Ground opener with floating opener body
AssigneeGreat Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsTimothy J. Ptacek, Gregory W. Arnett, Verne A. Hubalek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ground-opening apparatus for an agricultural implement. The ground-opening apparatus comprises an opening disc for excavating a furrow in the ground, and a support assembly securing the opening disc to the agricultural implement. The support assembly comprises an upper bar, a lower bar, a forward bar, and a rearward bar. The upper bar and the lower bar extend generally in parallel relationship. The lower bar and the rearward bar are joined at a lower, rearward joint. A rotational axis of the opening disc extends through the lower, rearward joint of the support assembly.
Claims20
A ground-opening apparatus for an agricultural implement, said ground-opening apparatus comprising:
- an opening disc for excavating a furrow in the ground, wherein said opening disc is configured to rotate about a rotational axis that extends through a center of said opening disc;
- and
- a support assembly securing said opening disc to the agricultural implement,
- wherein said support assembly comprises an upper bar, a lower bar, a forward bar, and an opener body, wherein said upper bar and said lower bar extend generally in parallel relationship, and wherein said lower bar and said opener body are joined at a lower, rearward joint,
- wherein the rotational axis of said opening disc extends through the lower, rearward joint of said support assembly.
An agricultural implement comprising:
- a plurality of ground-opening apparatuses, where each of said ground-opening apparatuses includes—
- an opening disc for excavating a furrow in the ground, wherein said opening disc is configured to rotate about a rotational axis that extends through a center of said opening disc;
- and
- a support assembly securing said opening disc to said agricultural implement,
- wherein said support assembly comprises an upper bar, a lower bar, a forward bar, and an opener body, wherein said upper bar and said lower bar extend generally in parallel relationship, and wherein said lower bar and said opener body are joined at a lower, rearward joint,
- wherein the rotational axis of said opening disc extends through the lower, rearward joint of said support assembly.
A method of forming a furrow with an agricultural implement that includes at least one ground-opening apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) supporting the ground-opening apparatus by a support assembly that includes an upper bar, a lower bar, a forward bar, and an opener body, wherein the upper bar and the lower bar extend generally in parallel relationship, and wherein the lower bar and the opener body are joined at a lower, rearward joint;
- and
- (b) forming the furrow by excavating the ground soil with an opening disc of the ground-opening apparatus, wherein the opening disc is configured to rotate about a rotational axis that extends through a center of the opening disc, wherein the rotational axis of the opening disc extends through the lower, rearward joint of the support assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.