In one aspect there is provided a planting unit for singulating a plurality of seeds, said planting unit comprising a seed holder, a seed discharge, at least one drive unit and a seed singulator. The seed singulator further comprises a seed singulating ledge and an excess seed ejector to eject any excess seeds from the seed singulating ledge onto the seed holder.

A device (100) for distributing material for an agricultural machine (10) comprising: a chamber (110) provided with an inlet (105) and an outlet (106) for the material to be distributed; pneumatic means for generating a depression in the chamber (130); a distributor element (120) housed in the chamber (110) and suitable to receive the material due to the depression and transfer it from the inlet (105) to the outlet (106) of the chamber (110); the pneumatic means comprise an aspirating conduit (130) and a Venturi tube (133) connected to the aspirating conduit (130) and suitable to connect the aspirating conduit (130) with an exhaust pipe (21) of an engine so as to create a depression in the chamber (110).

Metering devices for an agricultural implement are provided for applying a field input, for example, pneumatically delivered granular product including seed or fertilizer or sprayed liquid product including fertilizer and the like, to an agricultural field. In the applying of the field input, the rate of application of the dispensers of one section of the implement can be collectively varied in relation to the rate of application of the dispensers of a different section of the implement frame.

A seed delivery device including a frame defining at least one seed chamber. The frame includes a sidewall and an air permeable floor. Seed can be received and deposited on the air permeable floor through an input port. An air input channel is utilized to introduce an air stream into the seed chamber and direct it through the air permeable floor such that seed is lifted from the air permeable floor to an outlet port. An air bypass channel is configured to separate the air stream into a first stream that is directed through the air permeable floor and a second stream that is directed through the bypass channel and recombined with the first stream, at a point prior to the output port.

The devices, systems, and methods herein use air pressure to dispense seed into the ground in a controlled manner. In certain embodiments, a valve is actuated to push a single seed out of a seed chamber. The seed can be conveyed from the metering housing and through a seed delivery apparatus to the furrow at high speed. The seed is rapidly conveyed from the seed chamber to the furrow by a precisely controlled air pulse to eliminate variation enable high planting speeds.

A meter roller for an agricultural metering system includes a flute and a recess positioned adjacent to one another along a circumferential axis of the meter roller. 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 meter roller. In addition, a first circumferential extent of the flute is at least 1.5 times greater than a second circumferential extent of the recess along an entire longitudinal extent of the flute and the recess, and the entire longitudinal extent of the flute and the recess is greater than the first circumferential extent of the flute and the second circumferential extent of the recess.

A manifold apparatus for an air seeder includes a manifold housing defining a output ports equally spaced around a perimeter thereof. An input port is defined in a bottom side of the manifold housing, and an input conduit extends downward therefrom. A distributor component is formed by a bottom side of a top plate of the manifold housing above the input port and directs product granules moving upward in an air stream in the manifold interior outward toward the perimeter of the manifold housing. A relative lateral position of the distributor component with respect to the input port is adjustable, and interference members extend an adjustable distance into the input conduit and/or manifold interior to contact the particles and change their flow path. The variables are manipulated to achieve positions where a rate of product flow through each output port is within a selected range.

A metering system for an agricultural system includes a singulator. The singulator includes a hopper configured to provide a flow of plantlet casings from a storage tank of the agricultural system, a pair of counter-rotating rods configured to receive the plantlet casings from the hopper at a feed rate, where the pair of counter-rotating rods are spaced apart from one another to form a gap, and where the gap is configured to direct the plantlet casings from a first end of the pair of counter-rotating rods to a second end of the pair of counter-rotating rods, and a drive assembly configured to drive rotation of the pair of counter-rotating rods.

An agricultural planter includes a chassis, a pneumatic system carried by the chassis, and a row unit carried by the chassis. The row unit includes a unit body, a metering unit carried by the unit body, a flexible coupling locked onto the port by an inner lip formed on an inner surface of the coupling. The metering unit includes a port with a channel formed within the port. The coupling has a sliding region formed on an outer surface of the coupling. The row unit also includes a locking ring bound within the sliding region of the coupling. The locking ring is slidable across the sliding region between a locked position and an unlocked position, such that the locking ring prevents the coupling from deforming to allow the inner lip off the port in the locked position. The row unit also includes a hose connecting the pneumatic system to the channel of the port through the coupling.

A seedling transplanting system is provided that utilizes a seedling feeder that is configured to fit between a tray of seedlings contained within a series of chain pots and a hydroponic trough. The feeder includes a ramp and a chute that direct the seedlings from the tray into the trough. A pair of guide surfaces, which form ramp sidewalls, help the seedlings to self-right as they are drawn into the hydroponic trough. A restraining jig aids in establishing and maintaining the relative positions of the seedling tray, feeder and trough during the transplanting process. A pulling tool simplifies the transplanting process by providing means for pulling a pair of media strips along with the captured chain pots into the hydroponic trough.