WO1998042177A1

WO1998042177A1 - Arrangement for simultaneously sowing products of different type

Info

Publication number: WO1998042177A1
Application number: PCT/SE1998/000080
Authority: WO
Inventors: Crister Stark
Original assignee: Crister Stark
Priority date: 1997-03-26
Filing date: 1998-01-20
Publication date: 1998-10-01
Also published as: DE19882236T1; SE9701155L; AU5787198A; SE9701155D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to an arrangement (1) for simultaneously sowing products of different type, such as seed, fertilizer, grass seed and/or the like, which are preferably in granular form. The products are transported pneumatically with the aid of at least one blower unit (4) from each of at least two containers (7a, 7b, 7c) for different products via distribution means (9) to a number of separators (11) known per se. The intermixed products are thus first transported together to the separators for the purpose of separating the products there so as to, by means of sowing shares (13), sow each product in its predetermined position in or on the ground respectively. The invention also relates to such an arrangement (1) with at least one closed supply container (50) for product, which is connected to the transport duct (6) downstream of the blower (4).

Description

Apparatus for the simultaneous sowing of different types of products

The present invention relates to an arrangement for simultaneously sowing products of different type, such as seed, fertilizer or the like, according to the introduction of Patent Claims 1 and 10.

Sowing is a task which is performed every season in all plant husbandry. Over the years, increasingly large and increasingly refined and rational systems have been developed. Today, machines have working widths of up to 20 metres in some countries, chiefly in North America. Certain types of machines sow only seed in previously cultivated soil, certain other types of machine sow both seed and fertilizer, and other types of machine again sow seed and/or fertilizer at the same time as the soil is cultivated, in which case it is possible to dispense with prior cultivation.

During sowing, irrespective of the sowing system, it is necessary to "sow" fertilizers and various chemical agents in addition to seed. In the case of so-called sowing- in, a grass seed is sown, which is sown at the same time as the seed. The grass seed is to be located in the surface of the ground, for which reason it is advantageously laid more or less on the soil. Depending on the soil type, the climate zone and the type of crop being cultivated, there are different preferences for how these different products are to be located in the soil in relation to one another. Certain fertilizer substances, for example phosphorus (P) , can advantageously be located in direct conjunction with the seed. On the other hand, nitrogen (N) cannot be located in direct conjunction with the seed. It is known that chemical preparations are to be located in different positions in the soil so as to have optimum effect and the least possible environmental influence depending on a number of different factors.

It is previously known to provide sowing machines with doubled systems in order to sow one, two or more different types of product at the same time. This results in complicated machines with a great many sowing hoses. Often, two or three hoses run to each sowing share. The sowing shares are designed in such a manner that, during sowing, they work in the soil and extend in both depth and laterally. The granular product is conveyed to outlets at different points below (or above) the sowing share so that each individual product will be located in the correct position in relation to moisture, the surface of the ground and other sown product . Known sowing machines today operate using either open or closed systems . The open systems comprise a supply container, in which product, such as seed, fertilizer, grass seed and/or the like, is stored during sowing. Atmospheric pressure prevails in the container, for which reason the container is not pressurized. A blower feeds the product into one or more ejectors which are arranged in the container. The ejectors convey the product to one or more distributor heads which distribute (s) the product to various implement members on the sowing machine, which ensure that the product is located in the ground. A disadvantage cf the open systems is that the ejector (s) require (s) energy, for which reason a high-power blower is necessary in order for the sowing machine to function satisfactorily. An advantage of the open systems is the simple construction of the supply container.

Sowing machines with closed systems comprise one or more pressurized supply containers, in which the product is stored during sowing. In the supply containers, the same pressure prevails as prevails in the pressurized system of the sowing machine. Different types of product can be stored in the various supply containers. Compared with the open systems, a higher pressure can be maintained in the closed systems with the aid of a blower of lower power. The disadvantage of the closed systems is that their construction is more complicated than that of the open systems on account of the need to pressurize and seal supply containers.

The object of the present invention is to sow products of different density and/or different type simultaneously in the ground in an effective manner.

