Pneumatic system for conveying granular material

Claim 2

In combination with a seed planter including a mobile frame, seed planting assemblies movable between a planting position and a transport position, and a source of air under pressure, an improved apparatus for applying granular chemicals onto the ground, comprising: an enclosed hopper on the frame for holding the granular material to be applied, said hopper having an air inlet opening defined therein; primary conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source to said air inlet opening in said hopper; a material conveyor tube mounted within said hopper and having an inlet end disposed in spaced communication with said air inlet opening, whereby air under pressure can flow from said air inlet opening into and through said conveyor tube; at least one material delivery tube connected to said conveyor tube for directing material therefrom out of the hopper for ground application; means for adjusting the space between said tube inlet end and said hopper air inlet opening whereby the rate of entry of material into said conveyor tube may be varied; a discharge assistant disposed in the space between said inlet end and said air inlet opening for directing an auxiliary flow of air into said space to assist the movement of material into said conveyor tube; auxiliary conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source to said discharge assistant; means for opening and closing said primary conduit means in response to movement of said seed planting assemblies to said planting position and said transport position respectively; and means for varying the air flow of said discharge assistant in response to varying the space between said tube inlet end and said air inlet opening.

Claim 3

In combination with a seed planter of the type having a source of air under pressure for conveying seeds to a plurality of seed planting units for planting multiple rows, an apparatus on the planter for applying granular chemicals to the ground on the rows, comprising: an enclosed hopper for holding the granular material, said hopper having an air inlet opening defined through the bottom thereof; a primary conduit connected between said source of air and said air inlet opening for directing air under pressure into said hopper; a material conveyor tube mounted within said hopper coaxially with said air inlet opening and having an inlet end disposed in spaced communion with said air inlet opening whereby material may be drawn into said conveyor tube by the air flowing from said air inlet opening into said tube; a material delivery manifold mounted on said conveyor tube for directing material in a plurality of separate paths corresponding to the number of said seed planting units; a plurality of material delivery tubes interconnecting said paths with respective seed planting units for directing material out of said hopper to said assemblies for ground application; a hollow ring in said hopper disposed about said air inlet opening in the space between said air inlet opening and said conveyor tube, said ring having a plurality of air outlet openings defined therein for directing air generally radially inwardly of the ring; a secondary conduit connected between said primary conduit and said ring for directing a flow of air into said ring and out of said air outlet openings to assist movement of material into said conveyor tube; means for adjusting the position of said inlet end of said tube relative to said air inlet opening, whereby the rate of entry of material into said conveyor tube may be selectively varied; and means for varying the air flow out of said ring in response to adjusting the position of said inlet end of said tube.

Claim 4

In combination with a seed planter of the type having a source of air under pressure for conveying seeds to a plurality of seed planting units for planting multiple rows, an apparatus on the planter for applying granular chemicals to the ground on the rows, comprising: an enclosed hopper for holding the granular material, said hopper having an air inlet opening defined through the bottom thereof; a primary conduit connected between said source of air and said air inlet opening for directing air under pressure into said hopper; a material conveyor tube mounted within said hopper coaxially with said air inlet opening and having an inlet end disposed in spaced communion with said air inlet opening whereby material may be drawn into said conveyor tube by the air flowing from said air inlet opening into said tube; a material delivery manifold mounted on said conveyor tube for directing material in a plurality of separate paths corresponding to the number of said seed planting units; a plurality of material delivery tubes interconnecting said paths with respective seed planting units for directing material out of said hopper to said assemblies for ground application; a hollow ring in said hopper disposed about said air inlet opening in the space between said air inlet opening and said conveyor tube, said ring having a plurality of air outlet openings defined therein for directing air generally radially inwardly of the ring; a secondary conduit connected between said primary conduit and said ring for directing a flow of air into said ring and out of said air outlet openings to assist movement of material into said conveyor tube; means for adjusting the position of said inlet end of said tube relative to said air inlet opening, whereby the rate of entry of material into said conveyor tube may be selectively varied; and means for varying the air flow out of said ring in response to adjusting the position of said inlet end of said tube.

