Row control system for vacuum operated seed planter
OwnerDavid Burbage, Jr., William S. Warreninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A seed planter having a plurality of vacuum operated seed metering units includes a valve assembly connected between the metering units and the vacuum manifold permitting discrete control of the operation of each metering unit.
Claims12
A row control system for a seed planter:
- a transverse frame for coupling with a tractor;
- a plurality of seed metering units carried by and laterally spaced on the frame operated from a fluid source connected to an elongated manifold carried by and extending along said frame and having outlets adjacent each of said seed metering units;
- a first fluid line having one end fluidly connected with an associated outlet on the manifold;
- a plurality of valve members carried on the frame adjacent an outlet on the manifold;
- first means for fluidly connecting the other end of each first fluid line to an outlet of a valve member;
- second means for fluidly connecting an inlet of said valve member with an associated outlet on the manifold;
- actuator means for selectively moving each said valve member between an open position and a closed position;
- and control means operatively connected to said actuator means for selectively moving said valve member between said open position and said closed position.
In a seed planter characterized by a plurality of seed metering units mounted on a transverse frame and operatively connected to a fluid source connected to a fluid manifold extending along the frame and provided with outlets adjacent each metering unit and a fluid line having a first end normally connecting with an outlet on the manifold and a second end connecting with a seed metering unit, a control system comprising:
- a plurality of valves carried on said frame adjacent each outlet, each valve having a valve inlet for fluid coupling with an outlet on said manifold and a valve outlet for fluid coupling with said first end of said fluid line;
- and control means for selectively moving each valve member between an open position and a closed position.
In a seed planter having a transverse frame carrying a plurality of seed metering units operated through a manifold extending along the frame wherein said manifold has a plurality of manifold outlets adjacent the metering units and wherein a fluid line has a first end connected to an outlet of the manifold and a second end connected to a metering unit, a method for controlling the operation of the metering units comprising the steps of:
- disconnecting said first end of said fluid line from said manifold outlet;
- attaching a valve member to said frame;
- connecting an inlet of said valve member to said manifold outlet;
- reconnecting said first end of said fluid line to an outlet of said valve member;
- and providing control means for selectively actuating said valve member between and open position and a closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.