Extension for reducing seed bounce and associated attachment brackets
First Claim
1. An extension for properly placing seeds in a furrow for use with a furrow opener for creating a seed furrow and for placing seeds within said seed furrow, the seed furrow having a centrally located bottom portion and upwardly and outwardly extending sidewalls defining a maximum width dimension, and the sidewalls intersecting at a vertex in the bottom portion and defining a minimum width dimension, such that said furrow has a decreasing width, said extension comprising:
- a. an elongated flexible body member defining a general arcuate shape which provides a generally downwardly and rearwardly sweeping orientation, and also defining an upper segment and a lower segment;
b. said upper segment attachable to the furrow opener;
c. said lower segment configured to depend downwardly and rearwardly from the furrow opener and extendible into the furrow, said lower segment having a lower surface having a downwardly convex shape, and said lower segment having a width dimension decreasing along its length, the width dimension substantially equal to but less than the decreasing width of the furrow as the lower segment extends into the furrow; and
d. said lower segment terminating at a trailing end, said trailing, end configured to be spaced above the centrally located bottom portion of the furrow.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An extension for use with a furrow opener is disclosed for properly placing seeds in a furrow. The extension attaches by way of particular attachment brackets to the furrow opener to help direct bouncing seeds into the vertex in the bottom portion of the furrow. The extension comprises an elongated flexible body member defining a general arcuate shape, and also defines an upper segment and a lower segment. The upper segment defines an attachment structure for releasable engagement to the furrow opener. The lower segment depends downwardly and rearwardly from the furrow opener and extends into the furrow. The lower segment has a width dimension decreasing continuously along its length, the width dimension substantially equal to but less than the width of the furrow along the length of the extension. The lower segment terminates at a trailing end, which is spaced above the centrally located bottom portion of the furrow.
64 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An extension for properly placing seeds in a furrow for use with a furrow opener for creating a seed furrow and for placing seeds within said seed furrow, the seed furrow having a centrally located bottom portion and upwardly and outwardly extending sidewalls defining a maximum width dimension, and the sidewalls intersecting at a vertex in the bottom portion and defining a minimum width dimension, such that said furrow has a decreasing width, said extension comprising:
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a. an elongated flexible body member defining a general arcuate shape which provides a generally downwardly and rearwardly sweeping orientation, and also defining an upper segment and a lower segment; b. said upper segment attachable to the furrow opener; c. said lower segment configured to depend downwardly and rearwardly from the furrow opener and extendible into the furrow, said lower segment having a lower surface having a downwardly convex shape, and said lower segment having a width dimension decreasing along its length, the width dimension substantially equal to but less than the decreasing width of the furrow as the lower segment extends into the furrow; and d. said lower segment terminating at a trailing end, said trailing, end configured to be spaced above the centrally located bottom portion of the furrow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An extension for properly placing seeds in a furrow for use with a seed planter having a furrow opener for creating a seed furrow, a seed tube for placing seeds within said seed furrow, and a closing device for closing said seed furrow, the seed furrow having a centrally located bottom portion and upwardly and outwardly extending sidewalls defining a maximum width dimension, and the sidewalls intersecting at a vertex of the bottom portion and defining a minimum width dimension, such that said furrow has a decreasing width;
- said seed tube extension comprising;
a. an elongated flexible body member defining a general arcuate shape, and also defining an upper segment and a lower segment; b. said upper segment having an attachment structure and being attachable to the seed tube, said extension extending beyond the seed tube when attached thereto; c. said lower segment configured to depend downwardly and rearwardly from the seed tube and extendible into tile furrow, said lower segment having a downwardly convex lower surface, and the extension having a width dimension decreasing along its length, the width dimension substantially equal to but less than the decreasing width of the furrow as tile lower segment extends into the furrow so that the lower segment does not contact the sidewalls of the furrow; and d. said lower segment terminating at a trailing end, said trailing end configured to be spaced above the centrally located bottom portion of the furrow. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
- said seed tube extension comprising;
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11. An extension for properly placing seeds in a furrow for use with a drill having a furrow opener for creating a seed furrow having at least one disk blade, a chute for dropping the seeds into said seed furrow, and a closing device for closing said seed furrow, a scraper apparatus attached to the furrow opener for cleaning the disk blade, and the seed furrow having a centrally located bottom portion and upwardly and outwardly extending sidewalls defining a maximum width dimension, and the sidewalls intersecting at a vertex of the bottom portion and defining a minimum width dimension, and the sidewalls having a decreasing width between the maximum width dimension and the minimum width dimension, said extension comprising:
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a. an elongated flexible body member defining a general arcuate shape, and also defining an upper segment and a lower segment; b. said upper segment defining an attachment structure for releasable engagement to the scraper apparatus, said extension configured to extend beyond the disk blade; c. said lower segment configured to depend downwardly and rearwardly from the furrow opener and to extend into the furrow, said lower segment having a downwardly facing convex lower surface, and having a width dimension decreasing along its length, the width dimension substantially equal to but less than the decreasing width of the furrow as the lower segment extends into the furrow so that the lower segment does not contact the furrow; and d. said lower segment terminating at a trailing end, said trailing end configured to be spaced above the centrally located bottom portion of the furrow.
