Seed metering apparatus seed tube
US5974988A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 1995 |
| Grant date | Nov 2, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA01C7/102
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A seed tube for an agricultural implement having a seed metering mechanism for uniformly dispensing seeds. The seed tube defines an enclosed curvilinear seed passageway extending between opposite ends of the tube. To promote control over the seeds gravitationally passing through the tube, the seed passageway has a smooth but decreasing cross-sectional configuration between ingress and egress ends of the passageway. The interior surface of the passageway and preferably the tube itself is formed from a material having a coefficient of surface friction ranging between about 0.02 and about 0.10. The enclosed seed passageway furthermore includes a narrowed front edge extending upwardly from a lower end of, the tube and for a majority of the length of the passageway. The narrowed front edge passes beneath and across, in a fore-and-aft direction, the entire ingress end of the passageway for enhancing control over and such that the individual seeds passing through the passageway have substantially equivalent time therein thus promoting equidistant spacings between seed plantings.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.