The present disclosure relates to furrow closing devices used to close the furrow formed during the planting and particular to furrow closing assemblies. Furrow closing assemblies are coupled to a planting unit and include furrow closing wheels used to close the furrow after the seed is planted into the ground. An agricultural seeding machine such as a row crop planter or grain drill places seeds at a desired depth within a plurality of parallel seed trenches formed in soil. In the case of a row crop planter, a plurality of row crop units are typically ground driven using wheels, shafts, sprockets, transfer cases, chains and the like. Each row crop unit has a frame that is moveably coupled with a tool bar. The frame may carry a main seed hopper, herbicide hopper, insecticide hopper, furrow opener/closer, etc.
In accordance with the present disclosure, an adjustable furrow closing assembly is shown.
In illustrative embodiments, the adjustable furrow closing assembly can be coupled to an existing planting unit and is used to close a planting furrow once the seed is deposited. The assembly is used to close a furrow in soil and includes a pair of furrow closing wheels, each having an inner side facing toward each other and positioned adjacent to a corresponding disc outer side. Each wheel also has a leading edge positioned between a corresponding disc leading edge and disc trailing edge, and a trailing edge positioned rearward of a corresponding disc trailing edge relative to the travel direction.
In illustrative embodiments, the adjustable furrow closing assembly includes a housing that is adapted to be coupled to a planter assembly. The housing is configured to allow for the attachment of first and second furrow closing wheels that are designed to close the planting furrow. Downforce applied to furrow closing wheels is controlled by a repositionable downforce control lever. The downforce control lever is designed to operate within a multi-position slide equalizer gate to provide for a plurality of downforce adjustment positions.
In illustrative embodiments, angular adjustment of the furrow closing wheels is controlled by an angle adjustment knob. The housing is configured to house an adjustable carrier that is adapted to allow for the attachment of the furrow closing wheels. Rotation of the angle adjustment knob in a clockwise direction, causes movement of adjustable carrier in a first direction to increase the angle of the closing wheels and rotation of adjustment knob in a counterclockwise direction causes movement of adjustable carrier in a second direction to decrease the angle of the closing wheels.
Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
In illustrative embodiments, an adjustable furrow closing assembly 10 is adapted to be coupled to a planter (not shown) to close the furrow created by a furrow opening disc. Adjustable furrow closing assembly 10 is configured to provide flexibility to quickly change wheel angle settings for planting speed, seed depth, tillage practices and soil conditions. Adjustable furrow closing assembly 10 also allows for downforce to be calibrated so that downforce is uniform in adjacent Adjustable furrow closing assembly units.
As illustrated in
Housing 12 includes a first side wall 26, a spaced apart second side wall 28, and a top wall 30. Top wall 30 is formed to include an opening 31 to allow for movement of downforce control handle 18. Side walls 26, 28 extend forward to form a pair of attachment arms 32, 34. Attachment arms 32, 34 include bearings 36, which allow housing 12 to be pivotally coupled to a planter unit. Housing 12 may also include a drag chain 38 that is adapted to be coupled to the housing 12 by a pair of drag arms 40, 42. Drag chain 38 is used as a final step in closing the seed furrow after the furrow closing wheels 14, 16 have displaced soil over the furrow.
Downforce control lever 18 is used to allow for adjustment of spring downforce on the closing wheels 14, 16, by moving lever 18 to various slots 44 formed in gate 19, as shown in
Equalizer slots 50 allow gate 19 to be adjusted with respect to housing 12 to calibrate row-to-row downforce settings on each adjustable furrow closing assembly 10. A planting assembly being pulled behind a motive source, such as a tractor, can have as many as twenty or more planting units. Each planting unit includes a furrow closing assembly. Closing wheel downforce can vary from one furrow closing assembly to the next. Equalizer slots 50 allow a user to adjust the downforce for each furrow closing assembly so that uniform downforce is applied to the field across the planting assembly. Downforce can be measured with a scale by a user and gate 19 can be adjusted by loosening bolts securing gate 10 to housing 12 at equalizer slots 50 so that each unit is properly calibrated with respect to all closing assemblies.
