The present invention is directed to an applicator having an agricultural product conveying system which transfers particulate material from one or more source containers to application equipment on demand, and meters the material at the application equipment. The conveying system includes an inline metering system including a number of metering devices associated with each compartment of a particulate material tank on the applicator to meter the particulate material disposed within each compartment. The individual metering devices include gates to initially enable the particulate material from a compartment to enter the metering device, and a rotary metering shaft to meter the flow of the particulate material into the conduits while limiting the passage of pressurized air through the metering device and into the compartment. The individual metering devices also include individual motors to control the operation of the metering devices independently from one another that can allow with sectional control and turning compensation.

A spreader device includes a hopper axially mounted above a generally circular hollow tube, the generally circular hollow tube forming a semi-circular hopper floor of an interior area formed by the hopper, and a drive motor assembly attached to the hopper and operable to rotate the generally circular hollow tube within at least a portion of the interior area formed by the hopper.

A seed metering system, for use on a row crop planter, selects individual seeds from a seed reservoir and dispenses the seeds singularly at a controlled rate. A direct drive seed metering system includes a seed disc having a plurality of suction apertures with a recessed pocket adjacent to an aperture. The recessed pockets act to agitate seeds in the seed reservoir and to direct seed flow towards the apertures. A seed path relief system aids in the placement of the seeds such that they are released from an outer edge of the seed disc. An adjustable seed singulator is mounted adjacent to the face of the seed disc where inner and outer blades are adjusted radially to compensate for the singulation of various seed sizes and shapes. The seed disc is driven via engagement of an internal gear with the external gear of an independent drive motor.

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for monitoring and controlling an agricultural implement, including seed planting implements. Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for detecting seeds being conveyed by seed conveyor. Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for monitoring and controlling deposition of secondary crop inputs such as fertilizer and insecticide.

Meters for fertilizers, small seeds, and chemicals include a housing defining a loading chamber, a rotatable metering disk provided with a receiving surface and a discharge surface, the disk including metering orifices; a ring including a discharge opening, and an insulating barrier arranged in the interior of the housing, the insulation barrier forming an insulating chamber on the rotatable disk and defining an inlet region of the disk and an output region of the disk; a metering bulkhead associated with the insulating barrier in the inlet region of the rotating disk with metering orifices loaded, the metering bulkhead being arranged on the rotatable metering disk so that a lower portion of the metering bulkhead is coplanar to the receiving surface of the rotatable disk.

An inductor box for an agricultural implement having compression limiters. One inductor box includes a housing having a first side configured to receive an agricultural product from a tank. The first side has a sealable surface, and the sealable surface has plates attached thereto. The inductor box includes a first gasket disposed on the sealable surface and configured to establish a seal between the sealable surface and a corresponding surface of the tank. The plates are configured to extend through respective openings in the gasket, and to block compression of the first gasket beyond a desired compression limit.

A seed metering system, for use on a row crop planter, selects individual seeds from a seed reservoir and dispenses the seeds singularly at a controlled rate. A direct drive seed metering system includes a seed disc having a plurality of suction apertures with a recessed pocket adjacent to an aperture. The recessed pockets act to agitate seeds in the seed reservoir and to direct seed flow towards the apertures. A seed path relief system provides for allowing the placement of the seeds such that they are released from an outer edge of the seed disc. An adjustable seed singulator is mounted adjacent to the face of the seed disc where inner and outer blades are adjusted radially to compensate for the singulation of various seed sizes and shapes. The seed disc is driven via engagement of an internal gear with the external gear of an independent drive motor.

A method of manufacturing a meter roller for an agricultural metering system includes stretching a sealing ring. The method also includes disposing the sealing ring between a first ring of a spindle and a second ring of the spindle. The first ring and the second ring are rigidly coupled to a driven shaft of the spindle, and the driven shaft is configured to engage a drive shaft to facilitate rotation of the spindle. In addition, the method includes enabling the sealing ring to contract such that an outer diameter of the sealing ring is less than or equal to an outer diameter of the first ring and an outer diameter of the second ring.

A method for growing plants includes both a seeder and a harvester both of which include arrangements for singulating the seeds and for measuring parameters of the seeds while singulated. This can be used for seeding selected seeds and for harvesting particular plants. The system operates by correlating information from the individual seeded seeds and from the harvested seeds in respect of a particular location on the growth medium and may include information relating the growth medium at the location. The location can be determined by seeding the plants in patterns which can be detected by a reader on the harvester. The system can be used to control selection of seeds to take into account soil conditions at the plant.

A profile insert for a meter roller of an agricultural metering system includes a flute and a recess positioned adjacent to one another along a circumferential axis of the profile insert. The flute and the recess are configured to meter flowable particulate material from a storage tank to a material distribution system via rotation of the profile insert. The profile insert also includes at least one locking element configured to substantially block circumferential rotation of the profile insert relative to a spindle. In addition, the profile insert is configured to extend about only a portion of a circumference of the spindle.