Differential pressure seed meter with an endless belt seed transport member
First Claim
1. An apparatus for metering seed comprising:
- an endless belt having apertures therein;
means for moving the belt along a path defined by at least two pulleys; and
means for creating a pressure differential on opposite sides of the belt along at least a portion of the path between a seed pick-up region and a seed release region to adhere and retain seed on a seed side of the belt at the apertures.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A seed meter is provided having an endless belt as a seed transport member together with a pressure differential to hold the seed onto the belt. The use of an endless belt as the seed transport member enables the spatial orientation of the seed transport member to vary from location to location along the path of the belt where different seed meter functions are performed. The belt allows greater freedom in determining the location of the seed pick-up region and the seed release or removal region beyond the constraints of a fixed diameter seed disk. The belt further allows for a narrow envelope seed meter which can cross-feed seed into a substantially vertically oriented delivery device.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An apparatus for metering seed comprising:
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an endless belt having apertures therein; means for moving the belt along a path defined by at least two pulleys; and means for creating a pressure differential on opposite sides of the belt along at least a portion of the path between a seed pick-up region and a seed release region to adhere and retain seed on a seed side of the belt at the apertures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for metering seed comprising:
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an endless belt having apertures therein; at least two pulleys about which the belt is wrapped defining a path of travel for the belt; a housing adjacent at least a portion of the path of travel of the belt; and an air pump adapted to provide a pressure differential on opposite sides of the belt along a portion of the path between a seed pick-up region and a seed release region to adhere and retain seed on a seed side of the belt at the apertures. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification