GB2121262A

GB2121262A - A seed drill

Info

Publication number: GB2121262A
Application number: GB08310147A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dr Heinz Dreyer
Original assignee: Amazonen Werke H Dreyer SE and Co KG
Current assignee: Amazonen Werke H Dreyer SE and Co KG
Priority date: 1982-04-22
Filing date: 1983-04-14
Publication date: 1983-12-21
Also published as: GB2121262B; NL8300901A; FR2525427A1; DK100783A; GB8310147D0; FR2525427B1; DE3214897C1; DK100783D0

Abstract

A sowing machine or seed drill including a frame and a hopper or storage container, drivable metering members being disposed in the lower portion of said hopper, and the material to be distributed being supplied in adjustable quantities from the metering members, via feed pipes, to sowing coulters which are staggered in at least two transverse rows and are offset relative to each other in the direction of travel on coulter support bars extending transversely to the direction of travel, the metering members being driven by wheels, or drive wheels, which travel along the ground. At least two coulter support bars (14, 15) are disposed behind each other with a spacing (A) therebetween, and the sowing coulters (5) are disposed on each such bar and are disposed behind each other with a spacing (a) therebetween. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A seed drill The invention relates to a sowing machine including a frame and a hopper, drivable metering members being disposed in a lower region of said hopper, and material to be distributed being supplied in adjustable quantities from the metering members, via feed pipes, to sowing coulters which are staggered in at least two transverse rows and are offset relative to each other in the direction of travel on coulter support bars extending transversely to the direction of travel, the metering members being driven by wheels or drive wheels, which travel along the ground.

A sowing machine or seed drill is disciosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2114 467 which is particularly renowned for the narrow spacings between the rows of coulters. Such springs permit the seeds to be deposited in rows disposed very closely together; i.e. so-called close sowing is achieved, or respectively a very uniform distribution of the seeds over the whole area is achieved. The more uniformly the seeds are distributed over the area and the closer to the "ideal distribution" one comes when sowing the seeds, the greater the yield is. Consequently, considerably increased yields can be obtained by close sowing compared with the sowing of seeds in widely spaced apart rows.

However, a disadvantage of this sowing machine is that the intermediate spaces between the coulters very easily become blocked by plant remains situated on the surface of the ground, or by large clods of earth, so that satisfactory seed sowing is not possible.

Furthermore, this sowing machine is considerably disadvantageous in that the wheels of the sowing machine are disposed outside the working width of the sowing machine. In this way there is always one wheel travelling along the field which has already been sown, and this wheel therefore compresses the soil. Because of the pressure exerted by the wheels of the sowing machine, the seeds disposed in the compressed wheel tracks have very poor conditions for germination. During rain showers, there is also the risk of the wheel tracks becoming flooded or being washed away by the rain and the rain water which drains away.

The invention seeks to achieve a compact structure for an attachment-type sowing machine or seed drill, or for a drill which is to be used on its own or combined with ground cultivating implements, especially for large working widths with narrow spacings of 6 to 10 cm between the vowing rows, while simultaneously ensuring blockage-free sowing.

According to the present invention there is provided a sowing machine or seed drill including a frame and a hopper, drivable metering members being disposed in a lower region of said hopper, and material to be distributed being supplied in adjustable quantities from the metering members, via feed pipes, to sowing coulters which are staggered in at least two transverse rows and are offset relative to each other in the direction of travel on coulter support bars extending transversely to the direction of travel, the metering members being driven by wheels or drive wheels, which travel along the ground, characterised in that at least two coulter support bars (14, 15, 29) are disposed behind each other with a spacing (A) therebetween, and the sowing coulters (5) are disposed on each coulter support bar (14, 15, 29) in at leasttwo transverse rows (16,16', 17,17') extending transversely to the direction of travel (18) and being disposed behind each other with a spacing (q, q') therebetween. As a result of these measures, the individual sowing coulters can be disposed with large spacings between each other, even when the rows are very close together. In addition, by arranging the sowing coulters on two coulter support bars, relatively short coulter supports are possible, so that only very small forces are transferred from the sowing coulters to the coulter support hinge joints.

