Patent Application
20240373778
A common type of agricultural planters includes a toolbar with a plurality of row units mounted to the toolbar via bracket assemblies which allow the row units to be raised and lowered between transport and field positions. Fertilizer assemblies are often used on these agricultural planters, but do not position the fertilizer system in an optimum location relative to the seed furrow formed by the row unit. For example, some fertilizer systems are mounted on the frame of the planter, typically at a considerable distance ahead of the row unit. This position of the fertilizer system ahead of the toolbar causes interference when the toolbar wings are folded for transport. For example, the fertilizer coulters may hit opposing row units or wheels when the wings are folded together to the transport position. Also, the forwardly extended fertilizer system may not track properly with the seed furrow, such as during planting on contoured rows for erosion control. The improper fertilizer position relative to the seed furrow can create a “hot zone” of high salt fertilizer content, which young plant roots cannot absorb or tolerate, thereby causing damage to the crop roots. Some frame mounted fertilizer systems also do not permit installation of row cleaners, which leads to reduced yield due to excessive crop residue in the root zone.
Other fertilizer mounting systems mount the fertilizer assembly directly to the row unit, such as on the shank face plate or other frame or bracket structures. While such row unit fertilizer systems are located closer to the seed furrow, other adverse drawbacks exist. For example, the row unit linkage and the downforce components may have negative effects on the seed depth. Also, the parallel linkage arms must bear the draft loads of the fertilizer, which induces premature wear on the pivot bushings, bolts, and arms. Furthermore, these systems are fully bolted to the row unit face plate, and are not easily removed if the fertilizer is not required when the seed is planted. The unneeded fertilizer components are thus subjected to excessive wear, and waste tractor horsepower and fuel consumption as the fertilizer coulters are pulled through the field. The row unit mounted fertilizer systems can also cause vibration that negatively affects seed meter planting accuracy, and thus reduces yield.
Thus, there is a need for an improved and simpler fertilizer system for use with agricultural row units, which overcome the problems of the prior art.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a modular fertilizer assembly which can be quickly and easily mounted to the toolbar via a docking station.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a fertilizer assembly having at least one coulter, a height-adjustable gauge wheel, and a fertilizer knife or tube for applying fertilizer to a slot cut in the soil by the coulter.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a modular fertilizer assembly positioned between a row cleaner and a row unit on the toolbar of an agricultural planter.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a fertilizer assembly which can be raised and lowered independently of the row unit.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a modular row cleaner which can be quickly and easily mounted to a toolbar of a planter via a docking station.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a floating row cleaner module mounted on a docking station attached to a toolbar.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a modular fertilizer and a modular row cleaner which are both mounted to a common docking station on the toolbar of an agricultural planter.
These and other objectives become apparent from the following description of the invention.
An improved agricultural planter according to the present invention includes a toolbar with a row unit mounted to the toolbar for movement between raised and lowered positions. The row unit includes a pair of furrow opening discs, a pair of gauge wheels to control the depth of the opening discs, and a pair of closing discs to close soil over the seed after the seed is planted in the furrow. The improvement comprises a fertilizer assembly module mounted to a docking station extending downwardly from the toolbar. The fertilizer module can be raised and lowered independently of the row unit. The fertilizer assembly includes at least one coulter and a gauge wheel controlling depth of the culture. The fertilizer module is hooked to the docking station and retained by a single bolt or pin, which allows for quick and easy mounting and dismounting of the fertilizer module. The improvement also includes a floating row cleaner module hooked to the docking station and retained with a single bolt or pin. The fertilizer assembly resides between the row cleaner and the row unit, thereby allowing proper and accurate tracking of the fertilizer knife relative to the furrow. The fertilizer module and the row cleaner module can be raised out of engagement with the ground, and can be removed from the planter when not needed.
A planter assembly 10 is shown in
The invention is directed toward a modular fertilizer assembly 24 (shown in
The fertilizer assembly 24 includes a frame 30, one or two discs 32, and a gauge wheel 34. The gauge wheel 34 is rotatably mounted on a subframe 36. The subframe 36 has opposite, outwardly extending posts 38 which extend through holes 40 in the frame 30. The coulters 32 are rotatably mounted on the posts 38, which may be threaded to receive a nut 50 to retain the coulters 32 on the posts 38. The gauge wheel 34 is mounted to the frame 38 by a pair of arms 42 having a series of holes 45 which align with holes 46 in the frame to receive a bolt or pin 48. The bolt 48 can be selectively positioned through different ones of the holes 45, 46 so as to raise and lower the height of the gauge wheel 34 relative to the coulters 32, and thereby control the depth of the coulters 32 in the soil 11. For example,
A pair of fertilizer applicators 52 are mounted to each side of the frame 30 in any convenient manner. For example, as seen in
The fertilizer assembly 24 is modular for quick and easy mounting and dismounting to docking station 28. The fertilizer assembly frame 30 includes a pair of hooks 60 at the forward end to allow the assembly 24 to be hooked on to a lower, laterally extending cross pin 62 on the docking station 28. A bolt 64 and a nut secure the frame 30 to the docking station 28. Thus, the single bolt 64 and the hooks 60 allow the modular fertilizer assembly 24 to be quickly and easily mounted and dismounted to the planter assembly 10, as needed. As an alternative to the long bolt 64, other fasteners can be used to mount the fertilizer assembly to the docking station. For example, a pair of shortened bolts may be used, one on each side, or other types of quick couplers. Also, the hooks 60 can be modified, to have a different shape than that shown in the figures, without departing from the scope of the invention. As another option, the hooks can be replaced with a different coupler (such as bolts) for mounting to the docking station.
The row cleaner assembly 26 includes a frame 66, with an axle 68 through which a bushing 70 extends. Row cleaner wheels 72 are mounted on opposite ends of the bushing 70. The frame 66 includes hooks 74 for hooking onto an upper cross pin 76 on the docking station 28. A single bolt or pin 78 secures the row cleaner assembly 26 to the docking station 28. The single bolt or pin 78 allows quick and easy mounting and dismounting of the row cleaner assembly 26 to the docking station 28 as a modular assembly.
The axle 68 pivots or reciprocates in the bushings 70. A sleeve 69 is secured to the axle 68 by a pin or bolt 71. A pair of arms 73, or other support structure, are fixed to the sleeve 69 and extends forwardly to support angled plates 75. Each plate 75 includes a series of holes 77 to selectively receive the axle 79 of each wheel 72. The spacing between the wheels 72 and the relative angular orientation therebetween can be changed, depending upon which hole 77 the wheel axles 79 extend through. The wheel axle 79 can take various forms to rotatably support the wheels 72.
The row cleaning wheels 72 float via an actuator 80. In one embodiment, the actuator 80 is a pneumatic cylinder, or alternatively can be a hydraulic cylinder, an electric actuator, a spring force, or electro-magnetic up/down force via a varied electrical current or changing polarity. The upper end of the actuator 80 is fixed to the docking station 28, while the lower end is attached to the plates 75. The actuator 80 allows the wheels 72 to float during use so that the row cleaner 26 follows the soil contour or terrain, and does not plow into or ride over uneven surfaces, as happens with a rigidly mounted row cleaner. The floating functionality of the row cleaner 26 assures that trash is cleared ahead of the row unit 14 as the planter assembly 10 moves through the field.
The docking station 28 includes a bracket 84 mounted to the toolbar 12 with U-bolts or any other convenient fastener. The bracket 84 supports the parallel link arms 17 of the row unit 14. The docking station 28 further includes an upper set of parallel link arms 86 with upper and lower pivot axles 88, 90.
The upper end of the actuator is fixed to the docking station 28, while the lower end is attached to the plates 75. The actuator 80 allows the wheels 72 to float during use so that the row cleaner 26 follows the soil contour or terrain, and does not plow into or ride over uneven surfaces, as happens with a rigidly mounted row cleaner. The floating functionality of the row cleaner 26 assures that trash is cleared ahead of the row unit 14 as the planter assembly 10 moves through the field.
The docking station 28 is similar to the bracket assembly described in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 11,185,005 and used to rigidly mount a row cleaner. More particularly, a bracket 84 is mounted to the toolbar 12 with U-bolts (not shown) or any other convenient fastener. The bracket 84 supports the parallel link arms 17 of the row unit 14. The docking station 28 also includes a lower set of parallel link arms 92 having an upper pivot axle 94 and a lower pivot axle 96.
A pair of mounting arms 98 extend downwardly from the pivot axles 90, 96 so as to be operatively connected to the link arms 86, 92. The pins 62, 76 extend through the mounting arms 98 for receipt of the row cleaner frame 66.
The bracket assembly 84 is movable between forward field position (
As best seen in
Thus, the fertilizer assembly 24 and the row cleaner assembly 26 are modular with quick and easy installation and detachment to and from the docking station 28 of the planter assembly 10. The docking station 28 allows the fertilizer assembly 24 and the row cleaner assembly 26 to be raised and lowered independently of the row unit 14 via the actuator 102. The knives 54 and tubes 58 of the fertilizer assembly 24 dispense the fertilizer on either side of the feed slip or channel 106 formed by the furrow opening discs 18 into the slits 108 formed by the knives 54.
The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.