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12. An extension for properly placing seeds in a furrow for use with a furrow opener for creating a seed furrow and for placing seeds within said seed furrow, the seed furrow having a centrally located bottom portion and upwardly and outwardly extending sidewalls defining a maximum width dimension, and the sidewalls intersecting at a vertex in tile bottom portion and defining a minimum width dimensions such that said furrow has a decreasing width, said extension comprising:
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a. an elongated flexible body member defining a general arcuate shape which provides a generally downwardly and rearwardly sweeping orientation, and also defining an upper segment and a lower segment; b. said upper segment attachable to the furrow opener; c. said lower segment configured to depend downwardly and rearwardly from the furrow opener and extendible into the furrow said lower segment having a lower surface having a downwardly convex shape, and said lower segment having a width dimension decreasing along its length the width dimension substantially equal to but less than the decreasing width of the furrow as the lower segment extends into the furrow; d. said lower segment terminating, at a trailing end, said trailing end configured to be spaced above thc centrally located bottom portion of the furrow; e. said downwardly facing convex lower surface transforms along the length of the lower segment of the extension to a downwardly facing planar lower surface at said trailing end; and f. said lower segment includes opposing, shoulders, and said opposing shoulders extend outwardly and upwardly.
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13. An extension for properly placing seeds in a furrow for use with a furrow opener for creating a seed furrow and for placing seeds within said seed furrow, the seed furrow having a centrally located bottom portion and upwardly and outwardly extending sidewalls defining a maximum width dimension, and the sidewalls intersecting at a vertex in the bottom portion and defining a minimum width dimension, said extension comprising:
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a. an elongated flexible body member having an upper segment and a lower segment; b. said upper segment attachable to the furrow opener; c. said lower segment configured to depend downwardly and rearwardly from the furrow opener and extend into the furrow, and said lower segment having a downwardly facing convex lower surface and a width dimension decreasing along its length; and d. said lower segment terminating at a trailing end, said trailing end configured to be spaced above the centrally located bottom portion of the furrow.
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14. An extension for properly placing seeds in a furrow for use with a drill having a furrow opener for creating a seed furrow having at least one disk blade, a chute for dropping the seeds into said seed furrow, and a closing de ice for closing said seed furrow, a scraper apparatus attached to the furrow opener for cleaning the disk blade, and the seed furrow having a centrally located bottom portion and upwardly and outwardly extending sidewalls defining a maximum width dimension, and the sidewalls intersecting at a vertex of the bottom portion and defining a minimum width dimension;
- said extension comprising;
a. an elongated flexible body member having an upper segment and a lower segment; b. said upper segment defining an attachment structure for releasable engagement to the scraper apparatus, said extension extending beyond the disk blade; c. said lower segment depending downwardly and rearwardly from the furrow opener and extending into the furrow and having a downwardly facing convex lower surface and a width dimension decreasing along its length; and d. said lower segment terminating at a trailing end, said trailing end spaced above the centrally located bottom portion of tile furrow.
- said extension comprising;
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15. An extension assembly for properly placing seeds in a furrow for use with a drill having a furrow opener having at least one disk blade for creating a seed furrow, and a chute for dropping the seeds into said seed furrow, said extension assembly comprising:
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a. a bracket having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end for attachment to the drill and said lower end extending downwardly and rearwardly from the drill; b. an extension including an elongated body member which provides a generally downwardly and rearwardly orientation, and also defining a upper segment and a lower segment; c. said upper segment attachable to said lower end of said bracket; d. said lower segment configured to depend downwardly and rearwardly from the bracket and extendible to the furrow, said lower segment having a downwardly concave surface in a direction substantially transverse to the length of the lower segment. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An extension for properly placing seeds in a furrow for use with a furrow opener for creating a seed furrow and for placing seeds within said seed furrow, the seed furrow having a centrally located bottom portion and upwardly and outwardly extending sidewalls defining a maximum width dimension, and the sidewalls intersecting at a vertex in the bottom portion and defining a minimum width dimension, said extension comprising:
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a. an elongated flexible body member defining a general arcuate shape which provides a generally downwardly and rearwardly sweeping orientation, and also defining a upper segment and a lower segment; b. said upper segment attachable to the furrow opener; c. said lower segment configured to depend downwardly and rearwardly from the furrow opener and extendible into the furrow; d. an aperture formed through said lower segment; and e. said lower segment terminating at a trailing end, said trailing end configured to be spaced above the centrally located bottom portion of the furrow.
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22. An attachment assembly for properly placing seeds in a furrow for use with a drill having a furrow opener having at least one disk blade for creating a seed furrow, and a chute for dropping the seeds into said seed furrow, said attachment assembly comprising:
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a. a bracket having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end for attachment to the drill and said lower end extending downwardly and rearwardly from the drill; b. an extension including an elongated body member which provides a generally downwardly and rearwardly orientation, and also defining an upper segment and a lower segment; c. said upper segment attachable to said lower end of said bracket; and d. said lower segment configured to depend downwardly and rearwardly from the bracket and extendible to the furrow, said lower segment having a downwardly convex surface in a direction substantially transverse to the length of the lower segment, and said lower segment having an upwardly concave surface in a direction substantially transverse to the length of the lower segment. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification