A particle delivery system of an agricultural row unit includes a particle belt having a particle acceleration section. The particle belt is configured to receive a particle from a particle metering and singulation unit, to accelerate the particle at the particle acceleration section, and to expel the particle toward a trench in soil. The particle delivery system includes a first wheel engaged with the particle belt at a first location and a second wheel engaged with the particle belt at a second location. The particle acceleration section extends between the first location and the second location, a substantially no-slip condition exists between the first wheel and the particle belt at the first location and between the second wheel and the particle belt at the second location, and the second wheel is configured to rotate faster than the first wheel to accelerate the particle at the particle acceleration section.

A particle delivery system of an agricultural row unit includes a particle belt having a particle acceleration section. The particle belt is configured to receive a particle from a particle metering and singulation unit, to accelerate the particle at the particle acceleration section, and to expel the particle toward a trench in soil. The particle delivery system includes a first wheel engaged with the particle belt at a first location and a second wheel engaged with the particle belt at a second location. The particle acceleration section extends between the first location and the second location, a substantially no-slip condition exists between the first wheel and the particle belt at the first location and between the second wheel and the particle belt at the second location, and the second wheel is configured to rotate faster than the first wheel to accelerate the particle at the particle acceleration section.

An agricultural planter includes a plurality of row units attached to a toolbar. The row units include seed meters in seed meter housings for receiving, singulating, and dispensing seed or other particulate. The seed meters include a circular seed disc with a seed path for receiving the seed in the seed meter housing. Integrated with the seed meter, such as at the housing, is an electric pressure source dedicated for providing a pressure differential for the seed meter or meters at a particular location on the planter. The pressure source can be positive or negative to temporarily adhere seed to the seed disc of the meter. A single pressure source can provide the pressure differential to a single meter or to multiple meters or discs at a row unit.

A seed meter comprising a seed handler comprising a cylinder comprising a plurality of seed chambers. The seed handler rotates the cylinder to sequentially position each seed chamber in a ‘loading’ position wherein each seed chamber receives a sets of seeds, a ‘planting’ position wherein seeds from each seed set are parsed, and an ‘evacuation’ position wherein any seeds remaining in each chamber are evacuated from each chamber. The seed meter additionally comprises a seed separator comprising a seed disc. The seed disc rotates, parses seed from each seed chamber, and transports the seeds to the exit chute. Importantly, the seed meter is structured and operable to substantially simultaneously, receive the sets of seed in the respective chamber positioned in the ‘loading’ position, parse the seeds from the respective chamber positioned in the ‘planting’ position, and evacuate the remaining seed from the respective chamber positioned in the ‘evacuation’ position.

An apparatus and methods for delivering seed from a metering device to a furrow. In one embodiment, a seed meter entrains and releases seed from a seed disc at a seed release location. The released seed is directed into a seed conveyor by a loading wheel. The seed conveyor conveys the seed toward the soil and releases the seed with a rearward relative velocity.

A particle delivery system of an agricultural row unit includes a first particle disc configured to meter particles and a second particle disc configured to receive the particles from the first particle disc and to transfer the particles toward a trench in soil. The particle delivery system includes a vacuum source configured to reduce air pressure within a first vacuum passage to couple the particles to one or more first apertures of the first particle disc. The vacuum source is also configured to reduce air pressure within a second vacuum passage to couple the particles to one or more second apertures of the second particle disc. A rotation rate of the first particle disc is controllable to establish a particle spacing between the particles within the trench. A rotation rate of the second particle disc is controllable to expel the particles at a particle exit speed.

Systems, methods and apparatus for adjusting the depth of a trench opened by a row unit of an agricultural planter. The row unit includes a trench depth adjustment assembly configured to modify the furrow depth. In one embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a gear box having one or more gears which engage with a gear rack. The gear box may be pivotally connected to a depth adjustment body supporting a rocker that adjusts upward travel of gauge wheel arms. In another embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a depth adjustment arm having a screw receiver that cooperates with a driven screw that adjusts the position of the depth adjustment arm acting on the gauge wheels to adjust trench depth.

An agricultural 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. Seed delivery systems are included to aid in transporting the seed from the seed meter to the ground in a controlled manner to mitigate skips and to aid in controlling the spacing of the seeds, which can be based upon the ground speed of the implement as it moves through the field. The seed delivery systems can control the transport of the seed to a furrow in the field such that the seed can experience zero or near zero relative velocity so that the seed will have little to no movement once positioned in the furrow.

Sowing element for precision agricultural seeders comprising a device for selecting the seed, of the type which is formed of a perforated disc having opposing faces that are subject to a pressure differential and a pressurisation device associated with the disc for applying the pressure differential to the faces of the disc, the pressurisation device including a pressurisation bell combined with the disc so as to pneumatically couple thereto in order to guarantee said pressure differential, wherein the bell is rotatably idle with respect to the disc.

A particle delivery system of an agricultural row unit includes a particle metering and singulation unit configured to meter a plurality of particles from a particle storage area and a particle belt disposed a selected distance apart from the particle metering and singulation unit. The particle belt is configured to receive the plurality of particles from the particle metering and singulation unit. The selected distance between the particle metering and singulation unit and the particle belt enables the plurality of particles to accelerate under an influence of gravity to a particle speed at the particle belt within a target percentage of a belt speed of the particle belt.