Soil opener

A soil opener for driving through soil in a direction of travel, the soil opener comprising:

• a support;
• and
• first and second soil opener units mounted on the support on opposed sides of a central axis;
• wherein the first soil opener unit comprises:
• first and second soil-cutting members, wherein the first soil-cutting member is a leading soil-cutting member and the second soil-cutting member is a trailing soil-cutting member, and
• a first delivery tube with a first exit aperture for releasing material to be deposited in the soil;
• wherein:
• the first soil-cutting member comprises a first rotating disc having a first soil-engaging surface inclined in a first direction (a) at a first angle to a perpendicular to a soil surface when viewed along the direction of travel, the first angle being greater than zero and (b) at a second angle to the direction of travel when viewed along a perpendicular to the soil surface, the second angle being greater than zero, whereby the first rotating disc defines a first leading upwardly-inclined face defining a leading side of the first rotating disc and a first trailing downwardly-inclined face defining a trailing side of the first rotating disc relative to the direction of travel;
• and
• the second soil-cutting member comprises a first fixed blade defining a second soil-engaging surface;
• wherein:
• the second soil-engaging surface comprises a first soil lifting surface projecting laterally relative to the first soil-cutting member, and the first fixed blade is located on the leading side of the first rotating disc;
• and
• the first exit aperture of the first delivery tube is provided adjacent a rear part of the first soil lifting surface;
• and
• wherein second the soil opener unit comprises:
• third and fourth soil-cutting members, wherein the third soil-cutting member is a leading soil-cutting member and the fourth soil-cutting member is a trailing soil-cutting member, and
• a second delivery tube with a second exit aperture for releasing material to be deposited in the soil;
• wherein:
• the third soil-cutting member comprises a second rotating disc having a third soil-engaging surface inclined in a second direction (a) at a first angle to a perpendicular to the soil surface when viewed along the direction of travel, the first angle being greater than zero and (b) at a second angle to the direction of travel when viewed along a perpendicular to the soil surface, the second angle being greater than zero, whereby the second rotating disc defines a second leading upwardly-inclined face defining a leading side of the second rotating disc and a second trailing downwardly-inclined face defining a trailing side of the second rotating disc relative to the direction of travel;
• and
• the fourth soil-cutting member comprises a second fixed blade defining a fourth soil-engaging surface;
• wherein:
• the fourth soil-engaging surface comprises a second soil lifting surface projecting laterally relative to the third soil-cutting member, and the second fixed blade is located on the leading side of the second rotating disc;
• and
• the second exit aperture of the second delivery tube is provided adjacent a rear part of the second soil lifting surface.