Seeding machine with seed delivery system

A seed metering and delivery apparatus for use on a row unit of a planting implement for metering seed and delivering the seed to a seed trench in soil during a seeding operation, the seed metering and delivery apparatus comprising:

• a seed meter comprising a seed disk rotatable about a seed disk axis, wherein the seed disk comprises:
• a front face and a rear face;
• and
• a plurality of apertures arranged in a circular pattern, spaced inwardly from an outer edge of the seed disk, and forming a seed path, wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures extends through the seed disk between the front face and the rear face and is configured to retain the seed in place on the front face of the seed disk by a pressure differential across the plurality of apertures,
• wherein the seed meter is configured to move the seed along the seed path to a removal location, and wherein the seed meter is configured to be mounted to the row unit such that the seed disk is held in a substantially vertical orientation and at an angle to a forward travel direction of the row unit;
• a delivery system comprising:
• an elongated housing comprising an upper end, a lower end, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall, and a rear wall, wherein the elongated housing further comprises an upper opening through which the seed is received into the elongated housing and a lower opening through which the seed is discharged from the elongated housing, wherein the elongated housing of the delivery system is configured to move in a seeding direction at a first seeding speed;
• an upper roller rotatable about a first roller axis and a lower roller rotatable about a second roller axis;
• a delivery belt comprising a base member and a plurality of projections having proximal ends extending from the base member and distal ends opposite the proximate ends, wherein the delivery belt is rotatably held within the elongated housing and around the upper roller and the lower roller such that the distal ends of the plurality of projections are disposed proximate at least a portion of an inner surface of the first side wall between the upper opening and the lower opening;
• wherein the delivery belt is configured to move the seed along a delivery path comprising a substantially straight portion, and wherein the delivery belt is configured to discharge the seed from the lower opening of the elongated housing with a discharge velocity having a rearward velocity component in a direction opposite the seeding direction;
• and
• a loading wheel rotatable about a loading wheel axis, wherein the loading wheel is positioned adjacent the front face of the seed disk and at least partially overlapping the seed path at the removal location, wherein the loading wheel is configured to engage the seed retained on the front face of the seed disk and redirect the seed from the seed path into the upper opening of the elongated housing.