Nurse adapter for air seeders

• US 6,253,693 B1
• Filed: 11/04/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Flexi-Coil Ltd. (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Mayerle, Dean J., Engen, Ronald N., Hundeby, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US09/433,876
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 111/174, 111/175, 111/176, 111/185, 111/184, 111/183, 111/186, 111/187, 111/188, 111/170
• US Class Current: 111/174
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/102 Regulating or controlling the seed rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/00 Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions

Abstract

A nurse adapter mechanism for an agricultural seeding implement converts an air seeder meter box into a nurse inductor box to convey seed particles to the singulator of a planting mechanism. The nurse adapter mechanism is detachably mounted on the meter box of the air seeder to receive a supply of seed particles therefrom and utilizes the normal air flow for the metering mechanism to effect a nursing of seed particles to a planting mechanism. The nurse adapter mechanism diverts the stream of air into engagement with a pile of seed particles and induce the entrainment of the seed particles for conveyance thereof to the remote planting mechanism. A partition wall divides the nurse induction mechanism into a seed side and an air side. The seed side receives the supply of seed particles from the hopper and allows the seed to pass through a passageway into the air side for engagement by the stream of air. Divider walls are provided to isolate each discharge tube from the other discharges tube so that the planter mechanisms can provide a continuous supply of seed particles. The discharge tubes pass through the seed side of the nurse adapter mechanism in a stacked pair, modular configuration with the respective discharge tubes being adequately separated to permit the passage of seed particles therebetween.

Claims

1. In an agricultural seeding implement having a frame adapted for movement over the ground;

a first hopper supported on said frame for carrying a supply of seed, said first hopper having a lower portion including a discharge opening through which seed particles pass to exit said first hopper; and

a mechanism supported on said frame for creating a flow of air through a conduit, the improvement comprising;

a nurse adapter mechanism detachably mounted on said first hopper to communicate with said discharge opening and said conduit to receive seed particles from said first hopper and intercept a first stream of air generated from said mechanism for creating a flow of air, said first stream of air passing through a nozzle creating a turbulence to entrain said seed particles, said nurse adapter mechanism including;

a housing;

a mounting apparatus for detachably connecting said housing to said first hopper;

said housing defining a reservoir in flow communication with said discharge opening to receive said seed particles from said first hopper, said reservoir having a serpentine passageway to direct said first stream of air and discharge of seed particles from said reservoir; and

a plurality of seed distribution tubes in flow communication with said conduit to receive said flow of air having entrained therein said seed particles discharged from said reservoir through said passageway.

2. The seeding implement of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one additional hopper carrying a non-seed product; and

a meter mechanism associated with said at least one additional hopper to meter said non-seed product into a second air stream, both said first air stream and said second air stream being generated by said mechanism for creating a flow of air.

3. The seeding implement of claim 2 wherein a part of a meter mechanism on said first hopper was removed to enable the mounting of said nurse adapter mechanism.

4. The seeding implement of claim 3 wherein said nurse adapter mechanism comprises:

a partition wall separating a reservoir containing a mass of seeds from a flow path for said first air stream, said partition wall defining an access opening through which said mass of seeds are funneled into a pile of seed particles adjacent said flow path for said first air stream such that said first air stream can entrain individual seed particles; and

a plurality of seed distribution tubes in communication with said flow path to direct the seed particles entrained in said first air stream to a remote planting mechanism.

5. The seeding implement of claim 4 wherein said seed distribution tubes pass through said reservoir and are sufficiently spaced to permit said seed particles in said mass of seeds to pass between said seed distribution tubes.

6. The seeding implement of claim 5 wherein said flow path for said stream of air follows a non-linear path within said nurse inductor mechanism, but is discharged through said seed distribution tubes in substantially the same direction as said stream of air enters said nurse adapter mechanism.

7. The seeding implement of claim 6 wherein said non-linear path makes a bend adjacent said pile of seed particles to create a turbulence to enhance the entrainment of said seed particles into said air stream.

8. The seeding implement of claim 7 wherein said nurse adapter mechanism further includes a divider wall corresponding to each said seed distribution tube to isolate each respective said seed distribution tube from the other said seed distribution tubes.

9. The seeding implement of claim 8 wherein said seed distribution tubes are arranged in generally vertically stacked pairs.

10. The seeding implement of claim 2 wherein said meter mechanism is operable at varying rates of distribution.

11. A nurse adapter mechanism for detachably mounting on a hopper of a seeding mechanism for transporting a supply of seeds and for being operably connected to a mechanism for creating a first stream of air along a flow path, comprising:

a housing adapted for detachable connection to said hopper;

a transverse partition wall separating a reservoir containing a supply of seeds from a distribution apparatus in flow communication with said first stream of air, said partition wall defining a discharge opening at the bottom of said nurse adapter mechanism for the flow of seeds therethrough into said distribution apparatus;

a plurality of seed distribution tubes passing through said partition wall and through said reservoir for flow communication with a remote planting mechanism, each said seed distribution tube having an inlet opening in flow communication with said distribution apparatus; and

a plurality of generally vertically extending divider walls to isolate the inlet openings of said seed distribution tubes, said divider walls being sealed against said housing to define individual flow paths to each respective seed distribution tube;

wherein said first stream of air is directed along a serpentine flow channel through said distribution apparatus into contact with said seed particles flowing through said discharge opening, said first stream of air passing through a nozzle creating a turbulence to entrain said seed particles so as to carry said seed particles into said seed distribution tubes for delivery to said remote planting mechanism.

12. The nurse adapter mechanism of claim 11 wherein said seed distribution tubes are arranged in generally vertically stacked configuration, said seed distribution tubes being sufficiently spaced to permit said seed particles to pass between said seed distribution tubes.

13. The nurse adapter mechanism of claim 12 wherein said seeds flow through said discharge opening into said air side by gravity to form a pile of seed particles oriented at a natural angle of repose of said seed particles.

14. The nurse adapter mechanism of claim 13 wherein the area between the generally vertical divider walls is greater than the cross-sectional area of the inlet openings of each respective said seed distribution tube so that the velocity of said air stream increases upon entering said seed distribution tube, allowing said entrained seed particle to be carried within said air stream until reaching said remote planting mechanism.

15. In an agricultural seeding implement having a frame adapted for movement over the ground;

a first hopper supported on said frame for carrying a supply of seed, said first hopper having a lower portion including a discharge opening through which seed particles pass to exit said first hopper; and

a mechanism supported on said frame for creating a flow of air through a conduit, the improvement comprising;

a nurse adapter mechanism detachably mounted on said first hopper to communicate with said discharge opening and said conduit to receive seed from said first hopper and intercept a first stream of air generated from said mechanism for creating a flow of air, said nurse adapter mechanism being mounted on said first hopper by removing a part of a meter mechanism on said first hopper;

at least one additional hopper carrying a non-seed product; and

a meter mechanism associated with said at least one additional hopper to meter said non-seed product into a second air stream, both said first air stream and said second air stream being generated by said mechanism for creating a flow of air.

16. The seeding implement of claim 15 wherein said nurse adapter mechanism includes:

a housing;

a partition wall separating said housing into a reservoir containing a mass of seeds and a distribution apparatus defining a flow path for said first air stream, said partition wall defining an access opening through which said mass of seeds are funneled into a pile of seed particles adjacent said flow path for said first air stream such that said first air stream can entrain individual seed particles; and

a plurality of seed distribution tubes in communication with said flow path to direct the seed particles entrained in said first air stream to a remote planting mechanism.

17. The seeding implement of claim 16 wherein said discharge tubes are arranged in generally vertically stacked configuration, said discharge tubes being sufficiently spaced to permit said seed particles to pass between said discharge tubes.

18. The seeding implement of claim 17 wherein said first stream of air is directed along a serpentine flow channel through said distribution apparatus into contact with said seed particles flowing through said discharge opening, said first stream of air passing through a nozzle creating a turbulence to entrain said seed particles so as to carry said seed particles into said seed distribution tubes for delivery to said remote planting mechanism.

19. The seeding implement of claim 18 wherein a plurality of generally vertically extending divider walls isolates each respective said seed distribution tube from the other said seed distribution tubes, said divider walls being sealed against said housing to define individual flow paths to each respective seed distribution tube.