Apparatus for preparing soil for seed and method of using the apparatus

• US 5,477,792 A
• Filed: 10/21/1993
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Original Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Inventors: Baer, Timothy R., Bassett, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arola, Dave W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US08/140,683
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 111/200, 111/118, 111/121, 111/81, 111/164, 111/191, 111/192, 111/139, 111/900, 172/148, 172/149, 172/155, 172/177, 172/520, 172/540
• US Class Current: 111/121
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/06 for sowing or fertilising
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/002 Apparatus for sowing fertiliser; Fertiliser drill
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/062 Devices for making drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/006 Minimum till seeding
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions

Abstract

A method of continuously applying an additive to soil with a soil treating apparatus as the soil treating apparatus is advanced in a travel direction along a planting path on soil being treated. The method includes the steps of resituating residue in the planting path in a lateral direction transverse to the travel direction away from the planting path, applying an additive to the soil, and moving soil laterally inwardly over the planting path after the additive is applied to the soil. An apparatus is provided for practicing the method.

Claims

1. A method of continuously applying an additive to soil with a soil treating apparatus as the soil treating apparatus is advanced in a travel direction along a planting path on soil being treated, said method comprising the steps of:

resituating at least one of residue and soil in the planting path in a lateral direction transverse to the travel direction away from the planting path;

applying an additive to the soil; and

moving at least one of residue and soil laterally inwardly over the planting path after the additive is applied to the soil,

wherein the step of resituating at least one of residue and soil comprises the step of rotating a toothed wheel about an axis transverse to the travel direction so that the toothed wheel picks up and moves at least one of residue and soil in the planting path away from the planting path,

wherein the step of resituating at least one of residue and soil further includes the step of biasably urging the toothed wheel downwardly against the soil.

2. A method of continuously applying an additive to soil with a soil treating apparatus as the soil treating apparatus is advanced in a travel direction along a planting path on soil being treated, said method comprising the steps of:

resituating at least one of soil and residue in the planting path in a lateral direction transverse to the travel direction away from the planting path;

applying an additive to the soil; and

moving at least one of residue and soil laterally inwardly over the planting path after the additive is applied to the soil,

wherein the step of resituating at least one of soil and residue comprises the step of rotating first and second toothed wheels about first and second axes that are transverse to each other and the travel direction,

wherein the step of moving at least one of residue and soil inwardly comprises the step of rotating second and third wheels about second and third axes extending transverse to each other and the travel direction in the soil at locations spaced laterally from each other a distance greater than a distance the first and second wheels are spaced from each other.

3. A method of continuously applying an additive to soil with a soil treating apparatus as the soil treating apparatus is advanced in a travel direction along a planting path on soil being treated, said method comprising the steps of:

resituating at least one of soil and residue in the planting path in a lateral direction transverse to the travel direction away from the planting path;

applying an additive to the soil; and

moving at least one of residue and soil laterally inwardly over the planting path after the additive is applied to the soil,

wherein the step of moving at least one of residue and soil laterally inwardly comprises the step of rotating a toothed wheel about an axis extending transverse to the travel direction,

said method further including the step of varying the lateral position of the toothed wheel to change the movement of soil over the planting path by the toothed wheel.

4. A method of continuously applying an additive to soil with a soil treating apparatus as the soil treating apparatus is advanced in a travel direction along a planting path on soil being treated, said method comprising the steps of:

applying an additive to the soil; and

moving at least one of residue and soil laterally inwardly over the planting path after the additive is applied to the soil,

wherein the step of moving at least one of residue and soil laterally inwardly comprises the step of rotating a first toothed wheel about an axis extending transverse to the travel direction,

said method further including the step of providing a second toothed wheel and the step of moving at least one of residue and soil laterally inwardly comprises the step of rotating the second toothed wheel about an axis that resides in a plane that is transverse to but not perpendicular to the travel direction,

wherein the step of moving at least one of residue and soil laterally inwardly comprises the step of meshing teeth on the first and second toothed wheels as the first and second toothed wheels are rotated.

