A seed meter for dispensing seed. The seed meter comprises a housing at least partially enclosing an interior space. The housing includes a top surface defining a seed inlet, and further includes a seed outlet. The seed meter additionally includes a metering wheel positioned within the interior space of the housing. The metering wheel is configured to carry seed through the housing when rotating in a first direction or in a second direction. The seed meter further includes a pair of retractable seed guards positioned within the interior space of the housing. The seed guards are each configured to be selectively configured in an operating configuration and in a retracted configuration. In the operating configuration the seed guards are configured to prevent excess seed from passing through the seed meter, and in the retracted configuration the seed guards are configured to permit large obstacles to pass through the seed meter.

An agitation unit for use in a lawn spreader and other dispensing equipment, and oscillating agitation systems therefor comprising such an agitation unit. The agitation unit includes a hub, an arm extending from the hub, and an extension on the arm configured to project downwardly to an extent relative to the arm and the hub to protrude into, but not through, the outlet passageway of the hopper.

A commodity metering assembly having a meter housing defining an inlet and at least one outlet, a roller rotationally coupled to the meter housing and configured to selectively process a commodity from the inlet to the at least one outlet and a first sensor coupled to the meter housing. The first sensor is positioned to identify a buildup at the at least one outlet.

An automated seed treatment device is disclosed, generally comprising a hopper for loading seeds and feeding them down into the lower end of an upwardly inclined auger assembly. Seeds loaded into the hopper travel up the auger assembly beneath a dosing drum comprising partitioned chambers mounted piggyback on the auger. The dosing drum comprises agitators dispensing a calibrated amount of seed coating into the auger assembly for coating seeds therein. Coated seeds travel up the inclined auger assembly to a double-chute dispenser head for bagging. The device comprises a wheel assembly and a stand for transport. The auger is driven at a fixed speed by a motorized pulley mechanism, which also drives the agitators. Seed treatments may be calibrated and sprayed onto the seeds as they travel up the auger assembly in a steady and accurate dosage.

A system and method are provided for subvehicularly accessed treatment of ground surfaces about a rail track occupied by a rail vehicle. A mobile treatment unit having a propulsion mechanism for subvehicular passage between the rails occupied by the rail vehicle includes a dispensing portion for expelling a treatment material therefrom onto regions of the ground surface about the rails. The mobile treatment unit is maneuverable between the rails and maintains height clearance for unobstructed passage beneath the occupying rail vehicle. At least one sensor unit is coupled to the mobile treatment unit, which acquires environmental feedback data about the mobile treatment unit. A control unit is operably linked to the mobile treatment and sensor units, and receives the environmental feedback data. The control unit controls actuation of the mobile treatment unit responsive to the environmental feedback and/or a maneuver control command.

A material spreader has an auger drive assembly and a slinger disc that are simultaneously driven by a mule-drive assembly. The mule-drive assembly is configured to be connected to and powered by a power-take off drive of vehicle, such as a tractor. The auger drive assembly includes a concentric auger drive shaft disposed within a tubular auger shaft and a step-down gearbox. The auger drive shaft is connected to the input of the step-down gearbox and the tubular auger shaft is connected to the output of the same gearbox. This arrangement allows the tubular auger shaft to rotate at a slower speed than the auger drive shaft and provides a compact assembly of the material spreader.

The present invention is directed to a vibrator for seed delivery system that operates to vibrate seeds within the delivery system to enable the seeds to move through the system and into row meters that place the seeds into the desired location within a trench over which the discharge system is positioned. The vibrator is attached to an induction, box and includes a housing in which an impeller is rotatably mounted. The impeller is driven by incoming air flow used to direct the seeds through the induction box, and includes a number of different sized vanes thereon. The rotation of the vanes creates mechanical vibrations in the induction box and directs a pulsed air flow through the induction box to minimize the bridging of seeds with one another within the induction box.

A manually operable spreader which can be moved from behind on a surface is especially suitable for distributing salt and other particulate materials which tend to conglomerate or clump in a hopper of the spreader. Wheels are mounted to a frame also support the hopper. A horizontal drive shaft between the wheels is coupled to rotate a vertical shaft. A distributor below the hopper rotates with vertical shaft rotation to distribute particulate material which drop via openings in the bottom of the hopper. The vertical shaft extends via a hole in bottom of hopper and carries at the top thereof an auger having a helical vane. The auger is rotatable with the vertical shaft as the spreader is moved on its wheels. The auger circulates the particulate material in the hopper as the spreader moves while directing material in the hopper towards the bottom thereof.

The invention relates to a method for dispensing a particulate material in a target area and a device suitable for use in the method. The method comprise (i) providing a reservoir comprising openings for the particulate material, (ii) providing a number of closing means suitable for at least partially closing the openings of the reservoir (iii) providing a number of screens in the void of the reservoir, said screens being movable, through the void of the reservoir between at least a first and a second position (iv) loading particulate material in the reservoir, (v) moving the reservoir loaded with particulate material over the target area and at least partially opening the number of openings while alternatingly moving the screens between a first and a second position and vice versa.

A commodity agitation system is provided for agitating a commodity in a commodity feed system including a tank storing the commodity and a metering device delivering the commodity to a seeder duct of an associated agricultural implement. An agitator module of the commodity agitation system includes a frame configured to couple the agitator module with the tank, a commodity working member configured to engage the commodity stored in the tank, and a drive system configured to control movement of the commodity working member based on a command signal. A controller of the commodity agitation system includes a memory device, a processor device, a set of agitation control parameters and control logic stored in the memory device. The agitation control logic is executable by the processor device to generate the command signal for controlling the movement of the commodity working member based on the set of agitation control parameters.