Self centering seed shoe for double disk furrow opener

Claim 2

In a planter having a traveling supporting frame, a pair of laterally spaced forwardly converging earth penetrating disks rotatably mounted on the frame, a self-centering runner disposed between the disks rearwardly of the axes thereof, and means for mounting said runner on the frame between said disks for lateral pivoting about a longitudinal horizontal axis, said mounting means including means for lateral pivoting of said runner about a vertical axis.

Claim 3

The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for mounting said runner on the frame comprises a supporting member having means for securing its upper end to the frame, a forwardly extending pivot pin affixed at its rear end to the lower end of the supporting member, and said runner having bearing means with a longitudinally elongated opening therein to slidably receive said pivot pin.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 2, wherein said opening in said bearing means is cylindrical at its rear end and diverges forwardly to provide an elliptical opening accommodating said lateral pivoting of the runner about a vertical axis represented by the rear end of said bearing means.

Claim 5

In a planter having a traveling supporting frame, a seed tube for discharging seed to the ground, a pair of laterally spaced forwardly converging earth penetrating disks rotatably mounted on the frame forwardly of the seed tube, a self-centering furrow forming runner disposed between the disks to groom a path for seed discharged from the tube, and means between the disks for mounting said runner on the frame for free lateral swinging movement thereof comprising, a supporting member disposed between said disks rearwardly of the axes thereof, relatively stationary horizontal pivot means mounted on said supporting member and extending longitudinally therefrom, mating pivot means on said runner pivotally mounted on said relatively stationary pivot means, and securing means accessible from the rear between the diverging edges of said disks for removably securing said supporting member to the frame.

Claim 6

In a planter having a traveling supporting frame, a seed tube for discharging seed to the ground, a pair of laterally spaced forwardly converging earth penetrating disks rotatably mounted on the frame forwardly of the seed tube, a self-centering furrow forming runner disposed between the disks to groom a path for seed discharged from the tube, and means between the disks for mounting said runner on the frame for free lateral swinging movement thereof comprising, a supporting member disposed between said disks rearwardly of the axes thereof, relatively stationary horizontal pivot means mounted on said supporting member and extending longitudinally therefrom, mating pivot means on said runner pivotally mounted on said relatively stationary pivot means, and securing means accessible from the rear between the diverging edges of said disks for removably securing said supporting member to the frame.

Claim 7

The invention set forth in claim 4, wherein one of said pivot means is rotatably received in the other of said pivot means and means for pivoting said runner about a vertical axis.

Claim 8

The invention set forth in claim 4, wherein said securing means comprises threaded bolt means carried by said supporting member, said frame having a tapped opening therein to receive said bolt means.

Claim 9

The invention set forth in claim 6, wherein said supporting member has an upper portion carrying said bolt means and a lower portion spaced rearwardly from said frame, and said relatively stationary pivot means is affixed to and extends forwardly from said lower portion of said relatively stationary pivot means.

Claim 10

The invention set forth in claim 4, wherein said relatively stationary pivot means is a pivot pin affixed at its rear end to said supporting member and extending forwardly therefrom and said mating pivot means is a bearing member on said runner having an opening therethrough to slidably receive said pin.

Claim 11

The invention set forth in claim 8, wherein the free end of said pivot pin projects forwardly from said bearing member, said frame having an opening therein to receive and support the forward end of said pin.

Claim 12

The invention set forth in claim 9, wherein said pivot pin is cylindrical and the opening in said bearing member is cylindrical at its rear end and tapers forwardly to form an elliptical outlet the long axis of which is transverse to the direction of travel of the planter to accommodate lateral movement of the forward end of the runner about a vertical axis represented by the rear end of said bearing opening.

Claim 13

The invention set forth in claim 10, wherein the forward portion of said runner angles upwardly and has affixed thereto a base plate having forwardly converging side edges and laterally shiftable about said vertical axis into scraping relation with the inner faces of said disks to prevent the accumulation of dirt thereon.

Claim 14

The invention set forth in claim 11, wherein said base plate engages and smooths dirt passing between the forwardly converging edges of said disks, and a V-shaped foot is affixed to the runner rearwardly of said base plate to form a seed receiving furrow in the earth smoothed by said base plate.