Furrow closing wheel assembly

• US 8,291,998 B1
• Filed: 06/10/2010
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Terveen, Kevin J. Berg
• Original Assignee: David Terveen, Kevin J. Berg
• Inventors: Berg, Kevin J., Terveen, David
• Primary Examiner(s): MCGOWAN, JAMIE LOUISE
• Application Number:
  US12/813,306
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 172/64, 172/173, 172/176, 172/540, 172/554, 172/604, D15/29
• US Class Current: 172/604
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/066 Devices for covering drills or furrows

Abstract

A furrow closing wheel assembly includes a closed loop that has an inner surface, an outer surface, a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface. Each of the first and second lateral surfaces has a channel therein. Flanges positioned on a hub are extendable into the channels to couple the hub to the loop. A plurality of teeth extends upwardly from the outer surface. Each of the teeth has a front face, a rear face, a first side, a second side and an apex positioned distal to the loop. Each the front faces is faceted such that the front faces are absent of a substantial planar surface lying in a plane that is orientated parallel to an axis of rotation of the loop. The front face of each of the teeth is a leading face of the teeth extending into soil when the loop is positioned on the hub.

Claims

1. A furrow closing wheel attachment apparatus for positioning on a hub of a furrow closer, said apparatus comprising:

a closed loop having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface, said inner surface forming a circle having a size configured to be engageable with the hub, said closed loop having a pair of channels therein, each of said first and second lateral surfaces having one of said channels therein extending along and being coextensive with a respective one of said first and second lateral surfaces, wherein flanges positioned on the hub are extendable into said channels to couple the hub to said loop;

a plurality of teeth being attached to and extending upwardly from said outer surface, said teeth being spaced from each other and positioned around said loop, each of said teeth having a front face, a rear face, a first side, a second side and an apex positioned distal to said loop, each said front faces being faceted such that said front faces are absent of a substantial planar surface lying in a plane being orientated parallel to an axis of rotation of said loop, said front face having a width greater than 0.10 inches and a height greater than 0.30 inches, said front face of each of said teeth being a leading face of said teeth extending into soil when said loop is positioned on the hub;

each of said front and rear faces includes a set of soil engaging surfaces, each set of soil engaging surfaces includes;

a first facet abutting said first side and a second facet abutting said second side, said first and second facets extending toward each other and intersecting a third facet, said first and second facets being angled away from said third facet at an angle greater than 45°

;

an apical facet extending downwardly toward said loop and outwardly from said apex to intersect said first, second and third facets; and

wherein said first and second facets are substantial planar surfaces and said third and apical facets do not form substantial planar surfaces.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said channels are a same distance from said inner surface with respect to each other, a distance between said channels being equal to between 0.40 inches and 0.60 inches.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said loop has a plurality of breaks therein dividing said loop into a plurality of sections, said sections being frictionally coupled together to allow said sections to be removed from each other.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said inner surface has a radius between 4.75 inches and 5.10 inches.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said channels have a distal edge and a proximal edge with respect to said inner surface, said proximal edges forming a circle having a radius between 5.16 inches and 5.24 inches, said distal edges forming a circle having a radius between 5.32 inches and 5.40 inches.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said teeth has a height between 0.75 inches and 2 inches.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a juncture is positioned between and extends between each pair of adjacent ones of said teeth such that a plurality of junctures is defined, each of said junctures including a raised area extending between respective ones of said teeth, said raised area having lateral edges being angled down from a central ridge of said raised area.

8. A furrow closing wheel attachment apparatus for positioning on a hub of a furrow closer, said apparatus comprising:

a closed loop having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface, said inner surface forming a circle, said closed loop having a pair of channels therein, each of said first and second lateral surfaces having one of said channels therein extending along and being coextensive with a respective one of said first and second lateral surfaces, wherein flanges positioned on the hub are extendable into said channels to couple the hub to said loop, said channels being a same distance from said inner surface with respect to each other, a distance between said channels being equal to between 0.40 inches and 0.60 inches, said loop having a plurality of breaks therein dividing said loop into a plurality of sections, said sections being frictionally coupled together to allow said sections to be removed from each other, said inner surface having a radius between 4.75 inches and 5.10 inches, said channels having an distal edge and a proximal edge with respect to said inner surface, said proximal edge forming a circle having a radius between 5.16 inches and 5.24 inches, said distal edge forming a circle having a radius between 5.32 inches and 5.40 inches;

a plurality of teeth being attached to and extending upwardly from said outer surface, said teeth being spaced from each other and positioned around said loop, each of said teeth having a front face, a rear face, a first side, a second side and an apex positioned distal to said loop, each of said rear and front faces being faceted such that each of said rear and front faces are absent of a substantial planar surface lying in a plane being orientated parallel to an axis of rotation of said loop, said front and rear faces each having a width greater than 0.10 inches and a height greater than 0.30 inches, said front face of each of said teeth being a leading face of said teeth extending into soil when said loop is positioned on the hub;

each of said front and rear faces including a set of soil engaging surfaces, each set of soil engaging surfaces includes;

a first facet abutting said first side and a second facet abutting said second side, said first and second facets extending toward each other and intersecting a third facet, said first and second facets of said pair being angled away from said third facet at an angle greater than 45′

;

an apical facet extending downwardly toward said loop and outwardly from said apex to intersect said first, second and third facets;

wherein said first and second facets are substantial planar surfaces and said third and apical facets do not form substantial planar surfaces;

each of said teeth having a height between 0.75 inches and 2.0 inches; and

a juncture being positioned between and extending between each pair of adjacent ones of said teeth such that a plurality of junctures is defined, each of said junctures including a raised area extending between respective ones of said teeth, said raised area having lateral edges being angled down from a central ridge of said raised area.