Multiple sized seed dispenser and turf aerator

A seeder for dispensing seeds of different sizes on the soil, comprising:

• a seed hopper,
• a seed metering tube defining at spaced intervals along its length a series of pairs of seed openings, each pair of seed openings including a seed entrance opening and a seed discharge opening, the seed entrance openings being positioned on opposed sides of the seed metering tube from the seed discharge openings,
• a plurality of seed feed wheels mounted on a common drive shaft positioned in the seed metering tube with each seed feed wheel in registration with a pair of the seed entrance and discharge openings,
• the seed feed wheels each include wheel segments positioned side-by-side, with each wheel segment having a periphery with seed detents formed therein,
• each segment of the seed feed wheels including a smooth cylindrical bearing surface positioned adjacent the seed detents,
• the seed detents of one segment are larger than the seed detents in the other segment in each seed feed wheel, such that the seed feed wheels are capable of dispensing different sized seeds,
• adjustment means for shifting the positions of the seed feed wheels for selective alignment of the lines of seed detents with the pairs of seed openings of the seed metering tube, such that one of the lines of the seed detents of each seed feed wheel can be moved toward registration with the pairs of seed openings of the seed metering tube as the other lines of the seed detents are moved out of registration with the pairs of seed openings of the seed metering tube.

A method of dispensing seeds from a seed hopper, comprising:

• providing a cylindrical seed metering tube with a series of pairs of seed entrance openings and seed discharge openings on opposite sides of the diameter of the seed metering tube at intervals along the length of the seed metering tube for registration with the seed hopper,
• placing a plurality of seed feed wheels at the intervals along the seed metering tube in communication with the a seed hopper, with each seed feed wheel defining at least two peripheral rows of seed detents formed therein and smooth cylindrical bearing surfaces adjacent each of the rows of the detents, with the detents of the peripheral rows being of different breadths than the detents of the other peripheral rows, and with at least one row of detents of each seed feed wheel in registration with one of the pairs of seed entrance openings and seed discharge openings of the seed metering tube
• rotating the seed feed wheels to dispense seeds with one of the rows the of detents of each seed feed wheel from the hopper, and
• shifting the position of the seed feed wheels along the seed metering tube to register the different sized detents of the seed feed wheels to the seed metering tube.