Claim 5

In a machine for dispensing granular material and having a source of air under pressure, the improvement comprising: an enclosed hopper for holding the granular material to be applied, said hopper having an air inlet opening defined therein; primary conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source to said air inlet opening in said hopper; a material conveyor tube mounted within said hopper and having an inlet end disposed in spaced communication with said air inlet opening whereby air under pressure can flow from said air inlet opening into and through said conveyor tube carrying the material therewith; a material delivery tube connected to said conveyor tube for directing material therefrom out of the hopper; means for adjusting the space between said tube inlet end and said hopper air inlet opening whereby the rate of entry of material into said conveyor tube may be varied; a discharge assistant disposed in the space between said inlet end and said air inlet opening for directing an auxiliary flow of air into said space to assist the movement of material into said conveyor tube; an auxiliary conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source to said discharge assistant; and means for varying the air flow of said discharge assistant in response to varying the space between said tube inlet end and said air inlet opening.

Claim 6

In a machine for dispensing granular material and having a source of air under pressure, the improvement comprising: an enclosed hopper for holding the granular material to be applied, said hopper having an air inlet opening defined therein; primary conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source to said air inlet opening in said hopper; a material conveyor tube mounted within said hopper and having an inlet end disposed in spaced communication with said air inlet opening whereby air under pressure can flow from said air inlet opening into and through said conveyor tube carrying the material therewith; a material delivery tube connected to said conveyor tube for directing material therefrom out of the hopper; means for adjusting the space between said tube inlet end and said hopper air inlet opening whereby the rate of entry of material into said conveyor tube may be varied; a discharge assistant disposed in the space between said inlet end and said air inlet opening for directing an auxiliary flow of air into said space to assist the movement of material into said conveyor tube; an auxiliary conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source to said discharge assistant; and means for varying the air flow of said discharge assistant in response to varying the space between said tube inlet end and said air inlet opening.

Claim 7

The subject matter of claim 3, including third conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source into said hopper to pressurize the same, thereby further assisting the movement of material into said conveyor tube.

Claim 8

The subject matter of claim 4, including means for varying the air flow through said third conduit means in response to varying the space between said tube inlet end and said air inlet opening.

Claim 9

In a machine for dispensing granular material and having a source of air under pressure, the improvement comprising: an enclosed hopper for holding the granular material to be applied, said hopper having an air inlet opening defined therein; primary conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source to said air inlet opening in said hopper; a material conveyor tube mounted within said hopper and having an inlet end disposed in spaced communication with said air inlet opening whereby air under pressure can flow from said air inlet opening into and through said conveyor tube carrying the material therewith; a material delivery tube connected to said conveyor tube for directing material therefrom out of the hopper; means for adjusting the space between said tube inlet end and said hopper air inlet opening whereby the rate of entry of material into said conveyor tube may be varied; a discharge assistant disposed in the space between said inlet end and said air inlet opening for directing an auxiliary flow of air into said space to assist the movement of material into said conveyor tube; an auxiliary conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source to said discharge assistant; third conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source into said hopper to pressurize the same, thereby further assisting the movement of material into said conveyor tube; and means for varying the air flow through said third conduit means in response to varying the space between said tube end and said inlet opening.

Claim 10

In a machine for dispensing granular material and having a source of air under pressure, the improvement comprising: an enclosed hopper for holding the granular material to be applied, said hopper having an air inlet opening defined therein; primary conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source to said air inlet opening in said hopper; a material conveyor tube mounted within said hopper and having an inlet end disposed in spaced communication with said air inlet opening whereby air under pressure can flow from said air inlet opening into and through said conveyor tube carrying the material therewith; a material delivery tube connected to said conveyor tube for directing material therefrom out of the hopper; means for adjusting the space between said tube inlet end and said hopper air inlet opening whereby the rate of entry of material into said conveyor tube may be varied; a discharge assistant disposed in the space between said inlet end and said air inlet opening for directing an auxiliary flow of air into said space to assist the movement of material into said conveyor tube; an auxiliary conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source to said discharge assistant; third conduit means for directing air under pressure from said source into said hopper to pressurize the same, thereby further assisting the movement of material into said conveyor tube; and means for varying the air flow through said third conduit means in response to varying the space between said tube end and said inlet opening.