CA2814221A1 - Apparatus for metering seeds - Google Patents
Apparatus for metering seeds Download PDFInfo
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- CA2814221A1 CA2814221A1 CA2814221A CA2814221A CA2814221A1 CA 2814221 A1 CA2814221 A1 CA 2814221A1 CA 2814221 A CA2814221 A CA 2814221A CA 2814221 A CA2814221 A CA 2814221A CA 2814221 A1 CA2814221 A1 CA 2814221A1
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- Prior art keywords
- disc
- feed
- slot
- seeds
- recesses
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01C—PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING
- A01C7/00—Sowing
- A01C7/04—Single-grain seeders with or without suction devices
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01C—PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING
- A01C7/00—Sowing
- A01C7/08—Broadcast seeders; Seeders depositing seeds in rows
- A01C7/12—Seeders with feeding wheels
- A01C7/127—Cell rollers, wheels, discs or belts
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- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Soil Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Sowing (AREA)
Abstract
A seed metering apparatus has a feed disc with disc teeth defining disc recesses sized to accommodate a single seed. A shield plate defines a disc slot as wide as a seed and the feed disc extends through the disc slot and a rear portion of the feed disc is exposed to seeds in a seed container. A feed shaft rotates the disc and disc recesses through the disc slot. First and second guide plates extend rearward from the shield plate on each side of the disc with inner faces thereof aligned with edges of the disc slot, and adjacent to sides of the disc recesses on the disc. The guide plates are staggered such that outer edges of the guide plates alternately push seeds away from opposite side edges of the disc recesses. A single seed occupies each disc recess moving forward through the disc slot into seed receiver.
Description
APPARATUS FOR METERING SEEDS
This invention is in the field of agricultural seeding implements and in particular a seed metering apparatus for a seeding implement.
BACKGROUND
In the agricultural industry, considerable research has been done and is ongoing to determine optimum plant spacing for various crops to provide maximum yields.
This desired spacing in turn giVCS a desired plant population of plants per unit of area, such as a square foot or acre. In order to translate this into a usable form for the farmer, the average number of seeds in a unit of weight, such as pounds, is determined for an average sample of representative seeds. The number of desired plants per acre is then translated into a seeding rate of pounds per acre.
Seed sizes and weights as N,vell as desired plant populations vary dramatically between different crops. A typical corn variety has large sized seeds and may have about 1.200 seeds per pound, while a typical wheat variety has smaller medium sized seeds and may have about 12,000 seeds per pound, and a typical canola has very much smaller sized seeds and may have about 120,000 seeds per pound.
Similarly desired plant populations also vary dramatically. A typical population for corn may be about 0.5 plants per square foot (22,000 plants per acre), for canola about 5 plants per square foot (220,000 plants per acre), and for wheat about 2.5 plants per square foot (1,100,000 plants per acre). Canola seed can cost $10 or more per pound, and so current research is showing that the traditional plant population of .1.0 plants per square foot can be reduced to 5 per square foot if fairly evenly distributed.
=
Ideally these plants are spaced equally in all directions in a grid like arrangement however in practice a given seeder has a fixed spacing between the furrow openers and so the spacing between the rows of plants is fixed for any particular seeder, typically for a modem minimum tillage air seeder these row spacings are 10-12 inches. With the spacing between rows fixed, altering the seeding rate alters the spacing between seeds in a row.
With a wheat crop on a 12 inch row spacing-, there should be about 25 seeds per foot of row, and the distance between seeds is then less than 1/2 inch. With canola there should be about 5 seeds per foot of row, and the distance between seeds is 21/2 inches.
With corn there should be about 0.5 seeds per foot of row, and the distance between seeds 24 inches. For max imiun yields however, corn is seeded at a wider row spacing, typically 30 inches or more, with a row type planter. Corn is sometimes seeded with a 12 inch spacing air seeder by only using every other furrow opener so the row spacing is 24 inches and there are thus about 1.0 seeds per foot of row.
Thus it can be seen that to get an even plant spacing, the spacing is much more critical for corn than for either wheat or canola, while the spacing of canola seeds is more critical than for wheat. To achieve the desired even spacing, singulating metering devices are commonly used for planting corn. These typically comprise pockets or recesses on a rotating, disc and take the seeds from a seed tank one at a time and drop them into a furrow. For example United States Patents 5,848,571 to Stufilebeam et al.
and 7.513,200 to Friestad disclose meters for dispensing seeds. United States Patent 6,564,729 Petzoldt discloses a vacuum seed metering assembly wheret individual seeds are held to apertures in a drum by suction and each seed is released into an associated distribution tube when the aperture passes into a release area.
hi contrast, seed metering devices for seeding wheat and canola typically work on more.
of a bulk principal. One typical type of seed metering device includes a rotating feed roller with recesses spaced evenly along the outer surface of the roller. The feed roller is typically mounted below the feed opening at the bottom of a seed tank and configured such that the intake side of the roller is inside the feed opening exposed to the seeds in the tank and the outer output side is above the furrow in a conventional seeder, or in an air seeder is above the air stream that carries the seeds to the furrow openers to be deposited in the ground. As the roller rotates, seeds fill the recesses and are canied from the seed tank and. dropped into the furrow in a conventional seeder, or are fed into the air stream of an air seeder.
United States Patent Application Number 2012/0279430 of the present inventor Beaujot discloses a seed metering device for an air seeder where the feed roller is a thin notched feed disc mounted to the shaft. An upright shield plate. extends across the feed opening adjacent to the shaft and defines a disc slot having a width corresponding to a thickness of the disc. A portion of the feed disc extends through the disc slot forward of a front face of the shield plate. The feed shaft, feed disc, and shield plate are configured such that the shield plate seals the feed opening, and such that an intake portion of the feed disc is in the feed opening exposed to seeds. Rotation of the. feed shaft carries seeds out of the seed container in the disc notches and into a seed receiver. A lower dispensing portion of the = disc slot is widened to reduce seed damage in pinch zones where the feed disc passes though the slot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure provides an apparatus for metering seeds singly that overcomes problems in the prior art.
The present disclosure provides a seed metering apparatus for dispensing seeds of substantially equal size. The apparatus comprises a seed container with a feed opening in a bottom thereof. and a feed shaft rotatably mounted in a substantially horizontal orientation and extending substantially front a right side of the feed opening to a left side thereof. A feed disc is mounted to the feed shaft such that the feed disc and feed shaft rotate together, and a plurality of disc teeth extend from a perimeter of the feed disc and are substantially equally spaced along the perimeter of the feed disc. The disc teeth define disc recesses therebetween, the disc recesses sized to accommodate a single seed.
I 0 A shield plate extends from the right side of the feed opening to the left side thereof in an upright orientation from a bottom edge thereof to a top edge thereof, the shield plate substantially parallel to and adjacent to a front side of the feed shaft, wherein the shield plate substantially seals the feed opening., The shield plate defines a disc slot having a width corresponding to a thickness of the feed disc such that the feed disc extends through the disc slot with seeds substantially prevented front passing between edges of the disc slot and the feed disc. The shield plate and disc slot are configured such that a front portion of the feed disc extends forward from the feed shaft through the disc slot, and a rear portion of the teed disc is located in the feed opening exposed to seeds in the seed container. The width of the disc slot is selected to allow a largest dimension of the seeds to pass through the disc slot in the disc recesses. The feed shaft rotates such that the disc recesses on a dispensing edge of the feed disc move. forward through a dispensing portion of the disc slot. First and second guide plates extend rearward from a rear face of the shield plate, inner faces of the guide plates substantially aligned with right and left edges of the dispensing portion of the disc slot and adjacent to right and left sides of the disc recesses on the dispensing edge of the feed disc, the first and second guide plates staggered such that outer edges of the guide plates alternately push seeds away from opposite side edges of the disc recesses such that a single seed occupies each disc recess moving forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot. A seed receiver located under the disc slot is configured to receive seeds dropping from the disc recesses as the disc recesses pass the front face of the shield plate.
The metering apparatus uses guide plates to move seeds out of the pinch zones to reduce seed damage. and eliminates the need of a large shield relief area. The predictability of the flow of seeds dispensed is increased and pulsations are reduced. Seeds can be dispensed singly as well.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying detailed description which m.ay he best understood in conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the several diagrams are labeled with like numbers. and where:
Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a seed metering apparatus of the present disclosure;
Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of the embodiment of Fig. 1.:
Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of the embodiment, of Fig. 1 with the guide plates removed to show how seeds jam and become datnaged in a pinch one between the disc teeth and the sides of the disc slot;
Fig. 4 is schematic front view of a seed metering apparatus of the prior art showing the bottom portion of the disc slot widened to prevent seed damage;
Fig. 5 is a schematic side view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 with a shunt block added under the disc teeth to provide dispensing of single seeds;
Fig. 6 is a schematic bottom view of the installed shunt block of Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a schematic side view of an alternate embodiment of a seed metering apparatus of the present disclosure where the seeds are dispensed from the top side of the feed disc_ DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
Figs. 1 and 2 schematically illustrate an embodiment of a seed metering apparatus 1. of the present disclosure for dispensing seeds 3 of substantially equal size. The size of each seed 3 will fall within a known range for the particular crop and thus be substantially equal within the meaning of the present disclosure, and the apparatus 1 will commonly be configured to meter seeds of a selected crop, such as corn, soybeans, etc.
The apparatus 1 comprises a seed container 5 with a feed opening 7 in a bottom thereof.
A feed shaft 9 is rotatably mounted in a substantially horizontal orientation and extends substantially from a right side of the feed opening 7 to a left side thereof, and is rotated by a drive 11. A feed disc 13 is mounted to the feed shaft 9 such that the feed disc 13 and feed shaft 9 rotate together. A plurality of disc teeth 15 extend from the perimeter of the feed disc 13 and are equally spaced along the perimeter of the feed disc 13.
The disc teeth 15 define disc recesses 17 therebetween. and the disc recesses 17 are sized. to accommodate a single seed 3.
