Seed planter with equalizer assembly

• US 9,204,590 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schaffert Manufacturing Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Schaffert Manufacturing Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Schaffert, Paul E., Trevino, Ramiro, Shadley, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US13/428,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20130074747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 111/121, 111/140, 111/128, 111/52, 111/135, 111/139, 111/120, 111/122, 111/149, 111157-169, 111190-196, 172/518, 172540-576, 172579-605, 172/29, 172/31
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/025 Continuous injection tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/04 Machines for making or covering holes for sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/06 Machines for making or covering drills or furrows for sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/064 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/066 Devices for covering drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/06 Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/201 Mounting of the seeding tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/203 comprising depth regulation means
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/04 Pivotal connections hinges for doors, windows or wings E05D
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/21 Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32606 Pivoted

Abstract

A bracket for use with an agriculture planter including a trailing arm frame defining a pivot point thereon may include an arm bracket assembly with first, second, third, and fourth arms. Each arm may extend from a middle portion of the bracket. First and second fertilizer furrow opening discs may be rotatably mounted on mounting ends of two of the arms. First and second furrow closing wheels may be rotatably mounted on a mounting end of the other two arms. The middle portion of the bracket may be pivotally coupled to the trailing arm frame at the pivot point. The arms joined to the fertilizer furrow opening discs may be arranged at opposing ends of the middle portion to enable the furrow opening discs to open two fertilizer furrows on opposing sides of a seed furrow.

Claims

1. A bracket for use with an agricultural planter comprising a trailing arm frame defining a pivot point thereon, the bracket comprising:

a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, a fourth arm, and each of the arms joined to a middle portion of the bracket;

two of the arms comprise a mounting end configured to rotatably and selectively receive a fertilizer furrow opener disc, and the other two arms comprise a mounting end configured to rotatably receive a furrow closer wheel;

the two arms for receiving the fertilizer furrow opener disc enable two fertilizer furrows to be opened on opposing sides of a seed furrow; and

the bracket configured so that when the bracket is joined to the trailing arm frame, a pivoted displacement of the fertilizer furrow opener discs in a first direction causes a pivoted displacement of the furrow closer wheels in a second direction opposite the first direction.

2. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the middle portion of the bracket is pivotally coupled to the trailing arm frame at the pivot point.

3. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth arms are joined to the middle portion at ends opposite their respective mounting ends.

4. The bracket of claim 3, wherein the first arm and the second arm are joined to a first side of the middle portion and rotatably and selectively receive the fertilizer furrow opener discs, and the third and fourth arms are connected to a second side of the middle portion substantially opposite the first side and rotatably receive the furrow closer wheels.

5. The bracket of claim 3, wherein the first arm and the second arm are connected to a first side of the middle portion, the third arm and the fourth arms are connected to a second side of the middle portion substantially opposite the first side, the first arm and the third arm rotatably and selectively receive the fertilizer furrow opener discs, the second arm and the fourth arm rotatably receive the furrow closer wheels, and the first arm and the third arm are connected at opposite ends of the middle portion.

6. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the bracket is configured in an out-the-front configuration.

7. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the bracket is configured in an out-the-back configuration.

8. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the bracket is adjustably configurable in either an out-the-front configuration or an out-the-back configuration.

9. The bracket of claim 8, wherein the bracket is adjustable between the out-the-front configuration and the out-the-back configuration by rotating the arm bracket assembly 180 degrees about a vertical axis.

10. The bracket of claim 1, wherein one of the arms orients one of the fertilizer furrow opener discs in a leading position, and another one of the arms orients the other of the fertilizer furrow opener discs in a trailing position.

11. The bracket of claim 1, further comprising a pair of fertilizer distribution tubes coupled to the arm bracket.

12. The bracket of claim 11, wherein the fertilizer distribution tubes are located proximate the fertilizer furrow opener discs.

13. An arm bracket assembly for use with an agricultural planter including a trailing arm frame, the arm bracket assembly comprising:

an arm bracket configured to be pivotally coupleable to the trailing arm frame;

first and second fertilizer furrow opener discs rotatably joined to the arm bracket;

first and second furrow closer wheels rotatably joined to the arm bracket, wherein a pivoted displacement of one of the fertilizer furrow opener discs and furrow closer wheels in a first direction causes a pivoted displacement of the other fertilizer furrow opener disc and furrow closer wheel in a second direction opposite the first direction.

14. The arm bracket assembly of claim 13, wherein when the arm bracket assembly is joined to the trailing arm frame at a pivot point, the pivoted displacement occurs about the pivot point.

15. The arm bracket assembly of claim 13, wherein when a middle portion of the arm bracket is connected to the trailing arm frame at the pivot point, the pivoted displacement occurs about the middle portion.

16. The arm bracket assembly of claim 15, wherein:

the first and second fertilizer furrow opener discs and the first and second furrow closer wheels are joined to one another by the middle portion of the arm bracket;

the middle portion comprises a first end and an opposite second end and defines a cylindrical opening extending between the ends along a longitudinal axis for joining with the trailing arm frame;

the middle portion comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side separated by the longitudinal axis; and

the first and second fertilizer furrow opener discs are arranged on opposite sides and opposite ends of the middle portion.

17. The bracket of claim 16, wherein the two arms for receiving the fertilizer furrow opener discs are configured to open a fertilizer furrow on opposing sides of a seed furrow.

18. The bracket of claim 15, wherein:

the first and second fertilizer furrow opener discs and the first and second furrow closer wheels are joined to one another by the middle portion of the arm bracket;

the middle portion comprises a first end and an opposite second end and defines a cylindrical opening extending between the ends along a longitudinal axis;

the middle portion comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side separated by the longitudinal axis; and

the first and second fertilizer furrow opener discs are arranged on the first side and at opposite ends of the middle portion.

19. The bracket of claim 18, wherein the two arms for receiving the fertilizer furrow opener discs are configured to open a fertilizer furrow on opposing sides of a seed furrow.

20. An agricultural planter comprising:

an arm bracket comprising first, second, third, and fourth arms, and each of the arms joined to a middle portion of the arm bracket;

two of the arms joined to first and second fertilizer furrow opener discs to the arm bracket and extend from the middle portion so that the fertilizer furrow opener discs form fertilizer furrows on two sides of a seed furrow, wherein

the other two arms joined to first and second furrow closer wheels to the arm bracket and extend from the middle portion so that a pivoted displacement of one of the fertilizer furrow opener discs and furrow closer wheels in a first direction causes a pivoted displacement of the other fertilizer furrow opener disc and furrow closer wheel in a second direction opposite the first direction.

21. The agricultural planter of claim 20, wherein one of the arms orients the first fertilizer furrow opener disc in a leading position, and another one of the arms orients the second fertilizer furrow opener disc in a trailing position.

22. The agricultural planter of claim 21, wherein the first furrow closer wheel is in the leading position, and the second furrow closer wheel is in the trailing position.

23. An arm bracket assembly for use with an agricultural planter including a trailing arm frame defining a pivot point thereon, the arm bracket assembly comprising:

a bracket comprising first, second, and third arms that each extend from a middle portion of the bracket;

a furrow opening disc rotatably mounted on a mounting end of the first arm;

a first furrow closing wheel rotatably mounted on a mounting end of the second arm;

a second furrow closing wheel rotatably mounted on a mounting end of the third arm;

the middle portion of the bracket having a feature operable to pivotally couple to the trailing arm frame at the pivot point, wherein

a pivoted displacement of the first furrow closing wheel in a first direction causes a pivoted displacement of the second furrow closing wheel in a second direction opposite the first direction.

24. An arm bracket assembly for use with an agricultural planter including a trailing arm frame, the arm bracket assembly comprising:

a bracket including a pivotally coupleable mount that is operable to connect to the trailing arm frame;

a fertilizer furrow opener disc rotatably joined to the bracket;

first and second rotatable furrow closer wheels rotatably joined to the bracket; and

when the bracket is pivotally coupled to the trailing arm frame, a pivoted displacement of the first furrow closer wheel in a first direction causes a pivoted displacement of the second furrow closer wheel and the fertilizer furrow opener disc in a second direction opposite the first direction.