Abstract: A self-cleaning device for filtering air in a harvester includes a venturi ejector connected to a source of pressurized air which, in a cotton harvester, includes the cotton handling system blower. The ejector includes nozzle, a vacuum chamber shaped to minimize dead air zones and eddy currents, and a diffuser section. The vacuum chamber is supported near a rotating air inlet screen to vacuum debris from the inlet side of the screen. The debris is drawn into the negative pressure air stream upstream of the nozzle and is positively directed away from the engine compartment and other components on the harvester. The engine cooling fan receives only screened air, and the use of a source of air which is independent of the cooling fan, as well as any separate screen cleaning fan, helps to retain maximum engine cooling capacity.

Abstract: A seed distribution system includes an upright main hopper for containing a mass of seeds. The input end of a seed tube projects into the lower portion of the hopper near the bottom of the seed mass. The input end of the seed tube is located within the output end of an air supply tube and terminates inwardly of the supply tube. The seeds in the main hopper are pneumatically captured by creating a generally dome-shaped area in the seeds adjacent the input end and sweeping seeds from the area into the input end. The captured seeds are propelled through the seed tube to a secondary hopper adjacent a seed metering device. To provide automatic level control, the delivery end of the seed tube is supported within the secondary hopper so that, as the seed level rises in the hopper, air flow and thus seed delivery rate will decrease.

Abstract: Relatively simple opener assembly structure for maintaining a generally constant vertical relationship between an opener and a trailing press wheel. The structure provides benefits of a parallel linkage design but obviates the extra links of, and provides better trash shedding and tripping characteristics than, a parallel linkage design. An opener arm and a press wheel arm are pivotally connected to a leg assembly for rocking about offset pivotal axes. As the press wheel arm oscillates over uneven ground, the opener arm is constrained for vertical movement with the central portion of a press wheel arm by a track and follower assembly. The opener arm is substantially shorter than the press wheel arm and causes the opener to rotate both rearwardly and upwardly upon encountering trash or other obstacles.

Abstract: A dual air system for separately conveying fertilizer and seed in an implement such as an air drill or air seeder which includes an adjustable divider arrangement for providing a small amount of starter fertilizer to be placed with the seed. The total fertilizer metered by a fluted feed wheel is divided into two streams by an adjustable knife plate. A pivoting baffle plate resting against the knife plate deflects one of the two fertilizer portions to the fertilizer air system. The other fertilizer stream is delivered to the seed air system. The overall rate of fertilizer application may be adjusted without affecting the total amount of fertilizer provided to the seed air system.

Abstract: An opener assembly for fertilizing, tilling and seeding in one pass. An opener body is removably attached to an upright support leg and mounts a replaceable fertilizer banding knife. A replaceable sweep blade fixed immediately behind the knife to slice weed roots and firm the seedbed. A seed plenum located above the sweep blade receives a stream of seed through a channel in the opener body and divides the seed into left- and right-hand rows which are sown over the firmed soil. The forward central portion of the sweep is notched and is received over the opener body closely adjacent to the fertilizer knife to provide a compact structure, and a mounting tab at the rear of the sweep cooperates with a bolt and captive nut arrangement to provide quick and easy replacement of the sweep. The entire opener body may be removed from the support leg to change an implement from one type of operation to another.

Abstract: A shank-mounted press wheel assembly includes a main shank bracket cast as a unitary structure and adapted for securing against the aft face of a shank by a single U-bolt. The cast structure includes an integral transverse pivot for mounting a fore-and-aft extending press wheel drawbar and a rearwardly extending leg for receiving the upper end of a tension link supporting a compression spring for providing adjustable down-pressure on the press wheel. Vertical adjustments of the press wheel assembly may be made quickly and conveniently by simply loosening two nuts on the U-bolt which secures the bracket to the shank. Angular travel stops for the drawbar are provided by a locknut on the tension link and by the solid compressed length of the coil spring. An adjustable wheel support located on the aft end of the drawbar permits the press wheel center line to be adjusted with respect to the tool shank center line.

Abstract: Disk openers and corresponding pivoting press wheels are mounted in gangs on the rear frame portion of a tillage implement such as a field cultivator. Individual press wheel gangs are pivotally connected to the frame by standards which are biased downwardly by spring bracket assemblies. Each gang of openers is connected to the corresponding press wheel drawbars rearwardly of the pivot so that the pivot center of each opener is dependent on press wheel position. Opener down pressure springs act through an effective moment arm which decreases as the press wheel gang pivots upwardly to provide uniform opener depth penetration on uneven ground such as where terraces exist. An air distribution system delivers seed from a tank mounted on the cultivator to the disk openers.