GB2364228A

GB2364228A - Device for assisting the sowing of seeds

Info

Publication number: GB2364228A
Application number: GB0016385A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Edwin Wood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-07-05
Filing date: 2000-07-05
Publication date: 2002-01-23
Also published as: GB0016385D0

Abstract

A device for assisting the hand-sowing of seeds comprises a ground-surface-engaging member (11) and a ground penetrating means (20) positioned relative to the surface-engaging member so as to create a furrow of predetermined depth beneath the ground surface when the device is moved over the surface. The ground surface-engaging member preferably comprises the blade (11) of a dutch hoe, to which a ground-penetrating means (20) in the form of a curved blade is secured by clamping means and is adjustable in respect of the depth of the furrow it produces.

Description

2364228 PATENTS ACT 1977 A10119GB-GMD Title: Device for Assisting the

Sowing of Seeds

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a device for assisting the sowing of seeds. More specifically, the device is of assistance in achieving a uniform depth at which the seeds are planted beneath the surface of the earth.

It is important that seeds are sown at the correct depth if a high germination rate and rate of survival of the young plants are to be achieved. Seed sowing at the required depth is readily achieving if the sowing is being carried out by machinery as is likely to be the case in agriculture or commercial horticulture. However, when sowing is being carried out by hand, e.g. in a domestic garden or in a non-commercial context, the depth of sowing is very much a matter of the skill and judgement of the person doing it.

It is broadly the object of the present invention to provide a device which assists the sowing of seeds at the required depth.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, I provide a device comprising a ground surface-engaging ineiriber, adapted to be moved over a ground surface where seed is to be sown, and ground penetrating means positioned relative to the surface-engaging member so as to create a furrow of a r> 4-1 predetermined depth beneath the ground surface when the device is moved over the surface.

In a preferred form of the device the surfac e- engaging member is or has a portion which is substantially flat, This enables the device to be moved over the surface of the ground while tile ground penetrating means penetrates the ground to create the furrow of the required depth and in which seeds may be sown.

Conveniently the ground surface-engaging member has the form of the blade of an implement of the type commonly known as a dutch hoe. A dutch hoe has a blade which is set at such an angle relative to an elongate handle that the user is able to work the blade backwards and forwards slightly beneath the ground surface, by pushing and pulling the handle. This severs the stems of weeds so that they are prevented from growing. A device in accordance with the invention may have its ground surface- engaging member moved over the ground surface by a user adopting much the same stance as when using a dutch hoe, preferably by pulling the handle to draw the device over the ground surface.

A device in accordance with the first aspect of the invention may comprise a dutch hoe to which a ground penetrating means has been added. According to another aspect of the invention, therefore, I provide a device comprising a ground penetrating means and means for securing same to a dutch hoe, the arrangement being such that the ground penetrating means is adapted to create a furrow of a predetermined depth beneath the ground surface when the blade of the dutch hoe is moved over the ground surface as a ground surface-engaging mernber.

Thus this aspect of the invention provides a method of converting or adapting a dutch hoe to provide a device according to the first aspect of the invention, by fitting an attachment device as above set forth thereto.

Preferably there is adjustment ineans providing for adjustment of the position of the ground penetrating means relative to the ground surfaceengaging member, to enable the depth of furrow created thereby to be set at a required value. An indicator means may be provided, for indicating the depth which has been set.

The ground penetrating means may be attached or adapted to be attached to the ground surface-engaging member by clamping means. Conveniently such clamping means engages front and rear edges (having regard to the 3 direction of movement thereof in use) of a ground surface-engaging member which is generally in the form of or actually constitutes the blade of a dutch hoe.

Preferably the clamping means is adjustable to be engageable with blades of different size in respect of the distance between their front and rear edges.

Preferably the ground penetrating means comprises an elongate member having an operative end portion which, in use, lies beneath the ground surfaceengaging member. Preferably the ground penetrating means is of curved configuration extending from a mounting portion to its operative end portion.

Preferably it is in the form of an elongate flat strip of material which, in addition to the aforesaid curvature, also is angled so that in use when creating a furrow it displaces earth upwardly from the base of the furrow and laterally thereof It may have a surface portion generally of the configuration of a part of a surface of a ploughshare.

These and other aspects of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the acconipanying drawing, which is a perspective view of a device in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing, a horticultural implement of the type commonly known as a dutch hoe is indicated generally at 10. It comprises a blade 11 having a chisel-sharpened front edGe 12. Froin side portions of the opposite, rear, edge B of the blade there extend respective converging limbs 14, 15. The limbs 14, 15 meet at a shank 16 which is connected or adapted to be connected to a handle at 17. In side elevation of the implement, the limbs 14, 15 are generally in line with the handle whilst the blade I I is inclined thereto: the arrangement is such that for a user who is standing upright and holding the handle in a downwardly inclined orientation the blade I I lies more or less horizontal. Thus the user is able to Nvork- the hoe by pushing and pulling 4 the handle to move the blade backwards and forwards slightly beneath the ground surface, to sever the stems of weeds.

In accordance with the invention, to the hoe as above described there is added a ground penetrating means indicated generally at 20 which, when the blade I I of the hoe is drawn over the surface of the ground, is able to create a furrow of a predetermined depth therebeneath. The means 20 comprises a curved blade which is in the form of an appropriately shaped strip of, e.g., steel, extending from an operative end portion 21 to an attachment portion 22. The end portion 21 tenninates at a tip 23 at which the blade is narrowed and may be slightly sharpened, and which in use lies approximately beneath the front edge 12 of the hoe blade 11. Adjacent the tip 23, the inside surface of the blade is inclined to the edge 12 of the hoe blade as indicated by the dotted lines 24, so that in the creation of the furrow by the blade earth displaced thereby is moved upwardly and laterally to be discharged to one side of the furrow. The configuration of the surface of the blade inside its overall curve, adjacent its operative end portion 2 1, is analogous to part of the operative surface of a ploughshare.

The attachment portion 22 of the giound peneti'atim, means 20 lies in face to face abutment with a part 25 of one of a pair of clamping members constituting clamping means which engage the blade 11. As well as the part 25, the one clamping member has a part 26 which extends generally normal to the part 25 and which thus faces tile upper surface of the blade 11, and which ends in a reverse flange or lip 27 which engages the edge 12 of the blade.

Correspondingly, the other clamping member has pails 28, 29, 30 and the two clamping members 25, 26, 27 and 28, 29, 30 are connected to one another at their ends remote from the blade I I by a hinge an-angement 31 or in some other manner which enables the pails 27, 3)0 to be inoved away from one another to clear the front and rear edges 12, B of the blade and then be moved together to engage the blade. A screw, whose head is indicated at 32 and with which is engaged a wing nut 33, passes through facing apertures in the adjacent parts 25, 28 of the clamping members so that tightening of the nut 33 causes the blade to be clamped between the clamping members. The screw passes through an elongate slot 34 in the attachment portion 22, so the position of the ground penetrating means is able to be set relative to the blade of the hoe so that a furrow of the required depth is created in use, and when the wing nut 33 is tightened the assembly is firmly clamped in the required position.

An indicator means, e.g. a marker and scale as indicated at 34, may be provided for indicating the depth Of furrow to which the device is set, without requiring this to be measured by use of an external measuring instrument.

Thus the invention provides a device which facilitates the sowing of seeds at a uniform depth, by creating a furrow of the required depth beneath the surface of the ground. The device is simple to use and as illustrated is in the form of an attachment which can readily be applied to an existing dutch hoe. The clamping means described above enables the attachment to be applied to dutch hoes which may have differently sized blades in respect of the distance between the front and rear edges thereof However it would be possible to provide a modified form of dutch lioe w1iich facilitates the attachment of a ground penetrating member for use when a furrow is created. Indeed in its broadest aspect a device in accordance with the invention may compnse any convenient form of ground surface-engaging member, not necessarily in the form of a blade of a dutch hoe.

In the present specification "comprise" means "Includes or consists of' and "comprising" means "includim, or consistim! of'.

The features disclosed in tile foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing tile disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any

I I 6 combination of such features, be utillsed for reallsing the invention in diverse forms thereof.

7

Claims

1. A device for assisting the sowing of seeds, comprising a ground surface engaging member, adapted to be moved over a ground surface where seed is to be sown, and ground-penetrating means positioned relative to the surface engaging member so as to create a furrow of a predetermined depth beneath the ground surface when the device is moved over the surface.

2. A device according to Claim I wherein said ground surface engaging member is or has a portion which is substantially flat.

A device according to Claim 2 wherein said ground surface engaging member is in the form of the blade of a dutch hoe.

4. A device coi-nprising a ground-penetrating means and a means for securing same to a dutch hoe, the arrangement being such that the groundpenetrating means is adapted to create a furrow of a predeternil tied depth beneath the ground Surface when the blade of the hoe is moved over the ground surface as a ground-surface-engaging meniber.

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5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims comprising adjustment means providing for adjustment of the position of the groundpenetrating means relative to tl)e grOUnd-surface-engaging member.

6. A device according, to Claim 5 ftirther comprising indicator means for indicating the depth which has been set.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the ground-penetrating means is attached or adapted to be attached to the groundsurface-engaging member by clamping means.

8. A device according to Claim 7 as appendant directly or indirectly to Claim ') or Clairn 4 wherein said clamping means engages front and rear edges of a ground-surface-engaging member in the form of or constituting a blade of a dutch hoe.

9. A device according to Claim 8 wlierein the clarnping means is adjustable to be engageable with blades of different size in respect of the distance between their front and rear edges.

10. A device accordin" to any one of the preceding claims Mierein said Z71 ground-penetrating rneans comprises an elongate inember having an operative C, end portion which, in use, lies beneatli the grOUnd-surface-en-a-Ing member.

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11. A device according to Claim 10 wlierein said ground-penetrating, ineans I is of curved configuration extending froin a motinting 'on to said operative porti end portion.

12. A device according to Claim I I wlierein said grouiid-penetrating means comprises an elongate flat strip of inaterial whicli, in addition to said cul-ved configuration, is angled for displacing earth laterally froin the base of the furrow when in use.

I I A device according to Claim 12 wlierein grOUnd-penetrating Inealls has a surface portion generally of the configuration of part of a surface of a plough share.

14. A device substantially as liereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. -

15. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.