Patents Assigned to Sunflower Manufacturing Co., Inc.
  • Patent number: 6158523
    Abstract: A disc mounting system includes the attachment of each disc to a disc gang bar via a dedicated leaf spring. Each of the leaf springs, which can be generally U shaped, are attached at a top end to the gang bar and at a lower leg to a disc spindle such that the disc is positioned at least partially alongside the spring lower leg. The mounting system allows the disc to deflect vertically, laterally or torsionally when the disc encounters an obstacle. An optional shield can be attached to the leaf spring to prevent soil and debris thrown out by adjacent discs from entering the spring. A disc scraper blade can also be attached to the shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Sunflower Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Allan S. Gengler, Bradley A. Heidrick, Jeffrey S. Hughes
  • Patent number: 5632343
    Abstract: A soil deflecting and leveling reel is formed by end plates having a plurality of blades extending helically therebetween. Intermediate plates are positioned in spaced relation to the end plates and reinforce the reel blades. The reel is rotatably mounted on a reel support frame which is pivotally connected to a tillage tool frame in close proximity behind a disc gang. The reel support frame is resiliently urged to engage the reel with the ground whereby ground contact rotates the reel as the tool frame is drawn across a field. The blades of the rotating reel engage soil ejected upwardly by the discs and deflect the soil back to the ground to minimize lateral shifting of the soil and consequent formation of ridges and furrows by the discs. Additionally, the blades of the rotating reel break up clods of the soil and churn the soil to improve mixing and incorporation of chemicals applied to the soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Sunflower Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Allan S. Gengler
  • Patent number: 5626196
    Abstract: A seed drill includes a conventional single or double disc blade soil opener for creating seed trenches for the deposition of seeds by a seeder. A scraper/soil firming assembly is attached to the outside of each disc blade axle. The scraper/soil firming assembly includes a bracket for mounting a scraper/soil firming blade and a locking plate for locking the mounting bracket and blade at a selected angle relative to the disc blade axle. The scraper/soil firming blade is a flat bar extending downward and rearward from the respective disc blade and positioned alongside the disc blade and to act both as a blade scraper and as a soil firmer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Sunflower Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey S. Hughes