CA3143782A1 - Residue management system for an agricultural row unit assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A residue management system for a row unit assembly includes a coulter disc, an opener blade wherein, when the row unit assembly is travelling in a forward direction, with the opener blade and coulter disc engaging ground, a resiliently biased swing arm resiliently maintains the coulter disc in a default position adjacent a curved forward edge of the opener blade, and at least one mower mounted ahead of the row unit assembly to provide mulched crop residue for processing by the coulter disc.

Description

RESIDUE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR AN AGRICULTURAL ROW UNIT ASSEMBLY
Field The present disclosure relates to systems for managing crop residue on a seeder or planter row unit assembly.
Background Agricultural implements, such as seeders, planters and the like (collectively herein referred to as seeders or seeder/planters), may incorporate row unit assemblies having relatively narrow spacing between each assembly. For example, not intending to be limiting, some row unit assemblies may be spaced apart so as to have 12 inches between each row, and furthermore, such row unit assemblies may include opener blades that create a paired row, having four inches between the pair of rows.
Such seeders, configured for no-till farming, may advantageously provide for ideal agronomic conditions for most crops, for example by reducing the loss of carbon and moisture into the atmosphere during the seeding process.
However, the applicant has observed that no-till machines with narrow row spacing are associated with an increased risk of field residue becoming wedged in and around the opener blades, including residue build up in the space between a leading coulter disc and the leading edge of the opener blade. The applicant has observed that when even a small buildup of residue occurs on a single opener blade, such buildup may quickly lead to a large residue buildup spanning across multiple adjacent opener blades.
When this occurs during seeding operations the residue buildup may result in a wide swath of bare soil in which no seeding has occurred. Typically, to avoid residue buildup, the operator is required to monitor for problematic residue buildup occurring and periodically halt the seeding operations in order to clear the residue buildup. Each halting of seeding operations to clear residue buildup on the opener blades results in downtime for the seeder and increases the time required to complete seeding operations. The problem is exacerbated when crop residue may include upstanding residue of all heights from short to tall. One example, not intending to be limiting, occurs with rice crops where the crop residue may be sufficiently high, for example 16-18 inches high, to be a problem for coulter wheels which are simply incapable of sufficiently cutting or otherwise processing such residue.
A coulter disc is typically positioned in front of the opener blade for facilitating the opening of a furrow in the ground, into which furrow the opening blade is pulled by the seeder so as to deposit agricultural Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 products in the furrow, which agricultural products may include seeds and pelletized fertilizer or nutrients.
The applicant has found that the trailing circumferential edge of the coulter disc is optimally placed at a distance of substantially 1/4 inches apart from and in-line with, the opener blade, and additionally the coulter disc optimally extends beneath the bottom of the opener blade at a depth of substantially 3/8 inches. However, the serrated teeth of the coulter disc will wear over time with use, therefore requiring coulter disc to either be replaced, or to be adjusted so as to bring it closer to the opener blade and to penetrate further into the ground, so as to maintain the ideal substantially 1/4 inch placement apart from the opener blade, and penetrating into the ground at a depth of 3/8 inches.
Traditional opener blades are of a unitary construction, typically made of an iron casting. Over time, an opener blade will wear down and eventually require replacement. In some cases, the tip and/or the tail of the opener blade may wear out faster than the body of the opener blade.
When the opener blade is of unitary construction, the entire opener blade must be replaced when either the tip or the tail become too worn. Furthermore, if an operator wishes to have different configurations of product placement within the furrow, for example having a paired row that is spaced three inches apart in the lateral direction .. as opposed to spaced four inches apart in the lateral direction, an entirely separate opener blade must be installed on the seeder to provide for such different configurations of paired rows.
An opener blade may be fed by a metering pod, the pod typically including at least four different metering devices for dispensing four different types of agricultural product through the opener blade and into the ground. As described in the Applicant's United States Patent No. 9,907,224, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference, agricultural products are fed from metering assemblies, via a flow re-director, into a manifold, and then into a corresponding opener having conduits to transport the agricultural products into the soil. The flow re-director and manifold provide for blending of combinations of agricultural products for each opener, according to a field prescription.
The operator of the seeder may configure where each product is deposited in the furrow, as the opener blade includes at least three or four different outlets that are positioned on different portions of the opener blade, by selecting the product to be supplied to each particular metering device, as each metering device is in fluid communication with a corresponding outlet of the opener blade through a series of conduits or flexible hoses. In this prior system, the operator must use the metering device that corresponds to the desired outlet on the opener blade, or else may manually configure which meter feeds each outlet in the corresponding opener blade by manually switching the flexible hoses leading from each meter to the opener blade, in order to deposit the selected agricultural product through the desired outlet on the

2 Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 opener blade. Furthermore, the Applicant's previous designs of an opener blade, as described in Applicant's United States patent nos. 6,182,587 and 6,408,772, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference, are limited to three furrow placements for three different agricultural products.
Summary For use in managing crop residue, which may range in height from short to tall, in addition to or separate from the herein mentioned improvements, a crop residue mower may be mounted directly ahead of corresponding row units on a seeder/planter to pre-mulch the crop residual so as to be then processed by the corresponding coulter discs. The crop residue may include, for example, and not intending to be limiting, upstanding residue which stands higher than the mower. In one embodiment, the mower is a mower having a deck housing, such as illustrated in the accompanying Figures, enclosing at least one blade rotating in a horizontal plane. As used herein, residue which is taller than the mower means that at least some of the upstanding crop residue stands higher than the deck housing.
The present residue management system thus, in one aspect_includes a mower mounted ahead of a coulter disc mounted to a swing arm. A tension spring urges the swing arm into a default position that, for example, positions the coulter disc at 1/4 of an inch from the opener blade, as measured at the tip of the opener blade, and so as to penetrate the ground beneath the coulter disc by 3/8 of an inch. On one embodiment the gap between the coulter disc and the opener blade is preferably 1/4 of an inch as measured at the tip, the gap opening up to a distance of approximately 3/8 of an inch adjacent the upper portion of the opener blade and adjacent a residue guide as better described below. Advantageously, the widening of the gap between the coulter disc and the opener blade assists with preventing the residue from jamming the coulter disc.
The opener blade includes a leading edge and a residue guide, the residue guide extending upwardly from an upper end of the leading edge, the leading edge and the residue guide together forming a curved edge that is substantially concentric with the coulter disc. As the coulter disc rotates, residue from the ground, which may include soil, plant material and stones or rocks, is carried by the serrated teeth of the coulter disc along the curved edge, travelling from the leading edge of the opener blade to the residue guide, and then as the residue reaches the residue guide, gravity pulls the residue back down to the ground so that it falls away from the coulter disc and opener blade. In this manner, residue buildup is avoided by removing the residue from the space between the coulter disc and the opener blade, which would

3 Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 otherwise become trapped between the coulter disc and the curved edge of the opener blade and residue guide. Furthermore, when a larger object, such as a rock, becomes trapped between the coulter disc and the curved edge, the tension spring compresses to bring the swing arm forward into a tripped position, moving the coulter disc away from the opener blade so as to open up the space between the coulter disc and the opener blade. While the swing arm is in the tripped position, the large object such as a rock is released falls away from the opener blade. Once the large object falls out of the space between the coulter disc and the opener blade and residue guide, the compressed spring pushes the swing arm and coulter disc back to the default position, so that the coulter disc is adjacent to opener blade.
In some embodiments, the residue management system further includes a mechanism for adjusting the position of the coulter disc relative to the opener blade and the ground.
The coulter disc may also be adjusted so as to move the coulter disc towards or away from the opener blade, by adjusting the default stop.
In some embodiments of the residue management system, the residue guide is integrally formed with the opener blade of the row unit, the residue guide extending from an upper surface of the upper end of the opener blade. In other embodiments, the residue guide is manufactured of a resilient plastic, and wherein when debris comes into contact with the residue guide so as to deform the residue guide, the residue guide flexes and then returns to its original position so as to push the debris laterally away from the coulter disc.
Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a side profile view of an embodiment of the residue management system for a row unit assembly, in accordance with the present disclosure.
FIG. 1A is a close up of a portion of the residue management system shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1B shows, in rear perspective view, a plurality of row units on a small-scale seeder/planter, the row units including the system of FIG. 1 except as described below, a mower mounted ahead of the seeder/planter directly ahead of the row units in the direction of travel.
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the residue management system of FIG. 1, with the coulter disc in a tripped position.

