US 5,402,741 AGranted

Seed planter

OwnerJames R. Truax, Jeffrey A. McClellan +3inventors

InventorsJames R. Truax, Jeffrey A. McClellan, Dean E. Ternus, Larry D. McClellan, Michael J. Kaluza

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Abstract

A seed planter for planting of large or irregular seeds. A housing is mounted on a frame. The frame carries ground working equipment for opening, planting and closing a seed slot. The housing includes interior walls and partitions that divide it into a seed box and a collector. The collector leads to a seed drop opening to deliver seeds for planting in the open seed slot. The seed box has a single seed bin or can be divided into multiple seed bins. A gathering chain is associated with each seed bin. Each gathering chain has one or more seed cups. The gathering chain is positioned to move the seed cups through an inlet opening in each seed bin, up through the seed bin where the seed cup can pick a seed, and out of the seed bin to drop the seed into the collector. The seed cups can be relatively spaced on the gathering chain, and with respect to cup on the other gathering chains, to regulate the spacing between seeds being deposited. Seeds of different species can be located in the various seed bins.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A seed planter comprising:

frame means for movement over ground to be planted with seed;
said frame means carrying ground working means for substantially continuously opening a seed slot in the ground, depositing seed in the seed slot, and closing the seed slot;
at least one seed bin attached to the frame means;
a collector located adjacent the seed bins, said collector having seed drop means for seed delivery, located at a lower portion thereof;
an endless loop gathering chain means associated with each seed bin for lifting seed from the seed bin, said gathering chain means having a forward run in a generally upward direction and a return run in a generally downward direction;
at least one seed cup attached to the gathering chain means and having a cup opening, said seed cup orientated on the gathering chain means so as to be upwardly open on the forward run of the gathering chain means;
an inlet opening at the bottom of each seed bin and an outlet opening toward an upper portion of the seed bin located above the inlet opening and open to the collector;
drive means and idler means affixed to the frame and connected to each gathering chain means for moving and guiding the gathering chain means;
said drive means and idler means positioning the gathering chain means so that upon the forward run of the gathering chain means, the seed cup is moved through the inlet opening of the associated seed bin, upwardly through the seed bin where the seed cup can pick a seed as it moves through a seed supply stored in the bin, and transport the seed to and through the outlet opening to drop the seed in the collector for planting;
each gathering chain means including a roller link chain, said drive means including a drive sprocket corresponding to each roller link chain and connected to the drive shaft, and an idler sprocket connected to the frame means;
fastening means releasably connecting each seed cup to a link of the chain to permit interchanging seed cups and varying the spacing between seed cups on the chain.

8 more elements

A seed planter comprising:

frame means for movement over ground to be planted with seed;
said frame means carrying ground working means for substantially continuously opening a seed slot in the ground, depositing seed in the seed slot, and closing the seed slot;
at least one seed bin attached to the frame means;
a collector located adjacent the seed bins, said collector having seed drop means for seed delivery located at a lower portion thereof;
an endless loop gathering chain means associated with each seed bin for lifting seed from the seed bin, said gathering chain means having a forward run in a generally upward direction and a return run in a generally downward direction;
at least one seed cup attached to the gathering chain means and having a cup opening, said seed cup orientated on the gathering chain means so as to be upwardly open on the forward run of the gathering chain means;
an inlet opening at the bottom of each seed bin and an outlet opening toward an upper portion Of the seed bin located above the inlet opening and open to the collector;
drive means and idler means affixed to the frame and connected to each gathering chain means for moving and guiding the gathering chain means;
and
said drive means and idler means positioning the gathering chain means so that upon forward run of the gathering chain means, the seed cup is moved through the inlet opening of the associated seed bin, upwardly through the seed bin where the seed cup can pick a seed as it moves through a seed supply stored in a bin, and transport the seed to and through the outlet opening to drop the seed in the collector for planting;
said drive means including a drive shaft connected to each gathering chain means;
a ground wheel, means connecting the ground wheel in training relationship to the frame means and in rolling engagement with the ground when the frame means is moved over the ground, said drive means including a power transmission means connected between the ground wheel and the drive shaft.

