Product distribution apparatus with system and method of automatic meter calibration
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorGrant J. Wonderlich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A product distributing apparatus is described as well as a system and method of automatically calibrating the meter of the apparatus which does not require the operator to leave the operator station of the towing vehicle. One application of such an apparatus and method is in an agricultural air seeder and it is in this context that the apparatus is described.
Claims9
A product distribution apparatus comprising:
- a frame supported at least in part on wheels for movement over a surface;
- a tank for holding a product to be distributed
- a meter adapted to control a rate of discharge of product from the tank;
- a product distribution system receiving product from the meter
- a scale for selectively weighing a quantity of product from the tank;
- and
- a calibration valve to selectively direct product flowing from the meter to one of the distribution system and the scale.
A method of calibrating a meter in a product distribution apparatus, the apparatus having a frame support at least in part on wheels for movement over a surface, a tank for holding a product to be distributed, a meter adapted to control a rate of discharge of product from the tank, a distribution system receiving product from the meter, a scale for selectively weighing a quantity of product from the tank;
- and a calibration valve to selectively direct product from the meter to one of the distribution system and the scale;
- the method comprising:
- moving the calibration valve to a position to direct product from the meter to the scale;
- operating the meter for a period of time while capturing the number of revolutions of the meter during which the product discharged by the meter is collected in the scale;
- weighing the product collected in the scale;
- determining a product discharge rate per revolution of the meter;
- and
- moving the calibration valve to a position to direct product from the meter to the distribution system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.