A shield plate 19 extends from th.e right side of the feed opening to the left side thereof in an upright orientation from bottom to top edges. The shield plate 19 is substantially parallel to and adjacent to a front side of the feed shaft 9, and the shield plate 17 seals the feed opening 7. The shield plate 19 defines a disc slot 21 having a width W
corresponding to a thickness of the feed disc 13. The width W is selected to allow the feed disc 13 to extend through the disc slot 21 with a small clearance on each side such that the seeds 3 are prevented from passing between edges of the disc slot 21 and the feed disc 13. The shield plate 19 and disc slot 21 are configured and positioned such that a front portion of the feed disc 13 extends forward from the feed shaft 9 through the disc slot 21, and a rear portion of the feed disc 13 is located generally in the feed opening 7 exposed to seeds 3 in the seed container 5.
The size of the disc recesses 17 and thc width of the feed disc 13, are selected to accommodate a single seed 3 and also the width of the disc slot 21 is selected to allow the largest dimension of the seeds 3 to pass through the disc slot 21 while in the disc recesses 17. The feed shaft 9 rotates such that the disc recesses 17 on a dispensing edge of the feed disc 13 move forward through a dispensing portion of the disc slot 21..
In the illustrated apparatus 1, the feed shaft 9 rotates in direction R such that the dispensing edge of the feed disc 13 is the lower portion of the feed disc 13 moving forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot 21 that is located at a lower portion of the disc slot 21.
First and second guide plates 23A, 23B extend rearward from the rear face 19R
of the shield plate 19. Inner faces of the guide plates 23A, 23:B are substantially aligned with right and left edges of the lower dispensing portion of the disc slot 21 and adjacent to right and left sides of the disc recesses 17 on the dispensing edge of the feed disc 13. The first and second guide plates 23A, 23B are staggered such that outer edges 25A, 25B of the guide plates 23A, 23B alternately push seeds 3 away from opposite side edges of the disc recesses 17 such that a single seed 3 occupies each disc recess 17 moving forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot 21.
Outer ends of the disc teeth 15 on the dispensing edge of the feed disc 13 pass through the disc slot 21 at a tooth location 2'7. The first and second guide plates 23A, 23B have inner edges 29A, 29B between the feed shaft 9 and the recesses 17, and the outer edges 25A, 25B extend rearward from a front location that is at or below the tooth location 27 and curve inward and rearward from. the front location on different first and second arcs as illustrated. The outer edge 25A of the first guide plate 23A is outward of the outer edge 25B of the second guide plate 23B. The outer edge 25A of the first guide plate 23A
curves inward to a first idle location 31A that is inward of inner ends of the recesses 17 and does not contact seeds in the recesses 17. The outer edge 25B of the second guide plate 25B curves inward to a second idle location 31B that is likewise inward of inner ends of the recesses 17, and the first idle location 31A is rearward of the second idle location 31B B.
.As the feed disc 13 turns in direction R, recesses 17 on the lower dispensing edge of the feed disc 13 move forward toward the disc slot 21 and any seed 3 partially engaged in a recess 17 and extending outward from the first side of the feed disc 13 gradually contacts the curved outer edge 25A of the first guide plate 23A and is pushed either out of the recess 17 or into the recess 17 as the outer edge 25.A moves closely along the first side of the recess 17 and gradually engages the seed because of the curved shape. A
seed pushed into the recess 17 in turn pushes any seed that is partially engaged in the opposite second side Of the recess 17 out of the recess 17, as there is nothing there to stop it.
As the recess 17 moves further toward the disc slot 21, any empty recess 17 will in most cases be filled by a seed 3 moving into same from the second side of the recess 17 before the outer edge 25B of the second guide plate 23B moves closely along the second side of the recess 17, at which point the recess 17 is sealed on each side by the guide plates 23A, 23B. with a single seed 3 therein which drops down as the recess moves forward of the front face 19A of the shield plate 19. A seed receiver 33 is located under the disc slot 21 and is configured to receive seeds 3 dropping from the disc recesses 17. The seed receiver 33 directs the seeds into an air stream in an air seeder, or drops them through a conduit in a gravity seeder.
Fig. 3 schematically illustrates an issue that is addressed in the present apparatus 1 by providing the first and second guide plates 23A, 238. Without the guide plates, a pinch point zone is created in the area around a recess 17 advancing against the rear face of the shield plate 19 where a seed 3 is protruding partially beyond the sides of the feed disc 13.
Such a seed is subjected to jamming against the shield plate 19 and being damaged Fig. 4 schem.atically illustrates how in the prior art a pinch relief portion 21A of the disc slot 21 adjacent to a bottom edge of each feed disc 13 is widened to allow seeds to pass side hy7 side reduce ,jamming of seeds 3 between the edges of the disc slot 21 and the 1.5 teeth 15 on the feed disc 13, and reduce seed damage. The prior art pinch relief works satisfactorily for smaller seeds however because this pinch relief dimension is related to the maximum diameter of the seeds, the relief area becomes quite large for large diameter seeds like corn and soybeans, compared to small seeds like canola. When the relief area is large the flow rate is higher, less predictable and the rate pulses more with each tooth passage.
