Pneumatic distribution system for air seeders
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a pneumatic seeding machine, the improvement comprising:
- a mobile cart supporting a seed reservoir, a plurality of conduits, and a blower for producing airstreams within the conduits for conveying seeds from the reservoir toward a downstream point of delivery;
a seed planting implement disposed for receiving seeds from said cart and placing them in the ground,said implement includingat least a pair of supply hoses for delivering seeds entrained within airstreams in the hoses to a corresponding pair of distribution devices; and
a coupling assembly detachably connecting said conduits of the cart with the implement in a manner to establish flow communication between the conduits and the hoses,at least one of said hoses being shorter than the other,said coupling assembly including a flow restrictor disposed to produce a pressure drop in the shorter hose to such an extent that the pressure in the hoses at said distribution devices is substantially equal notwithstanding the differences in length between the hoses.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The primary distribution hoses on the tillage implement of a pneumatic seeding machine are of different lengths as needed to reach distribution heads or splitters on the implement that further divide the primary streams of materials into individual streams leading directly to the ground-engaging openers of the implement. Notwithstanding the differential in hose length, outlet pressures at the distribution heads are made uniform through the provision of internal flow restrictors associated with those hoses that are shorter than the longest hoses on the machine. Throat diameters of the restrictors vary in accordance with the pressure drop that is needed to match the difference in hose length between the longest hose and the restricted hose. In a preferred embodiment, the restrictors are mounted within nipples on the coupling assembly that releasably connects conduits from a seed cart with the primary hoses on the implement.
56 Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a pneumatic seeding machine, the improvement comprising:
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a mobile cart supporting a seed reservoir, a plurality of conduits, and a blower for producing airstreams within the conduits for conveying seeds from the reservoir toward a downstream point of delivery; a seed planting implement disposed for receiving seeds from said cart and placing them in the ground, said implement including at least a pair of supply hoses for delivering seeds entrained within airstreams in the hoses to a corresponding pair of distribution devices; and a coupling assembly detachably connecting said conduits of the cart with the implement in a manner to establish flow communication between the conduits and the hoses, at least one of said hoses being shorter than the other, said coupling assembly including a flow restrictor disposed to produce a pressure drop in the shorter hose to such an extent that the pressure in the hoses at said distribution devices is substantially equal notwithstanding the differences in length between the hoses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. In a pneumatic seeding machine, the improvement comprising:
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a mobile cart supporting a seed reservoir, a plurality of conduits, and a blower for producing airstreams within the conduits for conveying seeds from the reservoir toward a downstream point of delivery; a seed planting implement disposed for receiving seeds from said cart and placing them in the ground, said implement including at least a pair of supply hoses for delivering seeds entrained within airstreams in the hoses to a corresponding pair of distribution devices; and a coupling assembly detachably connecting said conduits of the cart with the implement in a manner to establish flow communication between the conduits and the hoses, at least one of said hoses being shorter than the other, said coupling assembly including a flow restrictor disposed to produce a pressure drop in the shorter hose to such an extent that the pressure in the hoses at said distribution devices is substantially equal notwithstanding the differences in length between the hoses, said implement further including a mobile frame, said coupling assembly including a support mounted on the frame and at least a pair of tubular nipples carried by said support, said hoses being connected to said nipples, said restrictor being located within the nipple to which the shorter hose is connected, said nipples each having an internal diameter, said restrictor comprising an annular, cylindrical body having an internal throat that is of reduced diameter relative to the internal diameter of the nipple within which the restrictor is disposed. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. In a pneumatic seeding machine, the improvement comprising:
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a mobile cart supporting a seed reservoir, a plurality of conduits, and a blower for producing airstreams within the conduits for conveying seeds from the reservoir toward a downstream point of delivery; a seed planting implement disposed for receiving seeds from said cart and placing them in the ground, said implement including at least a pair of supply hoses for delivering seeds entrained within airstreams in the hoses to a corresponding pair of distribution devices; and a coupling assembly detachably connecting said conduits of the cart with the implement in a manner to establish flow communication between the conduits and the hoses, at least one of said hoses being shorter than the other, said coupling assembly including a flow restrictor disposed to produce a pressure drop in the shorter hose to such an extent that the pressure in the hoses at said distribution devices is substantially equal notwithstanding the differences in length between the hoses, said implement further including a mobile frame, said coupling assembly including a support mounted on the frame and at least a pair of tubular nipples carried by said support, said hoses being connected to said nipples, said restrictor being located within the nipple to which the shorter hose is connected, said restrictor comprising an annular, cylindrical body having an enlarged external collar wedged into the nipple to retain the body within the nipple. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. In a pneumatic seeding machine, the improvement comprising:
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structure defining at least a pair of tubular airflow passages for delivering seeds entrained within airstreams to a corresponding pair of predetermined locations, at least one of said passages being shorter than the other and having an outside diameter and an inside diameter; and an internal, tubular flow restrictor within the shorter passage for producing a pressure drop in the shorter passage to such an extent that the pressure in the passages at said predetermined locations is substantially equal notwithstanding the differences in length between the passages, said internal flow restrictor effectively reducing the inside diameter of a portion of the shorter passage without reducing the outside diameter thereof. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. In a pneumatic seeding machine, the improvement comprising:
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structure defining at least a pair of tubular airflow passages for delivering seeds entrained within airstreams to a corresponding pair of predetermined locations, at least one of said passages being shorter than the other; and an internal, tubular flow restrictor within the shorter passage for producing a pressure drop in the shorter passage to such an extent that the pressure in the passages at said predetermined locations is substantially equal notwithstanding the differences in length between the passages, said restrictor comprising an annular, cylindrical body having an internal, constant diameter throat, an inlet on the upstream side of the throat tapering toward a reduced dimension at the throat, and an outlet on the downstream side of the throat that progressively expands away from the throat. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. In a pneumatic seeding machine, the improvement comprising:
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structure defining at least a pair of tubular airflow passages for delivering seeds entrained within airstreams to a corresponding pair of predetermined locations, at least one of said passages being shorter than the other; and an internal, tubular flow restrictor within the shorter passage for producing a pressure drop in the shorter passage to such an extent that the pressure in the passages at said predetermined locations is substantially equal notwithstanding the differences in length between the passages, said restrictor comprising an annular, cylindrical body having an internal, constant diameter throat, an inlet on the upstream side of the throat tapering toward a reduced dimension at the throat, and an outlet on the downstream side of the throat that progressively expands away from the throat, the rate of expansion of the outlet being greater than the rate of convergence of the inlet, said body having an enlarged external collar wedged into the passage to retain the restrictor. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. In a pneumatic seeding machine, the improvement comprising:
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structure defining at least a pair of tubular airflow passages for delivering seeds entrained within airstreams to a corresponding pair of predetermined locations, at least one of said passages being shorter than the other; and an internal, tubular flow restrictor within the shorter passage for producing a pressure drop in the shorter passage to such an extent that the pressure in the passages at said predetermined locations is substantially equal notwithstanding the differences in length between the passages, said restrictor comprising an annular, cylindrical body having an enlarged external collar wedged into the passage to retain the restrictor, said body further having a continuous, circumferentially extending lip adjacent said collar in downstream relation thereto, said lip having an outside diameter exceeding that of said collar.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeMorris Equipment Limited
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Original AssigneeMorris Industries Ltd. (W.L. Morris Investments Ltd.)
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InventorsLesanko, John A., Fuessel, Jason M.
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Primary Examiner(s)Novosad; Christopher J.
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Application NumberUS11/040,070Publication NumberTime in Patent Office725 DaysField of Search111/176, 111/174, 138/44, 138/40US Class Current111/176CPC Class CodesA01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in...Y02P 60/00 Technologies relating to ag...
