Wear insert for metering system

• US 5,855,303 A
• Filed: 08/18/1997
• Issued: 01/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Gregor, David Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUINALTY, KEATS ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/912,467
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 222/368, 222/370, 198/534, 198/735.3, 239/654, 239/650
• US Class Current: 222/368
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/123 Housings for feed rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/24 for fluent solid material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/00 Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries

Abstract

A wear insert is provided for an air seeder metering system directing rising air away from product as it is metered from a product tank by the associated metering system. The wear insert has a lip which extends into the outlet of the metering system in order to divert air away from the path of metered product to prevent the product from bunching and to promote a continuous flow of product from the metering system.

Claims

1. A metering system for metering product in an air seeder having a product tank and a pneumatic distribution system, said metering system comprising:

a meter casing having an inner wall, an inlet coupled to the product tank and an outlet coupled to the pneumatic distribution system such that the meter casing provides a substantially enclosed passage between the pneumatic distribution system and the product tank;

a meter roller rotatably mounted in the casing;

a plurality of open volumes between the meter and the inner wall of the casing connecting the inlet and the outlet, said plurality of open volumes including a product path for metering product from the inlet to the outlet and an air diversion path for permitting air flow from the pneumatic distribution system to the product tank; and

a wear strip removably mounted on the inner wall of the casing and having a lip extending at least partially over the outlet.

2. The metering system of claim 1 wherein said lip is curved for directing air into the air diversion path for preventing the air from impeding flow of product through the metering system.

3. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the wear strip is made of urethane.

4. The metering system of claim 1 wherein fastening notches are provided in the inner wall of the meter casing, said wear strip includes fastening protrusions which frictionally engage the notches to secure the wear strip on the inner wall.

5. The metering system of claim 4 wherein the inner wall of the casing between the inlet and the outlet is stepped to receive the wear strip and provide a smooth product path.

6. The metering system of claim 5 wherein the lip of the wear strip is directed toward the meter roller to define a minimum area in the product path.