Tool bar planter system for combines
OwnerMichael J. Kaufmaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for adapting a tool bar planting system to the front of an agricultural combine. The tool bar is secured to the front framework of the combine after the grain head has been removed. The tool bar includes folding extension arms that allow for various planting and transporting configurations. Planter seed units are attached to the tool bar and the extension units to complete the planting system. Seeds for the planter seed units are stored in the grain storage bin on the combine and delivered to the individual planter seed units by an air conveying system.
Claims16
A push-driven planting implement for mounting onto the front of a combine in place of a detachable grain head, the combine including a frame and a throat portion extending forward of the frame, said planting implement comprising:
- (a) a tool bar frame;
- (b) a mounting system connected to the tool bar frame for mounting said tool bar frame on a combine frame of a combine, said tool bar frame being positioned forwardly of and spaced-apart from a throat of the combine;
- and
- (c) a plurality of planter seed units mounted onto said tool bar frame.
A push driven planting implement for mounting onto the front of a combine in place of a detachable grain head, the combine including a frame and a throat portion extending forward of the frame, said planting implement comprising:
- (a) a tool bar frame for positioning around a throat of a combine, said tool bar frame having a horizontal, U-shaped center tool bar and a pair of side tool bars extending perpendicularly and horizontally from each end of the U-shaped center tool bar, said side tool bars creating opposing frame ends;
- (b) an upper mounting member with opposing ends, one end of said upper mounting member is pivotly connected to said tool bar frame, the other end of said upper mounting member pivotly fixed to a combine frame of said combine;
- (c) two lower mounting members and a hydraulic positioning system, said lower mounting members extending from said tool bar frame to the hydraulic positioning system mounted on the combine frame so that the hydraulic positioning system when activated or deactivated raises or lowers the tool bar frame, said tool bar frame being positioned forwardly of and spaced apart from the throat of the combine;
- (d) a pair of folding extension units pivotly mounted on each opposing end of the tool bar frame, said folding units each having a first arm pivotly attached to a second arm;
- (e) six planter seed units mounted onto said tool bar frame, said planter seed units mounted to provide thirty inch row spacings;
- (f) three planter seed units mounted onto said second arm of each folding extension unit, said planter seed units mounted to provide thirty inch row spacings;
- (g) an extension frame centrally positioned and mounted onto said tool bar frame, said extension frame capable of holding an optional thirteenth planter seed unit;
- and
- (h) a means for articulating the first and second arms of said folding extension units into a twelve row thirty inch planting pattern so that the first arm extends outward in a linear fashion from the ends of said tool bar frame with the second arm fully retracted against and parallel with the first arm, and into a full thirteen row fifteen inch planting pattern, when the optional thirteenth planter seed unit is attached to said extension frame, so that the second arm is positioned at an acute angle with the first arm and the first arm is moved inward at an acute angle with the tool bar frame so that the second arms overlay said extension frame and the three units on each of said second arms are positioned in front of and between the planting seed units on said base frame.
A push driven planting implement for mounting onto the front of a combine in place of a detachable grain head, the combine including a frame and a throat portion extending forward of the frame, said planting implement comprising:
- (a) a tool bar frame;
- (b) an upper mounting member with opposing ends, one end of said upper mounting member is pivotly connected to said tool bar frame, the other end of said upper mounting member pivotly fixed to a combine frame of a combine;
- (c) two lower mounting members and a hydraulic positioning system, said lower mounting members extending from said tool bar frame to the hydraulic positioning system mounted on the combine frame so that the hydraulic positioning system when activated or deactivated raises or lowers the tool bar frame, said tool bar frame being positioned forwardly of and spaced apart from a throat of the combine;
- (d) a pair of folding extension units pivotly mounted on each opposing end of the tool bar frame, said folding units each having a first arm pivotly attached to a second arm;
- (e) a plurality of planter seed units mounted onto said tool bar frame;
- (f) a plurality of planter seed units mounted onto said second arm of each folding extension unit;
- and
- (g) means for articulating the first and second arms of said folding extension units into a wide planting array so that the first arm extends outward in a linear fashion from the ends of said tool bar frame with the second arm fully retracted against and parallel with the first arm, and into a narrow planting or transporting array so that the second arm is positioned at an acute angle with the first arm and the first arm is moved inward at an acute angle with the tool bar frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.