Positive pressure feed wheel

Claim 2

A seed selecting device for a planter comprising, a generally cylindrical housing having a seed supply, a rotary member rotatably mounted in said housing having a hollow hub portion under atmospheric pressure and radially projecting seed pick up fingers, each of said fingers having a central bore and a seed engaging port of smaller diameter than the seed and providing communication through said bore between the interior of the housing and said hollow hub portion, said housing having an inlet therein for supplying air under pressure greater than atmospheric, whereby positive air pressure at said port constrains seed to adhere to said port, and a hollow actuating member stationarily mounted interiorly of said hub portion having a radial outlet successively registrable with the central bores in said fingers during rotation of the rotary member, said actuating member having means for delivering thereto air under pressure greater than that in the interior of said housing to overcome the pressure in said housing and dislodge seed from said port, a seed discharge outlet formed in said housing at a location such that said discharged seed passes through said outlet.

Claim 3

The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein said port is disposed perpenDicularly to said central bore in the direction of rotation of said rotary member in the path of seed in said supply.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 2, wherein the axial length of said rotary member is substantially equal to that of said housing and a plurality of circumferentially spaced seed pick up fingers are arranged in parallel planes lengthwise of said rotary member.

Claim 5

The invention set forth in claim 2, wherein said actuating member is tubular and is provided with a radially projecting tubular nozzle terminating adjacent the inner wall of said hub portion and having its outer end successively registrable with the bores in said fingers during rotation of the rotary member to discharge into said bores jets of air at a pressure greater than that in said housing.

Claim 6

The invention set forth in claim 4, wherein a conduit is connected to said outlet and directed tangentially downwardly therefrom in the path of seed discharged from said ports to receive the seed and guide it to the ground.

Claim 7

In a planter having a supporting frame, seed hopper and furrow opener means mounted on the frame, and seed selecting means disposed between the hopper means and the furrow opener means comprising, a stationary cylindrical housing, means extending between the hopper means and said housing for directing seed thereto to form a seed supply in the lower portion thereof, a hollow rotary member coaxially mounted in said housing for rotation therein, circumferentially spaced radially projecting seed selecting fingers mounted on said rotary member and engageable with the seed, each of said fingers having a central passage therethrough providing communication between the interior of said rotary member and the interior of said housing, the interior of said rotary member being vented to the atmosphere, a hollow stationary actuating member coaxially mounted in said rotary member, a radially projecting nozzle in said actuating member having an opening at its end successively registrable with the passages in said seed selecting fingers, each of said fingers having a port in the leading edge thereof communicating with said passage, means for directing air to the interior of said housing under pressure greater than atmospheric to force seed against said port to be held there during rotation of the rotary member, means for directing air to the interior of said stationary member under pressure greater than that in said housing and operable to eject the seed from said port upon registration of the opening in said nozzle with the passage in successive of said fingers after a predetermined rotation of said rotary member, and an outlet in said housing for discharging the ejected seed to the furrow opener means.

Claim 8

In a planter having a supporting frame, seed hopper and furrow opener means mounted on the frame, and seed selecting means disposed between the hopper means and the furrow opener means comprising, a stationary cylindrical housing, means extending between the hopper means and said housing for directing seed thereto to form a seed supply in the lower portion thereof, a hollow rotary member coaxially mounted in said housing for rotation therein, circumferentially spaced radially projecting seed selecting fingers mounted on said rotary member and engageable with the seed, each of said fingers having a central passage therethrough providing communication between the interior of said rotary member and the interior of said housing, the interior of said rotary member being vented to the atmosphere, a hollow stationary actuating member coaxially mounted in said rotary member, a radially projecting nozzle in said actuating member having an opening at its end successively registrable with the passages in said seed selecting fingers, each of said fingers having a port in the leading edge thereof communicating with said passage, means for directing air to the interior of said housing under pressure greater than atmospheric to force seed against said port to be held there during rotation of the rotary member, means for directing air to the interior of said stationary member under pressure greater than that in said housing and operable to eject the seed from said port upon registration of the opening in said nozzle with the passage in successive of said fingers after a predetermined rotation of said rotary member, and an outlet in said housing for discharging the ejected seed to the furrow opener means.

Claim 9

The invention set forth in claim 6, wherein a plurality of laterally spaced furrow openers are mounted on the frame and a plurality of seed selecting means are mounted on the frame at laterally spaced locations for selecting and discharging seed to the furrows formed by said furrow openers.

Claim 10

The invention set forth in claim 7, wherein separate seed hoppers are provided on the frame for each of said seed selecting means.

Claim 11

The invention set forth in claim 6, wherein said seed selecting means includes a single elongated cylindrical housing in which said rotary member and said actuating member are concentrically mounted and substantially coextensive with the axis thereof, a plurality of laterally spaced outlets being provided in said housing for directing seed to said furrow openers.

Claim 12

A seed selecting device for a planter comprising, a housing having a seed supply, a rotary member rotatably mounted in said housing having a hollow hub portion under atmospheric pressure and radially projecting seed pick up fingers, each of said fingers having a duct extending lengthwise thereof and a seed engaging port of smaller diameter than the seed and providing communication through said port and said duct between the interior of the housing and said hollow hub portIon, said housing having an inlet for supplying air under pressure greater than atmospheric, whereby positive air pressure at said port constrains seed to adhere to said port, and a hollow actuating member mounted interiorly of said hub portion having outlet means successively registrable with the central bores in said fingers during rotation of the rotary member and during adherence of seed to the ports of said fingers, said actuating member having means operable during such registration for delivering to the radial ducts air under pressure greater than that in the interior of said housing to overcome the pressure in said housing and dislodge seed from said ports of the registered fingers, a seed discharge outlet formed in said housing at a location such that said discharged seed passes through said outlet.

Claim 13

A seed selecting device for a planter comprising, a housing having a seed supply, a rotary member rotatably mounted in said housing having a hollow hub portion under atmospheric pressure and radially projecting seed pick up fingers, each of said fingers having a duct extending lengthwise thereof and a seed engaging port of smaller diameter than the seed and providing communication through said port and said duct between the interior of the housing and said hollow hub portIon, said housing having an inlet for supplying air under pressure greater than atmospheric, whereby positive air pressure at said port constrains seed to adhere to said port, and a hollow actuating member mounted interiorly of said hub portion having outlet means successively registrable with the central bores in said fingers during rotation of the rotary member and during adherence of seed to the ports of said fingers, said actuating member having means operable during such registration for delivering to the radial ducts air under pressure greater than that in the interior of said housing to overcome the pressure in said housing and dislodge seed from said ports of the registered fingers, a seed discharge outlet formed in said housing at a location such that said discharged seed passes through said outlet.

Claim 14

The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein said ports are disposed to face perpendicularly to said finger ducts and in the direction of rotation of said rotary member in the path of seed in said supply.