Single-pass, double-shoot opener for an agricultural implement

• US 8,646,395 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2010
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Canada Limited (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Schilling, Robin B., Naylor, Matthew S., Chahley, Dennis W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US12/730,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20110232552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 111/150, 111/187, 111/186, 111/129, 111/194, 111/163, 111/157, 111/149, 111/167, 111/170, 111/190, 111/52, 111/59, 111/62, 111134-137, 172558-566, 172/606, 172/610
• US Class Current: 111/135
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/06 for sowing or fertilising
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/064 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/06 Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus

Abstract

An opener for depositing fertilizer and seed in a single pass, double-shoot manner includes a rotating disc that cuts a furrow in a planting surface, a fertilizer tube that drops fertilizer into the furrow, and a trailing seed tube assembly, having a cutting edge, that cuts a vertically and horizontally offset trench in the furrow to form a seed bed in the planting surface onto which seed is deposited. The seed trench provides a seed bed that is offset from the bottom of the furrow to provide horizontal and vertical stratification of the seed and fertilizer.

Claims

1. A product dispensing apparatus for use with an agricultural implement, the agricultural implement including a rotatable disc for cutting a furrow into soil and a scraper blade adjacent the rotatable disc for keeping a leading face of the rotatable disc clear of debris, the product dispensing apparatus comprising:

a tubular member having a first end adapted to receive a product, a body adapted to pass the product, and a second end through which product exits the body, wherein the tubular member has a leading side and a trailing side;

a cutting member having a body attached to the leading side of the tubular member and adapted to cut a trench into a sidewall of the furrow; and

an adjustable mount for interconnecting the tubular member and the cutting member to the agricultural implement, the mount having a plurality of user selectable positions;

wherein movement of the mount between the plurality of user selectable positions adjusts the positions of the tubular member and the cutting member independent of a position of the scraper blade.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutting member is integrally formed with the tubular member.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the cutting member has a curved cutting edge that cuts the trench to be offset from a low point of the furrow.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the trench is cut horizontally and vertically offset from the low point of the furrow.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutting member has a cutting edge that is angled relative to an axis transverse to a line of travel of the apparatus, wherein the cutting is at an angle of approximately 12 degrees relative to the axis.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutting member includes a wear resistant element.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the wear resistant element is formed of carbide.