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US 7,571,688 B1Granted
Integrated clutches for a seeding machine
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsMichael E. Friestad, Keith L. Felton, Kevin W. Hoehn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seeding machine having a plurality of seed meters receiving rotary input from a common input shaft. First and second gearboxes respectively connect the common rotary input to individual seed meters. A flexible drive extends from the gearbox adjacent the common rotary input to the seed meters. Spring clutches, normally connected, are electrically actuated to disengage the drive to the individual seed meters. The clutches may be integrated in the gearbox adjacent the rotary drive or the gear box for the individual seed meters.
Claims17
A seeding machine comprising:
- a common rotary drive;
- a plurality of seed meters for metering seeds based on a rotary input,
- flexible drive shafts extending from said common rotary drive to individual seed meters;
- first gearboxes connecting said common rotary drive to said flexible drive shafts and second gearboxes connecting said flexible drive shafts to said seed meters;
- and
- clutches for selectively connecting said common rotary drive to said seed meters, a clutch being integrated into one of said first and second gearboxes for each seed meter, the gearbox containing said clutch having a helical gear and said clutch is operatively connected between said helical gear and said flexible drive shaft.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.