Patent US3636897A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3636897A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for precision planting
Assignee: FMC Corp
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Filing: 1969-02-06
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Granted: 1972-01-25
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Expires: 1989-02-06
Abstract
Abstract Seeds confined within cylindrical-shaped capsules are planted by opening a furrow in soil, retaining each side of the furrow in an upstanding position, depositing on the bottom of the furrow a seed capsule standing on its circumferential surface with both end surfaces aligned in vertical planes extending lengthwise of the furrow, and releasing both sides of the furrow to slide inward and engage the end surfaces of the seed capsule. Seed capsules are planted in such a manner by a planter that includes an earth traversing frame, a plow suspended from the frame for opening a furrow in soil, a pair of sidewalls extending rearwardly from the plow for retaining each side of the furrow in an upstanding position and defining a chute therebetween through which a seed capsule can be deposited on the bottom of the furrow, means for inserting seed capsules into said chute at intervals in relationship to ground movement of the planter to provide precise spacing between capsules at the bottom of the furrow, and means for orienting and feeding seed capsules to said capsule inserting means.
Inventors
- 👤 Edwin H Brink
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 09:16
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01C; A01C7/00; A01C7/20; A01C7/04; A01C7/08; A01C7/12; A01C7/127; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S111/00; Y10S111/915; Y10S111/916
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
A planter for the precision planting of relatively thin, disc-like seed capsules formed of fragile material comprising a frame, means for advancing the frame along the ground; a hopper on said frame having V-bottom walls forming a capsule discharge throat parallel to the direction of planter advance; laterally spaced capsule aligning rolls beneath said hopper having opposed, upwardly turning surfaces that form tangential continuations of said V-bottom hopper walls; closely spaced, generally parallel capsule guide panels depending from a zone within and between lower portions of said rolls and having front and rear edge walls, said roll and panel spacings being just slightly wider than the thickness of the disclike capsules; a vertically disposed rotor element projecting into the space between said panels and having radial single pockets for receiving capsules from between said panels; a planting chute having sidewalls that flank said rotor element and form depending continuations of said guide panels and with the upper end of said chute being open to a lower, downwardly turning portion of said rotor element; and means for synchronously rotating said rotor element and said planter frame advancing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
187 words
A planter for the precision planting of relatively thin, disc-like seed capsules formed of fragile material comprising a frame, means for advancing the frame along the ground; a hopper on said frame having V-bottom walls forming a capsule discharge throat parallel to the direction of planter advance; laterally spaced capsule aligning rolls beneath said hopper having opposed, upwardly turning surfaces that form tangential continuations of said V-bottom hopper walls; closely spaced, generally parallel capsule guide panels depending from a zone within and between lower portions of said rolls and having front and rear edge walls, said roll and panel spacings being just slightly wider than the thickness of the disclike capsules; a vertically disposed rotor element projecting into the space between said panels and having radial single pockets for receiving capsules from between said panels; a planting chute having sidewalls that flank said rotor element and form depending continuations of said guide panels and with the upper end of said chute being open to a lower, downwardly turning portion of said rotor element; and means for synchronously rotating said rotor element and said planter frame advancing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The planter of claim 1, said rotor element being positioned relative to the chute so that each rotor pocket comes into communication with the upper end of said chute when the radius line of said pocket is downwardly inclined from the horizontal by an angle in the range of about 30*-45* .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The planter of claim 1, wherein said aligning rolls comprise soft, resilient material, each roll having a peripheral helical groove extending longitudinally thereof to apply longitudinal forces to capsules positioned transversely of the roll throat and thereby align the capsules longitudinally of the throat.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The planter of claim 1, wherein the front and rear edge walls of said guide panels are provided with downwardly inclined deflectors sloping toward said rotor element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The planter of claim 1, wherein said rotor element is a disc.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The planter of claim 1, wherein said rotor element includes a sprocket chain, a multiplicity of saddles fixed to said sprocket chain at equal spacing therealong with a pocket formed in each saddle shaped to hold a single seed capsule therein, and Spaced sprocket chain wheels rotatably mounted on said frame for driving said chain.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-24 | 1975-07-26 | 1976-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-24 | 1979-07-26 | 1980-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-24 | 1983-07-26 | 1984-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |