Hydraulic seed clutch actuator for seed drills

A hydraulic actuator for a seed clutch in a seed drill, the seed drill including a hydraulically actuated raising and lowering system linked to a first valve for selectively supplying pressurized fluid to a hydraulic seed drill raising piston and cylinder unit to raise the seed drill and a second valve which selectively supplies pressurized fluid to the hydraulic seed drill raising piston and cylinder unit to lower the seed drill and including a seed metering shaft selectively driven by a seed clutch, when engaged, the seed clutch including a cam plate movable between a first position in which the seed clutch is engaged and a second position in which the seed clutch is disengaged, comprising:

• a) a hydraulic seed clutch actuating piston and cylinder unit which is separate from the hydraulic seed drill raising piston and cylinder unit, said clutch actuating hydraulic piston and cylinder unit including a double action cylinder with a first input connected to said first valve and a second input connected to said second valve, said clutch actuating piston and cylinder unit including a first end attachable to the seed drill and a second end attachable to the cam plate such that extension and/or retraction of said clutch actuating piston and cylinder unit selectively moves the cam plate between the first and second positions;
• b) a first fluid supply line adapted to connect said first input to said first valve;
• and
• c) a second fluid supply line adapted to connect said second input to said second valve.