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US 8,616,139 B2Granted
Cultivation air seeder with visually enhanced seed hopper
AssigneeGreat Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsJacob R. Riffel, Verne A. Hubalek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cultivation air seeder has an ornamental facing around three sides of its large, metallic bulk seed hopper to enhance the appearance of the hopper and provide environmental protection for sensitive mechanical, electronic and hydraulic components. A front section of one facing panel on each side of the machine is hinged about a generally upright axis to allow the panel section to be opened and closed like a door for operator access to the components behind it. The facing can be stylishly molded from a synthetic resinous material or other non-metallic substance to facilitate manufacture and is disposed to conceal unsightly weld lines and other imperfections on the exterior surface of the hopper.
Claims33
A cultivation air seeder comprising:
- a mobile frame supporting cultivation tools for working the ground and planting tools for depositing seeds into the ground as the seeder moves along a path of travel;
- a seed hopper mounted on said frame for holding a supply of seeds to be deposited by the planting tools,
- said hopper having a capacity of at least twenty-five bushels and further having an exterior that includes a plurality of exposed exterior surfaces;
- and
- ornamental facing covering at least a substantial amount of said exposed exterior surfaces for enhancing the appearance of the hopper,
- said ornamental facing having a different configuration than said exterior of the hopper and including a plurality of rounded contours.
3 more elements
A cultivation air seeder comprising:
- a mobile frame supporting cultivation tools for working the ground and planting tools for depositing seeds into the ground as the seeder moves along a path of travel;
- a seed hopper mounted on said frame for holding a supply of seeds to be deposited by the planting tools,
- said hopper having a capacity of at least twenty-five bushels and further having a plurality of exposed exterior surfaces;
- and
- ornamental facing covering at least a substantial amount of said exposed exterior surfaces for enhancing the appearance of the hopper,
- said hopper including a plurality of intersecting walls and weld lines at intersections between the walls,
- said exposed exterior surfaces of the hopper including at least certain of said walls and weld lines,
- said walls of the hopper including a pair of opposite sidewalls, a rear wall, and a front wall with respect to the normal direction of travel of the seeder,
- said facing including side ornamental panels covering said sidewalls of the hopper,
- said facing further including a rear ornamental panel covering said rear wall,
- said front wall of the hopper being devoid of a front ornamental panel covering the same.
8 more elements
A cultivation air seeder comprising:
- a mobile frame supporting cultivation tools for working the ground and planting tools for depositing seeds into the ground as the seeder moves along a path of travel;
- a seed hopper mounted on said frame for holding a supply of seeds to be deposited by the planting tools,
- said hopper having a capacity of at least twenty-five bushels and further having a plurality of exposed exterior surfaces;
- and
- ornamental facing covering at least a substantial amount of said exposed exterior surfaces for enhancing the appearance of the hopper,
- said hopper including a plurality of intersecting walls and weld lines at intersections between the walls,
- said exposed exterior surfaces of the hopper including at least certain of said walls and weld lines,
- said walls of the hopper including a pair of opposite sidewalls, a rear wall, and a front wall with respect to the normal direction of travel of the seeder,
- said facing including ands covering said sidewalk of the hopper,
- at least one of said side ornamental panels including a fixed rear section and a hinging front section,
- said hinging front section being swingable between a closed position covering a corresponding portion of the hopper sidewall and an open position uncovering such corresponding portion of the hopper sidewall.
8 more elements
A cultivation air seeder comprising:
- a mobile frame supporting cultivation tools for working the ground and planting tools for depositing seeds into the ground as the seeder moves along a path of travel;
- a seed hopper mounted on said frame for holding a supply of seeds to be deposited by the planting tools,
- said hopper having a capacity of at least twenty-five bushels and further having a plurality of exposed exterior surfaces;
- and
- ornamental facing covering at least a substantial amount of said exposed exterior surfaces for enhancing the appearance of the hopper,
- said hopper including a plurality of intersecting walls and weld lines at intersections between the walls,
- said exposed exterior surfaces of the hopper including at least certain of said walls and weld lines,
- said walls of the hopper including a pair of opposite sidewalls, a rear wall, and a front wall with respect to the normal direction of travel of the seeder,
- said facing including side ornamental panels covering said sidewalls of the hopper,
- said side ornamental panels extending forwardly beyond said front wall of the hopper to present a pair of laterally spaced extended panel sections defining a protected space therebetween,
- further comprising a blower for generating an air stream used in transporting seeds from the hopper to the planting tools,
- said blower being located within said protected space between said extended panel sections.
9 more elements
A cultivation air seeder comprising:
- a mobile frame supporting cultivation tools for working the ground and planting tools for depositing seeds into the ground as the seeder moves along a path of travel;
- a seed hopper mounted on said frame for holding a supply of seeds to be deposited by the planting tools,
- said hopper having a capacity of at least twenty-five bushels and further having a plurality of exposed exterior surfaces;
- and
- ornamental facing covering at least a substantial amount of said exposed exterior surfaces for enhancing the appearance of the hopper,
- further comprising a blower for generating an air stream used in transporting seeds from the hopper to the planting tools,
- said ornamental facing being configured to define a protected space between a pair of panels of the facing,
- said blower being disposed within said protected space.
5 more elements
A cultivation air seeder comprising:
- a mobile frame supporting cultivation tools for working the ground and planting tools for depositing seeds into the ground as the seeder moves along a path of travel;
- a seed hopper mounted on said frame for holding a supply of seeds to be deposited by the planting tools,
- said hopper having a capacity of at least twenty-five bushels and further having a plurality of exposed exterior surfaces;
- and
- ornamental facing covering at least a substantial amount of said exposed exterior surfaces for enhancing the appearance of the hopper,
- said ornamental facing including a plurality of generally upright ornamental panels,
- each of said panels being of generally concavo-convex overall configuration with a generally convex exterior and a generally concave interior,
- each panel having a main web portion and transversely rounded outer margins.
5 more elements
A cultivation air seeder comprising:
- a mobile frame supporting cultivation tools for working the ground and planting tools for depositing seeds into the ground as the seeder moves along a path of travel;
- a seed hopper mounted on said frame for holding a supply of seeds to be deposited by the planting tools,
- said hopper having a capacity of at least twenty-five bushels and further having a plurality of exposed exterior surfaces;
- and
- ornamental facing covering at least a substantial amount of said exposed exterior surfaces for enhancing the appearance of the hopper,
- said facing being generally U-shaped when viewed in top plan having a pair of upright, laterally spaced apart, fore-and-aft extending side ornamental panels, an upright, transversely extending rear ornamental panel extending between rear ends of the side ornamental panels with respect to the normal direction of forward travel of the seeder, an open top, and an open bottom.
3 more elements
An air seeder comprising:
- a mobile frame;
- a bulk seed hopper supported on the frame and having a capacity of at least twenty five bushels,
- said hopper having a plurality of metallic walls presenting exterior surfaces;
- and
- a non-metallic ornamental facing covering at least a substantial amount of said exterior surfaces to enhance the appearance of the hopper,
- said facing comprising a pair of side ornamental panels overlying opposite sidewalls of the hopper and a rear ornamental panel overlying a rear wall of the hopper,
- at least one of said side ornamental panels including a fixed rear section and a hinging front section,
- said hinging front section being swingable between a closed position covering a corresponding portion of the hopper sidewall and an open position uncovering such corresponding portion of the hopper sidewall.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.