Seeder apparatus
US5255618A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 8, 1992 |
| Grant date | Oct 26, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 8, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S111/90
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A seeder apparatus comprises a seeder plate (18), which is hingedly attached at a hinge edge (70) thereof to a frame (16), with the frame being mounted on a plug-tray conveyor (12). The seeder plate includes a substantially-flat seeder sheet (36) having seed holes (38) therein and a pressure-plenum (48) on a backside (41) of the seeder plate for producing negative and positive pressures at the seed holes. Hinges (20) are double-acting, spring-loaded barroom type door hinges which bias the seeder plate toward an upright intermediate position which is approximately halfway through 180.degree. movement of the seeder plate between an approximately horizontal loading position and an approximately horizontal planting position. The seeder plate includes a vibrator (54) for automatically vibrating it and an angular-activation adjustment element (60) for adjusting the angular positions in which this vibration takes place. The conveyor is controlled by rotational movement of the seeder plate, with movement of plug trays (24) being caused by moving the seeder plate into the planting position after a delay.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.