A further object of the present invention is to simplify previously known arrangements of the type mentioned in the introduction.

A further object of the present invention is to produce an arrangement which combines the advantages of an open and a closed system and thus to obtain an arrangement with low energy and maintenance requirements. The objects are achieved by means of an arrangement which has been given the characteristics, which emerge from Patent Claims 1 and 10, taken individually.

Preferred embodiments of the invention have been given the characteristics which emerge from the subclaims.

In the present invention, a number of different types of product, in either granular form or another state, can consequently be conveyed forward to the sowing share in a flexible tube, such as a hose. In the vicinity of the sowing shares, the different products are separated from one another by means of an arrangement known per se, which may be a cyclone or another arrangement, which separates the mixed products from one another. This can be carried out according to specific gravity, friction, grain size or another value. This procedure results in a much simplified machine with fewer sowing lines, fewer parts and with a single or very few distributor (s) , with the possibility of connecting the sowing hoses at the sowing shares in such a manner that the different products are conveyed to the correct place in or on the ground respectively.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, one or more different types of product, in either granular form or another state, can be conveyed forward through the closed system to the open system in the open supply container in order then to be distributed to the implement members in a flexible tube, such as a hose. This results in a much simplified machine with lower energy requirements and fewer components, which makes the machine easy to maintain and economical to use. The invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which show preferred embodiments .

Figure 1 shows a partially sectioned side view of an arrangement according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view through a sowing furrow in the ground in order to illustrate the setting-out of the different types of product.

Figure 3 shows a partial perspective view of a sowing share in the arrangement according to the invention. Figure 4 shows a partial view from the rear of a second embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention. Figure 5 shows a partially sectioned side view of a third embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention. Figure 6 shows a partially sectioned side view of a fourth embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention. As can be seen in Fig. 1, a wheeled arrangement

1 according to the invention is connected to a traction vehicle, such as an agricultural tractor 2, via a towbar 3. The arrangement 1 comprises a blower 4 which is driven via a shaft 5 connected to the tractor, a tube 6 which, via three supply containers 7a, 7b, and 7c for products, such as seed, fertilizer, grass seed and/or the like, with metering devices 8a, 8b and 8c respectively, conveys the granular products pneumatically to a distributor 9, flexible hoses 10 for onward transport of the products and a separation unit 11 for separating different types of product for setting out in different positions in and/or on the ground via discharge tubes 12a, 12b and 12c respectively behind an implement member in the form of, for example, a sowing share or harrow tooth 13. The granular product, which is in the container 7a, is to be conveyed into the ground via the hose 12a etc. The blower 4, part of the tube 6 and the containers 7a, 7b, 7c are mounted on a front frame 14 which is borne by wheels 15. The remainder of the tube 6 behind a flexible part 16 thereof, the distributor 9, the hoses 10, the sowing shares/sowing harrow teeth 13, the separation unit 11 and the discharge tubes 12a, 12b, 12c are mounted on a rear frame 17 which is borne by wheels 18 which can be raised and lowered for transport of the arrangement as a whole. The front and rear frames 14 and 17 are interconnected by means of a rotatable height-adjustment arrangement 19 consisting of an articulation 20, two links 21, 22 articulated at both ends and two piston and cylinder units 23, 24.

Fig. 2 shows how products of different type have been placed in or on the ground respectively by means of the arrangement according to the invention. Seed 25 is located at a predetermined distance 26 from the surface of the ground. The fertilizer 27 is located at a predetermined distance 28 below the seed. The grass seed is broadcast in the surface of the ground.

Fig. 3 shows a sowing share 13 comprising a support member 29, at the lower end of which a plough- shaped part 30 with an upper holder part 31 is arranged. The three tubes 12a, 12b and 12c are fastened on the holder part 31 by means of fastening devices 32, 33, 34 and extend downwards through the elongate opening 35 of the holder part 31 so that they open with their lower openings 36a, 36b and 36c respectively in the predetermined positions where the products are to be discharged. For example, the front tube 12a can discharge seed, the central tube 12b fertilizer and the rear tube 12c grass seed. So as to broadcast the grass seed on the ground, the rear tube 12c is provided with a broadcasting mouthpiece 37 at the lower opening.

