No-till disk opening system and method
First Claim
1. A method for seeding or fertilizing comprising the steps of:
- forming in a surface of soil a furrow having two opposed sides inclined to the vertical forming opposed upper and lower surfaces, and in which said upper surface is extended to form a raised area of said soil, with one of said opposed sides which forms said upper surface being at a higher elevation than the other of said opposed sides;
preventing soil from being thrown from said furrow during said furrow forming step without applying appreciable pressure to the soil surface;
inserting seed or fertilizer into said furrow; and
closing said furrow.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for improved agricultural seeding; especially useful in no-till direct seeding. In the illustrated embodiment an inclined furrow is cut with a rotating disk that is inclined with respect to the vertical and the horizontal; the furrow has a raised lip, and straw and the like stalks are cleaved during the cutting. Seed is inserted by known means, and then a packer wheel, preferentially inclined in vertical and horizontal directions opposite to those the disk is inclined, runs across the lip and closes the furrow. Advantages include substantially reduced energy required for the furrow cutting, less weight required on the furrowing disk, more even seeding depth, less hairpinning, less soil disturbance, and less weed seed burial.
44 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method for seeding or fertilizing comprising the steps of:
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forming in a surface of soil a furrow having two opposed sides inclined to the vertical forming opposed upper and lower surfaces, and in which said upper surface is extended to form a raised area of said soil, with one of said opposed sides which forms said upper surface being at a higher elevation than the other of said opposed sides; preventing soil from being thrown from said furrow during said furrow forming step without applying appreciable pressure to the soil surface; inserting seed or fertilizer into said furrow; and closing said furrow. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for seeding or fertilizing comprising the steps of:
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forming in a surface of soil a furrow having two opposed sides inclined to the vertical by undercutting an area of soil and raising a part of said undercut area of soil at only one of said opposed sides to open said furrow; limiting upward and outward movement of said undercut area of soil when raising said undercut area of soil to prevent soil from said undercut area of soil from being thrown from said furrow without applying appreciable pressure to the soil surface; inserting said or fertilizer into said furrow; and closing said furrow. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A tool assembly for use with an agricultural implement intended to be moved in a specified line of travel and having a frame and means for connecting said tool assembly to said frame, said tool assembly comprising:
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a first generally upright rotating disk extending from said connecting means, said disk being set at a first horizontal angle to the line of travel to provide a leading surface and a trailing surface relative to the direction of travel, and being set at a first angle to the vertical whereby a top of said disk is inclined generally toward said trailing surface; a soil throw control and cleaning member mounted adjacent the leading surface of said disk, said member having a working surface positioned adjacent the soil surface such that no part of said working surface applies appreciable pressure to the soil surface when said tool assembly is in a working position; and a seed or fertilizer delivery mechanism disposed behind said trailing surface of said disk. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A tool assembly for use with an agricultural implement intended to work on soil in a specified line of travel and having a frame and means for connecting said tool assembly to said frame, said tool assembly comprising:
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a generally upright rotating disk extending from said connecting means and being set at a first horizontal angle to said line of travel to form a leading surface and a trailing surface relative to said line of travel, and at a first angle to the vertical whereby a top of said disk is inclined generally toward said trailing surface; a seed or fertilizer delivery mechanism adjacent said trailing surface; and a soil throw control and cleaning member mounted adjacent said leading surface, said member having a working surface positioned adjacent a top surface of the soil such that no part of said working surface applies appreciable pressure to the soil when said implement is working the soil. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for seeding and fertilizing comprising the steps of:
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forming in soil a first furrow inclined to the vertical and having an upper and a lower surface by undercutting an area of said soil and raising a part of said undercut area to open said first furrow and thereby forming a raised area-of said undercut area; inserting seed or fertilizer toward the bottom of said first furrow; forming a second furrow in said lower surface intermediate the top and bottom of said lower surface; directing soil from said second furrow toward the bottom of said first furrow to thereby cover said fertilizer with said soil from said second furrow; inserting seed or fertilizer into said second furrow; and closing said first and second furrows. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A tool assembly for use with an agricultural implement intended to be moved in a specified line of travel and having a frame and means for connecting said tool assembly to said frame, said tool assembly comprising:
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a first generally upright rotating disk extending from said connecting means, said disk being set at a first horizontal angle to the line of travel to provide a leading surface and a trailing surface relative to the direction of travel, and being set at a first angle to the vertical whereby a top of said disk is inclined generally toward said trailing surface; a soil throw control and cleaning member mounted adjacent the leading surface of said disk and positioned to run adjacent the soil surface when said tool assembly is in a working position; a first seed or fertilizer delivery mechanism located behind said trailing surface of said disk; a second generally upright rotating disk positioned to form a second furrow in one surface of a first furrow cut by said first disk, said first seed or fertilizer delivery mechanism being locating between said first and second disks; and a second seed or fertilizer delivery mechanism located behind said second disk. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification