Agricultural apparatus with hybrid single-disk, double-disk coulter arrangement

• US 9,215,839 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Original Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Inventors: Bassett, Joseph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US14/060,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20140216313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 111/143, 111/139, 111/140, 111/14, 111/157, 111/163, 111/167, 111/168, 111/52, 111/59, 111/62, 111/63, 111/65, 111/66, 172/551, 172/624.5, 172/705
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 15/16 Discs bearings therefor A01B71/04; Scrapers for cleaning discs; Sharpening attachments sharpening in general B24
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 15/18 Coulters
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/027 with a rotating, soil working support element, e.g. a roller
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/06 for sowing or fertilising
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 5/04 drawn by tractors
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 61/046 the device including an energy accumulator for restoring the tool to its working position
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/008 Vertical adjustment of tools A01B63/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/24 Tools or tool-holders adjustable relatively to the frame
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/002 Apparatus for sowing fertiliser; Fertiliser drill
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/064 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/068 Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/205 comprising pressure regulation means

Abstract

An agricultural row unit assembly includes an attachment frame configured for attachment to a tow bar that is movable in a direction of travel. A proximal end of a swing-arm is coupled to the attachment frame, and an opener disk is mounted to and offset from a distal end of the swing-arm for forming a furrow. A deflecting disk is mounted to the distal end for deflecting debris from entering the furrow, and is mounted between the distal end of the swing-arm and the opener disk. The deflecting disk has a top peripheral edge spaced away from a top peripheral edge of the opener disk. A support bracket is attached as a cantilevered structure depending from the proximal end of the swing arm and extends in a space between the top peripheral edges. A tube is routed long the support bracket for dispensing a material into the furrow.

Claims

1. An agricultural row unit assembly comprising:

an attachment frame configured for attachment to a tow bar movable in a direction of travel;

a swing-arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being coupled to the attachment frame;

an opener disk mounted to and offset from the distal end of the swing-arm for forming a furrow;

a deflecting disk mounted to the distal end of the swing-arm for deflecting debris from entering the furrow, the deflecting disk being mounted between the distal end of the swing-arm and the opener disk, the deflecting disk having a top peripheral edge spaced away from a top peripheral edge of the opener disk;

a support bracket attached as a cantilevered structure depending from the proximal end of the swing-arm, the support bracket extending in a space between top peripheral edges of the deflecting disk and the opener disk; and

a tube routed along the support bracket for dispensing a material into the furrow.

2. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 1, wherein the support bracket has a mounted end, a free end, and an intermediate arch-shaped section.

3. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 2, wherein the mounted end of the support bracket is fixed directly to the proximal end of the swing-arm.

4. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 2, wherein the opener disk has a radius R1 and the intermediate arch-shaped section has a top edge that is a distance R2 from a center point O of the opener disk, the radius R1 being greater than the distance R2.

5. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 4, wherein the intermediate arch-shaped section has a radial contour, the distance R2 being a radial distance.

6. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 2, wherein the tube extends past the free end of the support bracket by a distance L.

7. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 1, wherein the support bracket has a mounted end, a free end, and an intermediate section, the tube being attached directly to a bottom edge of the intermediate section.

8. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 1, wherein the space between the top peripheral edges of the deflecting disk and the opener disk is defined by respective angles α

and β

, angle α

being an angle between the support bracket and the opener disk, angle θ

being an angle between the support bracket and the deflecting disk.

9. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 1, wherein the material being dispensed is selected from a group consisting of a fertilizer and a seed.

10. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 1, wherein the support bracket is fastened with at least one bolt to the swing-arm.

11. An agricultural row unit assembly comprising:

an attachment frame configured for attachment to a tow bar movable in a generally horizontal direction of travel;

a swing-arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being coupled to the attachment frame;

an opener disk for forming a furrow and mounted to the distal end of the swing-arm;

a deflecting disk mounted to the distal end of the swing-arm between the opener disk and the distal end;

a support bracket having a mounted end attached to the proximal end of the swing-arm, the support bracket having an intermediate section extending in a space between top peripheral edges of the deflecting disk and the opener disk, the intermediate section terminating in a free end of the support bracket; and

a tube attached to the support bracket for dispensing a material into the furrow.

12. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 11, wherein the mounted end of the support bracket is fixed directly to the proximal end of the swing-arm.

13. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 11, wherein the opener disk has a radius R1 and the intermediate section has a top edge that is a distance R2 from a center point O of the opener disk, the radius R1 being greater than the distance R2.

14. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 11, wherein the intermediate section has a radial contour.

15. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 11, wherein the tube extends past the free end of the support bracket by a distance L.

16. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 11, the tube is attached directly to a bottom edge of the intermediate section.

17. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 11, wherein the space between the top peripheral edges of the deflecting disk and the opener disk is defined by respective angles α

and β

, angle α

being an angle between the support bracket and the opener disk, angle β

being an angle between the support bracket and the deflecting disk.

18. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 11, wherein the material being dispensed is selected from a group consisting of a fertilizer and a seed.

19. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 11, wherein the mounted end of the support bracket is fastened with at least one bolt to the proximal end of the swing-arm.

20. The agricultural row unit assembly of claim 11, wherein bottom peripheral edges of the opener disk and the deflecting disk are closer to each other than the top peripheral edges of the opener disk and the deflecting disk.