The invention pertains to a device for sowing new seed, fertilizer or other products in an existing lawn, comprising:
Lawns are damaged by being used and as a result of environmental factors. Furthermore, an existing lawn ages, which means that new grass (seeds), fertilizer or other products are needed to recover the old lawn.
To maximize germination of the new grass seed, this grass seed must come into contact with the (fertile) soil underneath the existing lawn.
Devices that can handle this process already exist. There are machines that make holes in the lawn, after which seed is sown across the entire width of the lawn and a brush is used to try and brush the grass seed into the prepared holes. However, the percentage of seed that ends up in the holes and comes into contact with the soil is small, as a result of which a lot of seed is lost and the desired result cannot be achieved. There are also devices on the market that cut or mill trenches in the soil, which are filled with grass seed, whether or not by opening these trenches. One disadvantage of this method is that the existing lawn is damaged and that ultimately, the grass comes up in a line pattern.
Also, the existing sowing devices hake to deal with the grass stalks that stick out in all directions. These grass stalks often prevent the falling grass seeds to actually come into contact with the soil.
The invention claims to improve the germination percentage, reduce damage to the existing lawn and reduce the nuisance of the grass stalks. This is realised by first guiding the seed to the correct position by means of a funnel and by subsequently lifting it up with a rotating pen disk and pushing it into the soil. The seed is set into the soil as it were. The grass stalks of the existing lawn are pushed forward into the direction of flow, so as to reduce their interference with the sowing process to a minimum. Apart from the fact that the seed is set into the soil at the correct depth, the seed is actually pushed against the soil. This direct contact with the soil improves germination of the seed. After all, if the seed is sown into a prepared hole or trench, contact with the soil will be small. It is important for the seed to be pushed against the soil so that it can absorb moisture from the soil, germinate and take root.
As it is not always easy to press a pin disk into the soil due to its dead weight, the device is fitted with various pin disk combinations which have been bearing-mounted around cams that are attached—in a certain order—to the drive shaft in the horizontal plane. The pen disk rolls across the soil and is moved eccentrically in the vertical plane by means of the drive from the drive shaft with cams. This forward and backward eccentric movement will considerably improve the level of penetration of the pin disk, push the grass seed into the ground and bring it into contact with the soil.
The invention is to be described by means of the non-exhaustive operation example, represented in the following figures, where:
The sowing tray (3) is filled with seed (4). The dosing roll (5) distributes the seed equally across the entire width. The dosing roll (5) is driven by means of a supporting roller (8). By changing the transmission ratio of the drive (7), the extent of the grass seed dose can be changed. The seed (9) which has been dosed across the entire width then slides down along the guiding plate (10) and is distributed in rows by the funnel plates (11).
A number of cams (14) have been fixed solid and into a certain order onto the driven main shaft (15). Bearings (13) have been mounted around these cams. The pin disk (12) is linked to these bearings. The pin disk (12) can roll across the ground freely. In other words, if the device moves forward across the ground at a certain speed (6), the peripheral velocity (18) of the pen disk (12) will assume a similar speed. However, as soon as the main shaft (15) is driven (17), the pen disk (12) will also move eccentrically backwards and forwards (16) in the vertical plane. This eccentric movement causes the pin disk to vibrate, resulting in better penetration and the seed being pushed into the soil.
The pen disk (12) that vibrates in the vertical plane and rotates around the horizontal shaft collects the seed (9) which has been distributed in rows by the funnel plates (11). If the speed of rotation (18) of the pen disk exceeds the fall velocity of the seed (9), the seed (9) will be picked up by one of the pins of the pin disk (12). The pin disk continues to rotate, and both the pin and the seed are pushed into the soil. When the pin disk rolls along, the pins come out of the soil, leaving the seed in the soil (19), pressed against one side of the hole. An optional brush (20) can finish things off. A supporting roller (23) adjusts the device to the ground at the back. This supporting roller also closes up the prepared holes (21) so that one can hardly tell that seed has been sown on the lawn (22).
The grass stalks (30) of the existing lawn are first pressed forwards by the supporting roller (18). Then the guiding plate (10) will press and hold the grass stalks forwards, so that the seed (9) is not obstructed by these upright grass stalks when the seed is pushed into the soil by the pin disk (12).
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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1032918 | Nov 2006 | NL | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/NL2007/000257 | 10/10/2007 | WO | 00 | 9/17/2008 |