In contrast the guide plates 23A, 23B of the apparatus I. prevent jamming of seeds, while maintaining a single seed in each recess 17. To prevent jamming seeds between outer ends 15A of the teeth 15 and the bottom edge of the disc slot 21, the distance between the tooth location 27, where outer ends 15A pass through the disc slot 21, and the adjacent bottom end 35 of the dispensing portion of the disc slot 21 is substantially equal to the largest dimension of the seeds 3 such that seeds wili flow out the disc slot 21 under the outer ends 15A of the teeth 15. The guide plates thus reduce the size of the relief area required, and reduce the rate of seeds dispensed with each revolution of the feed disc 13.
The flow rate is more predictable and pulsation is reduced.
In this configuration more than one seed will be dispensed into the seed receiver 33 with the passage of each tooth 15. A substantially constant flow of seeds into the seed receiver 33 will be achieved, however the addition of a shunt block 37 to block off the bottom of the disc slot 21 between the tooth location 27 and the bottom end 35 of the disc slot 21 can provide a substantially singulated flow of a single seed 3 for each recess 17 that passes through the disc slot 21.
The shunt block 37 extends across the bottom of the disc slot 21 between the tooth location 27 and the bottom end 35 of the disc slot 21 as schematically illustrated in Figs.
5 and 6. The shunt block 37 extends rearward from the rear face. 19A of the shield plate 19 in proximity to outer ends 15A of the disc teeth 15. The rear end 39 of the shunt block 37 is tapered such that seeds 3 moving forward against the rear end 39 of the shunt block 37 are shunted to one side of the shunt block 37.
The distance between the shunt block 37 and the outer ends 15A of the disc teeth 15 is much less than the largest dimension of the seeds 3 such that seeds are substantially prevented from passing forward between the outer ends I5A of the teeth 15 and the top of the shunt block 37, or between seeds 3A in the recesses 17 and the top of the shunt block 37. On occasion a smaller seed may occupy a recess 17, and another seed may wedge in between the seed in the recess 17 and a tooth 15, and extend outward beyond the outer end I5A of the tooth. The shunt block 37 can be made of a relatively hard but resilient material to allow the wedged seed to depress the top of the shunt block 37 while moving forward and out the disc slot 21 without damage.
in the illustrated apparatus 1, the feed shaft 9 rotates in direction R such that the dispensing edge of the feed disc 13 is the lower portion of the feed disc 13.
Fig. 7 schematically illustrates an alternate apparatus l' where the feed shaft 9' rotates in direction R such that the dispensing edge of the feed disc 13' is an upper portion of the feed disc 13' moving, forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot 21' located at a top of the disc slot 21'. The guide plates 23A', 23B' are at the top of the fed disc 13' and the shunt block 37' is above the feed disc 13' in this version. Also a seed retainer 41 is operative to guide the seeds from where they exit the disc slot 21' at the front face 19F' of the shield plate 19' to the seed receiver 33'.
The present invention provides a seed metering apparatus for dispensing larger seeds with improved flow characteristics, and dispensing of single seeds at selected intervals can be provided if desired.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention.
Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended. to fall within the scope of the claimed invention.
This invention is in the field of agricultural seeding implements and in particular a seed metering apparatus for a seeding implement.
BACKGROUND
In the agricultural industry, considerable research has been done and is ongoing to determine optimum plant spacing for various crops to provide maximum yields.
This desired spacing in turn giVCS a desired plant population of plants per unit of area, such as a square foot or acre. In order to translate this into a usable form for the farmer, the average number of seeds in a unit of weight, such as pounds, is determined for an average sample of representative seeds. The number of desired plants per acre is then translated into a seeding rate of pounds per acre.
Seed sizes and weights as N,vell as desired plant populations vary dramatically between different crops. A typical corn variety has large sized seeds and may have about 1.200 seeds per pound, while a typical wheat variety has smaller medium sized seeds and may have about 12,000 seeds per pound, and a typical canola has very much smaller sized seeds and may have about 120,000 seeds per pound.
Similarly desired plant populations also vary dramatically. A typical population for corn may be about 0.5 plants per square foot (22,000 plants per acre), for canola about 5 plants per square foot (220,000 plants per acre), and for wheat about 2.5 plants per square foot (1,100,000 plants per acre). Canola seed can cost $10 or more per pound, and so current research is showing that the traditional plant population of .1.0 plants per square foot can be reduced to 5 per square foot if fairly evenly distributed.
=
Ideally these plants are spaced equally in all directions in a grid like arrangement however in practice a given seeder has a fixed spacing between the furrow openers and so the spacing between the rows of plants is fixed for any particular seeder, typically for a modem minimum tillage air seeder these row spacings are 10-12 inches. With the spacing between rows fixed, altering the seeding rate alters the spacing between seeds in a row.
With a wheat crop on a 12 inch row spacing-, there should be about 25 seeds per foot of row, and the distance between seeds is then less than 1/2 inch. With canola there should be about 5 seeds per foot of row, and the distance between seeds is 21/2 inches.
With corn there should be about 0.5 seeds per foot of row, and the distance between seeds 24 inches. For max imiun yields however, corn is seeded at a wider row spacing, typically 30 inches or more, with a row type planter. Corn is sometimes seeded with a 12 inch spacing air seeder by only using every other furrow opener so the row spacing is 24 inches and there are thus about 1.0 seeds per foot of row.
