Planter and seed meter for planting multiple seed varities
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsElijah B. Garner, Andrew J. Schwartz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seed planter and seed meter for planting different seed varieties based on the location of the machine in a field. A movable gate switches between seed varieties. The gate in one embodiment has three positions; one position opening a first seed passage to the meter and closing a second seed passage, a second position opening the second seed passage and closing the first seed passage and a third position closing both the first and second seed passages. Two other gate embodiments have only two positions, each position opening one seed passage and closing the other.
Claims37
A seed meter comprising:
- a housing having an interior and having an opening in the housing configured to receive first and second seed passages for delivery of seed to the housing interior;
- a metering member within the housing to singulate seed;
- and
- a gate within the housing movable between positions to close or open the seed passages wherein when a seed passage is open, seed is allowed to flow from the seed passage into the interior of the housing and wherein when a seed passage is closed, seed is blocked from flowing into the interior of the housing.
A planter comprising:
- a first tank adapted to hold a first seed;
- a second tank adapted to hold a second seed;
- a plurality of seed meters each having a housing with an interior, the housings having an opening therein for seed to pass into the interior of the housing;
- a seed delivery system adapted to convey seed from the first and second tanks to the meter housings including a plurality of conduits having seed passages coupled to the housings of respective seed meters at the openings therein;
- and
- the seed meters further having a metering member within the housing, and a gate within the housing movable between positions to close or open the seed passages to allow or prevent flow of seed into the meter housing respectively.
A gate for use within a seed meter of a seeding machine, the seeding machine having a conduit forming first and second seed passages for first and second seeds to pass into the meter, the seed meter having a housing having an interior and an opening for seed to pass into the housing from the seed passages and the meter having a metering member therein, the gate comprising:
- a hub portion configured for mounting the gate in the meter housing for rotation about an axis;
- an arm extending radially from the hub portion;
- and
- a paddle portion connected to the arm and adapted to open or close the seed passages based on the position of the gate.
A seeding machine comprising:
- a first tank for holding a first seed;
- a second tank for holding a second seed;
- a seed distribution system for distributing first seed from the first tank and second seed from the second tank, the seed distribution system having a first seed passage for the first seed and a second seed passage for the second seed;
- a seed meter having a housing with an interior, the housing having an opening for the first seed passage and the second seed passage to supply first and second seed to the interior of the housing;
- and
- the seed meter having a gate movable between positions opening and closing the first and second seed passages to enable and prevent first and second seed flowing into the housing, the gate being movable between three positions, a first position opening the first seed passage to the interior of the housing and closing the second seed passage to the interior of the housing, a second position opening the second seed passage to the interior of the housing and closing the first seed passage and a third position closing both the first and second seed passages to the interior of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.