Pre-metering system for feeding different types of seed into a seed meter
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorsChristopher Schoeny, Chad M. Johnson, Jason T. Czapka, Darian E. Landolt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pre-metering system for feeding different types of seed into a seed meter of a planter includes separate feeder wheels that are selectively rotated to deliver different types of seed from on-row storage into the seed meter at a given time. The feeder wheels may be supported by a feeder wheel carrier that may also support various wall and ramped structures, such as upright divider walls and sloped walls that maintain separation between the different types of seeds in the on-row storage and direct the different types of seed toward the individual feeder wheels.
Claims10
A multi-variety planter for planting multiple types of seed in a single planting pass during row-crop planting of an agricultural field, the planter comprising:
- a frame supporting multiple row units;
- an on-row seed storage system that includes multiple compartments arranged at each of the multiple row units for separately storing seeds of multiple types in multiple compartments at the row unit and a single outlet;
- a seed meter at each of the multiple row units configured to singulate seeds for delivery onto an agricultural field, the seed meter having a housing with a single, seed inlet for directing seeds into the seed meter;
- and
- a pre-metering system at each of the multiple row units for feeding different types of seed into the seed meter at different times, the pre-metering system including,
- a feeder wheel carrier arranged between the multiple compartments and the seed inlet of the seed meter housing;
- and
- multiple feeder wheels supported by the feeder wheel carrier, with each one of the multiple feeder wheels arranged to receive seed from a respective one of the multiple compartments and selectively deliver the seed through the outlet to the seed inlet of the seed meter housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.