Thus it can be seen that to get an even plant spacing, the spacing is much more critical for corn than for either wheat or canola, while the spacing of canola seeds is more critical than for wheat. To achieve the desired even spacing, singulating metering devices are commonly used for planting corn. These typically comprise pockets or recesses on a rotating, disc and take the seeds from a seed tank one at a time and drop them into a furrow. For example United States Patents 5,848,571 to Stufilebeam et al.
and 7.513,200 to Friestad disclose meters for dispensing seeds. United States Patent 6,564,729 Petzoldt discloses a vacuum seed metering assembly wheret individual seeds are held to apertures in a drum by suction and each seed is released into an associated distribution tube when the aperture passes into a release area.
hi contrast, seed metering devices for seeding wheat and canola typically work on more.
of a bulk principal. One typical type of seed metering device includes a rotating feed roller with recesses spaced evenly along the outer surface of the roller. The feed roller is typically mounted below the feed opening at the bottom of a seed tank and configured such that the intake side of the roller is inside the feed opening exposed to the seeds in the tank and the outer output side is above the furrow in a conventional seeder, or in an air seeder is above the air stream that carries the seeds to the furrow openers to be deposited in the ground. As the roller rotates, seeds fill the recesses and are canied from the seed tank and. dropped into the furrow in a conventional seeder, or are fed into the air stream of an air seeder.
United States Patent Application Number 2012/0279430 of the present inventor Beaujot discloses a seed metering device for an air seeder where the feed roller is a thin notched feed disc mounted to the shaft. An upright shield plate. extends across the feed opening adjacent to the shaft and defines a disc slot having a width corresponding to a thickness of the disc. A portion of the feed disc extends through the disc slot forward of a front face of the shield plate. The feed shaft, feed disc, and shield plate are configured such that the shield plate seals the feed opening, and such that an intake portion of the feed disc is in the feed opening exposed to seeds. Rotation of the. feed shaft carries seeds out of the seed container in the disc notches and into a seed receiver. A lower dispensing portion of the = disc slot is widened to reduce seed damage in pinch zones where the feed disc passes though the slot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure provides an apparatus for metering seeds singly that overcomes problems in the prior art.
The present disclosure provides a seed metering apparatus for dispensing seeds of substantially equal size. The apparatus comprises a seed container with a feed opening in a bottom thereof. and a feed shaft rotatably mounted in a substantially horizontal orientation and extending substantially front a right side of the feed opening to a left side thereof. A feed disc is mounted to the feed shaft such that the feed disc and feed shaft rotate together, and a plurality of disc teeth extend from a perimeter of the feed disc and are substantially equally spaced along the perimeter of the feed disc. The disc teeth define disc recesses therebetween, the disc recesses sized to accommodate a single seed.
I 0 A shield plate extends from the right side of the feed opening to the left side thereof in an upright orientation from a bottom edge thereof to a top edge thereof, the shield plate substantially parallel to and adjacent to a front side of the feed shaft, wherein the shield plate substantially seals the feed opening., The shield plate defines a disc slot having a width corresponding to a thickness of the feed disc such that the feed disc extends through the disc slot with seeds substantially prevented front passing between edges of the disc slot and the feed disc. The shield plate and disc slot are configured such that a front portion of the feed disc extends forward from the feed shaft through the disc slot, and a rear portion of the teed disc is located in the feed opening exposed to seeds in the seed container. The width of the disc slot is selected to allow a largest dimension of the seeds to pass through the disc slot in the disc recesses. The feed shaft rotates such that the disc recesses on a dispensing edge of the feed disc move. forward through a dispensing portion of the disc slot. First and second guide plates extend rearward from a rear face of the shield plate, inner faces of the guide plates substantially aligned with right and left edges of the dispensing portion of the disc slot and adjacent to right and left sides of the disc recesses on the dispensing edge of the feed disc, the first and second guide plates staggered such that outer edges of the guide plates alternately push seeds away from opposite side edges of the disc recesses such that a single seed occupies each disc recess moving forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot. A seed receiver located under the disc slot is configured to receive seeds dropping from the disc recesses as the disc recesses pass the front face of the shield plate.
The metering apparatus uses guide plates to move seeds out of the pinch zones to reduce seed damage. and eliminates the need of a large shield relief area. The predictability of the flow of seeds dispensed is increased and pulsations are reduced. Seeds can be dispensed singly as well.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying detailed description which m.ay he best understood in conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the several diagrams are labeled with like numbers. and where:
Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a seed metering apparatus of the present disclosure;
Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of the embodiment of Fig. 1.:
Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of the embodiment, of Fig. 1 with the guide plates removed to show how seeds jam and become datnaged in a pinch one between the disc teeth and the sides of the disc slot;
Fig. 4 is schematic front view of a seed metering apparatus of the prior art showing the bottom portion of the disc slot widened to prevent seed damage;
Fig. 5 is a schematic side view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 with a shunt block added under the disc teeth to provide dispensing of single seeds;
Fig. 6 is a schematic bottom view of the installed shunt block of Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a schematic side view of an alternate embodiment of a seed metering apparatus of the present disclosure where the seeds are dispensed from the top side of the feed disc_ DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
Figs. 1 and 2 schematically illustrate an embodiment of a seed metering apparatus 1. of the present disclosure for dispensing seeds 3 of substantially equal size. The size of each seed 3 will fall within a known range for the particular crop and thus be substantially equal within the meaning of the present disclosure, and the apparatus 1 will commonly be configured to meter seeds of a selected crop, such as corn, soybeans, etc.
The apparatus 1 comprises a seed container 5 with a feed opening 7 in a bottom thereof.
A feed shaft 9 is rotatably mounted in a substantially horizontal orientation and extends substantially from a right side of the feed opening 7 to a left side thereof, and is rotated by a drive 11. A feed disc 13 is mounted to the feed shaft 9 such that the feed disc 13 and feed shaft 9 rotate together. A plurality of disc teeth 15 extend from the perimeter of the feed disc 13 and are equally spaced along the perimeter of the feed disc 13.
The disc teeth 15 define disc recesses 17 therebetween. and the disc recesses 17 are sized. to accommodate a single seed 3.
A shield plate 19 extends from th.e right side of the feed opening to the left side thereof in an upright orientation from bottom to top edges. The shield plate 19 is substantially parallel to and adjacent to a front side of the feed shaft 9, and the shield plate 17 seals the feed opening 7. The shield plate 19 defines a disc slot 21 having a width W
corresponding to a thickness of the feed disc 13. The width W is selected to allow the feed disc 13 to extend through the disc slot 21 with a small clearance on each side such that the seeds 3 are prevented from passing between edges of the disc slot 21 and the feed disc 13. The shield plate 19 and disc slot 21 are configured and positioned such that a front portion of the feed disc 13 extends forward from the feed shaft 9 through the disc slot 21, and a rear portion of the feed disc 13 is located generally in the feed opening 7 exposed to seeds 3 in the seed container 5.
The size of the disc recesses 17 and thc width of the feed disc 13, are selected to accommodate a single seed 3 and also the width of the disc slot 21 is selected to allow the largest dimension of the seeds 3 to pass through the disc slot 21 while in the disc recesses 17. The feed shaft 9 rotates such that the disc recesses 17 on a dispensing edge of the feed disc 13 move forward through a dispensing portion of the disc slot 21..
In the illustrated apparatus 1, the feed shaft 9 rotates in direction R such that the dispensing edge of the feed disc 13 is the lower portion of the feed disc 13 moving forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot 21 that is located at a lower portion of the disc slot 21.
First and second guide plates 23A, 23B extend rearward from the rear face 19R
of the shield plate 19. Inner faces of the guide plates 23A, 23:B are substantially aligned with right and left edges of the lower dispensing portion of the disc slot 21 and adjacent to right and left sides of the disc recesses 17 on the dispensing edge of the feed disc 13. The first and second guide plates 23A, 23B are staggered such that outer edges 25A, 25B of the guide plates 23A, 23B alternately push seeds 3 away from opposite side edges of the disc recesses 17 such that a single seed 3 occupies each disc recess 17 moving forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot 21.
Outer ends of the disc teeth 15 on the dispensing edge of the feed disc 13 pass through the disc slot 21 at a tooth location 2'7. The first and second guide plates 23A, 23B have inner edges 29A, 29B between the feed shaft 9 and the recesses 17, and the outer edges 25A, 25B extend rearward from a front location that is at or below the tooth location 27 and curve inward and rearward from. the front location on different first and second arcs as illustrated. The outer edge 25A of the first guide plate 23A is outward of the outer edge 25B of the second guide plate 23B. The outer edge 25A of the first guide plate 23A
curves inward to a first idle location 31A that is inward of inner ends of the recesses 17 and does not contact seeds in the recesses 17. The outer edge 25B of the second guide plate 25B curves inward to a second idle location 31B that is likewise inward of inner ends of the recesses 17, and the first idle location 31A is rearward of the second idle location 31B B.
.As the feed disc 13 turns in direction R, recesses 17 on the lower dispensing edge of the feed disc 13 move forward toward the disc slot 21 and any seed 3 partially engaged in a recess 17 and extending outward from the first side of the feed disc 13 gradually contacts the curved outer edge 25A of the first guide plate 23A and is pushed either out of the recess 17 or into the recess 17 as the outer edge 25.A moves closely along the first side of the recess 17 and gradually engages the seed because of the curved shape. A
seed pushed into the recess 17 in turn pushes any seed that is partially engaged in the opposite second side Of the recess 17 out of the recess 17, as there is nothing there to stop it.
As the recess 17 moves further toward the disc slot 21, any empty recess 17 will in most cases be filled by a seed 3 moving into same from the second side of the recess 17 before the outer edge 25B of the second guide plate 23B moves closely along the second side of the recess 17, at which point the recess 17 is sealed on each side by the guide plates 23A, 23B. with a single seed 3 therein which drops down as the recess moves forward of the front face 19A of the shield plate 19. A seed receiver 33 is located under the disc slot 21 and is configured to receive seeds 3 dropping from the disc recesses 17. The seed receiver 33 directs the seeds into an air stream in an air seeder, or drops them through a conduit in a gravity seeder.
