Apparatus and method for testing seed singulation of a seed meter
First Claim
1. A method of testing seed singulation of a seed meter, said method comprising;
- a. providing a continuous belt having a plurality of substantially equidistantly spaced cells, each cell defined by a leading and a trailing flight;
b. providing a seed meter to be tested, said seed meter having a seed selection mechanism for selecting and discharging seeds supplied to said seed meter;
c. disposing said seed meter to be tested with respect to said continuous flighted belt such that said seeds to be discharged by said seed meter are operably dispensed onto said continuous flighted belt;
d. driving said seed meter to discharge seeds supplied to said seed meter at a substantially uniform predetermined seed discharge rate;
e. driving said continuous flighted belt at a substantially uniform, predetermined rate of speed;
f. detecting said discharged seeds on said continuous flighted belt passing a first point disposed along a path of travel of said continuous belt, including generating a first signal corresponding to each flight passing said first point and recording said generated first signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method of testing seed singulation of a seed meter. The apparatus includes a frame which supports the seed meter to be tested above a track within which is disposed a continuous flighted belt. A drive system is provided to drive the flighted belt and the seed meter at a preselected speed and seed discharge rate, respectively. In operation, seeds supplied to the seed meter are dispensed by the seed meter in its normal mode of operation onto the moving flighted belt. A sensor disposed along the path of travel of the belt detects the seeds within each passing cell. A computer records and registers data relevant to the singulation accuracy and efficiency of the seed meter.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of testing seed singulation of a seed meter, said method comprising;
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a. providing a continuous belt having a plurality of substantially equidistantly spaced cells, each cell defined by a leading and a trailing flight; b. providing a seed meter to be tested, said seed meter having a seed selection mechanism for selecting and discharging seeds supplied to said seed meter; c. disposing said seed meter to be tested with respect to said continuous flighted belt such that said seeds to be discharged by said seed meter are operably dispensed onto said continuous flighted belt; d. driving said seed meter to discharge seeds supplied to said seed meter at a substantially uniform predetermined seed discharge rate; e. driving said continuous flighted belt at a substantially uniform, predetermined rate of speed; f. detecting said discharged seeds on said continuous flighted belt passing a first point disposed along a path of travel of said continuous belt, including generating a first signal corresponding to each flight passing said first point and recording said generated first signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. In combination, a seed meter to be tested and an apparatus for testing singulation of the seed meter, the apparatus comprising:
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a. a frame supporting a track; b. a continuous belt supported by said track, wherein said continuous belt includes a plurality of substantially equidistantly spaced cells, each cell defined by a leading and a trailing flight; c. a drive operably coupled to said continuous flighted belt for driving said flighted belt at a desired, substantially uniform, belt speed, said drive further operably coupled to the seed meter for operably driving the seed meter at a desired, substantially uniform, theoretical seed discharge rate, such that seeds supplied to the seed meter are discharged from the seed meter onto said driven continuous flighted belt; d. a sensor disposed along a path of travel of said continuous flighted belt for detecting discharged seeds within a cell passing a first point along said path of travel of said continuous flighted belt; e. a computer electrically coupled to said sensor to record said detected discharged seeds;
wherein said sensor generates a first signal upon the passing of each of said flights past said point and wherein said sensor generates a second signal upon at least one said discharged seed passing said first point between successive first signals. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification