GB2048034A

GB2048034A - Apparatus for Planting Seeds

Info

Publication number: GB2048034A
Application number: GB7916533A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: REETHORPE ENG Ltd
Current assignee: REETHORPE ENG Ltd
Priority date: 1979-05-11
Filing date: 1979-05-11
Publication date: 1980-12-10

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a device 20 for forming a furrow, a supporting member 13 for the device 20 pivotally connected to a frame 10, ground engaging means such as a share 18 on the supporting member for controlling the pivotal position of the supporting member relative to the frame, and a conveyor 21 for feeding seeds from a seed supply to the furrow. The use of a share 18 is particularly advantageous as it finds its own level in the soil and, therefore, rises and falls with the contour of the ground. Such movement controls the level of the furrow forming device to give a substantially constant planting depth. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for Planting Seeds The invention relates to apparatus for planting seeds and is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with apparatus for planting seed potatoes.

Various machines for planting seed potatoes have been proposed hitherto and sometimes comprise a furrow forming device, belt conveyor means for feeding seeds into the furrow and ridging bodies for covering the planted seeds with earth and forming earth ridges. The machine is normally in the form of an attachment for a tractor and the tractor wheels sometimes run in furrows formed by a stone sorting machine. Between the furrows so formed is left a graded layer of soil into which the seeds are planted, stones from the graded soil being deposited in the furrows. Often the furrows vary considerably in depth throughout their length and the planting machine, which rises and falls with the furrows, plants the seeds at different depths in the graded soil. A similar situation can arise when the tractor wheels sink into soft areas of ground during planting of the seeds.The planting of seeds at varying levels is disadvantageous and an object of the invention is to provide planting apparatus for seeds which will plant seeds at a reasonably constant depth.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for planting seeds in the ground including a device for forming a furrow, a supporting member for the device pivotally connected to a frame, ground engaging means on the supporting member for controlling the pivotal position of the supporting member relative to the frame, and means for feeding seeds from a seed supply to the furrow.

Preferably, the supporting member is pivotally connected to the frame at a position in front of the furrow forming device in the direction of progression of the apparatus over the ground, and the ground engaging means is carried by the supporting member at a position behind the pivot.

In use, the frame is preferably attached to a towing tractor and will have supporting wheels which follow the wheel rut or furrow in which the tractor wheels run. When the apparatus is being towed, the supporting member will be free to follow the level of the soil between the wheel ruts and a reasonably constant planting depth is achieved.

Preferably, the ground engaging means is a member such as a share for covering the planted seeds and forming earth ridges. Such members find their own level in the earth and rise and fall with variations in soil level.

Apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of apparatus in accordance with the invention and Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus in Figure 1.

A frame 10 is generally rectangular in plan and has hitching points 11 at its front end. The front member 1 Of of the frame 10 carries two legs 12 each of which is pivotally connected at P to a rearwardly extending arm 13. The rear end of each arm 13 carries an upwardly extending pillar 14 which has a mounting block 1 5 thereon for supporting a tool bar 1 6. The tool bar supports three ridging bodies in the form of shares 17, 1 8 and 1 9 for purposes which will be described hereinafter. The position of each share along the tool bar can be adjusted and the shares can also be adjusted vertically. A furrow forming device 20 is secured intermediate the ends of each arm 13.

The devices 20 are positioned below the delivery ends of two pairs of conveyor belts 21 suitably supported by the frame 10 and which deliver seed potatoes from a hopper 22 to the furrows formed by the devices 20. The frame 10 has groundengaging wheels (not shown).

in use, the frame 10 is attached to a towing tractor three-point linkage by means of the hitches 11. As it is towed along, the wheels of the frame 10 follow the tractor wheels and the frame will rise and fall as the tractor wheel ruts or furrows followed thereby vary in depth. The furrow forming devices 20 simultaneously cut respective furrows in the earth into which are deposited seed potatoes from the conveyors 21.

The shares 1 7-1 9 cover the planted seeds with soil and form the soil into ridges in the usual way.

The shares 1 7-19 find their own level in the soil and, therefore, rise and fall with the contour of the ground, the arms 13 moving with them about their pivots P. In this manner, the shares 17 19 control the depth of the furrow forming devices 20 independently of the frame 10 and a reasonably constant planting depth is achieved.

The amount of downward movement of the arms 13 is controlled by plates 23 on the top of pillars 14 which project across a rear frame member 1 Or. Upward movement of the arms is limited to the distance between the underneath surface of rear frame member 1 Or and the top of the arms 13.

The tool bar 1 6 carries a stop 24 at each end.

The stops co-operate with projections 25 on the frame 10 to inhibit sideways movement of the tool bar 16.

If desired the shares 17, 1 9 can be secured to the projections 25 instead of the tool bar 1 6. In such a case, the share 18 provides the necessary depth control.

Although particular reference has been made to shares, other ridging bodies could be used, e.g.

discs. Instead of using the ridging bodies to control the planting depth, the arms 13 could be controlled by ground-engaging wheels.

The belts 21 may have their delivery ends mounted on the associated furrow forming devices 20 if necessary.

The present invention is particularly useful as an improvement to a seed potato planting machine manufactured by Howard Rotavator Company Limited and to a planting machine known as the Smallford Setrite.

Claims

1. Apparatus for planting seeds in the ground including a device for forming a furrow, a supporting member for the device pivotally connected to a frame, ground engaging means on the supporting member for controlling the pivotal position of the supporting member relative to the frame, and means for feeding seeds from a seed supply to the furrow.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, in which the supporting member is pivotally connected to the frame at a postiion in front of the furrow forming device in the direction of progression of the apparatus over the ground, and the ground engaging means is carried by the supporting member at a position behind the furrow forming device.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the ground engaging means comprises a share.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, in which further shares are provided adjacent the first said share, the shares being arranged to co-operate so as to cover the planted seeds with earth and to form earth ridges.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which a pair of said supporting members in the form of parallel arms is provided, the arms extending in the direction of progression and being interconnected by a transverse bar, and the ground engaging means being carried on said bar.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, in which each arm carries a furrow forming device.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6 when appendant to Claim 4, in which the first said share is mounted on the transverse bar and the other shares are either mounted on said transverse bar or on a portion of the frame adjacent thereto.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which stop means is provided for limiting the pivotal movement of the supporting member.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, in which the stop means for one direction of pivoting comprises a projection mounted on the supporting member, which projection engages the frame to limit the pivotal movement.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the means for feeding seeds comprises a conveyor belt arrangement extending from beneath a hopper to the device for forming a furrow.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the frame has hitching points thereon to enable it to be connected to a towing vehicle.

1 2. Apparatus for planting seeds in the ground constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.