Fig. 3 schematically illustrates an issue that is addressed in the present apparatus 1 by providing the first and second guide plates 23A, 238. Without the guide plates, a pinch point zone is created in the area around a recess 17 advancing against the rear face of the shield plate 19 where a seed 3 is protruding partially beyond the sides of the feed disc 13.
Such a seed is subjected to jamming against the shield plate 19 and being damaged Fig. 4 schem.atically illustrates how in the prior art a pinch relief portion 21A of the disc slot 21 adjacent to a bottom edge of each feed disc 13 is widened to allow seeds to pass side hy7 side reduce ,jamming of seeds 3 between the edges of the disc slot 21 and the 1.5 teeth 15 on the feed disc 13, and reduce seed damage. The prior art pinch relief works satisfactorily for smaller seeds however because this pinch relief dimension is related to the maximum diameter of the seeds, the relief area becomes quite large for large diameter seeds like corn and soybeans, compared to small seeds like canola. When the relief area is large the flow rate is higher, less predictable and the rate pulses more with each tooth passage.
In contrast the guide plates 23A, 23B of the apparatus I. prevent jamming of seeds, while maintaining a single seed in each recess 17. To prevent jamming seeds between outer ends 15A of the teeth 15 and the bottom edge of the disc slot 21, the distance between the tooth location 27, where outer ends 15A pass through the disc slot 21, and the adjacent bottom end 35 of the dispensing portion of the disc slot 21 is substantially equal to the largest dimension of the seeds 3 such that seeds wili flow out the disc slot 21 under the outer ends 15A of the teeth 15. The guide plates thus reduce the size of the relief area required, and reduce the rate of seeds dispensed with each revolution of the feed disc 13.
The flow rate is more predictable and pulsation is reduced.
In this configuration more than one seed will be dispensed into the seed receiver 33 with the passage of each tooth 15. A substantially constant flow of seeds into the seed receiver 33 will be achieved, however the addition of a shunt block 37 to block off the bottom of the disc slot 21 between the tooth location 27 and the bottom end 35 of the disc slot 21 can provide a substantially singulated flow of a single seed 3 for each recess 17 that passes through the disc slot 21.
The shunt block 37 extends across the bottom of the disc slot 21 between the tooth location 27 and the bottom end 35 of the disc slot 21 as schematically illustrated in Figs.
5 and 6. The shunt block 37 extends rearward from the rear face. 19A of the shield plate 19 in proximity to outer ends 15A of the disc teeth 15. The rear end 39 of the shunt block 37 is tapered such that seeds 3 moving forward against the rear end 39 of the shunt block 37 are shunted to one side of the shunt block 37.
The distance between the shunt block 37 and the outer ends 15A of the disc teeth 15 is much less than the largest dimension of the seeds 3 such that seeds are substantially prevented from passing forward between the outer ends I5A of the teeth 15 and the top of the shunt block 37, or between seeds 3A in the recesses 17 and the top of the shunt block 37. On occasion a smaller seed may occupy a recess 17, and another seed may wedge in between the seed in the recess 17 and a tooth 15, and extend outward beyond the outer end I5A of the tooth. The shunt block 37 can be made of a relatively hard but resilient material to allow the wedged seed to depress the top of the shunt block 37 while moving forward and out the disc slot 21 without damage.
in the illustrated apparatus 1, the feed shaft 9 rotates in direction R such that the dispensing edge of the feed disc 13 is the lower portion of the feed disc 13.
Fig. 7 schematically illustrates an alternate apparatus l' where the feed shaft 9' rotates in direction R such that the dispensing edge of the feed disc 13' is an upper portion of the feed disc 13' moving, forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot 21' located at a top of the disc slot 21'. The guide plates 23A', 23B' are at the top of the fed disc 13' and the shunt block 37' is above the feed disc 13' in this version. Also a seed retainer 41 is operative to guide the seeds from where they exit the disc slot 21' at the front face 19F' of the shield plate 19' to the seed receiver 33'.
The present invention provides a seed metering apparatus for dispensing larger seeds with improved flow characteristics, and dispensing of single seeds at selected intervals can be provided if desired.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention.
Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended. to fall within the scope of the claimed invention.
