Soil conditioner depositing apparatus

Claim 2

An agricultural apparatus operative, upon advance along a vineyard row, to ground-deposit a quantity of dry, free-flowing soil conditioner adjacent each grapevine in the row, and to then discontinue such depositing until the next grapevine is reached; the apparatus comprising a bin for the soil conditioner, a discharge member, a normally inactive mechanism between the bin and discharge member operative, when actuated, to deliver a quantity of the soil conditioner, from the bin, to such discharge member, and means to automatically actuate said mechanism upon the apparatus passing each grapevine; said mechanism including a rotary feeder mounted in communication with the bin and having a rotor turnable to successive positions in each of which the feeder receives a quantity of soil conditioner from the bin and delivers a quantity of soil conditioner to the discharge member, and a rotary ratchet and pawl unit associated with the rotary feeder in actuating relation to the rotor; said means being arranged to actuate said ratchet and pawl unit to turn tHe rotor to one of such positions upon the apparatus passing each grapevine.

Claim 3

An agricultural apparatus operative, upon advance along a vineyard row, to ground-deposit a quantity of dry, free-flowing soil conditioner adjacent each grapevine in the row, and to then discontinue such depositing until the next grapevine is reached; the apparatus comprising a bin for the soil conditioner, a discharge member, a normally inactive mechanism between the bin and discharge member operative, when actuated, to deliver a quantity of the soil conditioner, from the bin, to such discharge member, and means to automatically actuate said mechanism upon the apparatus passing each grapevine; said mechanism including a rotary feeder mounted in communication with the bin and having a pocketed rotor turnable to successive positions in each of which the feeder receives in one pocket a quantity of soil conditioner from the bin and delivers from another pocket a quantity of soil conditioner to the discharge member, and a rotary ratchet and pawl until arranged with and, when actuated, operative to turn the rotor to such successive positions; and said means including, and the ratchet and pawl unit being actuated in response to movement of, a swing arm projecting in connected relation laterally from said ratchet and pawl unit for engagement with, and rearward swinging by, the trunk or supporting stake of each grapevine upon advance of the apparatus.

Claim 4

An agricultural apparatus operative, upon advance along a vineyard row, to ground-deposit a quantity of dry, free-flowing soil conditioner adjacent each grapevine in the row, and to then discontinue such depositing until the next grapevine is reached; the apparatus comprising a bin for the soil conditioner, a discharge member, a normally inactive mechanism between the bin and discharge member operative, when actuated, to deliver a quantity of the soil conditioner, from the bin, to such discharge member, and means to automatically actuate said mechanism upon the apparatus passing each grapevine; said mechanism including a rotary feeder mounted in communication with the bin and having a pocketed rotor turnable to successive positions in each of which the feeder receives in one pocket a quantity of soil conditioner from the bin and delivers from another pocket a quantity of soil conditioner to the discharge member, and a rotary ratchet and pawl until arranged with and, when actuated, operative to turn the rotor to such successive positions; and said means including, and the ratchet and pawl unit being actuated in response to movement of, a swing arm projecting in connected relation laterally from said ratchet and pawl unit for engagement with, and rearward swinging by, the trunk or supporting stake of each grapevine upon advance of the apparatus.

Claim 5

An agricultural apparatus operative, upon advance along a vineyard row, to ground-deposit a quantity of dry, free-flowing soil conditioner adjacent each grapevine in the row, and to then discontinue such depositing until the next grapevine is reached; the apparatus comprising a bin for the soil conditioner, a rotary feeder mounted in connection with the bin and including a vertical cylindrical casing having a bottom plate, and a pocketed rotor journaled in the casing; the casing having a filling opening in communication with the bin, the bottom plate having an outlet opening therein circumferentially spaced from said filling opening, and the pockets in the rotor being formed and disposed so that when the rotor is in a position with one pocket registering with the filling opening to receive soil conditioner from the bin, another pocket registers with the outlet opening to deliver soil conditioner therethrough, a soil conditioner discharge tube leading from the outlet opening, a normally inactive rotary ratchet and pawl unit associated with the rotary feeder and operative, when actuated, to turn the rotor to successive ones of said positions, and means to actuate said ratchet and pawl unit upon the apparatus passing each grapevine.

Claim 6

An agricultural apparatus operative, upon advance along a vineyard row, to ground-deposit a quantity of dry, free-flowing soil conditioner adjacent each grapevine in the row, and to then discontinue such depositing until the next grapevine is reached; the apparatus comprising a bin for the soil conditioner, a rotary feeder mounted in connection with the bin and including a vertical cylindrical casing having a bottom plate, and a pocketed rotor journaled in the casing; the casing having a filling opening in communication with the bin, the bottom plate having an outlet opening therein circumferentially spaced from said filling opening, and the pockets in the rotor being formed and disposed so that when the rotor is in a position with one pocket registering with the filling opening to receive soil conditioner from the bin, another pocket registers with the outlet opening to deliver soil conditioner therethrough, a soil conditioner discharge tube leading from the outlet opening, a normally inactive rotary ratchet and pawl unit associated with the rotary feeder and operative, when actuated, to turn the rotor to successive ones of said positions, and means to actuate said ratchet and pawl unit upon the apparatus passing each grapevine.

Claim 7

An agricultural apparatus operative, upon advance along a vineyard row, to ground-deposit a quantity of dry, free-flowing soil conditioner adjacent each grapevine in the row, and to then discontinue such depositing until the next grapevine is reached; the apparatus comprising a bin for the soil conditioner, a rotary feeder mounted in connection with the bin and including a vertical cylindrical casing having a bottom plate, and a pocketed rotor journaled in the casing; the casing having a filling opening in communication with the bin, the bottom plate having an outlet opening therein circumferentially spaced from said filling opening, and the pockets in the rotor being formed and disposed so that when the rotor is in a position with one pocket registering with the filling opening to receive soil conditioner from the bin, another pocket registers with the outlet opening to deliver soil conditioner therethrough, a soil conditioner discharge tube leading from the outlet opening, a normally inactive mechanism associated with the rotary feeder and operative, when actuated, to turn the rotor to successive ones of said positions, and means to actuate said mechanism upon the apparatus passing each grapevine; the casing having a top plate and the rotor including an axial shaft projecting above said top plate; said mechanism comprisinG a ratchet and pawl unit embodying a spider wheel fixed on the shaft above the top plate, the spider wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial spider arms, a rotary lever journaled for arcuate motion in a horizontal plane above the spider wheel, a pawl depending from the lever in position to engage a spider arm and part-circle turn the spider wheel upon predetermined arcuate motion of said lever; and said means including a swing arm fixed in connection with and projecting laterally outwardly from the lever for engagement with, and swinging by, the trunk or supporting stake of each grapevine upon advance of the apparatus, said arm, when so swung, effecting such predetermined arcuate motion of the lever, and means to return the swing arm to its initial position upon such arm escaping the vine trunk or stake.

Claim 8

An agricultural apparatus operative, upon advance along a vineyard row, to ground-deposit a quantity of dry, free-flowing soil conditioner adjacent each grapevine in the row, and to then discontinue such depositing until the next grapevine is reached; the apparatus comprising a bin for the soil conditioner, a rotary feeder mounted in connection with the bin and including a vertical cylindrical casing having a bottom plate, and a pocketed rotor journaled in the casing; the casing having a filling opening in communication with the bin, the bottom plate having an outlet opening therein circumferentially spaced from said filling opening, and the pockets in the rotor being formed and disposed so that when the rotor is in a position with one pocket registering with the filling opening to receive soil conditioner from the bin, another pocket registers with the outlet opening to deliver soil conditioner therethrough, a soil conditioner discharge tube leading from the outlet opening, a normally inactive mechanism associated with the rotary feeder and operative, when actuated, to turn the rotor to successive ones of said positions, and means to actuate said mechanism upon the apparatus passing each grapevine; the casing having a top plate and the rotor including an axial shaft projecting above said top plate; said mechanism comprisinG a ratchet and pawl unit embodying a spider wheel fixed on the shaft above the top plate, the spider wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial spider arms, a rotary lever journaled for arcuate motion in a horizontal plane above the spider wheel, a pawl depending from the lever in position to engage a spider arm and part-circle turn the spider wheel upon predetermined arcuate motion of said lever; and said means including a swing arm fixed in connection with and projecting laterally outwardly from the lever for engagement with, and swinging by, the trunk or supporting stake of each grapevine upon advance of the apparatus, said arm, when so swung, effecting such predetermined arcuate motion of the lever, and means to return the swing arm to its initial position upon such arm escaping the vine trunk or stake.

Claim 9

An agricultural apparatus operative, upon advance along a vineyard row, to ground-deposit a quantity of dry, free-flowing soil conditioner adjacent each grapevine in the row, and to then discontinue such depositing until the next grapevine is reached; the apparatus comprising a bin for the soil conditioner, a rotary feeder mounted in connection with the bin and including a vertical cylindrical casing having a bottom plate, and a pocketed rotor journaled in the casing; the casing having a filling opening in communication with the bin, the bottom plate having an outlet opening therein circumferentially spaced from said filling opening, and the pockets in the rotor being formed and disposed so that when the rotor is in a position with one pocket registering with the filling opening to receive soil conditioner from the bin, another pocket registers with the outlet opening to deliver soil conditioner therethrough, a soil conditioner discharge tube leading from the outlet opening, a normally inactive mechanism associated with the rotary feeder and operative, when actuated, to turn the rotor to successive ones of said positions, and means to actuate said mechanism upon the apparatus passing each grapevine; there being a gate mounted in the bin in position to control the passage of soil conditioner through said filling opening, the gate being vertically adjustably guided in the bin, means to positionally adjust the gate from exeriorly of the bin, and means associated with said gate-adjusting means providing a visual indicator, exteriorly of the bin, of the position of the gate relative to said filling opening.

Claim 10

An agricultural apparatus operative, upon advance along a vineyard row, to ground-deposit a quantity of dry, free-flowing soil conditioner adjacent each grapevine in the row, and to then discontinue such depositing until the next grapevine is reached; the apparatus comprising a bin for the soil conditioner, a rotary feeder mounted in connection with the bin and including a vertical cylindrical casing having a bottom plate, and a pocketed rotor journaled in the casing; the casing having a filling opening in communication with the bin, the bottom plate having an outlet opening therein circumferentially spaced from said filling opening, and the pockets in the rotor being formed and disposed so that when the rotor is in a position with one pocket registering with the filling opening to receive soil conditioner from the bin, another pocket registers with the outlet opening to deliver soil conditioner therethrough, a soil conditioner discharge tube leading from the outlet opening, a normally inactive mechanism associated with the rotary feeder and operative, when actuated, to turn the rotor to successive ones of said positions, and means to actuate said mechanism upon the apparatus passing each grapevine; there being a gate mounted in the bin in position to control the passage of soil conditioner through said filling opening, the gate being vertically adjustably guided in the bin, means to positionally adjust the gate from exeriorly of the bin, and means associated with said gate-adjusting means providing a visual indicator, exteriorly of the bin, of the position of the gate relative to said filling opening.