GB2439908A

GB2439908A - Seed drill and cultivation method

Info

Publication number: GB2439908A
Application number: GB0613875A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Searby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-13
Filing date: 2006-07-13
Publication date: 2008-01-16
Also published as: GB0613875D0

Abstract

A seed drill for positioning individual seeds in soil comprises a carriage with a pointed hollow beak 9 carried by the carriage. The first and second beak members 9a, 9b are hingedly connected together and open to release a seed contained within. Means are provided for supplying seeds individually to the interior of the beak. The beak is movable in a cycle over a closed path relative to the carriage as the carriage moves forward over the soil. The beak moves downwards so that a tip portion of the beak penetrates the soil surface, rearwards to maintain a fixed position in the soil while the first and second beak members are hinged open to release a seed, upwards out of the soil, and then forwards in readiness for the next cycle, the beak being closed after lifting out of the soil to permit the next seed to be supplied to the interior of the beak. Also claimed is a method of cultivation comprising laying plastic sheeting having planting apertures over soil, and using the seed drill to sow a seed into the soil beneath each aperture.

Description

SEED DRILL AND CULTIVATION METHOD

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a seed drill for positioning individual seeds in soil, and to a method of plant cultivation.

Background to the Invention

Conventionally, seeds are sown into prepared ground by a variety of methods, for example by drilling, which typically involves some form of hollow blade or probe which is dragged through the soil at the desired depth while seeds are fed through to be deposited in the soil. While these devices are suit-able for crops such as grain or seed crops, they are less suitable for use in the cultivation of plants where separation of the individual plants is required, for ex-ample lettuce and brassicas, since thinning of the plants would be required after germination, a labour-intensive and expensive operation. For this and other reasons, such plants tend to be cultivated by first generating seedlings, and then planting out the seedlings at the required spacing for growing on. The planting of seedlings can again be labour-intensive, and so machines have been developed to carry out this operation.

To assist the growth of the seedlings, it has become common practice to use plastic film -typically opaque film -to serve as a mulch around the seed- lings, retaining moisture in the soil and suppressing weeds which might com- pete with the seedlings for space, water and nutrients. The film may be pre-formed with apertures through which the seedlings may be inserted into the soil, or the planting machine may be designed to pierce the film during the planting operation. Examples of machines which are designed to place seedlings in the soil, some of which are intended to pierce the mulch film in the same operation, are shown in JP20021 65503, JP2002209407, JP2005058244 and JP200506561 9.

It has also been proposed to incorporate into the mulch film trickle-watering ducts to permit irrigation of the plants in a controlled manner. Exam-pIes of such systems are disclosed in DE4408556, CN1332952, CN1329818 and CN141 1695.

Specification SEARBYA-P1 397 GBA2OO6-O7-1 2

It has been observed that plants which grow undisturbed from seed, without undergoing the transplanting step, may develop better than transplanted seedlings, and it is therefor desirable to avoid the need for transplanting, not only to save on costs, but also to enhance growth of the plants. The present invention provides controlled sowing of individual seeds.

Summary of the Invention

This invention provides a seed drill for positioning individual seeds in soil, the drill comprising a carriage movable over a soil surface, a pointed hollow beak carried by the carriage and having first and second beak members hingedly connected together and openable to release a seed contained within the beak, and means for supplying seeds individually to the interior of the beak, the beak being movable in a cycle over a closed path relative to the carriage as the carriage moves forward over the soil, whereby the beak moves downwards so that a tip portion of the beak penetrates the soil surface, rearwards to main-lain a fixed position in the soil while the first and second beak members are hinged open to release a seed, upwards out of the soil, and then forwards in readiness for the next cycle, the beak being closed after lifting out of the soil to permit the next seed to be supplied to the interior of the beak.

Preferably, the beak is mounted on the carriage in such a manner as to permit the depth to which the tip portion penetrates the soil can be selectively varied.

In one embodiment, the carriage has a pair of wheels engaging the soil and rotated by the motion of the carriage relative to the soil, each wheel being linked to an eccentric mounting, and a coupling bar is pivotally connected at each end thereof to a respective one of the mountings so as to follow an elon-gate rotary path as the wheels rotate, the beak being mounted on the coupling bar so as to move therewith.

The seeds may be supplied to the beak by way of a supply tube with a funnel at the upper end thereof to catch individual seeds dropped into the funnel from a seed-dispensing device mounted on the carriage above the funnel. Al-ternatively, the seed dispensing device may be connected to the beak by means of a flexible pipe.

Specification SEARBYAP1 397 3BA-2QO6-O7-1 2

The first and second beak members may be caused to hinge open by a control arm linked between a lever on one of the members and a pivoting slide link on the carriage. Alternatively, the hinging open of the beak may be con-trolled by an electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic actuator controlled, for example, by a timing signal provided by rotation of one of the wheels or by motion of the coupling bar.

The invention also provides a method of cultivation comprising laying plastics sheeting over soil, the sheeting being provided with planting apertures therealong, and using a seed drill according to the invention to sow a seed into the soil beneath each aperture.

The plastics sheeting is preferably opaque plastics sheeting, and pref-erably comprises integral conduits for irrigation water supply, the conduits hav-ing outlets spaced therealong.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings, which illustrate diagrammatically exemplary embodi-ments of the invention: Figures 1 to 5 show successive stages in one cycle of operation of the seed drill; Figure 6 illustrates a method of cultivation using the drill; Figure 7 illustrates an additional feature added to the seed drill; and Figure 8 illustrates an alternative to the method shown in Figure 6.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

The seed drill has a main frame represented in the diagrams by a simple rectangular frame 1. A pair of wheels 2 and 3 engage the ground and rotate as the drill moves forward. The wheels 2 and 3 may be supporting wheels for the drill, but alternatively they may be separate from the supporting and/or driving wheels. Rotation of the wheels 2 and 3 turns axles 4 and 5 on which are mounted eccentrics 6 and 7 which are linked by a coupling bar 8.

A pointed hollow beak 9 is mounted on the coupling bar 8 so as to pro-ject vertically downward therefrom. The beak 9 comprises two beak members 9a and 9b which are hinged together adjacent to one end of the beak. The second beak member 9b is provided with a lever extension 9c connected by a

Specification SEARBYA-P1 397 GBA--2006-07-1 2

pivoting rod 10 to a slide mounting 11 on an upper part la of the main frame.

The slide mounting 11 is positioned such that, at the desired point in the cycle of the machine, as hereinafter described, the end of the rod engages in the mounting, pulling the lever extension 9c, and thereby opening the beak to re-lease the seed. Further motion of the beak reaches a point where the rod can slide back again, releasing the lever and allowing the beak to close.

The interior of the beak is connected to a vertical tube 12 having at the upper end thereof a funnel 13 into which, at the correct point in the cycle, a seed is released by a seed delivery mechanism (not shown) through a delivery chute 14.

Referring now to the Figures, the cycle of operation of the seed drill ma-chine will be described. Figure 1 shows the beak 9 at the highest point in the cycle. The beak is closed, and a seed 15 is delivered into the beak from the chute 14 via the funnel 13 and tube 12. As the machine rolls forward, the cou-pling bar 8, and with it the beak 9, moves forward and then down so that the beak penetrates the soil, as shown in Figure 2. In a preferred method accord-ing to the invention, the soil is first covered with a continuous opaque plastics sheet to serve as a mulch, retaining moisture and suppressing weed growth.

The sheet may be provided with attached or integrally-formed water supply pipes having perforations along their length to release water at a controlled rate beneath the plastics sheet.

As the forward motion of the machine continues, the beak 9 reaches its maximum depth in the soil, as shown in Figure 3. The depth can be controlled by means of a variable mounting (not shown) for the beak assembly on the coupling bar 8. This may conveniently provide a series of pre-set vertical posi-tions for attachment of the beak assembly. As the machine moves forward from this position, the pivoting and sliding rod 1 2 reaches its sliding limit in the upper mounting and so pulls the lever extension 9c on the second beak member 9b, causing it to hinge open relative to the first beak member 9a, releasing the seed into the soil (Figure 4). The motion of the coupling bar 8 at this stage in the cy-cle is rearward, at the same speed as the forward motion of the machine, thereby ensuring that the beak 9 temporarily remains at the same point in the

Specification SEARBYAP1 397 GBA-2OO6-O7-1 2

soil. As the machine moves onward, the coupling bar 8, and with it the beak 9, is lifted upwards so that the beak rises above the soil surlace (Figure 5). At this point the beak is still open, but the sliding rod 12 begins to move back so as to allow the second beak member 9b to close back against the first member 9a, ready to return to the position shown in Figure 1 to receive the next seed.

The distance along the ground between the successive seeds can be varied according to the type of plant being grown, by changing the wheels 2 and 3 for wheels having a larger or smaller diameter. It would, of course, be neces-sary at the same time to adjust the position of the beak on the coupling bar to set the correct planting depth, as the adjustment on the eccentrics would nec-essarily change the planting depth.

Referring now to Figure 6, the seed drill may be used in conjunction with a horticultural irrigation and mulch sheeting in the cultivation of crops. The sheeting is suitably a plastics sheeting 60 having incorporated into it a network of ducts 61 which can be connected to a supply of irrigation water. The ducts are formed with very small holes along their length on one side of the sheeting, from which the irrigation water can seep. The sheeting is initially formed with apertures 62 therealong, through which the seedlings 63 can emerge, and the seed drill of the type described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 can be used to sow the seeds into the centres of the apertures, since precise alignment of the apertures and the seed positions can be guaranteed by the use of the drill of the invention. The sheeting surrounding the seedlings retains moisture and sup-presses weed growth which might otherwise compete with the seedlings for space, water and nutrients. By accurately sowing each seed into its desired position, the plants can be grown to maturity in the selected positions without the need for thinning or replanting, thus ensuring maximum growth for minimum intervention, and therefore cost.

Referring now to Figure 7, the seed drill shown in Figures 1 to 5 is modi-fied by substitution of an elongated coupling bar 8 which extends rearwardly of the machine and is provided with a removable tamper 71, which can be bolted on at a location at the same distance behind the axle 5 as the beak 9 is in front of it. The vertical position of the tamper 71 on the bar 8 can be adjusted so that,

Specification SEARBYA-P1397 GBA2OO6-O7-12

when the beak 9 is at its full depth in the soil, as illustrated in the Figure, the tamper applies a pre-determined amount of pressure to the soil where the seed has been placed to firm the soil to a desired degree. The size and shape of the tamper head can be chosen to apply the desired amount of tamping, and the tamper may be readily removed and replaced with a different one to achieve this.

Figure 8 illustrates an alternative irrigation and mulching sheet to that shown in Figure 6. The sheet 80 is formed with edge portions folded over and sealed to provide a lengthwise chamber 81 along each edge which can be filled ic with water to anchor the sheet in place on the soil. The Figure illustrates use on a raised soil bed 82, with the water chambers 81 lying against the sides of he bed. With conventional mulching sheets, it is necessary to secure the sheets against the wind by weighting down each edge with soil. This involves an addi-tional operation, adding to the cost of installation. With the sheet according to this embodiment of the invention, installation is greatly simplified. Apertures 83 are pre-punched through the sheet at intervals along its length. Typically, these would be at a pitch of 40 or 50cm. Alongside each longitudinal set of apertures 83 (Figure 8 shows only one set, but in practice multiple rows could be used) is provided a pair of conduits 84 and 85 attached to the sheet, or integrally formed therewith by folding and sealing the sheet, perforated at intervals along their length to permit controlled release therefrom of irrigating water from one of the conduits and fertilising or other treating solution from the other. In each case, the liquid will be supplied to each conduit at one end thereof.

