Disc opener
First Claim
1. A disc opener for zero or low tillage operations including a main frame adapted to be moved along a forward travel path and having an opener disc rotatably mounted thereon and arranged to open a narrow furrow in the soil, a pair of wheels mounted to said frame on opposing sides of said disc and arranged to press and hold straw, trash or crop residue against the soil surface at a location where said disc is cutting into the soil surface thereby to enhance the cutting action of said disc and to alleviate hairpinning;
- a soil retainer wheel arranged to contact the soil in close proximity to a trailing edge portion of the disc to replace soil into the furrow made by said disc and to assist in closing the furrow;
said soil retainer wheel being parallel to said disc with both of the latter being angularly offset to the normal forward path of travel of the main frame during use so as to cut a seed furrow of the desired width, and a seed placement device adjacent said disc for placing seeds into the seed furrow with said soil retainer wheel assisting in closing said furrow with minimal soil disturbance;
said wheels of said pair being each provided with an adjustment mechanism to permit the heights of said wheels relative to said main frame and said disc to be adjusted to adjust the depth of the furrow cut by said disc while maintaining the hairpin-alleviating action of said pair of wheels; and
a mechanism for adjusting the height of said retainer wheel relative to said main frame while maintaining the close proximity between the disc and said retainer wheel at the selected cutting depth; and
wherein one of said pair of wheels is parallel to said disc and the other is parallel to the forward path of travel when in use to tension the straw, trash or crop residue contacted thereby during forward movement along the path of travel and further enhance the cutting action of said disc.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A disc-type opener and seeder useful in direct seeding during zero-till operations includes index/presser wheels to prevent hairpinning of trash etc. A soil retainer wheel cooperates with the disc to close the furrow cut by the disc and to cover the seeds placed therein. All of the above wheels are adjustably mounted to a main frame together with a spring-biased furrow finishing wheel. Improved seed supply means designed to reduce seed bounce are provided. Multiple units are mounted to a tool bar. Minor modifications permit the opener/seeder to be installed on the shank of a chisel plow air seeder.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A disc opener for zero or low tillage operations including a main frame adapted to be moved along a forward travel path and having an opener disc rotatably mounted thereon and arranged to open a narrow furrow in the soil, a pair of wheels mounted to said frame on opposing sides of said disc and arranged to press and hold straw, trash or crop residue against the soil surface at a location where said disc is cutting into the soil surface thereby to enhance the cutting action of said disc and to alleviate hairpinning;
- a soil retainer wheel arranged to contact the soil in close proximity to a trailing edge portion of the disc to replace soil into the furrow made by said disc and to assist in closing the furrow;
said soil retainer wheel being parallel to said disc with both of the latter being angularly offset to the normal forward path of travel of the main frame during use so as to cut a seed furrow of the desired width, and a seed placement device adjacent said disc for placing seeds into the seed furrow with said soil retainer wheel assisting in closing said furrow with minimal soil disturbance;
said wheels of said pair being each provided with an adjustment mechanism to permit the heights of said wheels relative to said main frame and said disc to be adjusted to adjust the depth of the furrow cut by said disc while maintaining the hairpin-alleviating action of said pair of wheels; and
a mechanism for adjusting the height of said retainer wheel relative to said main frame while maintaining the close proximity between the disc and said retainer wheel at the selected cutting depth; and
wherein one of said pair of wheels is parallel to said disc and the other is parallel to the forward path of travel when in use to tension the straw, trash or crop residue contacted thereby during forward movement along the path of travel and further enhance the cutting action of said disc. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- a soil retainer wheel arranged to contact the soil in close proximity to a trailing edge portion of the disc to replace soil into the furrow made by said disc and to assist in closing the furrow;
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9. A disc opener for zero or low tillage operations including a main frame adapted to be moved along a forward travel path and having an opener disc rotatably mounted thereon and arranged to open a narrow furrow in the soil, a pair of wheels mounted to said frame on opposing sides of said disc and arranged to press and hold straw, trash or crop residue against the soil surface at a location where said disc is cutting into the soil surface thereby to enhance the cutting action of said disc and to alleviate hairpinning;
- a soil retainer wheel arranged to contact the soil adjacent to a trailing edge portion of the disc to replace soil into the furrow made by said disc and to assist in closing the furrow;
said soil retainer wheel being parallel to said disc with both of the latter being angularly offset to the normal forward path of travel of the main frame during use so as to cut a seed furrow of the desired width, and a seed placement device adjacent said disc for placing seeds into the seed furrow with said soil retainer wheel assisting in closing said furrow with minimal soil disturbance; and
wherein one of said pair of wheels is parallel to said disc and the other is parallel to the forward path of travel when in use to tension the straw, trash or crop residue contacted thereby during forward movement along the path of travel and further enhance the cutting action of said disc. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- a soil retainer wheel arranged to contact the soil adjacent to a trailing edge portion of the disc to replace soil into the furrow made by said disc and to assist in closing the furrow;
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18. A disc opener for zero or low tillage operations including a main frame adapted to be moved along a forward travel path and having an opener disc rotatably mounted thereon and arranged to open a narrow furrow in the soil, a pair of wheels mounted to said frame on opposing sides of said disc and arranged to press and hold straw, trash or crop residue against the soil surface both at a location where said disc is cutting and while said disc is cutting into the soil surface thereby to enhance the cutting action of said disc and to alleviate hairpinning;
- and including a soil retainer wheel arranged to contact the soil adjacent to a trailing edge portion of the disc to replace soil into the furrow made by said disc and to assist in closing the furrow, while the soil on both sides of said furrow remains substantially undisturbed, said opener disc being angularly offset to effect soil displacement as the disc cuts and moves therethrough at a selected cutting depth, said soil retainer wheel being substantially parallel to said disc with both of the latter being angularly offset to the normal forward path of travel of the main frame during use so as to provide a seed furrow of the desired width and one of said pair of wheels being substantially parallel to said disc and the other being substantially parallel to the forward path of travel when in use to tension the straw, trash or crop residue contacted thereby during forward movement along the path of travel and enhance the cutting action of said disc.
- View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
Specification