9 more elements

A seed planter comprising:

a frame movable over ground to be planted with seed;
said frame carrying ground working means for substantially continuously opening a seed slot, depositing seed in the seed slot, and closing the seed slot;
a housing connected to the frame, said housing having walls defining a seed box and a collector adjacent the seed box, said collector having a seed drop opening at a lower portion thereof;
at least one partition dividing the seed box into a plurality of seed bins;
each seed bin having a bottom wall and an upright wall;
a chain assembly associated with each seed bin including an endless loop gathering chain, and a drive sprocket and an idler sprocket carrying the gathering chain, said gathering chain having a forward run in a generally upward direction and return run in a generally downward direction;
a plurality of seed cups removably attachable to the gathering chain, each seed cup having a seed cup opening for accommodation of a seed;
each seed bin having an inlet opening at a lower portion thereof and an outlet opening at an upper portion thereof;
said drive sprocket and idler sprocket affixed to the housing to position the forward run of the gathering chain so that it passes through the inlet opening, upwardly in the seed bin, and out the outlet opening;
means for driving the drive sprockets to move the gathering chains;
at least one seed cup releasably attached to each gathering chain oriented to be upwardly open on the forward run of the gathering chain as the seed cup moves through the seed bin to pick a seed from the seed bin and discharge the seed to the collector upon passing through the outlet opening and over the idler sprocket where the seed cup moves to a downwardly open orientation;
and
a drive shaft rotatably affixed to the housing for axial rotation, said drive sprockets being affixed to the drive shaft, said means for driving the drive sprockets including power means to rotate the drive shaft.

10 more elements

A seed planter comprising:

a frame movable over ground to be planted with seeds;
said frame carrying ground working means for substantially continuously opening a seed slot, depositing seed in the seed slot and closing the seed slot;
a housing mounted on the frame and having a pair of lateral side walls, a back housing wall and a front housing wall;
a seed box front wall extended laterally between the side walls of the housing rearwardly of the housing front wall;
a seed box bottom wall extended between the housing side walls and connected to the lower edge of the seed box front wall at the front edge thereof and connected to the housing back wall at the rear edge thereof;
one or more vertical partitions generally parallel to the housing side walls and connected to the seed box front wall and seed box bottom wall to form a plurality of seed bins;
a collector formed between the front wall of the housing and the front wall of the seed box and having downwardly converging collector walls terminating in a seed drop opening;
a generally horizontal drive shaft extended between and rotatably assembled to the side walls of the housing for axial rotation;
power means for rotation of the drive shaft;
a plurality of seed picking assemblies, one seed picking assembly associated with each seed bin, each seed picking assembly including a gathering chain, a drive sprocket mounted on the drive shaft and an idler sprocket connected to the housing, said gathering chain being assembled to the drive sprocket and the idler sprocket;
each seed bin having an inlet opening in the bottom wall, and an outlet wall located above the inlet opening;
each gathering chain having a forward run in a generally upward direction, and a return run in a generally downward direction;
a plurality of seed cups releasably attached to the gathering chains, oriented to be upwardly open when travelling on the forward run of the gathering chain;
and
each drive sprocket and idler sprocket being positioned to position the gathering chain with respect to the associated seed bin so that the forward run of the gathering chain is closely proximate the seed box front wall so that upon the forward run of the gathering chain, seed cups enter the seed bin through the inlet opening and travel upward through the seed bin to pick a seed, and exit the seed bin through the outlet opening, travelling over a sprocket and dropping the seed into the collector.

12 more elements

A seed planter comprising:

a frame movable over ground to be planted with seed;
said frame carrying ground working means for substantially continuously opening a seed slot, depositing seed in the seed slot, and closing the seed slot;
a housing connected to the frame, said housing having walls defining a seed box and a collector adjacent the seed box, said collector having a seed drop opening at a lower portion thereof;
said seed box having at least one seed bin;
each seed bin having a bottom wall and an upright wall;
a chain assembly associated with each seed bin including an endless loop gathering chain, a drive sprocket and an idler sprocket carrying the gathering chain, said gathering chain having a forward run in a generally upward direction and a return run in a generally downward direction;
a plurality of seed cups affixed to the gathering chains, each seed cup having a seed cup opening for accommodation of a seed, an arm connected at one end to the seed cup and at the other end to the gathering chain;
each seed bin having an inlet opening at a lower portion thereof and an outlet opening at an upper portion thereof;
a slot extended between the inlet opening and the outlet opening of each seed bin;
said drive sprocket and idler sprocket affixed to the housing to position the forward run of the gathering chain parallel cup through the inlet opening and up through the seed bin with the arm attached to the seed cup and travelling through said slot, so that the seed cup will pick a seed from a seed bin and discharge, the seed to the collector upon passing through the outlet opening;
and
means for driving the drive sprockets to move the gathering chains.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.