Vacuum seed metering assembly

• US 5,740,747 A
• Filed: 08/20/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.), CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Case Corporation (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Dunham, Lisle J., Olson, Thomas A., Stufflebeam, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US08/700,214
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 111/185, 111/184, 111/183, 111/77, 111/76, 111/75, 111/177, 111/179, 111/180, 111/181, 111/182, 111/78, 221/211, 221/263, 221/266, 221/277, 221/265, 221/264
• US Class Current: 111/185
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/0443 Seed singulators
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/046 with perforated seeding discs

Abstract

A vacuum seed metering mechanism arranged in combination with a seed hopper for uniformly dispensing seeds to the ground. The seed metering mechanism comprises a rotational distributor disc provided with a circular row of openings toward a periphery of the disc. The disc carries seeds from a seed reservoir to a seed discharge area under the influence of pressure differential. The disc is rotatably mounted in a housing whose interior is divided by the seed disc into the seed reservoir, on one side of the seed disc, and a suction chamber, lying around a portion of the path of movement of the openings in the seed disc. A salient feature of the present invention relates to the provision of an apparatus for imparting vibrations to the housing for facilitating the release of seeds from the openings in the disc in the discharge area of the seed.

Claims

1. A seed metering mechanism comprising a rotary distribution disk provided with a circular row of openings toward a periphery thereof for carrying seeds under the influence of pressure differentials, a housing having its interior divided by said disk into two enclosures, wherein one enclosure serves as a seed reservoir and the other, lying around a portion of the circular row of openings in said disk, defining a vacuum chamber, and an apparatus for imparting vibrations to said housing to promote separation of seeds carried in the disk openings from said disk for deposit to the ground.

2. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a split assembly including a pair of housing members that are releasably joined to each other about their periphery.

3. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said vibrating apparatus is carried by one of said housing members.

4. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus operates at a frequency ranging between about 115 hz. and about 135 hz.

5. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said disk defines two generally concentric rows of openings for transporting seeds from said reservoir to a seed discharge area defined by said housing.

6. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus is electrically powered.

7. A seed metering mechanism comprising an apertured distributor disk for carrying seeds, said disk being mounted in a housing for rotation in front of a suction chamber located on one side of said disk and behind a seed discharge area located on an opposite side of said disk defined by said housing, said housing further including a seed reservoir chamber wherein seeds are received and stored, and an apparatus for imparting vibrations to said housing thereby promoting the discharge of seeds from said disk in the discharge area.

8. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said housing comprises a split assembly including first and second housing members arranged in releasable engagement relative to each other.

9. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 8 wherein said first housing member comprises a cover formed of resilient material.

10. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 9 wherein said first housing member comprises a cover molded of plastic material.

11. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 8 wherein said vibrating apparatus is carried by one of said housing members.

12. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 11 wherein said vibrating apparatus includes an electrically operated mechanism that operates in the range of about 115 hz. to about 135 hz.

13. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 11 wherein said vibrating apparatus is carried by said housing proximate to the seed discharge area defined by said housing.

14. The seed metering mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said apparatus is electrically powered.

15. A seed planter row unit comprising a frame, a seed hopper mounted on said frame for holding a plurality of seeds, and a seed metering mechanism arranged in seed receiving relation relative to said hopper, said seed metering mechanism including a seed disk mounted for rotation about a fixed axis and having a side surface facing outwardly in the direction of said axis, said disk having a plurality of openings extending through the disk from the side surface thereof, said seed metering mechanism further includes a housing arranged about said disk and having an interior configured to form a seed receiving reservoir, wherein the side surface of said disk forms a boundary of said reservoir, said housing further defining an arcuate chamber extending toward and terminating at a seed releasing zone, said chamber being sealed intermediate opposite ends thereof to an opposite side surface of said disk facing outwardly in the direction of said axis, means for creating a reduced pressure within the chamber defined by said housing and said disk, and an apparatus for imparting vibrations to said housing to facilitate release of seeds from said openings when said seeds are in said seed releasing zone.

16. The seed planter according to claim 15 wherein said housing comprises a split assembly including a first housing member that is connectable to said seed hopper and a second housing member that releasably attaches to and is carried by said first housing member.

17. The seed planter according to claim 16 wherein said second housing member is formed from a resilient material selected from the class including:

plastic, polymer, and nylon.

18. The seed planter according to claim 16 wherein said vibrating apparatus is carried by the second housing member of said split assembly proximate to said seed releasing zone.

19. The seed planter according to claim 15 wherein said vibrating apparatus is carried by said housing proximate to said seed releasing.

20. The seed planter according to claim 19 wherein said vibrating apparatus includes an electrically operated mechanism operating in the range of about 115 hz. to about 135 hz.