4 Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the residue management system of FIG. 1, with the coulter disc in a default position.
FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the residue management system of FIG. 1, with the coulter disc in a tripped position.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a shim.
FIG. 6 is a close-up view of a shim stack of the residue management system shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 7 is a cutaway perspective view of a metering pod incorporating an embodiment of the product redirection system in accordance with the present disclosure.
FIG. 8 is a front profile view of the metering pod shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a cross section view of the metering pod taken along line A-A in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a side profile, partially exploded view of the modular opener blade in accordance with the present disclosure.
FIG. 11 is side profile, partially exploded view of the modular opener blade shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of the opener blade shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 13 is a front profile view of the opener blade shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 14 is a rear profile view of the opener blade shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 15 is an exploded front perspective view of the opener blade shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 16 is an exploded rear perspective view of the opener blade shown in FIG.
10.
FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing the placement of agricultural product deposited through the opener blade shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 18 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the residue management system for a row unit assembly, including a singulation assembly.
FIG. 19 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of the residue management system for a row unit assembly shown in FIG. 18.

5 Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 Detailed Description In one aspect of the present disclosure, a residue management system for a seeder/planter row unit assembly includes a coulter disc mounted to a swing arm, the swing arm tensioned by a tension spring so that large objects will trip the swing arm into a tripped position with the coulter disc moved away from the opener blade, thereby enabling large objects, such as rocks, to be released from the space between the coulter disc and the opener blade. The residue management system further includes a residue guide, the residue guide positioned above an upper portion of the opener blade. The residue guide extends the curvature of the leading edge of the opener blade, so as to guide the residue as it is carried along the opener blade and the residue guide by the serrated teeth of the coulter disc.
As the residue from the ground, which may include soil and plant material, reaches the upper portion of the opener blade and continues to be carried along the residue guide by the rotating coulter disc, the residue is pulled downward by gravity, thereby causing the residue to fall away of the coulter disc rather than building up in the space between the coulter disc and opener blade.
The present embodiments may include at least one mower mounted ahead of corresponding row units, for example and advantageously for use on a small scale seeder/planter incorporating for example, and not intending to be limiting, between two and twelve row units. Each mower may be a mower having a deck housing enclosing at least one horizontally rotating blade, wherein the deck housing and blade may be remotely lowered into its cutting position. The mower may be remotely actuated so as to mulch crop residue in advance of processing of the mulched residue by the coulter discs.
As may be seen in FIG. 1B the small-scale seeder/planter may for example include hoppers feeding the metering devices for the openers.
Spring Tensioned Swing Arm With reference to FIGS. 1 - 6 an embodiment of the row unit assembly 1 is illustrated, with the metering device and the flexible hose is removed for clarity. The row unit assembly 14 is mounted to a seeder implement (not shown), and includes a row unit assembly frame having a horizontal plate 10 and a vertical plate 12. On the vertical plate 12 there is mounted a default stop 14 and a forward stop 16. The swing arm 20 is pivotally mounted to the middle portion 12a of the frame vertical plate 12 at a pivot axle 22. A

6 Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 tension spring 24 is mounted to a lower end 12 the of the frame vertical plate 12. The coulter disc 26 is mounted to a distal end 20a of the swing arm 20, and at a proximate end 20b of the coulter arm, proximate to the pivot axle 22, there is mounted a stop plate 28 of the swing arm 20.
When the coulter disc 26 is in a default position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the stop plate 28 is resting against the default stop 14 and held in that position by the tension spring 24, which tension spring is mounted at a first end 24a to the lower end 12b of the frame vertical plate 12, and this tension spring 24 is mounted at a second end 24b to the swing arm stop plate 28. As such, the tension spring 24 urges the stop plate 28 against the default stop 16 when the swing arm 20 is in the default position, as shown for example in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG.
1A, in a preferred embodiment, the default position of the coulter disc 26 relative to the opener blade 30 is at a distance A of substantially 1/4 of an inch between the leading edge 31 of the opener blade and the outer diameter D of the coulter disc 26, as measured at the tip 94 of the opener blade 30. The gap or space between the coulter blade 26 and the opener blade 30, preferably, gradually increases along the leading edge 31 of the opener blade and the residue guide, such that the distance F of the space increases to approximately 3/8 of an inch at the residue guide 33. Additionally, the penetration distance B of the coulter disc 26 into the ground G is preferably 3/8 of an inch. As will be explained further below, in some embodiments the residue management system preferably includes a mechanism for changing the position of the coulter disc default position shown in FIG. 1, relative to both the opener blade 30 and the ground G.
