Monitor for seed planting apparatus

Claim 3

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, which further includes audio alert means coupled to said shaft rotation sensing means and responsive to said shaft signal corresponding to a shaft speed below a predetermined speed for developing an audio alert signal.

Claim 6

An apparatus for detecting and monitoring seeds passing through a plurality of dispensers of a multi-row planter as set forth in claim 3, wherein said readout means includes a pair of seven-segment readout devices.

Claim 9

A seed monitor for a multi-row seed planter having a plurality of seed dispensers arranged on said planter to dispense seeds in a corresponding plurality of rows with each dispenser being designated individually and in which said planter is pulled by a tractor means and is powered by a rotary shaft coupled between said planter and said tractor means, said monitor comprising: readout display means for individually displaying the designation of each of said dispensers; a corresponding plurality of detector means respectively responsive to seeds passing through said seed dispensers for producing corresponding seed signals in response to a predetermined condition; circuit means coupled to said detector means and responsive to the absence of said seed signals for any one of said seed dispensers for energizing said multi-segment readout display means to visually indicate the designation of said one seed dispenser, whereby the identity of the malfunctioning seed dispenser is displayed; shaft rotation sensing means coupled to said shaft for developing a shaft signal corresponding to the rotational speed of said shaft; and indicating means coupled to said shaft rotation sensing means and responsive to said shaft signal for visually indicating that the shaft is rotating.

Claim 10

A seed monitor for a multi-row seed planter having a plurality of seed dispensers arranged on said planter to dispense seeds in a corresponding plurality of rows with each dispenser being designated individually and in which said planter is pulled by a tractor means and is powered by a rotary shaft coupled between said planter and said tractor means, said monitor comprising: readout display means for individually displaying the designation of each of said dispensers; a corresponding plurality of detector means respectively responsive to seeds passing through said seed dispensers for producing corresponding seed signals in response to a predetermined condition; circuit means coupled to said detector means and responsive to the absence of said seed signals for any one of said seed dispensers for energizing said multi-segment readout display means to visually indicate the designation of said one seed dispenser, whereby the identity of the malfunctioning seed dispenser is displayed; shaft rotation sensing means coupled to said shaft for developing a shaft signal corresponding to the rotational speed of said shaft; and indicating means coupled to said shaft rotation sensing means and responsive to said shaft signal for visually indicating that the shaft is rotating.

Claim 11

A seed monitor in accordance with claim 6, which further includes audio alert means coupled to said shaft rotation sensing means and responsive to said shaft signal corresponding to a shaft speed below a predetermined speed for developing an audio alert signal.

Claim 12

A seed monitor for a multi-row seed planter having a plurality of seed dispensers arranged on said planter to dispense seeds in a corresponding plurality of rows with each dispenser being designated individually, said monitor comprising: readout display means for individually displaying the designation of each of said dispensers, a corresponding plurality of detector means respectively responsive to seeds passing through said seed dispensers for producing corresponding seed signals in response to a predetermined condition; circuit means, including a plurality of OR gates respectively coupled to said seed detector means, responsive to the absence of said seed signals for any one of said seed dispensers for energizing said readout display means to visually indicate the designation of said one seed dispenser, whereby the identity of the malfunctioning seed dispenser is displayed; and switch means coupled between said OR gates and said readout display means.

Claim 13

A seed monitor for a multi-row seed planter having a plurality of seed dispensers arranged on said planter to dispense seeds in a corresponding plurality of rows with each dispenser being designated individually, said monitor comprising: readout display means for individually displaying the designation of each of said dispensers, a corresponding plurality of detector means respectively responsive to seeds passing through said seed dispensers for producing corresponding seed signals in response to a predetermined condition; circuit means, including a plurality of OR gates respectively coupled to said seed detector means, responsive to the absence of said seed signals for any one of said seed dispensers for energizing said readout display means to visually indicate the designation of said one seed dispenser, whereby the identity of the malfunctioning seed dispenser is displayed; and switch means coupled between said OR gates and said readout display means.

Claim 14

A monitor as set forth in claim 8, wherein said readout display means includes a pair of seven-segment readout devices.

Claim 15

A seed monitor for a multi-row seed planter having a plurality of seed dispensers arranged on said planter to dispense seeds in a correspondint plurality of rows with each dispenser being designated individually, said monitor comprising: readout display means for individually displaying the designation of each of said dispensers; a corresponding plurality of detector means respectively responsive to seeds passing through said seed dispensers for producing corresponding seed signals in response to a predetermined condition, said seed detector means including a sensor comprising an electro-magnetic coil and diaphragm means positioned adjacent said coil and adjacent a flow path of seeds being planted and movable in response to seeds passing through the dispensing apparatus for providing signals representing seed flow; and circuit means coupled to said detector means and responsive to the absence of said seed signals for any one of said seed dispensers for energizing said readout display means to visually indicate the designation of the corresponding seed dispenser, whereby the identity of the malfunctioning seed dispenser is displayed.

Claim 16

A seed monitor for a multi-row seed planter having a plurality of seed dispensers arranged on said planter to dispense seeds in a correspondint plurality of rows with each dispenser being designated individually, said monitor comprising: readout display means for individually displaying the designation of each of said dispensers; a corresponding plurality of detector means respectively responsive to seeds passing through said seed dispensers for producing corresponding seed signals in response to a predetermined condition, said seed detector means including a sensor comprising an electro-magnetic coil and diaphragm means positioned adjacent said coil and adjacent a flow path of seeds being planted and movable in response to seeds passing through the dispensing apparatus for providing signals representing seed flow; and circuit means coupled to said detector means and responsive to the absence of said seed signals for any one of said seed dispensers for energizing said readout display means to visually indicate the designation of the corresponding seed dispenser, whereby the identity of the malfunctioning seed dispenser is displayed.

Claim 19

An apparatus for detecting and monitoring seeds passing through a plurality of seed dispensers of a multi-row planter as set forth in claim 11, wherein said logic circuit means further includes means for developing a switching signal indicative of the condition that all of said seed dispensers are operating properly, whereby said switching means energizes said multi-segment readout display means to indicate said condition.

Claim 20

An apparatus for detecting and monitoring seeds passing through a plurality of seed dispensers of a multi-row planter as set forth in claim 11, wherein said logic circuit means further includes means for developing a switching signal indicative of the condition that more than one of said seed dispensers are malfunctioning, whereby said switching means energizes said multi-segment readout display means to indicate said condition.

Claim 21

An apparatus for detecting and monitoring seeds passing through a plurality of seed dispensers of a multi-row planter as set forth in claim 11, which further includes an audio alert means coupled to said logic circuit means for producing an audio signal in response to a malfunction sensed by any one of said plurality of seed detecting circuit means.

Claim 22

A seed monitor for a multi-row seed planter having a plurality of seed dispensers arranged on said planter to dispense seeds in a corresponding plurality of rows with each dispenser being designated individually, said monitor comprising: multi-segment readout display means for individually displaying the designation of each of said dispensers; a corresponding plurality of detector means respectively responsive to seeds passing through said seed dispensers for producing corresponding seed signals in response to a predetermined condition; circuit means including timing means coupled to said detector means and responsive to the absence of said seed signals for any one of said seed dispensers for developing a corresponding switching signal; and switching means responsive to said switching signal for energizing said multi-segment readout display means to visually indicate the designation of the corresponding seed dispenser, whereby the identity of the malfunctioning seed dispenser is displayed.

Claim 23

A seed monitor for a multi-row seed planter having a plurality of seed dispensers arranged on said planter to dispense seeds in a corresponding plurality of rows with each dispenser being designated individually, said monitor comprising: multi-segment readout display means for individually displaying the designation of each of said dispensers; a corresponding plurality of detector means respectively responsive to seeds passing through said seed dispensers for producing corresponding seed signals in response to a predetermined condition; circuit means including timing means coupled to said detector means and responsive to the absence of said seed signals for any one of said seed dispensers for developing a corresponding switching signal; and switching means responsive to said switching signal for energizing said multi-segment readout display means to visually indicate the designation of the corresponding seed dispenser, whereby the identity of the malfunctioning seed dispenser is displayed.

Claim 24

A seed monitor as set forth in claim 15, wherein said detector means further includes means responsive to the presence of said seed signals from all of said seed detector means for developing a switching signal indicative of said presence for causing said switching means to energize said multi-segment readout display means to indicate a first unique designation, whereby the monitor indicates that all of the seed dispensers are functioning properly.

Claim 25

A monitor as set forth in claim 15, wherein said detector means further includes means responsive to the absence of said seed signals from more than one of said seed detector means for developing a switching signal indicative of said absence for causing said switching means to energize said multi-segment readout display means to indicate a second unique designation, whereby the monitor indicates that more than one of said seed dispensers are malfunctioning.

Claim 26

A monitor as set forth in claim 15, which further includes an audio alert means coupled to said detector means and responsive to the absence of said control signal for producing an audio signal, whereby the monitor audibly alerts the operator of the planter that a dispenser is malfunctioning.