The arrangement 1 according to the invention functions in such a manner that different types of product are fed down into the tube 6 via the metering devices 8a, 8b and 8c which can be adjusted manually or via lines from, for example, the driver's position. From the tube 6, the products are conveyed via the distributor 9 to the flexible hoses 10 and then in turn to a separation unit 11 which is arranged at the end of each hose 10. The separation unit 11 ensures that the granular products are separated in the same way as they were in the containers 7a, 7b and 7c. From the separation units 11, tubes 12a, 12b and 12c convey the separated products to predetermined positions in or on the ground respectively.

Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of the invention, in which a separator 40 is arranged for a pair of adjacent sowing shares 41 and 42. A supply hose 43 conveys the mixed product to the separator from a distributor (not shown) , after which the separated product is conveyed via hoses 44a, 44b and 44c to the two shares 41 and 42 via the branch pieces 45a, 45b and 45c and the hoses 46a, 46b and 46c and 47a, 47b and 47c respectively. Although Fig. 4 shows a separator connected to two sowing shares, it may also be possible to connect a separator to a number of shares . A number of distributors, which serve a group of separators and sowing shares, can also constitute an improvement of the arrangement according to the invention.

An alternative is to arrange a blower unit for each container, there being at least two of these intended for different types of product. The products are transported in an intermixed state via distribution means to a number of separators. In the first, embodiment, a single distributor is shown but the sowing shares can also be divided up into a number of groups which each sort under a distributor. Products are separated by means of each separator and then, via one or more sowing shares connected to the separator, each product is sown in its predetermined position in or on the ground respectively.

Fig. 5 shows a third embodiment of the invention.

According to this embodiment, the blower 4 is connected to a closed transport duct, such as a tube 6. At least one closed supply container 50 for product, such as seed, fertilizer, grass seed and/or the like is connected to the tube 6 downstream of the blower 4 , which closed supply container 50, via the metering device 8, conveys the granular product pneumatically to an open supply container 51 for product, which product may be of the same type as or of a different type to the product which is stored in the closed supply container 50. The open supply container 51 has a connection to the atmosphere. The open supply container 51 is provided with at least one ejector 52 which conveys product from the closed and open supply containers 50, 51 to at least one distributor 9, in which the product from the closed and open supply containers 50, 51 is mixed and distributed to the various implement members 13 of the arrangement, such as sowing shares, harrow teeth or disc shares. The product is conveyed from the distributor 9 to the implement members 13 through flexible hoses 53 and then in turn to a sowing tube 54 which is arranged at the end of each hose 53. The blower 4 , part of the tube 6 and the closed supply container 50 are mounted on a stand (not shown) connected to the frame 55 of the arrangement 1. Alternatively, the blower 4, part of the tube 6 and the closed supply container 50 can be arranged on the towbar 3.

The arrangement according to the third embodiment functions in such a manner that the blower 4 creates a pressure above atmospheric in the tube 6 and the closed supply container 50. The product is fed from the closed supply container 50 down into the tube 6 via a metering device 8 which can be adjusted manually or via lines from, for example, the driver's position. From the tube 6, the product is conveyed with the aid of the air flow from the blower 4 to the open supply container 51 which is provided with at least one ejector 52. The open supply container 51 is also provided with a metering device 56 which feeds the product in the open supply container 9 to the inlet opening 57 of the ejector 52. With the aid of the air flow produced by the blower 4 , the product is conveyed from the closed and open supply containers 50, 51 through the ejector 52 to the distributor 9, in which the product from the closed and open supply containers 50, 51 is mixed and distributed to the various implement members 13 of the arrangement 1 , as described above . According to a fourth embodiment of the invention, shown in Fig. 6, the blower 4 and the closed supply container 50 are located on a bracket 58 arranged in front of the tractor 2. This embodiment of the invention is particularly expedient for sowing in dusty soils, less dust being drawn into the blower 4 compared with when the blower 4 is located behind the tractor 2, as the wheels 59 of the tractor 2 give rise to the creation of a great deal of dust. Alternatively, only the blower 4 may be located in front of the tractor 2.