So that the sowing coulters in the first two transverse rows can move unrestrictedly in an upright plane in order to deflect obstacles in such manner, the spacing between the two coulter support bars is selected in accordance with the features described in claims 2 and 3, respectively.

The invention also provides that the rear coulter support bar is disposed behind the wheels. This permits in simple manner a few sowing coulters to be disposed even in the region behind the wheels, so that the wheels are situated within the working width.

In a preferred arrangement, the rear coulter support bar is detachably mounted. This feature permits the spacing between the sowing rows to be doubled in simple manner when the rear coulter support bar, together with the sowing coulters, is removed. An increased spacing between the sowing rows is also achieved by providing a drill in which the rear coulter support bar (1 5) has sowing coulters (5) disposed in two transverse rows (16', 17') lying one behind the other, and the rear coulter support bar (1 5) may be substituted by another coulter support bar having sowing coulters disposed in one transverse row.

In preferred arrangement, the sowing machine has a working width of more than 3 m, and at least one wheel is disposed on at least one end of the coulter support bars, and this wheel is disposed from outside beside some of the sowing coulters, the drive members of the wheel for driving the metering members being disposed on the end of the wheel remote from the sowing coulters. As a result of these measures, the wheels of sowing machines having very large working widths can be disposed very close to the sowing coulters. It is also possible to dispose the wheels within the working width of the sowing machine to a greater or lesser extent.

This is extremely important, especially when the sowing machine is combined with ground cultivating implements, since satisfactory, uniform sowing is ensured only when the wheels are disposed within the working width and travel along the worked surface of the soil.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a sowing machine or seed drill according to the invention combined with ground cultivating implements; Fig. 2 is a front view of a wheel disposed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional, plan view taken along the line Ill-Ill showing the arrangement of the sowing coulters; Fig. 4 illustrates a modified arrangement of the sowing coulters similar to the view of Fig; 3; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view showing a further arrangement, according to the invention, of the coulter support bar and the sowing coulters; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a wheel which is formed in accordance with the invention.

A sowing machine or seed drill 1 has a working width of more than 3 m and includes a frame 2 and a hopper 3 and has known metering members (which are therefore not shown) disposed in a lower region of said hopper and the seeds, which are disposed in the hopper 3, are supplied from the metering members to sowing coulters 5 via feed pipes 4. The metering members are driven by wheels 7, which travel along the ground 6, and by a variable speed transmission 8. The seed drill 1 is disposed behind a combination-type ground cultivator, comprising a rotary cultivator 9 and a packer roller 10, and the seed drill 1 is connected to the combination-type ground cultivator by support arms 11 and an upper guide member which is in the form of a hydraulic cylinder 12.If the entire sowing combination, comprising the rotary cultivator 9, the packer roller 10 and the seed drill 1, is raised by a tractor (not shown), the seed drill 1 can be pivoted forwardly about the pivotal axle i 3 by means of the hydraulic cylinder 12. The overall centre of gravity of the sowing combination is forwardly dispiaced, so that the lifting force required by the power lift of the tractor to raise the sowing combination is reduced by up to 30%.

The sowing coulters 5 are mounted on two coulter support bars 14 and 1 5 which are disposed behind each other with a spacing A therebetween; the front coulter support bar 14 being situated between the wheels 7. On each coulter support bar 14 and 15, the sowing coulters 5 are staggered in two transverse rows 16 and 1 7 and are offset relative to each other in the direction of travel 1 8. The spacing A between the coulter support bars 1 4 and 1 5 corresponds to at least the sum of the effective coulter length S of the sowing coulter 5 in the first transverse row 1 6 and the spacing q between the sowing coulters 5 in the first and second transverse rows 1 6 and 17, respectively.This causes the spacing A to be a dimension distance which corresponds to the spacing between the hinge joint 1 9 of a sowing coulter 5 in the first transverse row 1 6 and the rearmost portion 20 of a sowing coulter 5 in the second transverse row. Thus, the sowing coulters 5 in the second transverse row 1 7 can also deflect upwardly in an unrestricted manner. In addition, each of the coulter support bars 14 and 15, when viewed with respect to the direction of travel 1 S, is disposed in the respective region above the hinge joints 1 9 of the coulter supports for the sowing coulters 5 in the first and third transverse rows 1 6 and 16', respectively.In this case, the front coulter support bar 14 is situated in the front region of the wheels 7.

The rear coulter support bar 15, on which the sowing coulters 5 are also disposed in two transverse rows 16' and 17', is detachably mounted on the frame 2 behind the wheels 7. In this way, the coulter support bar 15, together with the sowing coulters 5, may be substituted by another coulter support bar having sowing coulters disposed, for example, in only one transverse row. Furthermore, by removing the rear coulter support bar 1 5 and by using the seed drilling without the rear coulter support bar 1 5, it is possible to deposit the seeds in sowing rows which are spaced further apart from each other.

According to the embodiments illustrated iri Figs. 3 and 4, the spacing B between the sowing coulters 5 in each transverse rows 16, 16', 17 and 17' corresponds to the spacing C between the sowing rows multiplied by the number of transverse rows. In addition, the sowing coulters 5 in the second transverse row are disposed centrally between the sowing coulters 5 of the first transverse row when viewed transversely to the direction of travel 1 8. The sowing coulters 5 of the third transverse row 1 6' are laterally offset relative to the sowing coulters 5 of the second transverse row 17 by an amount corresponding to the spacing C between the sowing rows.In addition, the sowing coulters 5 of the fourth transverse row 17' are disposed centrally between the sowing coulters 5 of the third transverse row 16' when viewed transversely to the direction of travel 1 8. Finally, the spacing q' between the second transverse row 1 7 and the third transverse row 16' is greater than the spacings q between the first and second transverse rows, or respectively between the third and fourth transverse rows.

Each wheel 7 is rotatably mounted on wheel support frame 21, and the portions of the frame 2 are rotatably mounted thereon. The variable speed transmission 8 and the metering members are driven by drive members 22 disposed within the wheel support frame 21. Each of the wheel support frames 21 is disposed on the side 23 of the respective wheel 7 remote from the inside of the sowing machine, so that the drive members 22 are also disposed on the side 23 of the respective wheel 7 remote from the inside of the sowing machine. In addition, the wheels 7 are so disposed within the working width D of the drill 1 that centre 24 of the wheel 7 is approximately in alignment with the outer edge of the working width D. A track marker or tramlining device 25 is pivotally mounted on the wheel support frame 21.

Furthermore, the wheels are mounted so as to be laterally displaceable on the wheel support frame 21,so that they can be set, in optimum manner, to the working width in dependence on the spacing between the sowing rows. In addition, the wheel support frame 21 illustrated in Fig. 2 and flange 26 (shown by dash-dot lines) can be detachably disposed on the frame 2. - In order to ensure blockage-free sowing of the sowing coulters 5 also in the region of the wheels 7, the sowing coulter 5', which is disposed the nearest to the respective wheel 7, -is mounted in the region of the surface 27 of the wheel which is in contact with the ground. Thus, any objects which may possibly become jammed between the wheel and the sowing coulter are moved rearwardly because of the movement of the wheel relative to the sowing coulter 5'. No blockage therefore occurs.A sowing coulter 5 from the first transverse row 16 will be disposed beside the respective wheel 7, particularly when the drills are intended to be used in combination with ground cultivating machines. It has also proved advantageous to dispose the outermost sowing coulter 5" behind its respective wheel 7. In this case, a track loosener 28 is mounted on the coulter support bar behind each wheel 7.

The coulter arrangements illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 essentially differ only in the arrangement of the sowing coulters 5 in the region of the wheels 7. With very close spacings of, for example approximately 6 cm between the sowing rows, it is necessary to dispose the two outer sowing coulters 5 in the two rear transverse rows 16' and 1 7' very closely together in the edge region of the working width. It was unexpectedly found that no blockages occur here in the region of the wheels 7.

A rear coulter support bar 29 according to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5, when viewed with respect to the direction of travel 18, is disposed behind the hinge joints 1 9 of the sowing coulters 5 in the third transverse row 16'. In this case, supports 30 protrude forwardly, each support 30 being mounted on the coulter support bar 29. The sowing coulters 5 of the transverse row 16' are pivotally mounted on these supports 30. In addition, the spacings between the individual transverse rows are identical to each other.

Fig. 6 illustrates a specially formed wheel 31.

This wheel 31 comprises the two narrow wheels 31' and 31" which are spaced from each other with a spacing R therebetween. The spacing R corresponds approximately to the spacing between the sowing rows. A sowing coulter 5, when viewed with respect to the direction of travel 18, is disposed behind the wheel 31 between the wheel tracks 32 produced by the wheels 31' and 31", so that this sowing coulter 5 is situated in a non-compressed region, and there is therefore no need for a track loosener to be provided.

Claims

1. A sowing machine or seed drill including a frame and a hopper, drivable metering members being disposed in a lower region of said hopper, and material to be distributed being supplied in adjustable quantities from the metering members via feed pipes, to sowing coulters which are staggered in at least two transverse rows and are offset relative to each other in the direction of travel on coulter support bars extending transversely to the direction of travel, the metering members being driven by wheels or drive wheels, which travel along the ground, characterised in that at least two coulter support bars ('14, 15, 29) are disposed behind each other with a spacing (A) therebetween, and the sowing coulters (5) are disposed on each coulter support bar (14, 1 5, 29) in at least two transverse rows (16, 16', 17, 17') extending transversely to the direction of travel (1 8) and being disposed behind each other with a space (q, q') therebetween.

2. A seed drill as claimed in claim 1, in which the spacing (A) between the coulter support bars (14, 15) corresponds to at least the sum of the coulter length (S) of the sowing coulter (5) in the first transverse row (16) and the spacing (q) between the sowing coulters (5) in the first and second transverse rows (16, 17).

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3. A seed drill as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the spacing (A) between the coulter support bars (1 4, 1 5) corresponds to at least the spacing between the hinge joint (19) of a sowing coulter (5) in the first transverse row (16) and the rearmost portion (20) of a sowing coulter (5) in the second transverse row (17).

4. A seed drill as claimed in claim 1, in which the rear coulter support bar (15) is disposed behind the wheels (7).

5. A seed drill as claimed in claim 4, in which the rear coulter support bar (15) is detachably mounted.

6. A seed drill as claimed in claim 5, in which the rear coulter support bar (1 5) has sowing coulters (5) disposed in two transverse rows (16', 17') lying one behind the other, and the rear coulter support bar (1 5) may be substituted by another coulter support bar having sowing coulters disposed in one transverse row.

7. A seed drill as claimed in claim 1, in which the spacing (B) between the sowing coulters (5) in each transverse row (16,16', 17, 17') corresponds to the spacing (C) between the sowing rows multiplied by the number of transverse rows (16, 16', 17, 17'); in which the sowing coulters (5) in the second transverse row (17) are disposed centrally between the sowing coulters (5) in the first transverse row (16) when viewed transversely to the direction of travel (1 8); in which the sowing coulters (5) of the third transverse row (16') are laterally offset to the left or right of the sowing coulters (5) of the second transverse row (17) by an amount corresponding to the spaving (C) between the sowing rows; and in which the sowing coulters (5) of the fourth transverse row (17') are disposed centrally between the sowing coulters (5) of the third transverse row (16') when viewed transversely to the direction of travel (1 8).

8. A seed drill as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the spacing (q') between the second transverse row (1 7) and the third transverse row (16') is greater than the spacing (q) between the first and second transverse rows (1 6, 17), or respectively between the third and fourth transverse rows (1 6', 17').