5. An apparatus for applying an additive to soil, said apparatus comprising:

a frame to be advanced in a travel direction over a planting path;

first means on the frame for resituating at least one of soil and residue in a lateral direction transversely to the travel direction away from a planting path;

second means on the frame for applying an additive to soil in a planting path; and

third means for moving at least one of residue and soil laterally over a planting path after additive is applied to the soil by the second means as the apparatus is advanced in the travel direction,

wherein the first means comprises at least one wheel mounted to the frame for rotation about an axis that is transverse to the travel direction,

said apparatus further including means for continuously biasing the one wheel into soil.

6. An apparatus for applying an additive to soil, said apparatus comprising:

a frame to be advanced in a travel direction over a planting path;

first means on the frame for resituating at least one of soil and residue in a lateral direction transversely to the travel direction away from a planting path;

second means on the frame for applying an additive to soil in a planting path; and

third means for moving at least one of residue and soil laterally over a planting path after additive is applied to the soil by the second means as the apparatus is advanced in the travel direction,

wherein the first means comprises first and second toothed wheels that are rotatable about first and second axes that are transverse to each other and the travel direction, with the first and second axes each residing in a plane that is non-perpendicular to the travel direction,

wherein the third means comprises third and fourth wheels that are rotatable about third and fourth axes that are each transverse to the travel direction and means are provided for mounting the third and fourth wheels to the frame so that the spacing of the third and fourth wheels transverse to the travel direction can be varied.

7. The apparatus for applying an additive according to claim 6 wherein the mounting means mounts the third and fourth wheels so that the spacing of the third and fourth wheels transverse to the travel direction can be greater than the spacing of the first and second wheels transverse to the travel direction.

8. An apparatus for applying an additive to soil, said apparatus comprising;

a frame to be advanced in a travel direction over a planting path;

means on the frame for applying an additive to soil in a planting path; and

means for moving at least one of residue and soil laterally over a planting path after additive is applied to the soil by the soil applying means as the apparatus is advanced in the travel direction,

wherein the means for moving at least one of residue and soil comprises at least a first rotatable wheel, and means are provided for varying the lateral position of the first rotatable wheel relative to the frame.

9. An apparatus for applying an additive to soil, said apparatus comprising:

a frame to be advanced in a travel direction over a planting path;

means on the frame for applying an additive to soil in a planting path; and

means for moving soil laterally over a planting path after additive is applied to the soil by the soil applying means as the apparatus is advanced in the travel direction,

wherein the means for moving at least one of residue and soil comprises first and second toothed, rotatable wheels mounted to the frame for rotation about first and second transverse axes, said first and second axes being transverse to the travel direction and each residing in a plane that is not perpendicular to the travel direction,

wherein teeth on the first and second toothed wheels are in mesh with each other.

10. Apparatus for applying an additive to soil, comprising

a frame adapted to be towed by a tractor;

residue-relocating means mounted on the frame for clearing residue laterally away from a planting path;

a soil-parting device mounted on the frame behind the residue-relocating means for parting subjacent soil to form a slot in the soil along the cleared path;

an additive delivery means mounted on the frame for depositing an additive in the slot; and

a pair of toothed wheel means rotatably mounted on the frame behind the additive delivery means for covering the deposited additive with loose soil, said toothed wheels being toed inwardly at the bottoms thereof and converging toward each other toward their trailing edges.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 or 11 in which said residue-relocating means is a pair of toothed wheels rotatably mounted on said frame.

11. Apparatus for applying an additive to soil, comprising

a frame adapted to be towed by a tractor;

residue-relocating means mounted on the frame for clearing residue laterally away from a planting path;

a soil-parting device mounted on the frame behind the residue-relocating means for parting subjacent soil to form a slot in the soil along the cleared path;

an additive delivery means mounted on the frame for depositing an additive in the slot; and

a pair of toothed wheel means rotatably mounted on the frame behind the additive delivery means for covering the deposited additive with soil and residue, the soil engaging portions of said toothed wheels being located laterally beyond the cleared planting path.