Abstract: The air seeder has a series of rotors which deliver a plurality of metered seed streams from a hopper and into a corresponding plurality of transfer condutis. The downstream ends of the transfer conduits are grouped together by a plate for quick and easy movement as a unit. The plate may be either coupled with a panel for delivery of the seed streams to delivery conduits for distribution of the seeds to the ground behind furrow openers or coupled with a sample collector inlet for collection of the seed streams therein. During normal planting operation the rotors are ground driven so as to meter an amount of seeds corresponding to the acreage traversed by the implement. During sampling, the rotors are manually operated so as to deliver a sample corresponding to a certain sample acreage. The sample is collected in the sample collector and the metered seed rate is determined by dividing the sample weight by the sample acreage.

Abstract: An agricultural implement useful to prepare the ground before or after a seeding operation includes a number of soil packer units which are directly coupled to transversely extending tool bars or frame members ahead of respective, trailing harrow sections. The packer units are connected to the frame members by relatively short links for free up and down shifting movement during advancement of the implement across the field in substantial independence of vertical movement of the harrow sections. The frame members are pivotal about a parallel, horizontal axis to raise the harrow sections and the packer units to an upright orientation for transport, at which time a portion of the links supporting the packer units comes into firm, resting contact with a stop for precluding further movement of the packer units.

Abstract: A wide swath agricultural implement is provided with a plurality of frame sections arranged side by side with respect to travel direction and which are coupled together so that they can be folded into a narrower unit for non-operational transport and also can flex about coupling axes generally parallel to travel direction and pitch about axes normal to travel direction in order to follow the contours of undulating ground. The couplings include fore and aft links with one end of the fore link hinged to the one section which pulls the other for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to travel direction and with the other end connected to the adjacent pulled section for limited universal and swivelling movement. Preferably the fore link is of triangular configuration in plan view with the apex at the latter connection and the side opposite the apex arranged parallel to the hinge axis.

Abstract: Improvements in flexibility for wide swath agricultural implements having hinged wing frame sections to enable the implement to be folded compactly for transport and also to better follow ground contours are provided by dividing at least one of the sections into side-by-side subsections which are pivotally interconnected for relative movement about a transverse axis. Thus, relative flexing between adjacent frame portions can take place about hinge axes parallel to travel direction while relative flexing between adjacent wing sections of the frame can take place about transverse axes. Preferably the pivotal interconnections are located to divide the frame into portions of equal width and the pivotal interconnections are reinforced by link means which connect the adjacent portions to resist bending movements about a vertical axis at the interconnection while still permitting the hinged sections to be folded.

Abstract: A rate measuring device comprises a beam with a plurality of graduated scales and a cup on one end thereof. While a material dispensing machine is moved a certain distance, the material normally applied to the ground is collected in a container and subsequently transferred to the cup. Next, a fulcrum is placed beneath the beam in a position to exclusively carry and horizontally balance the beam. The operator then reads the graduated scale at a location vertically above the fulcrum, the scales being calibrated in terms of pounds per acre or kilograms per hectare. Consequently, the farmer can directly read his application rate of materials dispensed per acre or hectare, while, in actuality, the machine has been driven only a short distance. In one embodiment, the fulcrum is attached to a handle portion which contains a reel adapted to hold a measuring tape or string used to mark the distance the machine must travel.

Abstract: A ground working assembly has an inclined arm swingable up and down on a tool bar of an agricultural implement, the assembly being yieldably biased downwardly by a cushioning spring associated with a bracket which mounts the assembly on the tool bar. A tool-supporting shank depending from the arm at its lower, rear end is swingable rearwardly and upwardly relative to the arm, but held against tripping by linkage which is normally locked by the spring. During encounters by the ground-working tool with usual types of ground conditions tending to cause the tool to rise against the action of the spring, the assembly merely swings upwardly relative to the bracket. But tool damage is alleviated by unlocking of the linkage and tripping of the shank when more extreme conditions, such as large rocks, are encountered by the tool.

Abstract: Peripheral strengthening of double dished packer wheels used in connection with seeding implements is accomplished by providing a rigid connection for a strong, rigid annulus between the dish-shaped sides of the wheels.

Abstract: Seed metering and particle dispensing wheels and to a mechanism for mounting such wheels or other rotative elements to a shaft are disclosed. The wheel has a C-shaped major part with a central opening for receiving the shaft, the free edges of the major part defining a slot extending from the opening to the wheel periphery. A minor part is receivable in the slot to complete the wheel. The minor part at its inner end, and the shaft, are provided with cooperating surfaces which, when engaged, provide a drive connection between the shaft and the wheel. To remove a wheel from the shaft the minor part is withdrawn from the slot and the major part moved transversely of the shaft so that the shaft passes through the empty slot. Replacement or additional wheels can be assembled to the shaft using the reverse procedure.

Abstract: A seeding boot for use with a cultivator shank and utilized for delivering particulate material such as seed, fertilizer, chemicals or the like to soil prepared by a soil working tool comprises a soil deflector which defines a surface for deflecting soil over the seeds deposited on the prepared soil, and thereafter allows the soil to cover the seeds, and a diffusing member matingly engageable with the soil deflecting member for diffusing the seeds or the like into substantially parallel rows and includes a downstream portion which abuts against the inner surface of the soil deflecting member and an upper surface portion separated from the lower surface portion by a predetermined dimension so that together with the soil deflecting member will define an interior cavity through which the particulate matter will be directed, a portion of the upper surface being biased so as to receive various sizes of seed conduits and to increase the versatility of use of the seeding boot.

Abstract: The invention relates to improvements in air seeders, namely agricultural implements which utilize air pressure to move particulate material such as seeds from a feed zone to a dispersal or planting zone. The particulate material is normally fed from a hopper by a driven feed wheel or other similar mechanism. The invention provides a pressure pick-up at the source of air pressure, a conduit connecting the pick-up with a pneumatic actuator and a suitable linkage connecting the actuator with a clutch which is used to transmit drive power to the feed wheel. As long as there is sufficient pressure at the source the actuator will keep the clutch positioned to permit the feed wheel to operate. Should the pressure source fail the actuator will operate the clutch to stop transmitting power to the feed wheel and thus terminate the feeding of material which would otherwise clog the delivery conduits of the seeder.