Claims (10)
- What is claimed is:
A seed metering apparatus for dispensing seeds of substantially equal size, the apparatus comprising:
a seed container with a feed opening in a bottom thereof:
a feed shaft rotatably mounted in a substantially horizontal orientation and extending substantially from a right side of the feed opening to a left side thereof;
a feed disc mounted to the feed shaft such that the feed disc and feed shaft rotate together, and a plurality of disc teeth extending from a perimeter of the feed disc and substantially equally spaced along the perimeter of the feed disc., the disc teeth defining disc recesses therebetween, the disc recesses sized to accommodate a single seed;
a shield plate extending from the right side of the feed opening to the left side thereof in an upright orientation from a bottom edge thereof to a top edge thereof, the shield plate substantially parallel to and adjacent to a front side of the feed shaft, wherein the shield plate substantially seals the feed opening:
the shield plate defining a disc slot having a width corresponding to a thickness of the feed disc such that the feed disc extends through the disc slot with seeds substantially prevented from passing between edges of the disc slot and the feed disc. the shield plate and disc slot configured such that a front portion of the feed disc extends forward from the feed shaft through the disc slot, and a rear portion of the feed disc is located in the feed opening exposed to seeds in the seed container;
wherein the width of the disc slot is selected to allow a largest dimension of the seeds to pass through the disc slot in the disc recesses;
wherein the feed shaft rotates such that the disc recesses on a dispensing edge of the feed disc move forward through a dispensing portion of the disc slot;
first and second guide plates extending rearward from a rear face of the shield plate, inner faces of the guide plates substantially aligned with right and left edges of the dispensing portion of the disc slot and adjacent to right and left sides of the disc recesses on the dispensing edge of the feed disc, the first and second guide plates staggered such that outer edges of the guide plates alternately push seeds away from opposite side edges of the disc recesses such that a single seed occupies each disc recess moving forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot; and a seed receiver located under the disc slot and configured to receive seeds dropping from the disc recesses as the disc recesses pass the front face of the shield plate. - 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein outer ends of the disc teeth on the dispensing edge of the feed disc pass through the disc slot at a tooth location, and wherein a distance between the tooth location and an adjacent end of the dispensing portion of the disc slot is substantially equal to the largest dimension of the seeds.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein outer ends of the disc teeth on the dispensing edge of the feed disc pass through the disc slot at a tooth location, and comprising a shunt block extending across the disc slot and extending rearward from the rear face of the shield plate in proximity to outer ends of the disc teeth, and wherein a rear end of the shunt block is tapered such that seeds moving forward against the rear end of the shunt block are pushed to one side of the shunt block, and wherein a distance between the shunt block and the outer ends of the disc teeth is less than the largest dimension of the seeds.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the shunt block is made of a resilient material.
- 5. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 ¨ 4 wherein outer ends of the disc teeth on the dispensing edge of the feed disc pass through the disc slot at a tooth location, and wherein the first and second guide plates have inner edges between the feed shaft and the disc recesses, and outer edges that extend rearward from a front location that is at or below the tooth location and curve inward and rearward from the front location on different first and second arcs such that the first guide plate pushes seeds away from a first side edge of the disc recesses before the second guide plate pushes seeds away from an opposite second side edge of the disc recesses.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the outer edge of the first guide plate curves inward to a first idle location that is inward of inner ends of the recesses, and the outer edge of the second guide plate curves inward to a second idle location that is inward of inner ends of the recesses, and the first idle location is rearward of the second idle location.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the outer edge of the first guide plate is outward of the outer edge of the second guide plate.
- 8. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 ¨ 7 wherein the feed shaft rotates such that the dispensing edge of the feed disc is an upper portion of the feed disc moving forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot located at a top of the disc slot.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a seed retainer operative to guide the seeds from the front face of the shield plate to the seed receiver.
- 10. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 ¨ 7 wherein the feed shaft rotates such that the dispensing edge of the feed disc is a lower portion of the feed disc moving forward through the dispensing portion of the disc slot located at a lower portion of the disc slot.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2814221A CA2814221A1 (en) | 2013-04-26 | 2013-04-26 | Apparatus for metering seeds |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2814221A CA2814221A1 (en) | 2013-04-26 | 2013-04-26 | Apparatus for metering seeds |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2814221A1 true CA2814221A1 (en) | 2014-10-26 |
Family
ID=51831024
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2814221A Abandoned CA2814221A1 (en) | 2013-04-26 | 2013-04-26 | Apparatus for metering seeds |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2814221A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP3238519A1 (en) * | 2016-04-28 | 2017-11-01 | Sulky-Burel | Device for controlling seed distribution for seeder, and corresponding seeder |
| EP3238518A1 (en) | 2016-04-28 | 2017-11-01 | Sulky-Burel | Seeder provided with a device for controlling the distribution of seeds, and corresponding control device |
| CN109220088A (en) * | 2018-08-17 | 2019-01-18 | 安徽有余跨越瓜蒌食品开发有限公司 | A kind of efficient seeding apparatus for Snakegourd Fruit plantation |
-
2013
- 2013-04-26 CA CA2814221A patent/CA2814221A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP3238519A1 (en) * | 2016-04-28 | 2017-11-01 | Sulky-Burel | Device for controlling seed distribution for seeder, and corresponding seeder |
| EP3238518A1 (en) | 2016-04-28 | 2017-11-01 | Sulky-Burel | Seeder provided with a device for controlling the distribution of seeds, and corresponding control device |
| FR3050608A1 (en) * | 2016-04-28 | 2017-11-03 | Sulky Burel | DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SEEDS FOR A SEEDER, AND CORRESPONDING SEEDER. |
| FR3050607A1 (en) * | 2016-04-28 | 2017-11-03 | Sulky Burel | SEEDER EQUIPPED WITH A DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SEEDS, AND CORRESPONDING REGULATION DEVICE |
| CN109220088A (en) * | 2018-08-17 | 2019-01-18 | 安徽有余跨越瓜蒌食品开发有限公司 | A kind of efficient seeding apparatus for Snakegourd Fruit plantation |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |
Effective date: 20190426 |