An alternative form of irrigation and mulching sheet (not shown) is formed from two layers of plastics material welded together longitudinally to form lengthwise compartments and the conduits as described with reference to Figure 8. The apertures for the plants are then formed with welded edges to ensure a continuous liquid seal so that the compartments can be filled with wa- ter to provide stability for the sheet and some thermal insulation. This can pro-vide earlier maturing of the crop, thereby enhancing its value. To protect from the effects of frost, it would be possible to circulate water through the compart-Specthcation SEARBYA-P1 397 GBA2OO6-O7-1 2 ments along the sheet, warming the water before circulation to maintain it above freezing point.

Specification SEAABYAP1397 GBA-2OO6-O7-12

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A seed drill for positioning individual seeds in soil, the drill com-prising a carriage movable over a soil surface, a pointed hollow beak carried by the carriage and having first and second beak members hingedly connected to-gether and openable to release a seed contained within the beak, and means for supplying seeds individually to the interior of the beak, the beak being mov-able in a cycle over a closed path relative to the carriage as the carriage moves forward over the soil, whereby the beak moves downwards so that a tip portion of the beak penetrates the soil surface, rearwards to maintain a fixed position in the soil while the first and second beak members are hinged open to release a seed, upwards out of the soil, and then forwards in readiness for the next cycle, the beak being closed after lifting out of the soil to permit the next seed to be supplied to the interior of the beak.

2. A seed drill according to Claim 1, wherein the beak is mounted on the carriage in such a manner as to permit the depth to which the tip portion penetrates the soil can be selectively varied.

3. A seed drill according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the carriage has a pair of wheels engaging the soil and rotated by the motion of the carriage rela- tive to the soil, each wheel being linked to an eccentric mounting, and a cou-pling bar is pivotally connected at each end thereof to a respective one of the mountings so as to follow an elongate rotary path as the wheels rotate, the beak being mounted on the coupling bar so as to move therewith.

4. A seed drill according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, comprising a seed-dispensing device mounted on the carriage and arranged to supply seeds mdi-vidually to the beak.

5. A seed drill according to Claim 4, wherein the seed-dispensing device is arranged to drop individual seeds into a funnel at the top of a tube connected to the beak.

6. A seed drill according to Claim 4, wherein the seed-dispensing device is connected to the beak by a flexible pipe.

Specdicatucn SEARBYA-P 1397 GBA--2006-07-1 2 7. A seed drill according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second beak members are caused to hinge open by a control arm linked be-tween a lever on one of the members and a pivoting slide link on the carriage.

8. A seed drill according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the first and second beak members are caused to hinge open by an electrical actuator.

9. A seed drill according to Claim 8, wherein operation of the actua-tor is controlled by a timing signal provided by a transducer detecting motion of one of the wheels.

10. A seed drill according to Claim 8, wherein operation of the actua-tor is controlled by a timing signal provided by a transducer detecting motion of the coupling bar.

11. A seed drill according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the first and second beak members are caused to hinge open by a hydraulic actuator or a pneumatic actuator.

12. A seed drill, substantially as described with reference to, and/or as shown in, the drawings.

13. A method of cultivation comprising laying plastics sheeting over soil, the sheeting being provided with planting apertures therealong, and using a seed drill according to any preceding claim to sow a seed into the soil beneath each aperture.

14. A method according to Claim 13, wherein the plastics sheeting is opaque sheeting.

15. A method according to Claim 13 or 14, wherein the plastics sheet-ing comprises integral conduits for irrigation water supply, the conduits having outlets spaced therealong.

16. A method according to Claim 15, wherein the plastics sheeting comprises a first and a second of said integral conduits extending lengthwise of the sheeting adjacent to the or each line of apertures spaced along the sheet- ing, comprising supplying irrigating water to the first of the conduits and treat-ment chemicals to the second of the conduits.

17. A method according to Claim 16, wherein the treatment chemicals comprise fertiliser.

Specification SEARBYAP1 397 GBA2OO6-O7-1 2

18. A method according to Claim 16, wherein the treatment chemicals comprise pesticides.

Specification SEARBYAP1 397 GBA2OO6-O7-1 2