Fertilizer applying knife assembly

Claim 2

A fertilizer applying knife assembly comprising: (a) an elongated shank capable of being connected to an agri-cultural implement and having a leading edge and a trailing edge, said shank being a planar member of steel and having op-posite side surfaces and a free end; (b) a wear point of cast high chrome alloy iron and having a leading portion in engage-ment with said shank leading edge and a shoe portion in engage-ment with said shank free end; (c) said wear point leading portion and shoe portion having a thickness greater than the thickness of said shank; (d) said wear point leading portion and shoe portion being welded along the length thereof to said shank leading edge and free end respectively with the greater thickness of the wear point portions protecting said welds; (e) an elongated fertilizer tube spaced from and in trailing relation to said shank trailing edge and having one end portion with discharge ports adjacent said wear point shoe, said fertil-izer tube having a transverse dimension less than the thickness of the shank; and (f) an elongated shield in trailing rela-tion to said shank trailing edge and secured thereto by welding, said shield and shank defining an elongated enclosure for said fertilizer tube extending to adjacent the discharge ports thereof.

Claim 3

A fertilizer applying knife assembly as set forth in Claim 1 wherein: (a) said elongated shield is spaced from an exterior surface of and surrounding said fertilizer tube and has opposite side portions thereof secured to said shank trail-ing edge in a manner to define an air space surrounding said fertilizer tube, said shield having one end thereof spaced from said wear point shoe portion so that said fertilizer tube dis-charge ports are operative for flow of fertilizer into a furrow opened by said wear point; (b) said shield being tubular with a diameter not greater than the width of the shank and engaging a trailing edge of said shank; and (c) said shield being secured to said shank by respective hard facing welds each ex-tending along the length of and rearwardly from adjacent said shank opposite side surfaces to sides of said shield whereby said shield is protected by the thickness of said hard facing welds.

Claim 4

A fertilizer applying knife assembly as set forth in Claim 1 wherein: (a) said wear point leading portion and shoe portion are welded along the length thereof to said opposite side surfaces adjacent said shank leading edge and free end respectively whereby the welds are protected by the greater thickness of said sear point portions; (d) said elongated fertilizer tube is adjacent said shank trailing edge and has one end portion thereof secured to said wear point shoe portion, said fertilizer tube has discharge ports in said one end portion thereof for outwardly flow of fertilizer therefrom; (e) said elongated shield is spaced from an exterior surface of and surrounding said fertilizer tube and has opposite side portions thereof secured to said shank trailing edge in a manner to define an air space surrounding said fertilizer tube, said shield having one end thereof spaced from said wear point shoe portion so that said fertilizer tube discharge ports are operative for flow of fertilizer into a furrow opened by said wear point; (f) said shield is generally tubular with a diameter less than the thickness of the shank and engages a trailing edge of said shank; and (g) said shield is secured to said shank by res-pective hard facing welds each extending along the length of and rearwardly from adjacent said shank opposite side surfaces to sides of said shield whereby said shield is protected by the thickness of said hard facing welds.

Claim 5

A fertilizer applying knife assembly as set forth in Claim 3 wherein: (a) said wear point shoe portion diverges outwardly and rearwardly and has a trailing end with a downward-ly and rearwardly opening notch forming lateral wings and a central groove above said notch; (b) said fertilizer tube one end portion is received within said wear point groove and the end thereof extends below the wings for protection thereby; and (c) said fertilizer tube being secured to said shield adja-cent said one end portion.

Claim 6

A fertilizer applying knife assembly as set forth in Claim 1 wherein: (a) said wear point shoe portion has a trailing end portion wider than a leading portion thereof, said trailing end portion has a downwardly and rearwardly opening notch forming lateral wings; (b) said elongated fertilizer tube has an end of said one end portion downwardly into said notch below said wings, said fertilizer tube one end portion has said discharge ports therein located in said notch for outwardly flow of fertilizer therefrom; and (c) said elongated shield is spaced from an exterior surface of and surrounding said fertilizer tube and has opposite side portions thereof secured to said shank trailing edge in a manner to define an air space surrounding said fertilizer tube, said shield has one end there-of substantially engaging said trailing end of said wear point shoe portion so that said fertilizer tube discharge ports are operative for flow of fertilizer into a furrow opened by said wear point.

Claim 7

A fertilizer applying knife assembly as set forth in Claim 5 wherein: (a) said shank is a planar member having opposite side surfaces; (b) said shield is generally tubular with a diameter not greater than the thickness of the shank and engages a trailing edge of said shank; and (c) said shield being secured to said shank by respective hard facing welds each extending along the length of and rearwardly from said shank opposite side surfaces to sides of said shield whereby said shield is protected by the thickness of said hard facing welds.

Claim 8

A fertilizer applying knife assembly as set forth in Claim 6 wherein: (a) said wear point leading portion and shoe portion have a thickness greater than a thickness of said shank; and (b) said wear point leading portion and shoe portion are welded along the length thereof to said shank lead-ing edge and free end respectively whereby the welds are pro-tected by the greater thickness of said wear point.