Air distribution for an air seeder

• US 9,295,191 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bourgault Industries Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Bourgault Industries Ltd.
• Inventors: Jagow, Scot, Rice, Haydon, Cochran, Bob, Cresswell, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US14/179,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20140158033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 111/174, 111/175, 111/176, 406/197, 406/155, 406/157, 406/181, 406/183
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/06 for sowing or fertilising
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/082 Ducts, distribution pipes or details thereof for pneumatic seeders
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/084 Pneumatic distribution heads for seeders
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/088 Sectional seeding
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/20 Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/00 Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87161 With common valve operator

Abstract

An air distribution apparatus has a manifold body, and ports defined through walls thereof, with a delivery conduit connected to each port. A port valve is configured to connect and disconnect the delivery conduit to the interior of the manifold body. A supply conduit delivers a product air stream with agricultural products entrained therein to the interior of the manifold body. The supply conduit extends vertically up from the manifold to a curved elbow and then extends horizontally from the elbow. An exhaust orifice is defined in the inner radius of the elbow. When an exhaust valve is open, a selected flow of pressurized air flows from the supply conduit through the exhaust orifice. The port valve and exhaust valve are controlled such that when the port valve closes, the exhaust valve opens. The exhaust air can be directed into the delivery conduits to clear product therefrom.

Claims

1. A method of controlling delivery of an agricultural product to a selected section of furrow openers of an air seeder, the method comprising:

for each air seeder section providing a delivery conduit connected at an output end thereof to deliver the agricultural product to the section of furrow openers, and connected at an input end thereof to a port defined through a wall of a manifold body;

connecting an output end of a supply conduit to an interior of the manifold body, and directing a product air stream with the agricultural product entrained therein into an input end of the supply conduit such that the agricultural product moves through the supply conduit, the manifold body, the ports, and the delivery conduits to each section of furrow openers;

providing a port valve configured such that when the port valve is open the delivery conduit is connected to an interior of the manifold body through the port, and such that when the port valve is closed, the delivery conduit is disconnected from the interior of the manifold body;

providing an exhaust orifice defined in the supply conduit;

closing the port valve to close the selected port to stop the delivery of the agricultural product to the selected section of furrow openers, and opening the exhaust orifice to exhaust a selected flow of pressurized air from the supply conduit;

closing the exhaust orifice to stop exhausting the selected flow of pressurized air from the supply conduit and opening the port valve to restart the delivery of the agricultural product to the selected section of furrow openers through the selected port.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the supply conduit extends substantially vertically up from the manifold body to a curved elbow and then extends substantially horizontally from the elbow and wherein the exhaust orifice is defined in the elbow at an inner radius of the elbow.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising connecting the exhaust orifice to the delivery conduit in proximity to the input end thereof such that the selected flow of pressurized air from the supply conduit passes through the delivery conduit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected section of furrow openers comprises one of a secondary manifold connected to a plurality of furrow openers and a single furrow opener.