GB2161356A

GB2161356A - A distributing machine, more especially a drill

Info

Publication number: GB2161356A
Application number: GB08513037A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rudolf Gehrke
Original assignee: Amazonen Werke H Dreyer SE and Co KG
Current assignee: Amazonen Werke H Dreyer SE and Co KG
Priority date: 1984-05-23
Filing date: 1985-05-23
Publication date: 1986-01-15
Also published as: DE3419191A1; DK230785D0; DK230785A; FR2569079B1; GB8513037D0; DE3419191C2; FR2569079A1; GB2161356B

Abstract

A distributing machine, more especially a seed drill, including a storage container or hopper which has an elongate form and has a funnel-shaped form, at least in its lower region 14, so that the storage container has a wedge-shaped cross-section in its lower region transversely to its longitudinal direction, discharge apertures 6 being provided on only one side of the elongate side or end of the storage container, and drivable metering members 8 being disposed adjacent of said apertures. Even when discharging minute discharge quantities, in order to permit the material to be discharged from the storage container, apart from a residual quantity, using all of the discharge apertures, a vertically extending and detachable dividing wall (13) is disposed in at least the lower region (14) of the storage container (1) extending from the wedge-shaped region of the elongate storage container (1), the dividing wall (13) extending in the longitudinal direction of extension of the storage container (1) to close at least some discharge apertures 6 from part of region 14. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A distributing machine, more especially a drill The invention relates to a distributing machine, such as a seed drill, including an elongate storage container which has a funnel-shaped form, at least in its lower region, so that the storage container has in its lower region a wedge-shaped cross-section transversely to its longitudinal direction of extension, discharge apertures being provided on only one side of the elongate end of the storage container, and drivable metering members being disposed in the region of said apertures.

Such a distributing machine is already known from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 3 000 959.

This distributing machine, which is in the form of a seed drill, is particularly noted for the large capacity of the storage container. When sowing crops, it is thus possible to cover large areas with just one hopper load, without time being required for refill operations.

However, this machine is disadvantageous in that, when drilling or sowing rape seeds, for example, which is only discharged in quite small quantities per unit area,a large residual quantity, of necessity, always remains behind the storage container in order to ensure that all of the discharge apertures are sufficiently charged with seeds, so that the seeds are discharged in the correct quantity and the metering operation does not produce insufficient or zero quantities. In the known drill, therefore, a very large residual quantity remains behind in the storage container, and such a residual quantity is to some extent a multiple of the total quantity of rape seed actually discharged. As a result, the farmer has to purchase considerably more of the extremely expensive rape seeds and throw away the remaining residual quantity because it is of no use.

This disadvantage associated with the known drill arises because present-day, modern drills have a large storage container with a flat, wedgeshaped, lower region. The inclined surfaces of the lower, wedge-shaped region are adapted for the gradual sliding- down of the crops. Despite the large capacity of the storage container, this arrangement provides a very low type of construction.

It is an object of the invention to permit the material to be discharged from the storage container, apart from a residual quantity for minute residual areas, using all of the discharge apertures, even when minute quantities of seeds are to be discharged.

According to the present invention, there is provided a distributing machine including an elongate storage container which has a funnel-shaped form, at least in its lower region, so that the storage container has in its lower region a wedge-shaped cross-section transversely to its longitudinal direction of extension, discharge apertures being provided on only one side of the elongate end of the storage container, and drivable metering members being disposed in the region of said apertures, characterised in that an upwardly extending and removable dividing wall is disposed in at least the lower region of the storage container extending from the wedge-shaped region of the elongate storage container; the dividing wall extends in the longitudinal direction of the storage container; and the dividing wall extends beyond the discharge apertures through which material is discharged, the dividing wall extending in a closing manner over at least a plurality of discharge apertures. As a result of these measures, it is possible to discharge the seeds from the storage container, apart from a very small residual quantity, without the risk of insufficient quantities being metered. In practical terms, the farmer only needs to purchase slightly more than the seeds actually required. These measures may also be used for fertiliser spreaders which permit micro-sized granulated material, for example, to be distributed in very small quantities per unit area.

It is known, from German Patent Specification No. 2 353 280, to divide a storage container into two portions by means of a dividing wall so that two separate storage containers are obtained. This feature is necessary to permit the same machine to distribute seeds and fertilisers in one operation. In this arrangement, discharge apertures are provided in the lower region of each storage container.

These known storage container are also disadvantageous because residual quantities for large areas are always left behind in the storage container with minute discharge quantities.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dividing wall shields the stirrer or agitator shaft from the discharge apertures. This arrangement permit the stirrer shaft to be disposed outside of the region of the storage container which is full of seeds. On the one hand, this feature results in the seeds flowing satisfactorily to the discharge apertures and, on the other hand, this feature prevents the agitator shaft from constantly stirring the seeds which are only discharged from the storage container in small quantities. If the seeds were constantly stirred, the constant pressure would very rapidly crush some seeds - especially rape.

The invention also provides lateral walls on the ends of the dividing walls. This is the easiest way to incorporate the dividing walls subsequently into the drills. Any uneven surfaces caused by, for example, screws, rivets, stamped indentations, etc., on the lateral walls of the drill do not have a detrimental effect. The dividing walls are sealed from the storage container walls by means of the lateral walls, so a tight storage chamber is produced.

In addition, the lateral walls have, on their side facing the discharge apertures, a configuration which at least approximately corresponds to the configuration of the storage container walls. In order to compensate for any inaccuracies during manufacture, whilst still sealing the lateral walls of the dividing walls from the storage container walls, the invention provides resiliient seals between the dividing wall and the storage container walls.

In order to permit the dividing walls to be easily assembled, according to the invention, the dividing wall is divided into a plurality of portions or sections, the dividing wall sections are each disposed between the respective stirrer shaft mountings; and each dividing wall section has two lateral walls. At the same time, this is also the easiest way in which to seal the dividing walls from the stirrer shaft mountings. Closed, separate chambers result therefrom, and the seeds which are introduced into the partitioned-off region of the storage container cannot escape. According to the invention, also, the dividing wall is divided into a plurality of portions; the dividing wall portions are each disposed between respective crosspiece members which are disposed in the storage container transversely to the longitudinal direction; and each dividing wall portion has two lateral walls.This measure also ensures that the dividing walls are assembled in the storage container in an extremely convenient manner. According to the invention, the dividing walls are advantageously and securely mounted when the lateral walls of the dividing walls are secured to the storage container walls.

In order to permit the seeds in the storage container to be discharged, apart from extremely small residual quantities, according to the invention, the dividing wail divides at least the lower region of the storage container in such a manner that the portion of the partitioned-off region facing the discharge apertures has a narrow cross-section, at least in the region of the metering members and/or discharge apertures, respectively. When seeds are to be distributed over very large areas, this arrangement permits a large quantity of seeds to be introduced into the partitioned-off region, while simultaneously only a small residual quantity for a small area has to remain in the storage container because of the lower, very narrow cross- section of the partitioned-off storage container region.

In an additional embodiment of the invention, the dividing wall has notches in the region of the stirrer shaft mounting, and cover means, which cover the stirrer shaft mountings, are disposed in the region of the notches. In the case of drills which have a large number of stirrer shaft mountings, this arrangement permits the dividing walls to be inserted in substantial or large lengths in the storage container.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a seed drill according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a reduced scale rear view of the drill of Fig. 1.

A distributing machine in the form of a seed drill, includes a storage container 1 and a frame 2 which, during operation, is supported on the ground 4 by means of running wheels 3. Threepoint coupling means are provided on the front end of the frame 2 and serve to connect the drill to the three-point hydraulic lift of a tractor (not shown). The hopper-like storage container 1 has a funnel-shaped form in its lower region, so the storage container 1 has a wedge-shaped cross-section 5 in its lower region transversely to its longitudinal direction. When the storage container 1 is viewed from its longitudinal direction, the adjacently disposed discharge apertures 6 are provided on the rear end of the storage container 1.Seed wheels 8, which are in the form of metering members 8, are each disposed in the respective seed housings 7 in front of or upstream of the discharge apertures 6, the said wheels 8 are driven in a known manner (and therefore by means not shown) and by a variable speed gear via the seed shaft 9. Sowing coulters 10 are pivotally mounted on the frame 2 and deposit in the soil 4 the seeds which have been metered by the seed wheels 8. A driven stirrer shaft 11 is mounted in the lower region of the storage container 1 by means of stirrer shaft mountings 12.

A dividing wall 13, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the storage container, is detachably disposed in the storage container 1. The dividing wall 13 extends vertially from the wedgeshaped, lower region 14 of the elongate storage container 1 and separates a portion off from the storage container 1. In such an arrangement, the dividing wall 13 extends over the discharge apertures 6 through which the seeds are discharged, the dividing wall 13 always extending over a plurality of discharge apertures 6 so as to close same.

The dividing wall 13 screens the stirrer shaft 11 from the discharge apertures 6. As a result, the stirrer shaft 11 is disposed externally of the seedfilled region of the used storage container portion 15.

In the embodiment as shown in Fig. 2, the dividing wall 13 is divided into four portions. The dividing wall portions 16, 17, 18 and 19 are each disposed between the respective stirrer shaft mountings 12 or between respective crosspiece members 20 disposed in the centre of the storage container 1. Lateral wall 22 is disposed on the respective vertically extending ends 21 of each dividing wall portions 16, 17, 18 or 19. The lateral walls 22 have, on their side facing the discharge apertures 6, a configuration which corresponds to the configuration of the rear storage container wall 23.

Resilient seals 24 are disposed between the lateral walls 22 of the dividing walls 13, or the underside of the dividing wall 13, respectively. The lateral walls 22 of the dividing wall portions 16, 17, 18 and 19 are secured to the rear storage container wall 23 by means of the tension screws 25.

The dividing wall 13 divides the lower region of the storage container 1 in such a manner that the portion 15 of the partitioned-off region facing the discharge apertures 6 has a narrow cross-section 26 in the region of the said wheels 8 or discharge apertures 6, respectively. The upper width A of the storage chamber 15 partitioned-off by the dividing wall 13 is substantially smaller than the total width B of the storage container 1 measured at the same height.

The function of the dividing wall 13 may be described as follows: The dividing wall 13 is disposed in the storage container 1 when the drill is to discharge material - rape seed for example, - in minute quantities per unit area. The dividing wall portions 16, 17, 18 and 19 are inserted into the storage container 1 from above and firmly screw-connected to the rear wall 23 of the storage container 1 by means of the screws 25 which are mounted in the lateral walls 22. The dividing wall 13 separates- off a narrow portion from the large storage container 1 in the lower region so that, when only small quantities of rape seed are disposed in the partitioned-off storage container portion 15, it is ensured that the correct metering is maintained to the very end at all of the discharge apertures. As a result, apart from a small residual quantity of seed for minute areas, the seeds can be discharged from the storage container without the risk of the metering operation producing insufficient or zero quantities.

If the drill has to discharge seeds in larger quantities per unit area again, the dividing wall portions 15, 16, 17 and 18 are removed from the storage container 1 after removal of the tension or draw-in screws 25.

Claims

1. A distributing machine including an elongate storage container which has a funnel-shaped form, at least in its lower region, so that the storage container has in its lower region a wedge-shaped cross-section transversely to its longitudinal direction of extension, discharge apertures being provided on only one side of the elongate end of the storage container, and drivable metering members being disposed in the region of said apertures,characterised in that an upwardly extending and removable dividing wall is disposed in at least the lower region of the storage container extending from the wedge-shaped region of the elongate storage container; the dividing wall extends in the longitudinal direction of the storage container; and the dividing wall extends beyond the discharge apertures through which material is discharged, the dividing wall extending in a closing manner over at least a plurality of discharge apertures.

2. A distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the dividing wall shields an agitator shaft from the discharge apertures.

3. A distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, in which lateral walls are disposed at the ends of the dividing wall.

4. A distributing machine as claimed in claim 3, in which the lateral walls have, on their side facing the discharge apertures, a configuration which at least approximately corresponds to the configuration of the storage container walls.

5. A distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, in which resilient seals are disposed between the dividing wall and the storage container walls.

6. A distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the dividing wall is divided into a plurality of portions; the dividing wall portions are each disposed between the respective stirrer or agitator shaft mountings; and each dividing wall portion has two lateral walls.

7. A distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the dividing wall is divided into a plurality of portions; the dividing wall portions are each disposed between respective crosspiece members which are dsiposed in the storage containers transversely to the longitudinal direction; and each dividing wall portion has two lateral walls.

8. A distributing machine as claimed in claim 3, in which the lateral walls of the dividing walls are secured to the storage container walls.

9. A distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the dividing wall divides at least the lower region of the storage container in such a manner that the portion of the partitioned-off region facing the discharge apertures has a narrow cross-section, at least in the region of the metering members or discharge apertures, respectively.

10. A distributing machine as claimed in claim 9, in which the upper width (A) of the storage chamber partitioned-off by the dividing wall is substantially smaller than the total width (B) of the storage container measured at the same height.

11. A distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the dividing wall has notches in the region of the agitator shaft mounting; and cover means, which cover the agitator shaft mounting, are disposed in the region of the notches.

12. A distributing machine substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.