Seed firmer life extender

• US 9,565,797 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flo-Rite, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flo-Rite, Inc.
• Inventors: Peter, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US14/012,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20140076215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/068 Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/06 Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/08 Broadcast seeders; Seeders depositing seeds in rows

Abstract

The present invention involves a seed firmer with a pusher attachment that extends the life of the seed firmer.

Claims

1. A seed firmer for embedding seeds into soil, said seed firmer comprising:

a flexible arm portion having a resilient body with an interference portion, one end of the resilient body being adapted to be attached to a mounting bracket mounted to a seed chute of a planter, the other end of the resilient body including the interference portion; and

an embedding portion having an end coupled to the interference portion of the flexible arm portion by an interference fit such that the embedding portion is structured and arranged to allow removal and replacement of the embedding portion while the flexible arm portion is coupled to the mounting bracket mounted to the seed chute.

2. The seed firmer of claim 1, further comprising a tube embedded in the resilient body having a first end proximate the end of the resilient body being adapted to be attached to the seed chute of the planter, and the tube having a second end proximate the interference portion.

3. The seed firmer of claim 1, wherein the embedding portion narrows in comparison to the flexible arm portion.

4. The seed firmer of claim 1, wherein the embedding portion has a greater thickness than the flexible arm portion.

5. The seed firmer of claim 4, further comprising attachment means for attaching a flexible tube to the flexible arm portion.

6. The seed firmer of claim 1, wherein the embedding portion is coupled to the flexible arm portion without fasteners.

7. A seed firmer for embedding seeds into soil and adapted to be connected to a planter having a seed chute, said seed firmer comprising:

a flexible arm with an embedding end, with the flexible arm adapted to be coupled to a dispensing end of the seed chute, the flexible arm being configured to position the embedding end proximate a seed chute on the upper surface of the soil; and

an extender being removably coupled to the embedding end of the flexible arm and extending proximate to the dispensing end of the seed chute so that the extender is structured and arranged to allow replacement of the extender while the flexible arm is coupled to the seed chute.

8. The seed firmer of claim 7, wherein the extender is coupled to the embedding end of the flexible arm without using fasteners.

9. The seed firmer of claim 7 characterized by a tube for conveying liquid, said tube extending from a first end proximate said flexible arm portion to a second end proximate the embedding end.

10. The seed firmer of claim 7 further comprising a cap disposed on said second end of said tube, said cap having a fluid flow directing passage configured to deliver liquid proximate the dispensing end of the seed chute.

11. The seed firmer of claim 7 wherein said tube extends within said firming attachment.

12. The seed firmer of claim 7 further comprising a pair of side walls, said side walls sandwiching said flexible portion and said firming portion.

13. The seed firmer of claim 12 further comprising a tube for conveying liquid, said tube positioned between said pair of side walls and separating said flexible portion and said firming portion.

14. The seed firmer of claim 7 wherein one of said flexible portion and said firming attachment has a projection, and the other of said flexible portion and said firming attachment has a portion adapted to form an interference fit with said projection.

15. The seed firmer of claim 7 wherein one of said extender attachment and said firming arm has a slot, and the other of said extender attachment and said firming arm has a tongue, said slot structured and arranged to accommodate said tongue, said tongue and said slot optionally T-shaped.

16. The seed firmer of claim 7 wherein one of said extender attachment and said firming arm has a ridge, and the other of said extender attachment and said firming arm has a depression, said ridge structured and arranged to form an interference fit.

17. The seed firmer of claim 7 wherein said flexible arm and said embedding end are formed as an integral piece.

18. The seed firmer of claim 7 wherein said embedding end narrows towards said extender.

19. The seed firmer of claim 7 wherein said firming arm includes a through passage.

20. The seed firmer of claim 19 further comprising a tube extending within said through passage.