During operation, when a larger object, such as a rock R, enters the space 21 between the coulter disc 26 and the leading edge 31 of the opener blade 30, advantageously the swing arm 20 swings outwardly away from the opener blade 30 in rotational direction X, thereby compressing tension spring 24. The swing arm 20 travels outwardly away from the opener blade 30, in direction X, while the stop plate 28, which extends beyond the pivot axle 22, moves downwardly in direction Y until it comes to rest against forward stop 16, as best viewed for example in FIG. 2. In the tripped position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the space 21 between the coulter disc 26 and the leading edge 31 of the opener blade 30 opens up, allowing the large objects such as a rock R, to fall out of the space 21. Once the rock R or other object falls out of the space 21, the compressed spring 24 urges the stop plate 28 in the opposite direction Z, thereby bringing the stop plate 28 to rest against the default stop 14, thereby returning the coulter disc 26 to its default position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

7 Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 Residue Guide A further aspect of the residue management system includes the residue guide 33. Residue guide 33 may be attached to or adjacent to an upper portion 30a of the opener blade 30. In some embodiments, the residue guide 33 may be a separate piece that is separate from the opener blade 30; in other embodiments, residue guide 33 may be integrally formed with the opener blade 30, and therefore an extension of the opener blade 30. Preferably, the residue guide 33 is manufactured of a high molecular weight polymer, or any other suitable material for making a strong and resilient residue guide which will yield or flex when it is hit by residue or objects, including rocks.
Advantageously, when the residue guide 33 has some flexibility to it, it may better deflect residue in a lateral direction outwardly and away from row unit assembly 1.
A leading edge 33a of the residue guide 33 may have substantially the same curvature radius as the leading edge 31 of the opener blade 30, thereby effectively extending the curved edge 35 of the leading edge of 31 of the opener blade and the leading edge 33a of the residue guide. As best viewed in FIG. 1, the curved edge 35 of the combined leading edge 31 of the opener blade and the leading edge 33a of the residue guide is approximately concentric to the outer diameter D of the coulter disc 26.
In operation, as the row unit assembly translates along a field in direction C, coulter disc 26 rotates in direction W, thereby breaking up the ground ahead of the opener blade 30. As coulter disc 26 rotates in direction W, the plurality of serrated 27 of the coulter disc 26 may carry residue from the field, such as soil and plant matter, along the leading edge of the opener blade 31, and then as the coulter disc 26 travels beyond opener blade 30 to the residue guide 33, the residue from the ground G remains held in the space 21 between the coulter disc 26 and the residue guide 33. As the residue trapped between the coulter disc 26 and the residue guide 33 reaches the upper end 33b of the residue guide, the force of gravity pulls the residue back towards the ground, causing the residue to fall away from the coulter disc 26 and the opener blade 30. To the extent that hard debris, such as a rock R, strikes against the residue guide 33, advantageously a resilient residue guide 33 may also deflect the residue outwardly away from the residue guide 33 in a lateral direction.
Coulter Disc Adjustment In a further aspect of the present disclosure, in some embodiments the residue management system may also include an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the coulter disc 26 relative to the opener blade 30 and the ground G. As the coulter disc is used over time, the serrated teeth 27 will

8 Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 gradually wear down, thereby reducing the outer diameter D of the coulter disc 26. As mentioned previously, a preferred distance A between the disc 26 and the opener blade leading edge 31 is substantially one quarter of an inch as measured at the tip of the opener blade, with the distance of the space between the coulter disc and the curved edge of the opener blade and the residue guide gradually increasing to substantially 3/8 of an inch towards the upper end of the residue guide, and the coulter disc 26 preferably penetrates into the ground at a vertical distance B of substantially 3/8 of an inch. Because the coulter disc 26 wears over time with use, thereby reducing the outer diameter D of the coulter disc 26, it becomes necessary from time to time to adjust the positioning of the coulter disc 26 relative to the ground G and the leading edge 31 of the opener blade so as to maintain the preferred default position of the coulter disc 26.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the adjustment mechanism comprises a vertical adjustment bar. An opener assembly 40, comprising packer wheels 41, packer wheel frame 42, metering device 91 mounted to the metering device mount 43, opener blade 30 and the residue guide 33 which are mounted to an opener blade support 34, are all supported on a lower end 45a of the vertical adjustment bar 45, as best viewed for example in FIG. 6. At the upper end 45b of the vertical adjustment bar 45, there is supported a shim stack 50. The shim stack 50, comprising a plurality of shims 51, is sandwiched between the vertical plate 12 of the row unit assembly frame and the upper end 45b of the vertical adjustment bar 45. Each shim 51 of the shim stack 50 includes an aperture 54 at one end of the shim 51, and a shim body 56. The shim body 56 may occlude a notch 57 for receiving a support post or bolt (not shown), the support post or bolt extending downwardly from the vertical plate of the row unit assembly frame and slidably journaled through the upper end 45b of the vertical adjustment bar 45. The shim stack 50 is supported adjacent the upper end 45 of the vertical adjustment bar 45 by a spring-loaded pin 52, the spring-loaded pin 52 mounted through a pin support 53 on the vertical frame plate 12. Spring-loaded pin 52 is journaled through the apertures 54 of the plurality of shims 51.
When it is desired to adjust the position of the coulter disc 26 relative to the opener blade 30 and the ground G, shims 51 may be added to or removed from the shim stack 50 so as to increase or decrease the distance the between the vertical frame plate 12 and the upper end 45b of the vertical adjustment bar 45, thereby effectively moving the position of the opener assembly 40 relative to the row unit assembly frame 12. For example, in one embodiment, shims may be easily added to or removed from the shim stack 50 by rotating each shim 51 about the spring-loaded pin 53 and the aperture 54 that runs through each shim 51. When shims 51 are added to the shim stack 50 sandwiched between the vertical frame

9 Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 plate 12 and the vertical adjustment bar 45, the distance E increases, thereby moving the vertical adjustment bar 45 downwardly in direction M away from the row unit assembly frame 12. Because the opener assembly 40 is mounted to the lower end 45a of the vertical adjustment bar 45, adding shims to the shim stack 50 effectively moves the leading edge 31 of the opener blade downwardly in direction M
and away from the coulter blade 26. On the other hand, removing shims 51 from shim stack 50 decreases the distance E between the vertical plate 12 and the upper end 45 the of the vertical adjustment bar, which effectively moves the row unit assembly 40 in the opposite direction N
towards the row unit assembly frame 12, thereby moving the row unit assembly including the opener blade 30 upwardly and closer to the coulter blade 26.
Additionally, the default stop 16 may be adjusted, for example by means of a screw mechanism. Thus, the default stop 16 may be extended in direction P, thereby moving the swing arm 20 and coulter disc 26 in direction X away from the opener blade 30; similarly, retracting the default stop 16 in direction Q moves the swing arm 20 and the coulter disc 26 in a direction opposite of direction X, thereby bringing the coulter disc 26 closer to the leading edge 31 of the opener blade 30 when the coulter disc 26 is in the default position.
Modular Opener Blade As best viewed in FIGS. 10 to 17, a modular opener blade assembly 30 comprises a blade 82, the blade 82 having a front portion 82a and a rear portion 82b. The front portion 82a of the blade 82 may comprise a tip mounting flange 84 and the rear portion 82b may comprise a tail mounting flange 86. The tip mounting flange 84 mates with a corresponding slot 94a on the tip 94, and the tail mounting flange 86 mates with a corresponding slot 96a on tail 96. Advantageously, because the tip 94 and/or the tail 96 may typically wear faster than the blade 82 during use of the opener blade 30, providing an opener blade assembly 30 with modular components, such as the separate tip 94 and tail 96, such components may be replaced as they wear out, rather than having to replace the entire opener blade assembly 30 when only a portion of the opener blade assembly 30 has worn.
A further advantage of the modular design of the modular opener blade assembly 30 is that an operator may readily reconfigure the placement of product within a furrow during seeding operations. For example, as can best be seen in FIG. 12 and without intending to be limiting, the opener blade assembly may include three product inlets, including a deep centre inlet 81a, and left and right ledge inlets 81b, 30 81c. In other embodiments more than three product inlets are provided, for example, and without Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 intending to be limiting, four product inlets, for distributing up to four different agricultural products into the ground via the opener. The opener blade assembly 30 shown in FIGS. 10 through 16 opens a furrow in the ground having a deep central vertical position 100, approximately 2.5 inches beneath the surface of ground G. The opener 30 will additionally create a left ledge position 102 and a right ledge position 104, with the left and right ledge positions 102, 104 horizontally spaced apart from each other by four inches. The shallow product ledges 102, 104 are created by left and right wings 88b, 88c of the tail 96, with the tail outlets 96b, 96c positioned at the rear portion of the left and right wings 88b, 88c respectively. As may be best viewed in FIG. 14, inlet 81c corresponds to outlet 96c and inlet 81b corresponds to outlet 96b. Whereas, the deep centre inlet 81a corresponds to the deep centre outlet 82a of the blade 82, as best seen in FIGS. 12 and 16. The deep centre outlet 82a is positioned at a lower elevation relative to the wings 88b, 88c and the corresponding wing outlets 96b, 96c, thereby resulting in depositing agricultural product from the deep centre outlet 82a at a deeper vertical position 100 within the furrow, for example a depth of 2.5 inches beneath the surface, as compared to the left and right ledge positions 102, 104, in which positions product is deposited from the left and right wing outlets 96b, 96c.
As mentioned, the configuration of furrow placement, such as shown in FIG. 17, may be changed by changing the tail 96 that is attached to the blade 82. For example, without intending to be limiting, a tail 96 having the left and right wings 88b, 88c positioned more closely together may result in a three-inch paired row as opposed to a four-inch paired row, wherein the left and right ledge positions 102, 104 are spaced apart from one another in a paired row configuration at a horizontal distance of three inches as compared to a horizontal distance of four inches. Such furrow placement reconfiguration provided herein is an illustrative example, not intended to be limiting.
As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, a further reconfiguration may include, for example, mounting a singulation assembly 90, the singulation assembly 90 including a singulation metering device 91, the singulation metering device 91 depositing seeds into a seed tube 92, the seed tube 92 having a seed tube outlet 93 arranged above either the left or right shelf outlets 96b, 96c. The seed tube 92 may be supported, for example, on a rear face 98 of the tail 96, and rotated so as to deposit a singulation product onto either the left or right ledge positions 102, 104 as seen in FIG. 17. Alternatively, the singulator may be rotated so as to direct the depositing of the singulation product into the central vertical position 100 within the furrow.

Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 Product Redirection System As shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, a metering pod 60 comprises a pod housing 61 containing at least four metering devices 62a, 62b, 62c and 62d. The four metering devices 62a through 62d are supplied by pod inlets 64a, 64b, 64c and 64d. As shown in FIG. 7, a pod 60 may include two sets of metering devices 62a through 62d (eight metering devices in total), for supplying agricultural product to two separate opener blades 30 through two separate product funnels 66; however it will be appreciated by person skilled in the art that a pod 60 may include only four metering devices 62a to 62d, for feeding only one product funnel 66 for one opener blade 30.
As best viewed in FIG. 7, each metering device 62 includes a metering device inlet 67 and a metering device outlet 68. The metering device outlet 68 is in fluid communication with the funnel 66 through a flexible hose 69. The flexible hose 69 is attached to a slider block 71 and one or more slider rods 72. An outlet 69a of the flexible hose 69 projects below the bottom surface of the slider block 71. As best viewed in FIG. 9, the funnel 66 may be divided into at least three separate compartments 66a, 66b, 66c. The slider blocks 71 for each of the four metering devices 62a through 62d may be selectively positioned over any of the three compartments 66a to 66c. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the slider block 71a corresponding to metering device 62a is positioned over the first funnel compartment 66a. The slider block 71b is positioned over the second funnel compartment 66b, and the slider block 71c, corresponding to the metering device 62c, is positioned over the third funnel compartment 66c. As can be seen in FIG.
9, it is also possible to position a slider block so that it is positioned over one of the dividing walls 65 of the funnel 66, which splits the funnel 66 into three different compartments.
For example, slider block 71d, corresponding to the fourth metering device 62d, may be positioned over the second and third funnel compartments 66b, 66c, such that the agricultural product dispensed from metering device 62d will be dispensed into both the second and third funnel compartments 66b, 66c.
As will be appreciated, the three funnel compartments 66a, 66b, 66c lead to three separate funnel outlets 63a, 63b, 63c. The funnel outlets 63a through 63c are each in fluid communication with particular outlets of the opener blade through a corresponding conduit, leading from the funnel outlet to an inlet of the opener blade. Advantageously, the product redirection system enables directing agricultural product dispensed from the metering devices 62a to 62d to particular positions within the furrow as determined by the configuration of the opener blade outlets. For example, without intending to be limiting, funnel outlets 63a and 63b may deposit agricultural products on the right and left seed ledges created by the opener blade in a four inch paired row opener configuration. Whereas, the third funnel outlet 63c may Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 be configured to meter agricultural product to the centre deep position 100 of the furrow.
Advantageously, by providing the slider blocks 71 and slider rods 72, an operator of the seeding equipment may selectively redirect agricultural products from each of the different metering pods 62a through 62d to particular positions within the furrow.
In some embodiments, the slider blocks 71 and slider rods 72 may be automated, so as to enable for reconfiguration of the products being directed into the opener blade on-the-fly while conducting a seeding operation. For example, such automated product redirection may be advantageously used to configure product furrow placements during the seeding operation which may change in accordance with a field prescription. The slider blocks 71 and slider rods 72 may be actuated by electromechanical means, for example by using motors or hydraulics to slide the slider block 71 so as to selectively position the slider block 71 over a particular funnel compartment 66a, 66b or 66c.
In some embodiments, the funnel outlets 63a through 63c may be mounted to a funnel outlet block 74, the outlet block 74 mounted to the funnel 66 by means of a clamp 74a. In some embodiments, the funnel outlet 63a through 63c may include optical or proximity sensors embedded within the outlets 63a through 63c, for monitoring and detecting when a blockage has occurred in any one of the funnel outlets 63a to 63c. Advantageously, the blockage sensors may provide a signal to the control system of the seeding equipment when a blockage is detected, informing the seeding equipment operator of the location of the blockage. Conveniently, such blockages at the outlet of the funnel 66 may be easily cleared by releasing the clamp 74a, removing the outlet block 74b, and clearing the blockage before continuing operations.
Mower As seen in FIG. 1B at least one mower 120 is mounted over the ground in front of an array of row units 1'.
In the example illustrated, which is not intended to be limiting, mower 120 may in one embodiment be mounted in front of a reduced size or reduced scale seeder/planter so that, when engaged with crop residue and actuated so as to rotate the mower blades (not shown) at their rotational cutting velocity, the mower mulches the crop residue S, which may for example include residue ranging in height from short to tall. As the seeder/planter is translated forwards, for example pulled behind a tractor (not shown), in direction C, mower 120 produces mulch S' for processing by coulter discs 26 on a correspondingly reduced number of row units 1'. For example, in the example of the illustrated embodiment having a single mower 120, four row units 1' are mounted across the seeder/planter. Agricultural product is fed into the row Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23 units' corresponding metering devices 62 from hoppers 122. The row units 1' otherwise operate, and structurally are as described herein in the other illustrated embodiments employing row units 1.
Mower 120 may be mounted forward of row units 1' on tow bar 124. At its forward end, tow bar 124 is connected to the tractor. The rearward end of tow bar 124 is mounted to the seeder/planter frame 126 supporting row units 1' and hoppers 122. The mower deck 120a which provides a housing containing the horizontally rotating mower blades (not shown) is coupled to tow bar 124 by a parallelogram linkage system 128 so as to be elevated or lowered while mower deck 120a remains level. In one embodiment, the power take-off (not shown) on the tractor may be used to power the mower 120 so as to rotate the mower's blades within mower deck 120a. An actuator (not shown) which may be remotely actuated, is coupled to bell crank 128a to actuate linkage system 128 via bell crank linkage 128b to raise, lower or hold steady the mower deck 120a. Mower 120 is supported in its selectively elevated or lowered position by linkage system 128. Because linkage members 128c are spaced laterally and equally on opposite sides of tow bar 124, the mower deck 120a is laterally stabilized. Tow bar 124 and frame 126 are supported on wheels 130 on opposite sides of frame 126. The cutting height of the mower above the ground is not precise or critical if for example in the order of 2-3 inches above ground so as to mulch the crop residue.
