Seed cut-off for planters

Claim 2

In a seed dispenser for planters, a stationary wall, a seed selector drum rotatably mounted on said wall and having peripheral openings therein, means for rotating said drum, means for supplying seeds to the interior of said drum, means for delivering air under pressure to the interior of said drum to attract seed to said openings by pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the drum and to carry the seed to a discharge area after a predetermined rotation of the drum, seed cut-off means in the drum, and means for mounting said cut-off means on said stationary wall in the path of the seed carried by said drum, in advance of said discharge area such that when a plurality of seeds are attracted to an opening, causing one or more of these excess seeds to protrude further from said seed selector drum then would a single seed, the excess seed are engaged and dislodged from said seed selector drum, and gauge means carried by said cut-off means, said gauge means engageable with the inner periphery of the drum to maintain the position of the cut-off means relative to said openings to engage and dislodge excess seed from said openings.

Claim 3

The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided for adjusting the position of the cut-off means relative to the gauge means to vary the position of the cut-off means relative to said openings.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 2, wherein the means for mounting the cut-off means on said stationary wall includes yieldable means biasing said gauge means toward the periphery of the drum.

Claim 5

The invention set forth in claim 3, wherein said cut-off means extends transversely of the drum periphery and said gauge means comprises rollers rotatably mounted at the ends of the cut-off means and engageable with the inner periphery of the drum.

Claim 6

The invention set forth in claim 4, wherein an opening is provided in said stationary wall for directing said air under pressure to the interior of the drum, and said mounting means for the cut-off means includes a deflector plate for deflecting the air in the direction of rotation of the drum to said seed discharge area.

Claim 7

The invention set forth in claim 6, wherein said cut-off means is secured to one end of a spring steel supporting member the other end of which is affixed to said deflector plate.

Claim 8

In a seed dispenser for planters including a rotatable seed selector drum having peripheral seed-receiving openings and means for generating a pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the drum to attract seed to said openings and wherein seed held in said openings is carried to a discharge area, Seed cut-off means disposed in the drum in advance of said discharge area comprising, a support, means mounting said support in the drum, and seed engaging means secured to said support in the path of and engageable with the seed carried by said drum such that when a plurality of seeds are attracted to an opening, causing one or more of these excess seeds to protrude further from said seed selector drum then would a single seed, the excess seeds are engaged and dislodged from said seed selector drum during rotation of the drum, the mounting means for said support including yieldable means biasing said support radially outwardly towards the periphery of the drum, said seed engaging means being a brush having bristles, said brush being secured to said support by clamp means frictionally holding the brush against the support and releasable to accommodate radially adjusting the brush to selected positions relative to the periphery of the drum and gauge means maintained on said support and engageable with the inner periphery of the drum to maintain a selected position of the brush relative to the periphery of the drum.

Claim 9

In a seed dispenser for planters including a rotatable seed selector drum having peripheral seed-receiving openings and means for generating a pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the drum to attract seed to said openings and wherein seed held in said openings is carried to a discharge area, Seed cut-off means disposed in the drum in advance of said discharge area comprising, a support, means mounting said support in the drum, and seed engaging means secured to said support in the path of and engageable with the seed carried by said drum such that when a plurality of seeds are attracted to an opening, causing one or more of these excess seeds to protrude further from said seed selector drum then would a single seed, the excess seeds are engaged and dislodged from said seed selector drum during rotation of the drum, the mounting means for said support including yieldable means biasing said support radially outwardly towards the periphery of the drum, said seed engaging means being a brush having bristles, said brush being secured to said support by clamp means frictionally holding the brush against the support and releasable to accommodate radially adjusting the brush to selected positions relative to the periphery of the drum and gauge means maintained on said support and engageable with the inner periphery of the drum to maintain a selected position of the brush relative to the periphery of the drum.

Claim 10

The invention set forth in claim 7, wherein said gauge means comprises a pair of rollers rotatably mounted on said support.