US 4,159,064 A · Seed planter monitor

Abstract

A monitor for use with a multiple row seed planter including a hopper for holding a supply of seeds, a plurality of conduits for carrying seeds to corresponding planting rows, a variable speed rotatable drum for receiving seeds from the hopper and delivering seeds to the conduits, a variable pressure air blower for supplying pressurized air to the hopper and drum to facilitate the seed delivery and a voltage supply source from a tractor or other vehicle pulling the planter. The monitor includes a plurality of sensors for providing a plurality of electrical signals corresponding to the above-mentioned planter functions. The monitor also includes an electronic circuit connected with selected sensors for receiving the electrical signals and for producing a display, as selected by an operator, of the values of the aforementioned functions including a count of the seeds passing through each of the conduits, the value of the air pressure applied to the drum, a rotation count of the drum, and the number of seeds passing through each conduit per drum revolution. The circuits also include circuits connected to selected sensors for producing an alarm signal in response to predetermined conditions of the functions associated therewith, including the level of seeds contained in the hopper, the value of the voltage supplied to the monitor, the rate of passage of seeds through the conduits, and the rotational speed of the drum.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A planter monitor for a seed planting apparatus including hopper means for holding a supply of seeds, a plurality of conduit means for carrying seeds to be planted to corresponding planting rows, variable speed rotatable drum means for receiving seeds from said hopper means and delivering seed to said conduit means, variable pressure means for supplying pressurized air to said drum means to facilitate said seed delivery, said planter monitor comprising:

seed sensor means connected with each of said conduit means for providing a seed signal in response to the passage of seeds therethrough, rotation sensor means connected with said drum means for providing a rotation signal in response to the rotational speed thereof, pressure sensor means connected with said drum means for providing a pressure signal corresponding to said air pressure supplied thereto and circuit means including readout selector means for selecting individual ones of said sensor means to receive the signals provided thereby, first readout circuit means connected with said readout selector means to provide readout signals corresponding to the values of the functions associated with the signals provided by the sensors selected, said monitor further including display means connected with said first readout circuit means for producing a display in accordance with said readout signal.

A planter monitor for a seed planting apparatus including a plurality of conduit means for carrying seeds to be planted to corresponding planting rows and two independently driven variable speed rotatable drum means, each connected with predetermined ones of said conduit means for delivering seeds thereto, said planter monitor comprising:

seed sensor means connected with each of said conduit means for providing a seed signal in response to the passage of each seed therethrough, rotation sensor means connected with each of said drum means for providing respective rotation signals in response to the rotational speeds thereof, and circuit means including readout selector means for selecting individual ones of said seed sensor means and said drum rotation sensor means to receive the signals provided thereby, said readout selector means including means for simultaneously selecting individual ones of said seed sensor means and said rotation sensor means, said circuit means further including readout circuit means connected with said readout selector means for counting said seed signals to provide a readout signal corresponding to the number of seeds passed through the conduit means associated with the selected seed sensor means and for combining said seed signal and said rotation signal to provide a readout signal corresponding to the number of seeds passing through the conduit means associated with the selected seed sensor per revolution of said drum and display means connected with said readout circuit means for producing a display in accordance with said readout signals.

A planter monitor for monitoring a plurality of functions associated with a seed planter wherein a voltage supply is provided connectable to said monitor, said monitor comprising:

a plurality of sensor means each mounted on said planter for detecting one of said functions and providing electrical signals corresponding thereto, circuit means including readout selector means for selecting predetermined ones of said said sensor means to monitor the function associated therewith, readout circuit means connected to said readout selector means for receiving the electrical signals associated with the selected sensor means and providing readout signals corresponding to the value of the function associated therewith in accordance with said electrical signals, indicator circuit means connected to predetermined ones of said sensor means for receiving the electrical signals associated therewith and for providing an indication, simultaneously with said readout circuit means, in response to a predetermined variation of the selected electrical signals from a predetermined value, said indicator circuit means further including means for monitoring said voltage supply and for providing an indication when the value of the voltage supplied thereby is below a predetermined value.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Seed planter monitor

Life of this patent

Seed planter monitor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33