Although shown elevated in FIG. 1B, it will be understood that during operation row units 1' are lowered to engage openers 30 and coulter discs 26 with the ground so that the coulter discs 26 may effectively process the mulch S' much as they would normally process residue R as defined herein. Without the pre-processing of residue S by mower 120 to create mulch S', the long and sometimes stringy residue S, as for example from a rice crop, would quickly foul the coulter discs 26, negatively impacting the performance of the openers distributing agricultural product into the ground. Applicant has observed that the pre-processing by mower 126 to produce mulch S' creates a mulch of small pieces that cover what is sown after the opener passes and the mulch S' has time to settle. Once the mulch S' settles and packs it provides a thick coat that protects the soil, for example from moisture loss, and thereby protects the seeds. The cover provided by the settled mulch may, it is thought, reduce disease, and supports the seedlings as they grow.

Date recue/ date received 2021-12-23

Claims (9)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A residue management system for a row unit assembly, the system comprising:
a coulter disc rotationally mounted on a spring-tensioned swing arm, the swing arm resiliently urged by a spring into a default position closely adjacent a corresponding opener blade, and pivotally mounted to a frame of the row unit assembly, the opener blade comprising a leading edge and a residue guide, the residue guide extending upwardly from an upper end of the leading edge, the leading edge and the residue guide together forming an upwards curved edge, the curved edge being substantially concentric with and closely adjacent to the coulter disc when in the default position;
wherein, when the row unit assembly is travelling in a forward direction, with the opener blade and coulter disc engaging ground, the swing arm maintains the coulter disc in the default position at a default distance between an outer diameter of the coulter disc and the curved edge; and wherein, as the coulter disc rotates, debris including mulched residue on the ground is opened by the coulter disc in line with the trailing opener blade, with larger debris carried by teeth of the coulter disc upwardly along the curved edge, the debris then falling away from the residue guide;
and wherein, when the debris is a large object having a dimension exceeding the default distance and the large object enters between the coulter disc and the leading edge of the opener blade, the swing arm is free to swing the coulter disc away from the opener blade against the return biasing force of the spring until the large object has cleared from between the coulter disc and opener blade, after which the spring urges the swing arm to return the coulter disc to the default position adjacent the curved edge, at least one mower mounted ahead of the row unit assembly to provide the mulched residue by reducing to a mulch size upstanding crop residue having a range of heights, including, in one aspect, a height higher than the mower, in the path of the mower and row unit assembly.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the residue guide is integrally formed with the opener blade of the row unit, the residue guide extending from an upper surface of the upper end of the opener blade.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the residue guide is manufactured of a resilient plastic, and wherein when debris comes into contact with the residue guide, the residue guide flexes and then returns to its original position so as to push the debris laterally away from the coulter disc.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the default position of the coulter disc relative to the opener blade and the ground, the adjustment mechanism comprising a support operatively attached to the frame of the row unit assembly, wherein an opener assembly of the row unit assembly is mounted to the support and comprises the opener blade mounted to an opener blade support, the opener blade support and a metering device mounted to a packer wheel assembly; and wherein the default position of the coulter disc relative to the opener blade and the ground is adjustable by actuating the adjustment mechanism so as to move the opener assembly relative to the coulter disc.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the default stop is adjustable so as to adjust the default position of the coulter disc relative to the leading edge of the opener blade and the residue guide, wherein retracting the default stop away from the adjustment mechanism adjusts the default position of the coulter disc closer to the curved edge of the opener blade and the residue guide, and wherein extending the default stop towards the adjustment mechanism adjusts the default position of the coulter disc farther away from the curved edge of the opener blade and the residue guide.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the mower is mounted on a parallelogram linkage for stable elevation and lowering by a selectively actuable actuator cooperating with the parallelogram linkage.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the mower is a deck housing mower having at least one horizontally rotating blade within the deck housing.

8. A method for managing crop residue comprising:
a) providing the residue management system of claim 1 operatively coupled behind a self-propelled agricultural prime mover, b) traversing the prime mover and residue management system over the residue of the crop while operatively engaging the mower, coulter disc and opener blade with the ground so as to mulch the crop residue ahead of, for processing by, the coulter disc.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the prime mover is a tractor.