Converging row unit for potato planter
OwnerRainer Borgmann, Evan Steelinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A converging row unit for planting seed potatoes includes a plurality of linear arrays of seed cups, each array disposed upon a flexible endless belt and having an upwardly moveable portion and a downwardly moveable portion. The upwardly moveable portion passes through a seed pick region wherein each seed cup can draw a seed, while the downwardly moveable portion progresses to a point of discharge of the seed. The upwardly movable portion is characterized by the linear arrays being laterally spaced apart from each other. The downwardly moveable portion is characterized by the seed cups of the plurality of linear arrays being alternately interleaved together in a single converged linear array extending to the point of discharge.
Claims10
A converging row unit for planting seed potatoes, comprising:
- first and second linear arrays of seed cups, disposed upon a single flexible endless belt having first and second side edges, the first and second linear arrays being attached to the single endless belt near the first and second side edges, respectively, and having a staggered linear spacing and a lateral spacing therebetween, the flexible endless belt having an upwardly moveable portion that passes through a seed pick region wherein each seed cup can draw a seed, and a downwardly moveable portion that progresses to a point of discharge of the seed;
- the upwardly movable portion characterized by the single endless belt having an open configuration in which the linear arrays are laterally spaced apart from each other;
- and
- the downwardly moveable portion characterized by the single endless belt having an inwardly folded configuration, wherein the seed cups of the first and second linear arrays are alternately interleaved together in a single converged linear array extending to the point of discharge.
A converging row unit for planting seed potatoes, comprising:
- a single flexible endless belt, having first and second side edges;
- a first linear array of seed cups, attached to the single endless belt near the first side edge;
- a second linear array of seed cups, attached to the single endless belt near the second side edge, the first and second linear arrays having a lateral spacing therebetween and a staggered linear spacing;
- the single endless belt having an upwardly moveable portion that passes through a seed pick region, wherein each seed cup can draw a seed, and a downwardly moveable portion that progresses to a point of discharge of the seed;
- the single endless belt having an open configuration within the upwardly moveable portion, and an inwardly folded configuration in the downwardly moveable portion, the inwardly folded configuration characterized by the seed cups of the first and second linear arrays being alternately interleaved together in a single converged linear array extending to the point of discharge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.