Seed tube guard

• US 20050166813A1
• Filed: 01/31/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Frasier, Michael Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 7,263,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/170
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/062 Devices for making drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/064 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/206 Seed pipes

Abstract

A mutually-engageable or interlocking connection between a seed tube guard and a frame member mounted to a seed planting machine. The mutually-engageable connection includes a yoke having a front journal and a rear journal with a gap, the yoke, carried on the frame member, and a pin connected to a neck, carried by the guard. The pin is sized to fit between and into the front and rear journals, wherein the neck has a thickness less than a width of the gap in order to slide though the gap during installation, and a length to fit between and through the front and rear journals.

Claims

1. In combination, a seed tube guard for leading a seed tube through a furrow, and a frame member mountable to a seed planting machine, said seed tube guard comprising a body for fronting a seed tube, a first connection configuration formed in unitary fashion with said body for mounting said guard to said frame member, and said frame member comprising a second connection configuration, said first and second connection configurations mutually engagable together without the use of tools by relative movement of said guard with respect to said frame member.

5. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said guard is composed of steel and said frame member is composed of iron.

2. In combination, a seed tube guard for leading a seed tube through a furrow, and a frame member mountable to a seed planting machine, said seed tube guard comprising a body for fronting a seed tube, a first connection configuration for mounting said guard to said frame member, and said frame member comprising a second connection configuration, said first and second connection configurations mutually engagable together;

and

wherein one of said first and second connection configurations comprises a yoke comprising a front journal and a rear journal, said front journal comprising a first circular opening, and said rear journal comprising a second circular opening with a gap, said gap being angled to said vertical, and said respective other of said first and second connection configurations comprising a pin connected by a neck, said pin sized to fit between and into said first and second circular openings, said neck having a thickness less than a width of said gap, and a length to fit between said front and rear journals.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said first connection configuration comprises said yoke and said second connection configuration comprises said pin and said neck.

4. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said angle of said gap is set to be greater than a free lateral swinging movement of said guard, said free swinging movement limited by interference with structures of said seed planting machine.

6. In combination, a seed tube guard for leading a seed tube through a furrow, and a frame member mountable to a seed planting machine, said seed tube guard comprising a body for fronting a seed tube, a first connection configuration fixed to said body for mounting said guard to said frame member, and said frame member comprising a second connection configuration, said first and second connection configurations being hand-engageable together by an interlocking connection engaged by relative movement of said guard with respect to said frame member.

10. The combination according to claim 6, wherein said guard is composed of steel and said frame member is composed of iron.

7. In combination, a seed tube guard for leading a seed tube through a furrow, and a frame member mountable to a seed planting machine, said seed tube guard comprising a body for fronting a seed tube, a first connection configuration for mounting said guard to said frame member, and said frame member comprising a second connection configuration, said first and second connection configurations being hand-engageable together by an interlocking connection;

and

wherein one of said first and second connection configurations comprises a yoke comprising a front journal and a rear journal, said front journal comprising a first circular opening, and said rear journal comprising a second circular opening with a gap, said gap being angled to said vertical, and said respective other of said first and second connection configurations comprising a pin connected by a neck, said pin sized to fit between and into said first and second circular openings, said neck having a thickness less than a width of said gap, and a length to fit between said front and rear journals.

8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein said first connection configuration comprises said yoke and said second connection configuration comprises said pin and said neck.

9. The combination according to claim 7, wherein said angle of said gap is set to be greater than a free lateral swinging movement of said guard, said free swinging movement limited by interference with structures of said seed planting machine.

11. In combination, a seed tube guard for leading a seed tube through a furrow, and a frame member mountable to a seed planting machine, said seed tube guard comprising a body for fronting a seed tube, a first connection configuration for mounting said guard to said frame member, and said frame member comprising a second connection configuration, said first and second connection configurations being hand-engageable together by an interlocking connection;

and

wherein said first and second connection configurations are engageable first by a relative sliding motion therebetween and second by a pivoting motion therebetween.

12. The combination according to claim 11, wherein said pivoting motion is prevented from reversing by laterally arranged structure of the seed planting machine.