A row unit for a seeding machine includes a seed reservoir and a seed meter having a metering member with a seed side facing the seed reservoir, a non-seed side opposite the seed side, and a plurality of apertures. The seed meter is operable by pressure differential between the non-seed side and the seed side to adhere seeds to the seed side and move seeds from the seed reservoir. A conduit has a venturi with a throat disposed adjacent the metering member. The throat presents an opening directed toward the seed side and the plurality of apertures. The opening is configured to receive a seed adhered to one aperture of the plurality of apertures. An air pressure source is configured to provide greater than atmospheric air pressure on the non-seed side such that during operation of the row unit an air stream passes through the one aperture toward the opening.

A row unit for a seeding machine includes a seed reservoir and a seed meter having a metering member configured to rotate about an axis. The metering member has a seed side facing the seed reservoir, a non-seed side opposite the seed side, and a plurality of apertures. The axis is normal to a surface of the seed side. The seed meter is operable by pressure differential between the non-seed side and the seed side to adhere seeds to the seed side and move seeds from the seed reservoir. The row unit also includes a positive pressure air source and an air outlet fluidly coupled to the positive pressure air source. The air outlet is disposed on the seed side and aimed to discharge an air stream towards one aperture of the plurality of apertures. The dischargeable air stream has a directional component parallel to the axis.

A seed delivery apparatus and methods in which a seed conveyor delivers seed from a metering device to a furrow in a controlled manner to maintain seed placement accuracy within the furrow.

A row unit for a seeding machine includes a seed reservoir and a seed meter assembly having a metering member with a seed side facing the seed reservoir and a non-seed side opposite the seed side. The metering member is operable to selectively move seeds from the seed reservoir. A pump provides a pressure differential between the seed side and the non-seed side for adhering the seeds to the metering member. A conveyor has an inlet for receiving the seeds and an outlet configured to discharge the seeds from the seeding machine. The conveyor includes a belt movable from the inlet to the outlet. A pneumatic seed displacer includes a nozzle disposed adjacent the metering member for concentrating air. The nozzle is configured to eject the air towards the metering member for directing the seeds from the metering member to the conveyor.

A seed meter for an agricultural planter in which the seed disc is rotatably mounted within a seed meter housing. As the seed disc rotates, the apertures in the disc rotate along a seed aperture path through a horizontally adjacent seed pool area. The seed disc includes cavities disposed along the seed aperture path to agitate the seeds in the seed pool area. A singulator having multiple co-planar singulator surfaces is biased against the seed side surface of the seed disc.

An agricultural planting implement includes a number of row units. The row units include one or more seed meters for receiving, singulating, and dispensing seed to the ground such that preferred spacing of subsequent seed is attained. A seed meter provides seeds one at time to a seed carrier, such as a brush wheel. The brush wheel may move the seeds one at a time to a seed conveyor by directly moving seeds along a curved portion of a seed disc in the seed meter. The seed conveyor may be a flighted belt, and the velocity of the seeds when transferred from the seed carrier may match the velocity of the flighted belt. The seed conveyor conveys the seeds to a position near the bottom of a furrow, and ejects the seeds with little or no horizontal velocity relative to the bottom of the furrow.

A metering system for a row unit for individual dispensing of grains comprises metering devices having a chamber for carrying grains, whereby a defined pressure level in the chamber is higher than ambient pressure. At least two metering elements establish a border to the chamber, whereby the metering elements are arranged within the housing so that they can be turned and the metering elements consist of cut-outs arranged along a curved path for picking up grains. At least one grain dispensing area is intended, which is defined by the chamber and the metering elements. The grain dispensing area includes a seed inlet element for transporting separated grains to a seed metering pipe to dispense the separated grains into a furrow, whereby a pressure application device is arranged at the seed inlet element or the seed metering pipe, to produce an air stream for the acceleration of the grains.

A singulating device (140) for singulating granular material comprises a base part (1401), a singulating part (1407) which is rotatable relative to the base part and which has a plurality of through-holes (14073) for receiving individual granules from said granular material with the ad of a pressure difference between opposite sides of the singulating part (1407), a closure part (1408) which is rotatable relative to the base part and which is attachable to the singulating part (1407), in order to form a closable space, such that the closure part (1408) is rotatable together with the singulating part (1407), and a motor (1409) for driving the closure part (1408) and the singulating part (1407). The singulating part (1407) is idly rotatably supported on the base part (1401). A drive shaft (14092) driven by the motor (1409) can be coupled to a driver arrangement (1408, 1413), in order to cause the driver arrangement to rotate. The singulating part (1407) is drivable by rotation of the driver arrangement (1408, 1413).

A seed meter disk includes a body defining a plane of rotation, a seed-side, and a lower-pressure-side. A circumferential array of seed openings are provided on the seed-side of the seed meter disk for seed adherence. A circumferential array of kick-out pockets are provided on the lower-pressure-side of the seed meter disk. A circumferential array of recessed seed agitator pockets may be provided for seed mixing and agitation. A circumferential array of raised agitator pegs or features may be provided for seed mixing and agitation. A kick-out wheel assembly includes a kick-out wheel rotatably held by a kick-out wheel arm. The kick-out wheel has at least one protrusion portion including a plurality of kick-out protrusions each of which is configured to mate with and enter one of the kick-out pockets to facilitate dislodgement of a seed or other particle from within a seed opening.

A planting unit for a seeding machine having a frame member and a seed meter mounted thereto. The seed meter has a housing and a metering member rotatably mounted therein. The metering member has a sidewall with an inner surface and an outer surface with a rim portion of the sidewall adjacent an outer edge of the sidewall. The inner surface of the side wall and the housing form a trough at a bottom portion of the metering member to hold a seed pool. A mechanical seed delivery system takes seed from the metering member and moves seed to a discharge location adjacent a seed furrow formed in soil beneath the seeding machine.