Alternatively, when a number of closed supply containers 50 are connected to the tube 6, a blower 4 can be arranged for each such closed supply container 50.

It is also possible to provide the arrangements 1 according to the third and fourth embodiments with a separator which is arranged at the end of each flexible hose 53 and separates the intermixed products and then sets out the various products at different levels and in predetermined positions in or on the ground respectively. This function and also the quantity of product discharged from the closed and the open supply containers 50, 51 can be controlled via, for example, a GPS.

The closed supply container 50 according to the arrangements 1 in the third and fourth embodiments can be provided at the top with an opening which can be closed by means of a cover 60. Product can be filled into the closed supply container 50 through the opening. Alternatively, the entire closed supply container 50 can be exchanged when the product in the closed supply container 50 has run out, in which case the closed supply container 50 only has an opening in the end which is connected to the tube 6.

The invention, as described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, can of course be modified within the scope of the accompanying patent claims.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Arrangement for simultaneously sowing products of different type, such as seed, fertilizer, grass seed and/or the like, which are arranged to be transported pneumatically by means of at least one blower unit (4) from each of at least two supply members (7a, 7b, 7c) for different products via distribution means (9) to a number of implement members (13; 41, 42) for sowing the products in mutually different predetermined positions in the ground, characterized by a closed transport duct (6, 10; 43), preferably a tube and/or hoses, for the common transport of said products from said supply members to the ground and by separation units (11; 40) known per se for, at the end of the transport duct, separating the products for sowing in said different positions in the ground .

2. Arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized by at least two, preferably three, containers (7a, 7b, 7c) with different types of product.

3. Arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each separation unit (11; 40) is connected to at least one sowing share (13; 41, 42) .

4. Arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said separation unit (11; 40) is a cyclone.

5. Arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 - 3, characterized in that said separation unit (11; 40) is a vibrator conveyor.

6. Arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that said separation unit (11; 40) comprises an in the main vertical tube with an internal configuration which causes the products to be separated before they reach the lower mouth of the tube.

7. Arrangement according to any one of Claims 3 - 6 , characterized in that said sowing share (13; 41, 42) has a plough-shaped front part (30) which is shaped in such a manner that it can plough up a broad furrow, behind which products are supplied at different . predetermined distances from the front end of the plough in such a manner that the sown products are located at different depths and at different distances from one another.

8. Arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supply members (7a, 7b,

7c) comprise closed supply containers, in which a pressure above atmospheric created by the blower unit (4) prevails .

9. Arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distribution member (9) is arranged in an open supply container for product, which has a connection to the closed transport duct (6, 10; 43) .

10. Arrangement with a sowing system for simultaneously sowing products of different type, such as seed, fertilizer, grass seed and/or the like, comprising at least one blower (4) which, via a closed transport duct (6) , preferably a tube, is connected to an open supply container (51) for product, from which open supply container (51) one or more hoses or tubes (53) are arranged to convey the product to a number of implement members (13) , arranged in the arrangement (1) , for sowing product in the ground, characterized in that at least one closed supply container (50) for product is connected to the transport duct (6) downstream of the blower (4) .

11. Arrangement according to Claim 10, characterized by at least two, preferably three, closed supply containers (50) with different types of product.

12. Arrangement according to Claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the blower (4) is arranged to create a pressure above atmospheric in the closed supply container (50) .

13. Arrangement according to any one of Claims 10 - 12, characterized in that the blower (4) and the closed supply container (50) are arranged on a frame (55) for the arrangement (1) .

1 . Arrangement according to any one of Claims 10 - 12, characterized in that the blower (4) is arranged in a front region of a traction vehicle (2) for the arrangement (1).

15. Arrangement according to Claim 14, characterized in that the closed supply container (50) is also arranged in die front region of the traction vehicle (2).

16. Arrangement according to any one of Claims 10 - 15, characterized in that separation units are arranged on the hoses or the tubes (10) after the open supply container (9) in order to separate products of different types for different positions in the ground.