SEEDING MACHINE WITH SEED DELIVERY SYSTEM

• US 20150230397A1
• Filed: 05/05/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: GARNER, ELIJAH B., THIEMKE, DANIEL B., RYLANDER, DAVID J., MARIMAN, NATHAN A., FRIESTAD, MICHAEL E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,807,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 17/00 Fertilisers or seeders with centrifugal wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/008 Sod or grassland seeding A01C7/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/04 Single-grain seeders with or without suction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/046 with perforated seeding discs
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/125 with bottom delivery of the seeds
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/127 Cell rollers, wheels, discs or belts
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/16 Seeders with other distributing devices, e.g. brushes, discs, screws or slides
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/166 Centrifugal distributors
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/20 Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed

Abstract

A seeding machine with a seed meter and a seed delivery system for moving seed from a seed meter to a furrow formed in the soil. The delivery system has an endless member moving in a housing about pulleys to move seed from an upper opening in the housing to a lower discharge opening. In one embodiment, a loading wheel at the upper opening to the housing engages seed on a metering disk to move seed into the housing. The metering disk and housing can be arranged in planes parallel to one another.

Claims

1. A seed delivery apparatus comprising:

an elongated housing having a first opening through which seed is received into the seed delivery apparatus, a second opening through which seed exits the seed delivery apparatus, and an elongated interior chamber along which seed is conveyed from the first opening to the second opening; and

an endless member positioned within the housing, the endless member movable within the elongated interior chamber of the housing to receive seed from the first opening and convey seed to the second opening, the endless member shaped to maintain contact with a top of each seed conveyed by the endless member along the elongated interior chamber between the first and second openings of the elongated housing.

2. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein the endless member is movable about at least two rotatable members.

3. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein the endless member is elongated and moves seed along a path from a first elevation adjacent the first opening to a second elevation lower than the first elevation and adjacent the second opening.

4. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 3, wherein the path includes a substantially straight portion along which the seed remains stationary with respect to that portion of the endless member within which the seed is received.

5. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 3, wherein in at least a portion of the path, the endless member accelerates seed received therein.

6. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein bristles of the endless member maintain contact with a top of each seed conveyed by the endless member.

7. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein the endless member is also shaped to maintain contact with a bottom of each seed conveyed by the endless member along the elongated interior chamber between the first and second openings of the elongated housing.

8. A seed delivery apparatus comprising:

an elongated housing having a first opening through which seed is received into the seed delivery apparatus, a second opening through which seed exits the seed delivery apparatus, and an elongated interior chamber along which seed is conveyed from the first opening to the second opening; and

an endless member positioned within the housing, the endless member shaped and positioned to receive seed from the first opening, the endless member also movable to push the seed along the elongated interior chamber of the housing toward the second opening.

9. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 8, wherein the endless member is movable about at least two rotatable members.

10. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 8, wherein the endless member is elongated and moves seed along a path from a first elevation adjacent the first opening to a second elevation lower than the first elevation and adjacent the second opening.

11. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 10, wherein the path includes a substantially straight portion along which the seed remains stationary with respect to that portion of the endless member within which the seed is received.

12. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 10, wherein in at least a portion of the path, the endless member accelerates seed received therein.

13. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 8, wherein bristles of the endless member push the seed along the elongated interior chamber of the housing toward the second opening.

14. The seed delivery apparatus of claim 8, wherein the endless member is also shaped to push the seed out of the endless member and out of the second opening of the elongated housing.

15. A method of delivering a seed from a seed meter to a furrow, the method comprising:

receiving the seed through a first opening defined in a housing;

receiving the seed within an endless member in the housing at a first elevation;

driving the endless member about at least two axes spaced apart from one another;

pushing the seed downward to a second elevation lower than the first elevation by driving the endless member;

discharging the seed from the endless member at the lower elevation; and

discharging the seed from a second opening defined in the housing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein driving the endless member comprises moving the endless member along a path having a substantially straight portion;

the method further comprising maintaining the seed stationary with respect to that portion of the endless member within which the seed is received while moving through the substantially straight portion.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein pushing the seed downward comprises conveying the seed at a first velocity, the method further comprising accelerating the seed to a second velocity greater than the first velocity.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein accelerating the seed to a second velocity occurs immediately prior to discharging the seed from the endless member.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein accelerating the seed to a second velocity comprises moving the seed about one of the two axes.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the endless member is a bristle belt.