Downforce control lever 18 includes shaft 46 that extends downward into housing 12, as shown in
Adjustable furrow closing assembly 10 also includes the ability to quickly and easily adjust the camber or angle of the closing wheels 14, 16. Camber adjustment is caused by movement of several components within housing 12. Camber adjustment system preferably includes a 20 degree range of camber adjustment of closing wheels 14, 16 with −5 degree negative camber adjustment to +15 positive camber adjustment. Camber adjustment settings bring the seed trench closed, eliminating air pockets and enhancing seed to soil contact. Camber adjustment system includes adjustable carrier 22, which is pivotally coupled to housing 12 about pivot 54. Closing wheels 14, 16 are rotatably coupled to adjustable carrier 22. The lower portion of adjustable carrier 22 is angled in a generally v-shaped configuration so that when closing wheels 14, 16 are bolted to adjustable carrier 22 they are in a v-shaped configuration when in contact with the ground. Stated another way, the bottom edges of the closing wheels 14, 16 are closer than the upper edges.
Adjustment system also includes angle adjustment knob 20, which is coupled to adjustment rod 58. Adjustment rod 58 is coupled to the knob 20 at a first end 60 and is pivotally coupled to adjustable carrier 22 at a second end 62 by a link member. Adjustment rod 58 is threaded with link member so that rotation of adjustment knob 20 in a clockwise direction, causes movement of adjustable carrier in a first direction to increase the camber of closing wheels 14, 16 and rotation of adjustment knob 20 in a counterclockwise direction causes movement of adjustable carrier 22 in a second direction to decrease camber. Rotation of adjustment knob 20 causes adjustable carrier 22 and closing wheels 14, 16 together to rotate about pivot 54 to cause the camber of the wheels 14, 16 to either increase or decrease. Lock pin 64 is used to lock adjustment rod 58 in distinct lock positions to prevent unwanted rotation of knob 20 during use. Lock pin 64 is adapted to be positioned within an aperture of adjustment rod 58 to prevent rotation during use of adjustable furrow closing assembly 10.
Adjustment system also includes a dial indicator 68 that allows a user to visually see the current camber position of the first and second wheels 14, 16, as shown in
Closing wheels 14, 16 are coupled to adjustable carrier 22 by use of a pair of axle shafts 74. Axle shafts 74 are used to secure first and second closing wheels 14, 16 to the adjustable carrier 22. Axles shafts 74 are secured to adjustable carrier 22 by screwing the axle shafts 74 into apertures 78 formed in the lower end of the adjustable carrier 22. This allows for quick removal of closing wheels 14, 16 as there is no need to hold a separate hex nut with a wrench. Axle shafts 74 may include a bushing or bearing 76 that aids the wheels 14, 16 in rotating when engaged with the ground. Fastener 80 is used to secure adjustable carrier 22 to housing and allows carrier 22 to rotate with respect to the housing 12. Bolt 80 also secures downforce control lever 18 to housing 12 and creates pivot point 54 that allows the adjustable carrier 22 to rotate with respect to housing 12. Both control lever 18 and adjustable carrier 22 rotate about the same axis of rotation with respect to the housing 12. This arrangement simplifies assembly, and reduces construction and maintenance costs.
Attachment arms 32, 34 are used to secure adjustable furrow closing assembly 10 to a planter unit. Arms 32, 34 each include a bearing 36 that allows adjustable furrow closing assembly 10 to pivot with respect to the planter unit, as shown in
Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described in connection with the illustrative embodiment of the invention, however, it must be understood that these particular arrangements may merely illustrate, and that the invention is to be given its fullest interpretation within the terms of the appended claims.
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/283,440, filed Nov. 27, 2021, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63283440 | Nov 2021 | US |