizontal axis;

a soil engaging tool secured to said tyne at the lower end thereof for forming furrow in the soil;

a seeding boot secured rearwardly of said tool for discharging seed into the furrowed soil;

said pivotal connection means comprising first spring biasing means interposed between said mounting arm and said tyne for urging said tool into engagement with the soil, said first spring biasing means including adjustment means for controlling the depth at which seeds are planted in the soil, said first spring biasing means exerting a force on said tyne which will counteract the resistive force on said tool as said tool traverses soil having different ground levels so as to provide a substantially constant planting depth, and second spring biasing means yieldably urging said tool into a normally upright position, said second spring biasing means being yieldable to permit said tyne to deflect and pivot about said longitudinally extending axis to allow said tool to pass around the surface of an obstruction as it furrows the soil.

2. The seed drill according to claim 1, wherein said tyne is pivotally connected to said mounting arm through a plate associated with said tyne, loose connection means connecting one end of said first spring biasing means to said plate to permit lateral deflection of said tool and the other end of said first spring biasing means being connected to said mounting arm.

3. The seed drill according to claim 2, wherein said mounting arm includes a shank which extends transversely through an aperture in said plate, and said second spring biasing means comprising a helical compression spring which is mounted on said shank and engaging said plate.

4. The seed drill according to claim 3, wherein said first spring means includes a push rod which extends generally along said mounting arm and a compression spring disposed on said push rod, and said adjustable means comprises an adjustable stop disposed on said push rod for controlling the length of said compression spring.

5. The seed drill according to claim 1, wherein said seed drill further includes a harrow tyne connected to said mounting arm such that a pair of spaced tyne elements extend rearwardly of said tool.

6. A seed drill assembly, comprising:

a draw bar having first and second sections which are connected together for sliding movement in the direction of travel for said seed drill assembly, said draw bar including a spring for cushioning said sliding movement;

a mounting bar secured to the trailing section of said draw bar, said mounting bar extending in a direction which is tranverse to the direction of travel;

a plurality of mounting arms attached to said mounting bar, each of said mounting arms extending from said mounting bar in the direction of travel;

a plurality of tynes, pivotal connecting means for pivotally connecting each of said tynes to a respective one of said mounting arms for both angular movement about a substantially horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel and for lateral movement about said horizontal axis;

a soil engaging tool secured to each of said tynes at the lower end thereof for forming a furrow in the soil;

a seeding boot secured rearwardly of each of said tools for discharging seed into the furrowed soil;

said pivotal connecting means comprising first spring biasing means interposed between each of said mounting arms and said tynes for urging said tools into engagement with the soil, said first spring biasing means including adjustable means for controlling the depth at which seeds are planted in the soil, each of said first spring biasing means exerting a force on said tyne which will counteract the resistive force on said tool as said tool traverses soil having different ground levels so as to provide a substantially constant planting depth, and second spring biasing means compressively interconnecting each of said mounting arms with a respective one of said tynes for urging said tyne into a normally upright position, each of said second spring biasing means including a spring exerting a lateral force on said tyne holding said tyne in contact with a respective mounting arm while permitting said tyne to deflect laterally and allow said tool to pass to a side of and obstruction as it furrows the soil.

7. The seed drill assembly according to claim 6, wherein said draw bar is connected to a transversely extending mounting bar having a plurality of spring loaded stump jump action tynes connected thereto.