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US 6,283,051 B1Granted
Small seed dispenser
OwnerElvis D. Yossinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for dispensing small seeds in which a movable seed carrier plate containing seed receptacles carries seed receptacles to first and second positions. In the first position, a vacuum source draws seeds from a seed reservoir into the seed receptacles. The seed carrier plate then carries the seed receptacles to a second position where a pressure source pushes the seeds from the seed receptacles.
Claims5
A seed dispensing device comprising:
- a housing including a circular face having four channels disposed at 90° intervals about said face and four discharge opening sets of five radially aligned discharge openings spaced angularly between said channels;
- a circular, flat, seed carrier plate having a first side adapted to mate with said face, a second side and twenty four helically arranged sets of five receptacles equi-spaced about said plate such that groups of eight receptacles are, during rotation of said plate, simultaneously and serially in alignment with said channels and said discharge openings to serially discharge groups of eight seeds
- means for rotating the plate to move said receptacles between said channels and said discharge opening sets;
- means for imposing a vacuum at said plate second side from a position where said receptacles register with said channels to a position proximate said discharge opening sets to capture seeds in said receptacles and transport them to the discharge opening sets in response to rotation of said plate;
- and
- means for imposing pressure at said plate second side at said discharge opening sets to dislodge said seeds from said receptacles and propel them through said discharge openings of said discharge opening sets.
3 more elements
A seed dispensing device comprising:
- a housing including a planar, circular face having at least two radially extending seed channels containing seeds and two, angularly spaced intermediate discharge opening sets, each discharge opening set including a plurality of radially spaced discharge openings;
- a circular, flat, seed carrier plate having a first side adapted to mate with said face, a second side and a plurality of helically and radially arranged sets of seed receptacles through said seed carrier plate, said seed carrier plate rotatable within the housing, said seed receptacles disposed to position said receptacles of the sets at the channels and to register with discharge openings of the discharge opening sets;
- a discharge plate connected to the housing to sandwich the seed carrier plate there between;
- means for rotating the seed carrier plate to move said receptacles between said channels and said discharge opening sets;
- means for imposing a vacuum at said discharge plate and seed carrier plate second side from a position where said receptacles sets register with said seed channels to a position proximate said discharge opening sets to capture and retain seeds in said receptacles and transport them to said discharge openings;
- and
- means for imposing pressure at said discharge plate and seed carrier plate second side at said discharge to dislodge said seeds from said receptacles registered with said discharge openings and propel them through said discharge openings.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.