9. A seed drill as claimed in claim 1, in which the front coulter support bar (14) and the rear coulter support bar (15), when viewed with respect to the direction of travel (1 8), are disposed in the respective region above the hinge joint (19) of the coulter supports for the sowing coulters (5) in the first and third transverse rows (1 6, 16'), respectively.

10. A seed drill as claimed in claim 1, in which the rear coulter support bar (29), when viewed with respect to the direction of travel (1 8), is disposed behind the hinge joints (19) of the sowing coulters (5) in the third transverse row (16').

11. A sowing machine or seed drill including a frame and a hopper, drivable metering members being disposed in the lower portion of said hopper, with the material to be distributed being supplied in adjustable quantities from the metering members, via feed pipes, to sowing coulters which are staggered in at least two transverse rows and are offset relative to each other in the direction of travel on coulter support bars extending transversely to the direction of travel, the metering members being driven by wheels, or drive wheels, which travel along the ground in which the sowing machine (1) has a working width (D) of more than 3 m, at least one wheel (7) being disposed on at least one end of the coulter support bars (14, 15, 29), said at least one wheel (7) being mounted from outside beside some of the sowing coulters (5), the drive means (22) of the wheel (7) for driving the metering members being disposed on the side (23) of the wheel (7) remote from the sowing coulters (5).

12. A seed drill as claimed in claim 11, in which the wheels (7) are disposed at least approximately within the working width (D) of the sowing machine (1).

13. A seed drill as claimed in claim 12, in which the wheel centre (24), when viewed with respect to the direction of travel (18), is at least approximately in alignment with the outer edge of the working width (D).

14. A seed drill as claimed in claim 1 in which each wheel support frame (21) is disposed on the side (23) of its respective wheel (7) remote from the inside of the sowing machine.

1 5. A seed drill as claimed in claim 14, in which the drive members (22) for driving the metering members are disposed on the side (23) of the respective wheel (7) remote from the inside of the sowing machine.

16. A seed drill as claimed in claim 15, in which the drive members (22) for driving the metering members are disposed within the wheel support frame (21).

17. A seed drill as claimed in claim 1 in which the front coulter support bar (14) is disposed between the wheels (7), and the front coulter support bar (14) is disposed at least approximately in the front region of the wheels (7).

18. A seed drill as claimed in claim 14, in which each of the track removers/markers (tramlining device) (25) is disposed on the respective wheel support frame (21).

19. A seed drill as claimed in claim 14, in which the wheel support frame (21) is detachably mounted on the frame (2) of the drill (1).

20. A seed drill as claimed in claim 19, in which the wheel support frame (21) is displaceably mounted on the frame (2) of the drill (1).

21. A seed drill as claimed in claim 11 or 20, in which the wheels (7) are displaceably mounted on the wheel support frame (21).

22. A seed drill as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the sowing coulter (5') which is disposed the nearest to the respective wheel (7) is situated in the region of the surface (27) of the wheel which is in contact with the ground.

23. A seed drill as claimed in claim 22, in which a respective sowing coulter (5') of the first transverse row (1 6) is disposed adjacent the wheels (7).

24. A seed drill as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the outermost sowing coulters (5") of the working width (D) is disposed behind the respective wheel (7).

25. A seed drill as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which two narrow wheels (31', 31") are disposed adjacent each other, and the narrow wheels (31', 31") are spaced from each other with a spacing (R) therebetween.

26. A seed drill as claimed in claim 25, in which the spacing (R) between the two narrow wheels (31', 31") corresponds approximately to the spacing (C) between the sowing rows.

27. A seed drill as claimed in claim 25, in which a sowing coulter (5), when viewed with respect to the direction of travel (1 8), is disposed behind the wheels (31', 31") in the region between the wheel tracks (32) produced by the wheels (31', 31").

28. A seed drill substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 or as modified in any of Figs. 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.